Post by StevePulaski on Apr 28, 2015 23:00:05 GMT -5
Borderline (1996)
By: Brooks & Dunn
By: Brooks & Dunn
Rating: ★★★½
Following two albums that functioned purely within the confines of average, standard-fare, Brooks & Dunn hit incredibly commendable heights with Borderline, their fourth album that has the duo experimenting and toying with a style they have already proven to have down quite well. With Brooks' energetic and often strenuous vocals blend very well with Dunn's expressive, distinct voice, the two men create an album comprised of a variety of styles for the country genre that evoke empathy and pure pleasure. Not since Brand New Man, the duo's debut album, have they exhibited such lofty promise and sheer talent in one complete, elegant package.
The album opens with "My Maria," arguably one of my favorite, if not my favorite, Brooks & Dunn song. This is the song that really captures the talent of these two different men that, through their own contrasting skills and personalities, create a duo that works on all levels musically. Brooks is mostly segregated to backing vocals in a tone that's yearning and wanting more, though that doesn't shortchange his talent of capturing essence. While Brooks helps elevate a mood,truthfully, this song is mostly Dunn's, as his loud, high-pitched voice takes over, with the yodeling coming through on the chorus so elegantly. Especially when looking at the chorus or the lines leading up to the chorus, we see surmounting angst and vocal precision build through his range. Through all its aesthetics, the song is beautiful and a bold representation of two singers with different styles that, against all odds, have found ways to make their duality work.
The duo get their more emotional tunes out in the beginning, with the glacially paced "I Am That Man," about a man proving to his woman he's the one who will make her happy, and "Why Would I Say Goodbye," which caters to emotion in the more obvious manner.
The remainder of the album follows up with winners of similar merit. "More Than a Margarita" has Brooks largely taking over, toying with the plurality of a heartbreak, which can exude indifference and contentment in one setting but be burdened by guilt, regret, and piercing sadness in another. The song, while generally light-hearted, brings forth a much darker and sadder idea that plays like "My Next Broken Heart," an older song from the duo. "Redneck Rhythm & Blues" is the rare Brooks & Dunn ditty that has them working at a breakneck pace, where most face-paced songs of theirs cap out at a generally slower pace, even by the standards of rowdier country. This particular song has them working at a pace decidedly more raucous than what they're used to and, in turn, produces a song that much more exciting.
"One Heartache at a Time" is another song that doesn't wallow in its own pity. Excessive emotional relevance and slow-moving ballads wear on me after a while, and with this offering, the duo prove to have mastered the art of creating an uptempo song about heartbreak. Sometimes you want the empathy without the side of free-flowing tears and "One Heartache at a Time" adheres to that feeling. The album concludes with "Tequila Town," a ballad with Brooks assuming the lead vocals that feel in line with "Mexican Minutes," an offering on their sophomore release Hard Workin' Man and pleasantly so, as that particular song worked for its breezy pace. We close with "White Line Casanova," another effort toying with breakneck pacing in a manner that isn't as interesting due to lyrical issues in terms of pacing, flow, and general feel, but still feels fittingly experimental for an album that has already been so impressive.
Borderline is a very impressive album; I'd rank it highly amongst 1990's country and the best thing that Brooks & Dunn have put out thus far. The versatility of the duo and the experimentation do not go unsung here, and while a new route is being forged, the old route is being explored to great effect. There's a serene sincerity to Borderline that is echoed through its ballads, its heartfelt and honest songs about heartbreak and sadness, and its more contagious country romps, all of which work to create a diverse and enriching album.
Recommended tracks (in order): "My Maria," "More Than a Margarita," "Redneck Rhythm & Blues," "One Heartache at a Time," "Tequila Town," and "I Am That Man."