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Wave on Wave, Pat Green's latest release, showcases a singer-songwriter that has achieved the enviable status of being viewed as a roots rockin' heartthrob, a teller of tales, and an all-around swell guy. 

Austin, Texas-based Green has been releasing albums and playing his unique and energetic country-folk-rock style, known in the Lone Star State as "Texas music," since the mid-90's and in that time he's managed to build an enormous fanbase not just in his home state, but throughout the country, largely among the fratboys who like their beer and wear their thrashed and curved-bill ballcaps low on the brow. 

But there's nothing low-brow about Green. His straightforward lyrics, warm melodies, sense of humor and gut-level honesty ring true and his backup band does a terrific job framing his friendly and vaguely raspy voice. Wave on Wave, as you may or may not know, is his fine follow-up to 2001's Three Days.

An example of Green's joyous and wide-eyed observation of creation is on a song called "Poetry," written by Walt Wilkins and Davis Raines. On "Poetry," Green lets his positive demeanor take over as he sings the following lyrics that I could easily see being embraced by singing surfer Jack Johnson or the Choir's Derri Daugherty: 

 "Now somebody made everything / from the soul inside otu to Saturn's rings / How my baby smiles and how Ray Charles sings / Of course we were created / The clouds make rain, the ocean makes sang / the earth breathes firs and lava makes land / now that took a mighty hand a wild imagination." 

"All Good Things Fade Away" has Green singing about a recent breakup. In the song he tries to put his troubles behind him by fleeing home and darkening the doors of a Shreveport, La. casino. It's a breezy track featuring David Neuhauser's fine organ playing. 

"Sing 'Til I Stop Crying" featuring guest vocals from Waylon Payne, who co-wrote the song with Green, is a classic "tear in my beer" country song where the singer is drinking from his favorite "sterling horseshoe flask" while listening to the likes of Willie, Conway, Tammy and Emmylou after his gal has left him for another.  Yes, drinking ones troubles away is a popular theme with Green. We re-visit this very theme on "Run," except he leaves her, rather than vice versa. "Just count your losses, baby, and go" he sings with painful conviction. 

A fun and funky tribute to the King -- Elvis Presley -- is featured on "Elvis." Willie Nelson, Ray Benson, Waylon Payne, and Trish Murphy make guest vocal appearances that add plenty of flourish to the song. 

Instrumentally, it's a fine mix of acoustic and electric guitars, banjo, mandolin, Hammond organs, violin and solid percussion. 

One of the most interesting songs is the dark, Appalachian-esque folk song "If I Was the Devil," where Green has the prince of darkness dwelling in Blue Eye, Mo. (real town, I've been there) and scaring children, killing livestock and corrupting the preacher man. Green gets a little help vocally from fellow Texan, Ray Wylie Hubbard. 

"If I was the devil / I'd gather up all of your dreams / and drop them to the bottom of a black lagoon / I'd steal away all your patience and steal away all your pride / leave you with nothing but uncontrollable fear / and then I'd revel in my masterpiece." 

It's Green's reminder that we need to keep clear of ol' Satan and not give into his lies. If Green is not a Christian, I'd be surprised, due to some of the Christian themes that flow through the course of "Wave on Wave." 

The album's title track appears both in it's original version and in a hidden live version at the end of the album.  It's the live version of "Wave on Wave," featuring his road band, that has an richer and earthier vibe. 

And while "Wave on Wave" has been doing exceedingly well on the country charts since its release earlier this summer, it should be noted that it's not a "country" album in the modern sense. This is the sort of album that college students, urban cowboys and (hopefully) radio programmers will embrace and play day and night. 

Andrew West Griffin  9/16/03