Todd Fritsch CD

Todd Fritsch's bio plays up the fact that he is a working rancher as well as being a country singer. This creates expectations that his self-titled release (his third CD) will be standard singing cowboy fare. It is an extremely happy surprise that Fritsch instead offers up an impressive set of honky tonk tunes and affectionate love songs that should attract Nashville's attention. His music, in fact, resembles his CD cover shot: that of a square-jawed, no-frills type of guy wearing a simple cowboy hat. Fritsch, who possesses a full, friendly voice, gets his disc off on the right foot with a lively version of Eddy Raven's 1984 hit, "I Got Mexico." He follows that up with his standout original, "Small Town Radio," an affectionate ode to small-town life that is filled marvelously observed details. The rest of the disc mixes well-chosen covers with Fritsch's own tunes. He acquits himself quite nicely on the Dwight Yoakam-like number "Memory Do Your Thing," the toe-tapping "Bob Wills Song," and the good-ole-boy drinking tale "Friends Behind Bars." He also sounds convincing on several of the slower songs, like the post-breakup lament "I Don't Live Here Anymore" and the heartfelt declaration of love "Corpus Christi Callin'." Among Fritsch's own love songs, the sweet but not saccharine "First Date (For the Last Time)" fares better than "Dancin' in the Rain," which sounds too much like a soft-focused '70s country-rock ballad. While it's hard to fault his one true cowboy tune, a Chris LeDoux tribute entitled "Cowboy Legacy," its obviously sincere sentiments feel a bit too spot-on rather than lyrically inspiring. Fritsch's producer, Doug Deforest, who co-wrote several tunes here including "Corpus Christi Callin'," keeps the arrangements simple but crisp, which fits well with Fritsch's no-nonsense working cowboy qualities. This highly promising disc suggests that Fritsch could quit his day job if he wants to and do country music full-time. ~ Michael Berick

Recording information: Greg Perkins Productions, Nashville, TN; Lake Paradise Studio, Cherokee Village, Arkansas; Raney Recording Studio, Drascao, Arkansas.

Photographer: Melissa Webb.

Personnel: Robby Springfield (guitar, steel guitar, gut-string guitar); Tim Crouch (acoustic guitar, mandolin, fiddle); Allen Huff (accordion, piano); Andrew Frye (piano); Doug Deforest (upright bass, background vocals); Mike Kennedy (drums, percussion); Kim Parent (background vocals).

Audio Mixers: Doug Deforest; Jon Raney; Warren Peterson.