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Alan Jackson – Angels and Alcohol album review

Alan Jackson is one of the legends of country music. With 15 studio albums and 64 singles to his name, heā€™s had a very prolific and successful career to date. The 56-year-old singer/songwriter explored Bluegrass on his 2013 album The Bluegrass Album but heā€™s returning to his traditional country roots for latest album Angels and Alcohol. In the US the album topped the Country Chart and entered the Top 5 on the Billboard 200.

In a genre currently dominated by bro-country Jacksonā€™s brand of country music is a welcome relief. Heā€™s definitely a crowd-pleaser when it comes to those who prefer their country a little more traditional. Angels and Alcohol sees Jackson writing the majority of the songs with only 3 of the 10 tracks written by other songwriters. The album opens with the gentle You Can Always Come Home, which pairs Jacksonā€™s voice with an acoustic guitar melody and striking strings.

Angels and Alcohol may not be offering up anything all that new, especially for long-time fans of Jackson, but thereā€™s something very enjoyable about hearing him playing to his strengths. He has a knack for a catchy melody, as showcased on one of the albumā€™s standout moments You Never Know, but heā€™s able to pull off a good ballad too like the albumā€™s title track.

The setā€™s first single, Jim and Jack and Hank, is designed for radio and itā€™s one of the more commercial sounding tracks on the album. Honestly itā€™s not our favourite but itā€™s a fun enough song that ought to do well over the summer. Much better are the bouncy Flaws and the emotive ballad The One Youā€™re Waiting On. The album ends with the uptempo Mexico, Tequila and Me bringing things to a close on a high note.

The albumā€™s finest moment comes on the gorgeous and emotive I Leave a Light On. Jacksonā€™s vocal on the track is his best on the record and the throwback feel of the song resonates strongly.

Angels and Alcohol is a solid release from Jackson. Itā€™s hard for any artist to find longevity in the music industry but Jackson has managed his. His music is as good today as itā€™s ever been and heā€™s still got a huge fanbase. He may not get the column inches that his younger counterparts like Luke Bryan and Blake Shelton do but his music is every bit as satisfying and worthy of your time. Itā€™s good to have a bit of traditional country thrown into the mainstream mix.

Pip Ellwood-Hughes
Pip Ellwood-Hughes
Pip is the owner and Editor of Entertainment Focus, and the Managing Director of PiƱata Media. With over 19 years of journalism experience, Pip has interviewed some of the biggest stars in the entertainment world. He is also a qualified digital marketing expert with over 20 years of experience.

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