ALBUM REVIEW: Matthew Ballard - Midnight Drive
Singer-songwriter Matthew Ballard offers up a heaping pile of honky-tonk magic in his sterling sophomore release - "Midnight Drive." The album is a polished mixture of the best Americana and Alt-Country. Plus, "Midnight Drive" is one self-produced album that could be mistaken for a major label release.
Ballard wrote all 11 songs on the album. The project starts out strong with the song "Run Away With Me" that should be getting major spins on Texas radio. But the best track on the album is titled "Chains." Any Chris Knight fan will immediately warm to this outstanding cut which blends a real-life story with a great melody and good vocals.
The album itself is laid back and almost never over-reaches. But the real key to Ballard's success on "Midnight Drive" is that almost every cut has a memorable hook. For instance "Clear Blue Skies" would be instantly welcomed by any fan of the Randy Rogers Band or Wade Bowen.
Not every track is perfect on "Midnight Drive." But all things considered, this is a major achievement from a new artist that deserves some attention. Matthew Ballard asks "Where Do I Go From Here?" on the reflective final cut of his CD. Based on the evidence provided here, the future looks bright. CountryChart.com
Ballard wrote all 11 songs on the album. The project starts out strong with the song "Run Away With Me" that should be getting major spins on Texas radio. But the best track on the album is titled "Chains." Any Chris Knight fan will immediately warm to this outstanding cut which blends a real-life story with a great melody and good vocals.
The album itself is laid back and almost never over-reaches. But the real key to Ballard's success on "Midnight Drive" is that almost every cut has a memorable hook. For instance "Clear Blue Skies" would be instantly welcomed by any fan of the Randy Rogers Band or Wade Bowen.