Jimmie Allen released his debut album Mercury Lane last month. I may be a little late to the review game… I’ve had the album on repeat for the past 2 weeks, so I prefer to say I’ve just taken my time before reviewing. The Delaware native named his first album after the street he grew up on. Allen co-wrote more than half of the 15 songs, so there’s definitely a personal touch. He moved right into our hearts with his debut single “Best Shot,” (which is well on its way to being his first number one), and there are plenty of other tracks that can stand on their own as well.
I honestly like all 15 songs, hence having it on repeat for so long, but I’ll just highlight a few. One of my favorites is the fun and upbeat “County Lines.” It’s super catchy and you’ll find it hard to sit still while listening. If you need a song that begs to be played loudly in your car with the windows down and your arm moving through the wind, this is it.
“Boy Gets a Truck” is another great track. This song was actually recorded by Keith Urban as well, and appears on his Ripcord album. Allen has shared that he loved the song, and learned his manager wrote it, so he asked permission to record it as well. Thankfully Urban told him to go for it. They are both great, but I have to say I prefer Allen’s version (sorry Keith!) Yes, there are plenty of country songs about trucks, but this is done in a way that makes it really sweet and sentimental.
A boy gets a truck / truck gets a girl / girl gets a midnight feeling he’s the one / one night turns to love / love turns into one knee down / down payment on a three bedroom house filled with the sound of little feet and you blink and he’s asking for the keys to pick her up / boy gets a truck.
There are loves songs such as “Deserve to Be” (LOVE this one!), “Make Me Want To,” “Like You Do,” and of course “Best Shot.” There are inspirational songs like “Wait For It.” There are songs that make you reminisce like “21,” and tear jerkers like “Warrior” – a song written about Allen’s mom and grandma. I think that Allen chose the perfect ending for his album with “All Tractors Ain’t Green.” He gives his music and voice the spotlight, and puts the stereotypes aside. Allen shows it’s the talent that makes an artist belong, and country music is exactly where he needs to be.
I learned back when I was young / Be who you are and know where you’re from / And we ain’t got to be just alike / Not everything is black or white / All guitars don’t sound the same / Can’t judge whiskey by the bottle / It might go against the grain of that country boy motto / Sometimes what you get ain’t always what you see / All fields ain’t corn, and all tractors ain’t green
Allen’s “Underdog” story and infectious personality makes it very easy to root for him. I can’t wait to see what his future holds and will definitely be cheering him on along the way!
About The Author
