Let's Chat About Tyler Childers' Album "Can I Take My Hounds To Heaven?"

Tyler Childers' new album came out on Friday. I did a first quick listen the other day while driving but wanted the record to come before I listened closely. I'm a record snob in a big way now. Gotta listen to get the vibe. Even if the audio isn't better, I'm focused when I put one on. I'm locked in. It's a performance. There's a little cleaning of the album to make sure there's no dust, a blow, a spin... I gently close the lid and lay back on my couch in the sweet spot of my speakers like a big ole fuckin nerd boy with a dynamite set of tits. I let the music wash over me like a dynamite set of tits. 

This album was something that I was really looking forward to. Part of the reason I'm really drawn to Tyler's music (big ole pussy way of phrasing that) is that there are some similarities between Tyler's upbringing and mine. We're both two ginger-bearded country kids who spent a ton of time barefoot with some alcoholic dads, so they'd skip away to some puddles or whatever to play in/with. The bluegrasses of Kentucky and the red clay of northern Florida breed the same type of folks. Folks that usually sit on hard, solid-oak benches each and every Sunday morning whether they really want to or not. 

Those roots stay with you and influence a lot of the shit we do, even if we don't realize it right away. That's why I liked the concept of Childers' new album when I heard about it. It's the same album in very three different ways- one of which I'm not artsy enough for... yet. I might like it eventually like I did beer and bourbon but the first taste was about the same for that version (Joyful Noise is what it's called) album. 

Tyler's writing went full-out deconstructionist who's returning to religion again... maybe. It's crazy interesting for anyone who learned a ton about the bible growing up but then looked at the world differently as you got older. Here's what another review says about the religious aspects of this album.

This is not a “Gospel” record per se—meaning material that adheres to the New Testament account of the life of Jesus Christ at a 51% level or above. The instrumental tracks disqualify if from that distinction. The album also presents a somewhat unusual dichotomy for some listeners, and on both sides of the religious divide. For the devoted, the sentiments shared here will be nowhere near pure enough, despite songs like “Triune God” and “Old Country Church,” because a song like “Angel Band” presents a universalist message. Meanwhile, those turned off by religious sentiments entirely may also find a disfavorable view toward the album due to the presence of devoutly religious material.

This “neither fish nor foul” aspect in some ways neuters the attempt here by Tyler Childers to either present religious notions to an agnostic audience in a way that illustrates the beauty and promise Christian teachings can confer to individuals aligned with Tyler’s own evolved beliefs, while also failing to open the hearts and minds of more religious listeners to a more universal notion of God and Heaven.

That's one of my favorite tracks on the album. Here's the other version. 

Anyway, I've read that some people don't like this album from Tyler because it doesn't have those classic Tyler hits on it. There's not really a Whitehouse Road or Nose On The Grindstone on it but it just flat-out plays. Even the instrumentals are dope. 

The last song I'll tell ya about. If you press play, you'll hear an old hymn that influenced it (leaning on the everlasting love) and then it was a pretty classic Beatles guitar riff and then into gritty country. Love it. Well, I'll see ya out there.