Chances Are

Singer/songwriter Patrick Davis toes the line between roots rock and polished pop throughout this record, with "This Life" getting the 11-song effort off on initially proper footing. The concluding verses sound far cleaner though than the opening, making it a bit uneven. Most of the album is musically safe although there are a few looser and finer songs, including the melodic roots pop of "It's Only Love." The tune recalls just a touch of John Mellencamp despite the needless female harmonies. For the most part though, Davis hits the mark with a fine turn of phrase and soft yet infectious arrangement. He even opts for strings on the rich "Just Like the Nite," which could be mistaken for Five for Fighting or Joe Firstman. The early watershed moment is the stellar "Can't Stop Rolling," a mix of Kevin Welch and early Steve Earle. "Well, the chances are I'll never be a star/But that's all right/Just as long as I can sing my songs in a small town on a Saturday night," he sings on the song that hits close to home. The middle of the record is a bit weak with an average "Rock Myself" and a barren traditional country duet on "Faithless Heart." A great surprise is the catchy, down-home mountain flavor of "Maybe Tonight" as Davis nails the song perfectly. But just as surprising is the sloppy, jazzy barroom tone to "Roll 'n' Roll Woman" with the musician giving a performance only fans of Sawyer Brown could appreciate. Thankfully he returns to his strengths with "Scared to Dream." People might see a lot of the blue-collar Springsteen in his music, but this debut album is a good first step in his own right.