And there was music, and they saw that it was good
It’s been about a week since Bo took several of his new songs out on tour. In that time I’ve been listening to them a lot, maybe even obsessively. They weren’t what I expected, and I couldn’t be happier. Bo wasn’t kidding when he said he was concentrating on his singer-songwriter roots for his new album, or when he said he’d had some amazing sessions with other writers.
We heard two songs written with Greg Barnhill, Different Shades of Blue and Lonely, Broke, and Wasted. Both of them hit right in the best part of Bo’s range, and are moody enough to bring out the emotional power of his voice.
The dreamy melancholy of Different Shades of Blue took me by surprise. I wasn’t sure what I thought of this song until I realized that I love it. It’s quiet, sophisticated, and altogether lovely.
Different Shades of Blue is audio only
Lonely, Broke, and Wasted is raw and painful, full of longing. The mix of defiance and despair makes my throat ache. It’s a really well made song, one that echoes in my head for a long time after it’s over. (Watch it here.)
Bo also wrote two songs with Daryl Burgess. My favorite is Wild Roses, a sweet and romantic country-tinged charmer. Bo seemed bemused by what he’s created, introducing it each night by saying it isn’t the sort of song he ever thought he’d write. I think maybe he’s a poet with a pen after all. This song will drop a daisy chain on its head and dance barefoot through your heart. It’s beautiful. (Watch it here.)
Who Knows What is all hippie funk with a beat that’s hard to resist. Who knew that protest could sound so sexy?
He Got You is the lightweight of the bunch. It’s not as interesting lyrically or melodically as the other new songs. Still, it seems to be good fun live, and I think this song might come alive with a full band.
I’ve been pissing and moaning for at least a year about all the delays in Bo’s live album/dvd/ep project. I couldn’t figure out any reason at all to keep putting it off, fiddling with it, letting fans drift away out of frustration and boredom. I still don’t get it, but these songs, they’re worth waiting for. Dude can write!
January 24th, 2010 at 5:50 am
Those along with the Kid and American Blood will make for a fantastic record. I think we have a winner.
January 24th, 2010 at 2:19 pm
Bo usually has a reason for doing what he does and now we know. Partners and excellent new songs. I adore the new material, it gets into your head and rattles around in there for hours (days). These are winners Bo, and so are you.
January 24th, 2010 at 2:25 pm
I’m thrilled Bo has partners and new songs. I still don’t see a good reason why he’s sat on the live album for so long.
January 25th, 2010 at 8:00 am
The new songs may be good, but personally I miss rocking Bo and hope we see some of him too.
January 25th, 2010 at 1:14 pm
When is he going to get this CD out there so we can buy it and have good quality recordings. This is amazing…I just LOVE these new songs!!!
January 25th, 2010 at 1:18 pm
Gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous.
January 25th, 2010 at 2:51 pm
I am so interested to hear the production on these new songs. Lonely, Broke & Wasted, Wild Roses and Different Shades of Blue are beautiful songs that don’t need a lot of background noise – I hope that they are more organic and stripped. Bo’s emotionally warm and wonderful voice needs to be heard!
January 25th, 2010 at 5:58 pm
“…drop a daisy chain on its head and dance barefoot through your heart” what a great line, sounds to me that Bo’s not the only “poet with a pen” in Bo-land…great blog Jennheifer, as usual. I love, love, love these new songs and they have been worth waiting for, I can’t even decide which one I like best! Can’t wait for the album.
January 25th, 2010 at 8:38 pm
I love LBW, Wild Roses and DSoB. Very very good!
Not fond of the other two, but those 3 songs are enough to make me buy the album if it ever comes out.
January 26th, 2010 at 1:03 pm
It’s been a long long road to the new CD. I love the new songs and I am so happy that Bo is maturing as a songwriter. I think he has a lot of work to do to release this new CD by summer. It would be great to have the CD available at the CMA Festival in early June. A couple of years ago Stephen Cochran had one of the highest selling CDs during the festival. Bo turn this over to the professionals and get r done.
January 26th, 2010 at 6:18 pm
I love the new stuff…I have not listened to it too much. I am waiting for the recordings..but they are Good…Really Good and I think they have a future if produced and distributed correctly. I am crossing my fingers that the ball does not get dropped on this one.