Justin Moore 'Off the Beaten Path' - The Valory Music Co

This is the third release from contemporary artist Justin Moore. Born in Arkansas in the 1980’s and moving to Nashville in 2009 to team up with writer/producer Jeremy Stover, you could say that Justin Moore believed in the American dream. His ‘no apologies,  down-home country’ style is perfectly illustrated on this beast of a release – sixteen songs that clock in at just short of an hour.

We get the usual topics of clean country living, working hard and respecting your parents. However, we also get the other side of this coin with a song tribute to beer, living large, morning-after headaches, chasing women and loving the flag. In other words, a little of everything and if one track doesn’t quite tick all the boxes, just wait around for the next one.

This artist has everything to take the vacated space of Garth Brooks and is certainly in the running to be dubbed the ‘new’ Tim McGraw. Stetson hat apart, the boy can sing and the song arrangements are excellent, jumping out with a powerful production. Charlie Daniels guests on For Some Ol’ Redneck Reason and on the softer side we have Miranda Lambert singing on Old Habits. The songs Dirt Road Kid and This Kind of Town  illustrate the style of writing on display and the audience that is being targeted. The pure country celebration of it all is never more apparent than on Country Radio on which  Moore sings “Baby, it’s just us and the lightning bugs, and country radio”. This is an impressive release and definitely an artist on his way to the top.