Lonely Grill  (Audio CD) 
by Lonestar

Lonestar, a self-contained country band in the tradition of Alabama and Little Texas, enlisted Los Angeles transplant Dann Huff to produce Lonely Grill, their third effort. Huff has helped them craft a record that fits the modern country format without descending into terminal slickness. Though some of the material is formulaic--"Amazed" (power ballad), "What About Now" (country Springsteen)--it is quality formula and the boys sing it like they mean it. Huff manages to put some new twists on the country-rock arrangements while keeping them more country than rock. Lonestar wanted this CD to reflect the energy of their live shows, and though some of the material might work better live (the hip-hop meets Hee Haw "Saturday Night"), the CD benefits from the relatively stripped-down sound. Richie McDonald has a voice on a par with many of Nashville's solo artists. When handed cleverly rhymed material like "Don't Let's Talk About Lisa" (which allows talkin' about "Hanson or Marilyn Manson," but not about "she whose name must not be spoken"), he proves up to the occasion. To paraphrase Merle, Lonely Grill "ain't art but it ain't bad." --Michael Ross