A rule of thumb principle I usually apply is to give a wide berth to bands that boast of being likened to The Eagles. Texas based Denim give a good illustration as to why.
As faded as a well worn pair of jeans the 14 tracks of lame country-tinged soft rock on this album is the musical equivalent of middle aged spread. Denim have apparently existed in one form or other since 1970 (this their 6th release) so I would hazard a guess that they're now well into their 50s.
Old enough to know better in other words.
The opening track opens with the line "To all of my children wherever you are, Don't do like I did, Follow your heart" and proceeds to dole out clichéd advice about seizing the day.
Track 2 is billed as some "latin flavoured fun" (sic) called 'The Company of Men" which includes a check list of men's 'attributes' : "watch sport - drink beer - work on cars - shoot deer - lay around in underwear - wolf whistle every dress' . It's intended (I hope to god) as irony but the salsa beat and smug tone scupper any attempt at humour. As a throwaway track later in the tracklisting it might have been a little more forgiveable but to front load it inevitably colours your judgement of the album as a whole.
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None of the remaining 12 tracks match this level of crassness but equally they offer no redemption. Another 'joke' track (Bridezila) falls just as flat while elsewhere there are tired rehashes of C,S,N & Y ('On The Couch') and Little Feat (A Little of This) style smoozing.
The whole package is pitched strongly towards an adult orientated (white) middle class audience with 'tasteful' harmonies and inoffensive lyrics.
It's like punk never happened.
14t - 48.52
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