Review: Brennen Leigh Swears She Ain’t Done Yet

Brennen Leigh
Ain’t Through Honky Tonkin’ Yet
Signature Sounds 
3.5 Out of Four Stars

Coming on the heels of Obsessed With the West, her recent salute to the sound of Texas swing, Ain’t Through Honky Tonkin’ Yet finds songstress and chanteuse Brennen Leigh taking another trip back in time, this time to replay the sounds of classic honky tonk with the decided dedication its telling title indicates. While her last album forged credibility by sharing the spotlight with the swing and savvy of Asleep at the Wheel, Ain’t Through Honky Tonkin’ Yet also delivers a notable assist courtesy of an equally adept set of contributors, among them Marty Stuart, Rodney Crowell and the man who sits at the helm, Chris Scruggs.

The result is a superior selection of classic country songs, all written or co-written by Leigh herself. It’s a credit to her credibility—and her commitment to cause—that each of these offerings rings with such absolute authenticity while making each sound as if they were revived from the Bakersfield vaults circa the ‘60s. Whether it’s the sway and swoon of the affecting title track, the country caress of “The Red Flags Were Waving” or the tongue-in-cheek references that litter “When Lonely Came To Town,” “Somebody’s Drinking About You” or “The Bar Should Say Thanks,” Leigh manages to capture the irony, desire, and desperation that dwells at the heart of songs that combine tears and beers in equal measure. So too, when she offers homage to the lady trucker who’s the focus of “Carole With An E,” it’s clear that her admiration for the people that personify those down-home designs is thoroughly assured.

Ultimately then, the new album does all it sets out to accomplish, and that in itself enables it to reap its rewards. Credit Leigh for reviving the sound of classic country and sharing the hope that indeed, there’s no end to that particular quest in sight.

Photo by: Brooke Hamilton / Propeller Publicity