Written by Rich Rogers
Garth Brooks: Man Against Machine
For years, country music has been moving closer to rock ‘n’ roll. In fact, Garth Brooks has been very much a part of that shift. In interviews over the years, Brooks has listed bands such as Kiss, Styx, and Fleetwood Mac as some of his biggest musical influences. His concerts come straight out of the rock ‘n’ roll playbooks: flash pots going off, Chuck Berry duck walks across the stage, smashing guitars on stage (thank you very much, Pete Townshend), climbing rope ladders, and numerous other things no self-respecting country singer would have done forty years ago. And then comes further proof with Brooks’ latest album, “Man Against Machine.”
The title track is a straight up stadium rocker in the truest sense of the term. Complete with sizzling guitar solo and a Hammond B3 organ (something until now almost exclusively used in rock), it kicks things off in grand style. In fact, if it weren’t for Brooks’ Oklahoma twang, there’d be no evidence of anything country in this piece. You don’t get into pure country until the fourth track, “All-American Kid,” a tribute to small town America and those who have served in the military. And by the way, when it comes to patriotism, country is still the place to go. A rock-n-roller would have turned this piece into an indictment.
“All-American Kid” is followed by “Mom,” which can be seen as the other side of George Strait’s tribute to fathers with “Love without Ending, Amen.” By the time you get to the country two-step of “Rodeo and Juliet,” you know you’re in for a hoedown. While lyrically it’s a weak piece, the playfulness is contagious. “Midnight Train” takes a bit to grow on you but it’s great. “Fish” is full of folksy wisdom but not as strong a piece as it could be. “Send ’em on Down the Road” is the country version of Rod Stewart’s “Forever Young.” The album ends with the pure blues piece, “Tacoma.” It’s full of the blues and is both heart breaking and beautiful.
Garth Brooks has the best of both rock and country with “Man Against Machine.” Overall, I love it and haven’t been able to stop listening to it.
