For those of you who may not know, Corb used to play bass for the Edmonton-based punk rock band "The Smalls". As we all know, The Smalls were rad. It's my personal theory that having a more diverse musical background has given Corb an appreciation for music itself, and he doesn't really restrict himself to formulas that gum up American country music. That and he's Ian Tyson's biggest fan, and anyone who likes Ian Tyson probably has pretty good taste.
"Losin' Lately Gambler" is about (much like most of Corb's other albums) playing cards. If his songs are any indication, Corb loves to play cards. It's also about taking horse tranquilizer and riding bulls and how hard it is to keep your damn clothes clean! This album has a lot of fun, really singable songs (much like Corb's other albums) and they show their roots in traditional country while continuing to innovate Corb's Alberta-style sound. It's hard to think of any other recent country musician who has pushed the genre forward so far, and has done so by putting more of himself into his music, the good and the bad. He's a chronicler of the people's history and Alberta's biggest fan. Good for him!
There's a lot to like on this album. Every song feels very honest, and very much a piece of Corb himself. I really like the song "This is my Prairie", it kind of strikes a divide between the cowboys and the oil industry. It seems like the oil industry in Alberta likes to paint itself as cowboys, and I'm glad Corb put that out there. There's a big difference between riding horses and sucking chemicals out of the ground, or so I've heard...right, Calgary?
YouTube:
It's Hard To Keep A White Shirt Clean:
This is my Prairie:
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