Capitol
2006
Long Trip Alone
About This Album
It's a sign of Dierks Bentley's increasing stardom and clout that he has a writing credit on all 11 songs on his third album, 2006's Long Trip Alone. Not every country singer/songwriter gets a chance to do that, but not every singer/songwriter scores a bona fide hit with his sophomore set, and Bentley's 2005 Modern Day Drifter was that, reaching the top of the Billboard country charts and spawning several hits, including the number one "Settle for a Slowdown." Such success allows an artist to set his own pace, at least a little bit, and Bentley was already showing signs of being a headstrong troubadour on Modern Day Drifter, consciously referring -- both lyrically and musically -- to such classic country mavericks as Waylon Jennings and Merle Haggard throughout the record. Given these deliberate allusions to such musical rebels, it would made some sense if Bentley followed their path and crafted a third album that was tougher, wilder, rougher than his breakthrough, but Long Trip Alone isn't that at all: it's a slick, streamlined version of his hit album. Keep in mind that slick and streamlined aren't the same thing as soulless; rather, the polish of Long Trip Alone is a sign of Bentley's increased confidence and professionalism, and how he wants to stay at the top now that he's gotten there.
Track List (try tracks 2,3,4,5,6,7,8 and 9)

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