#Turnpike Troubadours Pipe Bomb Dream Review

[themusicenthusiast]

Single Review: “Pipe Bomb Dream” by Turnpike Troubadours

Each release from A Long Way From Your Heart (out October 20th via Bossier City) serves to further prove what an all-encompassing record it will be for the Turnpike Troubadours, the band working to push the boundaries of their soundscapes to the limits and beyond. It’s not as if “Pipe Bomb Dream” is totally out of character for them, though if you listen closely, there’s no denying that it possesses its own quality that none of their previous material has. It’s noticeable in the nuances, the guitar licks steeped in a traditional Western sound, like what was prevalent in classic country, a twang emanating from Ryan Engleman’s guitar work. The same effect is noticeable on the pedal steel guitar, Hank Early working it in at just the right moments to make it all more pronounced, providing a rich layer of texture before receding back into the background. This is one song where every instrument gets its moment to shine, the drums never being too sonorous, though the quick tempo it constantly keeps is the driving force behind “Pipe Bomb Dream”, easily enveloping the listener and pulling them into the tale that is a quasi-outlaw song; the rhythm section as a whole being rather prominent. The fiddle even prevails at times, the collective sound being harmonious and captivating, all of the intricacies woven in keeping one listening intently.

It’s a spellbinding blend of classic country and modern-day Americana, the worlds colliding to create something marvelous. The story itself is every bit as riveting, as it revolves around a man who served his country on the front lines, only to come home and get caught up on the wrong side of the law. It leaves the specifics out of it; even getting a tad political with the first verse, alluding to the fact that the (anti-)hero was no longer certain what they were doing in the war they were a part of, getting to a point where they were merely following orders, any hope of a positive outcome having practically evaporated. At the second verse it picks up back in the U.S. – Oklahoma, to be exact –the man pushing his luck in the shady business he’s presumably gotten into, getting caught before he can finish his run, the character ultimately conceding he knew he was in the wrong, despite how he tried to reason and rationalize it, his fate being a “cell block floor”. At its heart, “Pipe Bomb Dream” fits the Turnpike Troubadours mold to a tee. It may be unique even by their standards, though it is definitely a product of theirs, the story even having that real quality to it, no happily ever after nor even a decent outcome, fitting in line with their other works that portray the realistic fact that not everything in life will work out for the better. Pre-order A Long Way from Your Heart on: iTunes | Google Play | Amazon MP3 Visit Turnpike Troubadours’ websites: Official Website | Facebook | Twitter Current Shows: 2017 October 12--Hacienda Event Center--Midland, TX 13--Wolf Pen Creek--College Station, TX 14--The Blue Light Live Street Concert--Lubbock, TX 20--The Criterion--Oklahoma City, OK 21--George's Majestic--Fayetteville, AR 23--The Walker Theatre--Chattanooga, TN 24--Harvester Performance Center--Rocky Mount, VA 25--Gramercy Theatre--New York, NY 27--Jefferson Theater--Charlottesville, VA 28--Variety Playhouse--Atlanta, GA 29--Druid City Music Hall--Tuscaloosa, AL November 9--The Cotillion--Wichita, KS 10—Boondocks--Springfield, IL 11--Vic Theater--Chicago, IL 15--The Pageant--Saint Louis, MO 16--Liberty Hall--Lawrence, KS 17--Bourbon Theatre--Lincoln, NE 18--Buffalo Run Casino--Miami, OK December 1--ACL Live at Moody Theater--Austin, TX 2--ACL Live at Moody Theater--Austin, TX 14--The Aztec Theatre--San Antonio, TX 15--House Of Blues--Houston, TX 29--Choctaw Casino--Grant, OK 30--Cain's Ballroom--Tulsa, OK 31--Cain's Ballroom--Tulsa, OK 2018 February 3--Matthew Knight Arena--Eugene, OR 9-- Truman Water Front Park Theater--Key West, FL