Brighter Days

Dwight Yoakam never really went into a creative slump, yet after cutting a handful of albums for small labels in the 2000s, he seemed to have slipped off the radar of many roots music fans when he released 3 Pears in 2012, a fresh and exciting set of songs that recalled the old-meets-new honky tonk spirit of early triumphs like 1986s Guitars, Cadillacs, Ect., Ect. and 1988s Buenas Noches from a Lonely Room. It was a bold reminder of why Yoakam was one of the most celebrated country acts of the 80s and 90s, and 2015s Second Hand Heart was nearly as good, but after a fine but not entirely essential set of bluegrass reinterpretations of some of his best songs, 2016s Swimmin Pools, Movie Stars …, Yoakam stepped away from the recording studio, focusing on live work, and one had to wonder if this burst of creative energy had passed. The good news is, it hadnt, and 2024s Brighter Days is another top-shelf release from Yoakam that confirms hes still writing and singing up to his own high standards. Yoakam wrote a number of these songs during the COVID-19 lockdown, and he found himself collaborating with other songwriters to a degree he hadnt before. Thankfully, the results still sound just like Dwight Yoakam, hitting a sweet spot between classic Bakersfield honky tonk sounds and a maverick rock & roll spirit that gives his material extra drive, and the big barnstorming beat of "Wide Open Heart," the cocky shuffle of "Cant Be Wrong," and the Roy Orbison-esque longing of "If Only" are as anthemic as you could want. Yoakam also hits the target in heartbroken mode on "Ill Pay the Price," "I Spell Love" is as simple and honest as its title, and "A Dream That Never Ends" is a breakup song that walks the line between hope and sadness. Yoakam brings in Post Malone for an effective dancefloor-filling two-step, "I Dont Know How to Say Goodbye (Bang Bang Boom Boom)," with the rapper-turned-singer adding to his country bona fides with a strong assist. Brighter Days was Yoakams first album after wedding his longtime girlfriend and becoming a new father, with a new optimism informing the title track and a feeling of fresh possibilities charging the performances. Yoakam produced Brighter Days and released it on his own label, Via Records, and as always, he does his best work when hes calling the shots and following his instincts; at the age of 68, Yoakam is still one of the liveliest and most satisfying artists in country music, and this sits comfortably beside his great work of the 80s and 90s. ~ Mark Deming