Vince Gill needs no introduction, especially from someone like me, who is largely inexperienced in much of his immense back catalogue. Being one of the most versatile musicians around, and being an experienced producer, musician, performer and writer, you can almost always expect a complete album with very few weak links from Vince. ‘Down To My Last Bad Habit’ is no exception, with fantastic guitar playing, homely vocals and a great groovy vibe.
On an album full of wonderful lyricism, my highlight is ‘Like My Daddy Did’, a touching song focusing on the story of a love, looking back to the past to learn how to treat a lover. This is amazing writing, and really puts shallow, ear-worm love songs in their place. It isn’t a song that will grab you with a sexy hook or a catchy tune, but listening to the lyrics will really make you feel something, a phenomenon that is all too lacking in the mainstream of country.
‘Down To My Last Bad Habit’ is the title track, and sums up the album with its lovely groovy blues rhythm and guitar melody. Again, this is mature music made for mature listeners, and the soul that Vince has in his vocals really adds another dimension to the song that gives it texture and sincerity. Similarly, ‘Me And My Girl’, a more upbeat acoustically-strummed song, has a sincerity to it that is perfect for an up-tempo ode-to-a-woman. When the electric guitar comes in soaring over the more traditional instrumentation the song is complete, building in layers to culminate in this musical picture of rich and earthy colours.
‘I Can’t Do This’ is a more traditional heart-break ballad revolving around looking at his love with another man. The slight strain in the vocals during the chorus is a nice touch, conveying emotion, especially given the hint of desperation in the lyrics. This is a very vocal-dominant song with a very understated drum beat and guitar texture building to a climax towards the end, conveying the drama of the story and the turbulence in the mind of the narrator. It’s very effective production, helping the story in a subtle manner that can make the listener think for themselves, as all the best stories do.
The real buzz around this album was the combination of the vocal talents of Little Big Town with the soul of Vince Gill on ‘Take Me Down’ (the lead single from the project). The song definitely doesn’t disappoint, and is one of the most catchy tracks on the record. Little Big Town’s contribution is pleasantly subtle, providing texture and harmony during the chorus and they complement Vince’s earthy vocals very well. Combined with the up-beat tempo and the great musicianship the vocal performances create a song that deserves to be recognised on radio. It probably won’t be, but that isn’t a new issue!
The better collaboration is actually ‘I’ll Be Waiting For You’, with harmonies provided by Cam. This is a wonderful song, with Vince’s best vocal performance of the record and production allowing the amazing chemistry between Vince and Cam to shine over the quiet string backing. This is one of the biggest highlights of the album, and I really hope it is released as a single, because although it isn’t as radio-friendly as ‘Take Me Down’, this song has got to be heard!
I already loved what I had heard from Vince Gill, but this record is the catalyst that is going to make me explore his back catalogue in more detail. I hope that is what it does for other listeners as well, because Vince should be heard by the new generation of country listeners; it may teach them that the shallow songs that dominate the charts aren’t the be-all of music. Chris Stapleton has already shown that to many people, now it’s Vince’s turn.
Originally posted here.
