Big & Rich - Horse of a Different Color

Country music had no bigger story in 2004 than the rise of the Muzik Mafia, a renegade group of Music City misfits led by Big & Rich (Big Kenny Alphin and John Rich, the latter formerly of Lonestar) and Gretchen Wilson. Both acts shook up Nashville's lethargic, formulaic format--Wilson with her take-no-bull brand of redneck chic, and Big & Rich with their eclectic, wild-haired blend of honky-tonk, rock, rap, ballad, and western, the shoot-'em-up motif for their traveling circus, i.e., Wild West show. Their debut, Horse of a Different Color, which showcases the pair's unusual high-low vocal harmony, is both funny and irreverent ("Kick My Ass"), not to mention clever. (They sing "bad word" in place of a rhyming epithet.) Boasting "music without prejudice" in their self-mythologizing "Rollin' (The Ballad of Big & Rich)," they reference Charley Pride as "the man in black," and trot out country music's first African American rapper, Cowboy Troy. Yet race turns to "racy" in the duo's hit single "Save a Horse (Ride a Cowboy)," the disc's least interesting cut. The easy laugh and rapped stanzas overshadow the smarter lyrics on the rest of the record, which concerns itself not only with frontier justice, but, surprisingly, with old-time religion (Jesus, tolerance, and in a song about sexual abuse, "Holy Water"). Like many professional funny men, Big & Rich--accomplished songwriters and (now) producers--are dead serious beneath it all. Even if this horse opera of a novelty act doesn't last, look for them to shape much of what gallops out of Nashville for a good, long run. --Alanna Nash Amazon.com

Love It!

I love it - and anything Big and Rich has put out (so far anyway) - I'm a huge fan of John Rich's - going all the way back to Lonestar. (I also have his solo CD). I love his writing, voice and the combo of John's and Kenny's voices. May 6, 2008

Fun and different

A great fun and different collection of music from Big and Rich.
They busted out on the scene with this one, and continue to put out great songs. 'Save a horse, Ride a cowboy'!!! March 2, 2008

Great album!

One of the few albums I know of in any genre by any artist from which I can listen to all of the songs. Most albums have a few good songs on them and a bunch of filler. There is NO filler on this album. I am also impressed by their adeptness at playing everything from rock to more traditionally twangy country to blues to hip-hop. Also, the tone of the songs range from funny to dead-serious. February 24, 2008

What Country Music Should Be

I was absolutely blown away by this CD! I bought it for "Save A Horse" but found the rest of it is even better. This is what Country Music should be, I can identify with the lyrics and the melody keeps your foot tappin'. And when you get down to it, that is what good music of ANY GENRE is all about.
November 27, 2007

Surprise

I was surprised, I generally don't like modern "country" music, but this was not at all like modern country music. I really enjoyed this music. November 23, 2007

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