Casey Donahew Band - Double-Wide Dream [2011] v0 MP3

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In the Texas music world, the Casey Donahew Band is one of the most promising bands in the genre. Like many of the bands there, the six-piece band mixes some rock-leaning melodies with a strong dose of twang, be it in the vocals of Casey Donahew or the strong fiddle from Josh Moore. The other members of the band are James Soto on lead Guitar, Donte “TAZ” Gates on the drums, bassist Steve Stone and pianist A.C. Copeland.

The band’s fourth album in five years, Double-Wide Dream finds Casey Donahew Band inching ever closely to the mainstream, not by changing anything they do but by the pure fact that the mainstream is beginning to appreciate bands like Casey Donahew Band. The title track is the lead-single from the album and it’s a downright fun song to listen to. It’s a sweet little song – written by Casey and JB & The Moonshine Band’s JB Patterson – about a couple who aren’t anything but who they are (down home, trailer-dwelling people). It feels like a song that could be on mainstream country charts right next to Justin Moore, Brantley Gilbert and Eli Young Band (a Texas Music band now selling Gold/Platinum singles for a major label).

The ballad “Give You A Ring” showcases a softer side to the band melodically as Casey Donahew digs in to a lyric that tells a story of an insecure guy who is getting ready to propose marriage to his girlfriend because this is the only way he knows how to show the love he has for her (because as a knucklehead he can’t tell her how he feels verbally). In the second verse, we learn they were old flames re-connecting after a five year absence. It feels like a song that could be part of a flashback scene of a film and honestly, I can see the band releasing a strong video on the song. Another strong ballad is “I’d Give Anything,” a song about regrets while “Lets Not Say Goodbye Again” feels like the mid-tempo brother to “Give You A Ring.” It has a slight Gin Blossoms feel to it but that’s not a bad thing in this writer’s opinion, as that was a rock band that had a heavy dose of folksy twang to their songs.

“Running Through My Head” has an inviting melody (complete with ‘talking guitar parts’ a la Pat Green’s “Wave On Wave” in the verses) and a hook-filled chorus while the fiery “One Star Flag” is definitely a future Texas Radio chart hit or at least a honky tonk ready two-stepper that is nothing but an ode to the great state of Texas. The band showcases their bluesy side on “Could Be My Time” while “White Trash Story – II (The Deuce)” is a perfect representation of Texas Country musicmelodies and it works well with the Double-Wide Dream title of the album and the lead single along with being a continuation for the first “White Trash Story” song from the 2006 self-titled album.

Casey Donahew Band continues to grow with each successive release and fans who like strong songwriting, tight band performances and their music to feature the fiddle more often than not, should check out Double-Wide Dream.

Track listing:

1. Let You Go 3:35
2. Double-Wide Dream 3:31
3. Give You A Ring 3:43
4. Running Through My Head 3:41
5. Regrets 4:26
6. One Star Flag 3:08
7. I'd Give Anything 3:50
8. Let's Not Say Goodbye Again 2:57
9. Could Be My Time 4:30
10. White Trash Story - II (The Deuce)