Mark Hail

The strongest link holding the tracks together on Mark Hail's CD, Ride Hard, is the songwriting ability of Lealean Peace and Kenny Wier. The songs have some clever lines and glimpses of cowboy imagery. Unfortunately, the right elements are not present to put forth a very memorable CD.

I was soured a little by the first track, Get Me Out of Us. The song begins with a manufactured piano sound that leads into weak vocals. The CD appears to become progressively better, but never offers a truly unique song that stands out. Ballads such as Paper Hearts are followed with upbeat roadhouse boogies like My Favorite Blondes. Ride Hard wraps up with Heartache, You're the Best, a tune with a hint of Jimmy Buffet influence. The musicians demonstrate that they are very capable of playing a number of styles within the country realm.

Although there is some variety, the CD definitely fits in the country category. It is not a cross-over collection of songs wavering on pop like many country hits today. It has the expected fiddle and steel guitar, and the structure of the songs is predictable.

Mark Hail's CD sounds like typical dance hall music. It would be nice to dance to, but not necessarily something you want to listen to in your car.

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