While I may not be much of a country music fan, I still can see talent when it crosses my path. Judging music by its quality and audience appeal can be done without necessarily liking that genre of music. However, your musical tastes do eventually affect how you view individual artists and bands.
This brings me to Wade Bowen, a rising Texas signer/songwriter. He got his start back in 1998 as a student at Texas Tech. Along with friend Matt Miller, he started the band West 84. Now his popularity has spread beyond the Texas Panhandle region and is branching out everywhere.
For six years now he has been touring, refining his music and has finally been able to release his second album, “Lost Hotel.” Bowen said that this album is critical for him.
“This has to be the record for me at this point in my career,” said Bowen. “A lot of people have turned their heads and are standing back looking at me, which is a cool feeling but at the same time I can’t mess around from this point forward. This is a critical point for people that haven’t heard me yet.”
The question is whether this album is good enough to carry him as far as he would like it to. I would have to say that he has a lot going for him right now. Just about every song on the album has good lyrics, a new sound and force behind it. I actually enjoyed a few of the songs that sounded like more of a country rock. Bowen’s music was not unbearable like some other country artists.
The first song on “Lost Hotel” is “God Bless This Town.” This is Bowen’s favorite song because he feels that he fully captured the attitude of it. They are expecting this to be the “soon-to-be-hit-single,” but I doubt that. If anything, it will be another one of the songs from the album. “God Bless This Town” was probably one of my least favorites on the album, although he did have decent lyrics and it spoke the truth.
Overall, the album was pretty good. It has great potential to turn into something great and to attract a lot of fans. As long as he keeps up the same caliber work, he should singing and playing music for a long time.
For all of you that like country music, I would suggest checking out Wade Bowen. He has great talent, and I really think that you would enjoy it. Even for those of you who slightly like this genre of music, I would say to listen to Bowen’s music and give it a chance.