Bob Wayne – Till The Wheels Fall Off

When we last saw rough n’ tough hillbilly Bob Wayne he had just released his label debut Outlaw Carnie.  There were badass country tunes, declarations of road life, and even tales of supernatural, celebrity ghosts.  Damn was it was awesome.  Barely a year has passed since my introduction, but the prolific Mr. Wayne has wasted no time, returning with his six-string for a new chapter in the appropriately titled lifestyle commentary, Till The Wheels Fall Off.

Right from the title track and album opener, the album picks up where Outlaw Carnie left off, with Wayne reprising his role as a nomadic road scholar.  In fact, the song holds many parallels with its Outlaw Carnie counterpart, ushering in Wayne and his crew with the top down, engine revved, and a big FU to those who may find offense.  Wayne maintains a certain autobiographical delivery, particularly in tracks like “All My Friends.”  But while Wayne previously denounced his habitual narcotic “acquaintances,” here he reminisces about the resulting ecstasy with a cameo from fellow outlaw Hank Williams III, toying with the idea of relapse, or as he puts it, reliving the “good ole days.”

Actually, Wayne dedicates a sizeable portion of the album (six or seven) to touting his don’t-give-a-damn outlaw persona.  Tracks like “Fuck The Law” and “Devil’s Son” serve as declarations of his own hell bent intensions.

And here in lays the album’s only significant flaw: repetition.  While I love Wayne’s attitude and disregard for the status quo, he’s most on his game when looking outward rather than in.  Outlaw Carnie did such a solid job of introducing the Bob Wayne mystique that the most blunt tracks feel like overkill.  Thankfully a few songs, particularly the self-eulogy “Spread My Ashes On The Highway,” find a well-humoured middle ground, but as I’ve always said, Wayne is at his best when spouting off curious observations or weaving tall tales with a stone faced sincerity.  Standouts “Wives Of Three” and “Lyza” exemplify Wayne’s quick wit.  The former takes a tongue-in-cheek twist on today’s radio heartthrobs (think Blake Shelton) with Wayne posing as a polygamist reading an open letter for his mother to love all his wives.  The latter solidifies Wayne as a master storyteller as he spins the edge-of-your-seat tale of a daring heroine’s struggle on the road.  With plenty of atmospheric crescendos and a catchy rhythm, these tracks typify Wayne at his peak.

Till The Wheels Fall Off does a sufficient job of furthering the Bob Wayne lore, but doesn’t ‘wow’ me in the way that Outlaw Carnie did when it blasted onto the scene last year.  Wayne remains a master of channeling his wiry country sense into trail burning country tunes, but is slightly less impactful.  It’s also worth noting that Till The Wheels draws on much more twang than with previous releases, and definitely plays more to the country crowd.  That beings said, it’s the same old Wayne you’ve come to know and love, and his obnoxious attitude shines through on all levels.  So when the dust settles you know this is a ride you’ll want to be sitting shotgun for.