However, I picked up HippieLovePunk when it was released. And I'm certainly not sorry that I did.
Cody Canada certainly has a unique voice. It's similar to what I remember from Cross Canadian Ragweed, which probably explains why at the time I didn't particularly like it. Now I find it to be something that makes him stand out.
This is a different album. It took me a couple of listens even to really find myself in-sync with the music, getting in touch with its rhythms. The first time I listened to it, I wasn't completely sure what I thought of it. Even among Texas Country albums, it's quite different. Then I started thinking about what I felt were standout tracks on the album.
I found myself listing no fewer than five tracks that I felt were particularly strong. That in itself told me something. This was music I was really really liking.
Particular tracks that I found myself considering among the best on the album were "Easy," "Got It," "Back Closer," "Stay," and "All Nighter" (which ended up being my favorite track on the collection).
No two tracks are the same on this album. And I don't mean that in the same way that they're different just from what you'll hear on your local "country" station. There's a real diversity of sound here. The songs are all clearly by the same group, the same artist; but at the same time, you can imagine them forming an hour-long block of music on a radio station and still having a wide variety of themes and sounds in the mix.
Give this album a listen. Give it a few listens. Give it time to gel and form in your mind. You won't be disappointed.