Review
Justin Moore ain't afraid to grab life by the horns and wrestle it to the ground, and that's exactly what he does on his rowdy 2011 album "Outlaws Like Me". This ain't no ordinary country record - it's a raw, unfiltered slice of red-dirt storytelling that slaps you right in the face with its blue-collar pride and unabashed love for all things rural. From the blistering outlaw anthems like "Bait a Hook" and "If You Don't Like My Twang", to the aching, nostalgic ballads like "If Heaven Wasn't So Far Away", Moore wears his heart on his sleeve and his twang in his throat. The production, while a touch too slick for its own good, can't hold back the raucous honky-tonk energy and heartfelt sentimentality that pulse through every track.
It's not just the bragging and boasting that makes "Outlaws Like Me" a stone-cold classic of modern country - it's the honest-to-goodness emotion that seeps through the cracks in Moore's voice on the poignant moments. Songs like "If Heaven Wasn't So Far Away" and "When I'm Gone" may be just a touch too sappy for some, but they hit home in a way that's impossible to ignore. Moore's straightforward, no-bullshit lyrics and twang-heavy vocals are a perfect match for the rowdy party anthems like "Redneck Side" and "Beer Time" - they're the sound of a man who knows how to let loose and have a good time, no matter what life throws his way. While the occasional polished Nashville convention may rear its head, this is a record that's all about celebrating the grit and heart of country's working-class ethos, and damn if Justin Moore doesn't do it justice. - Dusty
