Stronger Proof

It has been said that country music is basically a form of white blues, and if one listens to country singers hold forth on love lost, this old adage has a grain of truth. Deryl Dodd, for instance, sounds like he's been dumped more than once at the beginning of Stronger Proof, and he's more than willing to share his woes with the listener. Whether it's the unrequited love of "Outside Lookin' In," leaving an unfaithful love in "Never Again," or drinking away doubt in "Stronger Proof," Dodd revels in the country music tradition of wearing one's heart on one's sleeve. Just when all the running around and heartbreak starts to get depressing, he switches to the good time "More of the Same," a snappy bit of Western swing with some great guitar work. Dodd also revives "Love or Something Like It," adding a little bit more rock. The only problem with country and the blues, though, is that it's hard to balance all of these mood swings on one album. The singer is in love and lust for a song or two, and then he's sitting on a barstool crying in the whiskey on the next two. Country music lovers, however, will be used to this and find much to like about Stronger Proof. ~ Ronnie D. Lankford, Jr., Rovi