Jack Ingram - Electric (2002)

You know Jack Ingram has to be an "alt-country" performer. For one thing, his songs rock, and for another thing, he's witty enough to have a song lyric like "Everybody loves you/Jesus told you so/Everybody's lying/Hell, even Jesus knows." Ingram's songs mix a subtle background of country and folk with a hefty dose of roots rock, and the result is reminiscent of early Rolling Stones or Bob Dylan without the fancy wordcraft. In fact, Ingram's lyrics are simple but often humorous, as on "We're All in This Together," and the above-quoted "Everybody." While many of the songs on this album are fast-moving and danceable, the last three songs are performed acoustically. While they may not live up to the title Electric, they demonstrate Ingram's ability to do "old-style" country -- but with a modern twist. Despite the occasional touch of slide guitar, this is country for city folk, music that fits in well with the Adult Album Alternative radio format. © Lynne Bronstein