TEXAS STATE of MIND

Album Review

Legend has it that singer and guitarist Johnny Bush couldn't get a record deal in the early days because he sounded too much like his boss at the time, Ray Price. Sadly, Ray Price stopped sounding like Ray Price around the time of big orchestral pop hits like "For the Good Times," but Bush has kept his honky tonk roots at the forefront of a long and productive career. Texas State of Mind is the Houston native's umpteenth album, and it's filled with teary ballads like "Has It Been That Bad for You?" and good-hearted shuffles like "I Can't See Texas from Here." The arrangements are timeless country, free of Nashville meddling and pop crossover attempts, so the songs are filled with quicksilver fiddle runs, steel guitar solos, and good old-fashioned tack piano, and Bush is in typically fine voice throughout. Often, it's a mild insult to say that an album just offers more of the same, but in this case, it's the highest recommendation.