Darryl Worley’s ‘Here and Now’
Darryl Worley, “Here and Now” (903): Early in his career, Darryl Worley’s biggest hits tended to be departures from the amped-up traditional country music he excelled at. His mournfully tender “I Miss My Friend,” a reflection on a lover’s death, provided his first big break in 2002. The following year, he gained national recognition for his controversial anthem about 9/11 and war, “Have You Forgotten?”
After a two-year break, the rural Tennessee native returns with “Here and Now,” his first album since leaving Dreamworks Records. There’s little that’s reminiscent of his best-known tunes, but plenty to suggest he’s better than his reputation might suggest.
He begins with “Jumpin’ Off the Wagon,” a spitfire attack on his former label, and he ends with a poignant tune about returning soldiers, “I Just Got Back from a War,” that mirrors how the nation’s view of
Iraq has evolved from gung-ho patriotism to concern for the troops and getting them home safely.
But the bulk of the album finds Worley offering substantial modern country music delivered with brawny vocals and a fresh perspective. From the ferocious groove of “Party Song” to the sensitive portrayal of pain in “Slow Dancin’ with a Memory,” Worley proves he deserves attention for what he does best — rather than his occasional diversions.
