Rumors first started to fly in 2009 that Aaron Lewis, lead singer of Staind, would be releasing his own solo album. That time has finally come as Lewis’ debut EP, Town Line, was finally release on March 1. By playing alternative/hard rock with Staind, Lewis has sold more than 15 million albums worldwide. This disc, however, is country-themed and features appearances from legends such as Charlie Daniels, George Jones and Grammy-winner Chris Young.
Never shying away from writing emotional music, Lewis kicks it off with the track “The Story Never Ends.” He describes his own personal life outside of the spotlight and how he spends time with his daughters to get away from it all. With its pretty chorus, the mainly acoustic piece “Vicious Circles,” is perhaps the most memorable tune on the CD.
While listening to “Country Boy,” which has a brief appearance from Daniels on vocals and the fiddle, you can get a better understanding on Lewis’ time growing up in a country music-loving household. Female vocals are included in the love song “Tangled Up In You,” which is a remake of Staind’s version. The most emotional song on the EP is “Massachusetts.” You can hear through Aaron’s voice just how much he misses his family when he’s out touring and is unable to watch his kids grow up.
Being a lifelong fan of Staind, the direction of this album didn’t disappoint me. It’s definitely a different style than what his band is known for, but it is well-written and contains some great melodies. Some more songs would be nice, since there are just four original tracks, one remake and two different versions of “Country Boy,” but that’s what an EP is all about.
In A Word: Decent
