Ryan Bingham - Mescalito (Album)
It’s almost ironic (albeit in the broadest sense of the word) that the sepia toned front cover of Mescalito depicts Bingham sitting in the middle of a road. Although a comparison between cover art and album content is cheap, it feels warranted. Sitting somewhere between the melodic sensibilities of Alt Country and the lyrical straight shooting of the Nashville scene, Mescalito hesitates in choosing a side. Unlike other recent bands, such as The Drive By Truckers- with whom Bingham has toured with- the jumble of faux-genres doesn’t feel cohesive.
It’s certainly not a case of Bingham not being talented- or even him making being a bad CD; it’s just that tracks like Southside of Heaven feature little to characterize them as being slightly second rate stabs at songs off records like Whiskeytown’s Strangers Almanac (which, admittedly is a hard act to follow).
Although undeniably a country tradition, the outlaw persona that many songs convey isn’t entirely convincing. Still considered a spring chicken in country circles, it’s hard to believe the litany of tough guy tales those Bingham spins- lines like ‘Beneath my pillow lies my gun’ suggest that he may have taken a wrong turn and ended up in South Central LA instead of Nashville.
It’s unfortunate that songs are dedicated to cultivating this persona, as Bingham shows (at least some) writing talent when he focuses on other subjects, not faux outlaw fairytales.
Dollar a Day is a surprisingly poignant take on the difficulties the trailer-class face living in 2008. Taking a tongue in cheek view on the Iraq War-‘Fighting for freedom/and a little bit of Oil’- Bingham suggests an easier way for would be Army recruits to make ends meet- grow ‘marijuana money trees’.
On a less illegal note, Bingham excels on many of the acoustic driven tracks, whose lyrics suggest that Bingham is better suited to a John Mellancamp type ‘everyman’ persona. The soft spoken Long Way From Geogria is one of the albums highlights- brimming with barstool ponderings, it’s as much a journey through Bingham himself as it is through the Americana tinged themes that envelop the song. Similarly impressive is the Ryan Adams-esque Sunrise, whose opening Chord Progression is remenisant of Big Star’s Watch the Sunrise.
The album is given direction by producer ex Black Crowe guitarist Marc Ford, who gives a rock edge to Bingham’s country sound. Sometimes the collaboration works- The guitars on Bread and Water thump with distorted conviction- whilst others like Take It Easy Mama are twisted – a little too far- in a rockier direction. Although undoubtedly a coup to seize such a name, it feel’s like Bingham’s music is often pulling the opposition to the production.
The weaknesses in Mescalito, be them choice of producers or otherwise, feel like nothing more than a product of Bingham’s youth. At only twenty five, Bingham still has decades to carve a distinctive sound. Nothing that Mescalito falls victim to can’t be fixed with age, wisdom, and possibly some collaborating with more experienced songwriters. Bingham’s choice to use the juxtaposition of outlaw and repentance throughout the album is certainly understandable. It worked perfectly for Hank Williams, and there are surely worse role models for Bingham to follow.
If anything, Mescalito is more an early warning to listeners than a career defining work. Certainly a figure to watch, Bingham succeeds in creating a solid- if not always original- album. His music sensibilities are rock solid, and his vocally warm tone is an amalgamation of a heavier John Fogerty and a lighter Steve Earle, ensuing whatever he decides to say, it’s at least going to sound good.
