Cody Johnson – Leather

My introduction to country music came, in earnest, at the beginning of the millennium thanks to regular trips to see Mickey Mouse, en famille, and my discovery of CMT (Country Music TV). I was quickly hooked due to the tunefulness, stories and positive energy. I used to clamber back onto the Jumbo with a suitcase full of CDs. These were of artists shifting big numbers  – Toby Keith, Travis Tritt, Brad Paisley, Dwight Yoakam, Montgomery Gentry etc. Johnson’s repertoire sits comfortably with these male artists. The strength of Johnson’s 2021 Human: The Double Album was a delight. He has a slightly retro sound and this is authentic country music. The tracks were lyrically engaging, varied in style and often with an acoustic foundation.

Johnson and producer, Trent Willmon now pick up where they left off with Leather, a mixture of heartfelt ballads, country pop and honky tonk. The lively earworm Work Boots starts the album replete with harmonies and a soothing fiddle. Jelly Roll (he’s frigging everywhere!) duets on the single ballad Whiskey Bent. Both voices work well and I have to say that wherever the tattooed one turns up (Jelly Roll is heavily inked!) he generally adds to the quality. George Strait could have sung Watching My Old Flame. The play on words is fabulous: as he’s watching his partner dress to go out he ponders “Yeah, she’s movin’ on from me, there ain’t no doubt / It’s the hardest thing watchin’ my old flame go out.” This ballad floats on a subtle pedal steel and is underpinned by acoustic guitar. Double Down is another play on the words of doubling down in either determination or sinking a couple of whiskies. Crafted stuff.

The Painter is a love song to his wife and was the lead single off the record. Strings and a shuffling snare help him sing her praises. In fact Johnson does ‘sentimental’ perfectly not least with Dirt Cheap. A family man rejects an offer to buy his house and cites a raft of memories buried in the soil of the property. Bravado comes to the fore with Jesus Loves You. It’s certainly nothing about a Sunday Service but an angry warning to a convicted house breaker – ‘Yeah, Jesus loves you / Lordy, all it takes is faith / And if you come near me and minе again / You’re gonna meet Him face to face’. This is red neck country with rock muscle and the offhand delivery that Tim McGraw used on Do You Want Fries With That.

Melodies, harmonies, light touch arrangements, wordsmithery and some expressive vocals make this an important release. Listening to an interview it appears he’s so top drawer that he has the pick of some great songs and around him he has a team who curate this quality of sound. It’s not by chance he’s got to this position as he has a laser sharp focus on his output. With releases as strong as this he deserves every success.