Wade Bowen released his much anticipated EP today and it’s as great as we could have wanted.
The whole project has a down home feel with the focus heavily on the lyrics and meaning behind the songs. Not that we would expect anything different from Wade, but man is it nice to hear some good old fashioned simple country music these days.
The EP kicks off with the almost-title track (Where’s the “Where”? Just another mystery of the world, I guess…) “Phone’s Don’t Work,” which is a song about getting away from a new ex-girlfriend. Where to? The location doesn’t matter, as long as there’s no signal to pick up the phone and call her or answer when she calls.
“I don’t know how many miles it’s gonna take
All I know is I ain’t hitting no brakes
Til I’m way past the place where it don’t hurt
She can’t call me
And I can’t call her
Hell, I don’t care
Anywhere phones don’t work”
The second song is an ode to loving where you’re from, wherever that may be, and recognizing that everyone has that special place. Titled “Where We Call Home,” this one hit me pretty good, considering I’m headed home for the holidays as we speak. Thank you for the added excitement, Wade.
“Might be the last mailbox down a gravel road
Might be a skyline penthouse window
Might have different numbers in our zip code
But we all got a place where we call home”
We’d already heard the feel-good “When Love Comes Around.” but the song that follows, “Trouble Is” might be my favorite on the project.
A Steve Earle co-write, it’s a heartbreaker that feels a bit like a prelude to “Phones Don’t Work.”
The song is about a couple knowing it’s not working but being unable to figure out how to go through with ending it after all they’d been through.
The chorus shifts back and forth between the guy’s and girl’s perspective, which is really cool. I love when writers get into the mind of someone other than their character in a song and Wade and Steve knocked it out of the park.
“Trouble is
You don’t love me anymore
And if you did
You turn around and shut that door
It’s come to this
Time to lay this burden down
Trouble is
We don’t know how”
The album ends with an inspirational song called “Be You,” encouraging the listeners to be the best they can be, find the beauty in everyday life and to just be who they are at heart.
A little kumbaya, sure, but it’s actually done pretty well and you’ll most likely enjoy it. It kind of has the same feeling as “I Hope You Dance,” like he’s talking to a son or daughter and giving advice for their life.
And who doesn’t love a little wisdom from those who’ve already walked the walk?
“Minutes tick tock through the day like waiting on a train to come
You can’t see the forest for the trees and no body’ dropping you crumbs
There’s light where you choose to find it
Choices you can’t undo
So beware, be wise, be safe, be kind, be brave, be love, Be You”
Overall, another absolutely solid project from Wade, whose legacy seems to grow with every release.
In a world of people chasing short term rewards, man are we happy there’s a guy like Wade Bowen out there.
