Jamie Richards released his seventh album on Friday January 22d, four years after his last LP, “Latest and Greatest“. Its twelve songs will be perfect for you if you love traditional and authentic country music.
The Shawney, Oklahoma, native artist is an excellent songwriter, whose songs were recorded by a lot of great country artists. The beautiful “Whiskey“, for example, part of Cody Jinks’s last album, “The Wanting“, was cowritten by Jamie Richards and Casper McWade. Kevin Fowler, Hal Ketchum or Ken Mellons also recorded his songs.
Since his debut album, “No Regrets” (released in 2002), Jamie Richards released a lot of excellent LP’s, and “The Real Deal” is not an exception. It’s undoubtedly a brilliant album, with beautiful ballads, amazing honky tonk tunes, two-steps and a traditional country style from the beginning till the end. Fiddle and pedal steel are very present and songwriting is excellent, as always with Jamie Richards.
If you love honky tonk, you’ll have on repeat the fantastic “Great Minds Drink Alike“, featuring Tommy Alverson, and the awesome “Loose, Loud & Crazy“. This last one sounds familiar. Indeed, cowritten by Jamie Richards, Kevin Fowler and Bart Butler, it was the title track of Kevin Fowler’s third studio album, released in 2014. These two honky tonk songs are really amazing.
“Stones in the Road” is a beautiful song, and y’all should also check out the great music video released last December. You can find it below.
On the beautiful “Deep in Your Bones“, Jamie Richards sings in duet with David Ball. They deliver a lot of emotion with this amazing tune, in which pedal steel is particularly present.
“I Want to with You” is the lead single of the album. It’s a catchy song, beautifully written by Steve Bogard and Jeff Stevens and sung with emotion.
“Until I saw the light of your love, I was walking around blind,
I kept running with my restless heart
Thinking that’s just the way thing are”
“Seein’ Me Like This” and “Someone Else’s Trouble Now“, two beautiful country ballads, both cowritten with Bryan Martin, are probably among the most emotional songs present on this album. Two traditional country gems, with great pedal steel.
“Whiskey’s Workin’ Well“, a song released previous to the album, cowritten with David Banning and Kyle Level, is an amazing and catchy song that I have appreciated a lot since its release.
“Lakeview Grocery Store“, cowritten with Walt Wilkins, and “When You Were Lovin’ Me“, cowritten with Jason Deere, are particularly beautiful and emotional. Both are pure and real country.
If you want to listen to authentic and traditional country music, this brilliant album is made for you. No doubt, Jamie Richards is the “Real Deal“.
Nicolas Davelu
Country Music France 