Aaron Lewis
March 1, 2011
Stroudavarious
"Town Line" marks Lewis' first solo release and sees him more towards a country sound. His gravelly vocal sound leds itself adequately for this genre and when you listen to the record there is no doubt that Lewis pulled it from deep within himself. It makes sense that, now that he performs outside of the confines of Staind, he gets to let it out.
The Story Never Ends is a slow country-pop tune that channels the hardships of being away from home for an extended period fo time. It's very reflective but also bears tribute to the concept of home. On Vicious Circles you can get a taste of what would have happened if Staind had gone country. It has the same alternative edge that we have come to expect in Lewis' songwriting throughout his years with the band. It is unmistakably country though. Both musically and lyrically Vicious Circles may be the cornerstone of the EP. The question-driven anthem has a strong chorus and really forms the crossover between Lewis' old sound and his new.
Single Country Boy is a personal song reflecting on Lewis' own life. The storytelling aspect and intimate nature of the song bring out something raw and honest. Lewis puts the stroy in the limelight and lets it doe most of the work. Contributions from legend George Jones and professionals like Charlie Daniels and Chris Young give the song an extra dimension. Including his work with Staind, Country Boy may be one of the best songs Lewis ever released. Nothing is overdone, everything complements everything else. The patriottic nature of the song will work very well in the United States though outside of its borders people may feel a little less connected to that part of the song. Nevertheless, if you disregard that aspect, what remains is a damn good song.
With the help of Alexa Carter and an impressive slide guitarist, Lewis brings us the slow paced Tangled Up in You. It's an ode to the one(s) that keep you strong and loved. It's a sweet song with nice metaphors but it doesn't quite stand out compared to similar songs.
Massachusetts is the defacto closer of this EP. Like much of this record it pays tribute to home, family and a sense of belonging. Like on Country Boy, the melody serves the storytelling nature of the song and it turns out that Lewis excells at this practice because Massachusetts is another excellent tune.
On "Town Line" Lewis reflects on his own life and what is important to him. His country-influenced sound doesn't really feel like such a stretch from his earlier work with Staind because the music still has that alternative edge, not in the least due to Lewis' characteristic vocal sound. We've come to know Aaron Lewis as a strong songwriter and performer and "Town Line" only emphasizes that.