Three Days
Artist: Pat Green
Label: Republic/Universal
Finding music of significance in today’s tired pop environment is terribly difficult. If sucrose overload is setting in from the musical “stylings” of Britney, Justin, and Christina, you’re probably looking for a new sound that delivers a healthy dose of substance without sacrificing the fun stuff too.
Such an artist is Pat Green, whose major label debut, Three Days, provides a seminal collection of “Texas Country” music (a rawer, more authentic sound than current Nashville offerings) that simultaneously perks the ears, moves the feet, and tears at the heartstrings.
After independently selling over 200,000 records, Green signed with the major label Universal, which agreed to grant him the coveted “artistic freedom” relinquished by so many new artists. Consequently, this record sounds straight out of a Texas honky-tonk, as Green elected to record the album with his own band in lieu of the professional studio players that dominate most mainstream Nashville acts.
For long-time Pat Green fans, Three Days mixes the old with the new. Of the 13 tracks (9 of which Green wrote or co-wrote), five are re-releases from previous albums (e.g., “Southbound 35,” “Carry On”) with the balance of the disc featuring a stellar line-up of new tunes, which together feature the great range of Green’s talents.
The title track is a testament to both the intensity and difficulty of long-distance relationships. Depicting the struggles of creating a meaningful experience with another when confined to a mere 72 hours sheds new light on the trials of those displaced from loved ones. Such is the peril of life on the road, and the listener is thrown into both the excitement and muted frustration the protagonist feels when finally returning to his loved one.
Throughout the album, Green pays homage to his roots by eliciting support from some of country music’s legends, including Walt Wilkens, Radney Foster, and Willie Nelson. Green and Nelson team on “Threadbare Gypsy Soul,” a song detailing the inescapable need for singer/songwriters to perform, travel, and let their hearts run wild taking them “wherever the wind blows.”
Yet Green doesn’t neglect the boot-scootin’ crowd either. In “Take Me Out To A Dancehall,” Green places the perfect two-step beat alongside simple lyrics chronicling a guy and a girl dancing the night away at a local hot-spot both driven by the notion that “if we get a little crazy, blame it on the alcohol.” The tune is incredibly lively, typifies the good-timing nature of the Texas country crowd, and should be a classic for years to come.
With Three Days, Pat Green is attempting to introduce the world to the both the fabric and fun of Texas country music. If you’re looking for a new, emerging genre of music to try, I suggest you take him up on his offer.
