Different 'Round Here

Riley Green doesn't shy away from his sentimental side on his full-length debut, Different 'Round Here. He pushes it to the forefront on "I Wish Grandpas Never Died," a sappy tearjerker that is a bit too corny for its own good. Turns out corn is a place Green finds quite comfortable. All through Different 'Round Here, he embraces all manner of lyrical clichés, finding them as comforting as the throwback traditionalism of his music. Green sticks to the straight and narrow as it was defined in the 1990s, favoring clean, crisp productions and music that seamlessly blends classic country with pop hooks and a slight rock kick. What keeps Different 'Round Here humming is how Green manages to avoid the temptation of succumbing to straight-ahead revivalism. He takes old-fashioned attitude and simple, lean arrangements and plays them with a fresh directness. His straight-ahead nature may indeed lead him toward cornball territory, but the album on the whole is distinguished by how Green wears his heart on his sleeve. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine