#530.2 (Nation Pop) and #510 (Conventional Nation) on the Nation DDS.
When the histories are written about this neotraditionalist period in nation music, truthful credit score will probably be given to Jon Pardi for being one of many fearless performers to insist on his nation music sounding nation at a time when this was counter to most all the things popping out of main label Nashville. That doesn’t imply he didn’t have some pop-leaning radio songs. However he was one of many first to push in opposition to the grain, and to search out success doing so. Jon Pardi walked so Zach Prime and others might run.
However as the remainder of nation music appears to be following Jon Pardi’s lead, Jon Pardi himself appears to be staying static, if not heading within the different course ever so barely. Although this second in time may very well be the chance for Pardi to put on the honky tonk pedal and double down on his extra conventional sound and songwriting, he’s simply launched maybe his most anodyne and pop album but.
When Pardi launched the lead single known as “Friday Evening Heartbreaker,” he had us all nervous a few vital change in course. Honkytonk Hollywood isn’t precisely that. As is just not unusual from a Music Row launch, the lead single is usually the worst. This album does have some straight Jon Pardi honky tonk songs. However at 17 tracks, there’s additionally loads of alternatives for Pardi to tun in fairly forgettable songs that radio nonetheless received’t in all probability play.
Let’s begin off with the constructive although, as a result of Pardi in all probability information a number of the most country-sounding songs of his whole profession on this album. This consists of the well-written “Good Place To Go to” with it’s distinct twin fiddle begin off, and story about being good for a one evening stand however not a lot else. “Bar Room Blue” is one other good one, a basic nation heartbreaker Pardi co-wrote with Josh Thompson and Luke Laird.
There’s additionally a number of tracks that offer you a Midland vibe like “Gamblin’ Man,” and a few very private feeling tracks like “She Drives Away” about fatherhood, and “He Went To Work” additionally about fathers, simply from a unique perspective. Although the sound is a little more modern, you like the angle of “Onerous Knocks” with the lyrical hook “You reply the door any time onerous knocks,” making you need to pump your fist. That is the form of meat-and-potatoes nation that’s onerous to hate on, nevertheless it sounds.
However then “Onerous Knocks” is adopted up with the horrible “Don’t You Wanna Know” with synth-like hand claps and horrible manufacturing. “Hey California” additionally has a sound that may spoil the entire album expertise. Nonetheless, it’s not that swaths of this album are unhealthy as a lot as they’re simply not very stimulating, and find yourself forgettable. Pardi doesn’t actually take any possibilities right here like his did on his final album with the hilarious track “Reverse Cowgirl.”
It’s not that Honkytonk Hollywood is horrible. It’s simply that it sounds much like each single different main label nation album on the market. Pardi does pepper references to California in quite a few songs, which does give the album a really barely distinctness to the Dixon, CA native. Then while you have a look at who was the producer and also you see the identify “Jay Joyce,” all of it begins to make sense. Pardi co-produced his previous couple of albums, and labored with a number of people within the enterprise. Honkytonk Hollywood is all Jay Joyce, on a regular basis.
Although it may be simple and even lazy responsible Jay Joyce for a lackluster feeling of this album, it’s in all probability truthful. Do we actually suppose Jay Joyce is on the market along with his ear the the bottom, sensing that is the second to actually double down on the twang? Identical to Morgan Wallen, he’s in all probability by no means even heard of Zach Prime. Jay Joyce is simply doing what Jay Joyce all the time does, which is push nation artists in a extra pop, rock, and stylized course.
And the way properly has this labored for Jon Pardi? That massive pop nation lead single “Friday Evening Heartbreaker” with its 5 songwriters at present sits at #24 on the Nation Airplay charts when it must be inching towards #1 with the album launch. There’s a really distinct probability the brand new Turnpike Troubadours album The Value of Admission will smoke Honkytonk Hollywood within the charts this upcoming week, and with none bodily copies accessible, and with six much less tracks.
Honkytonk Hollywood is just not a nasty album general, and it has some good songs. However the fats must be trimmed, and the emphasis wanted to be on the twang. This might have been the second Pardi lastly discovered the status he’s deserved. Nation is turning into extra nation, a lot that even pop stars are making nation albums. However Jon Pardi has been right here. He ought to act like that. That is his turf.
However as a substitute, we get the concept pandering to pop radio is the trail to reputation right here in 2025. The excellent news is there are nonetheless some good songs to remove from this effort.
1 1/4 Weapons Up (6.8/10)
