Randy Houser – “A Man Like Me”
Songwriters: Jameson Clark, Danny Green and Randy Houser
On Randy Houser’s new single “A Man Like Me,” the second off his sophomore album They Call Me Cadillac, it wouldn’t be much of a stretch to also call him Conway Twitty.
A delightful steel intro paves the way for a steady and surprisingly refined vocal performance reminiscent of the “Hello, Darlin’” legend, a name-dropping free twist on the “traditional” rock-inspired throwbacks du jour. Once he launches into the chorus, however, Houser’s natural bluesy rock aesthetic emerges, providing a nice contrast to the retro sound.
The song’s production follows a similar pattern, juxtaposing spare and simple with busy and layered. That back-and-forth creates an interesting play between loud and soft, loose and controlled, and vintage and modern that stands out from mainstream radio fare.
Save for the flawless “Anything Goes,” Houser’s greatest career achievement to date has been a viral YouTube video of a little boy lip-syncing to one of his songs. The singer possesses one of the most nuanced, powerful male voices in Nashville today, but those fiery vocals were routinely doused with watered-down songwriting on his debut album. On “A Man Like Me,” the artist is finally able to successfully maneuver an up-tempo song that doesn’t involve yelling about Copenhagen rings.
Along with fellow friends and co-writers Jamey Johnson and Jerrod Niemann, Houser is part of an exciting new trio of effortlessly country artists that seem to be successfully finding their own niches in the genre. And while “A Man Like Me” is all about don’ts–“Well I don’t do things like I used to/Well I don’t stay gone like I used to/Well I don’t drop the ball, let everything go wrong/No I don’t do things like I used to”–Houser’s latest radio offering is a long-awaited follow-up to the promise he has continually shown, but never quite pushed through.
Listen: Randy Houser – “A Man Like Me”
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October 8, 2010
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October 7, 2010 at 8:04 am
…it’s a complete ditty but a in good way. the vocals and the production make this song sticking out of the average radio fare and will surley lift it up quite high on the charts. in fact, this is the only purpose of it – randy houser wanted a potential hit song – he’s got a tailormade one here.
October 7, 2010 at 10:18 am
Okay, I’m going to post before I even read the review or listen to the song, but what I’m guessing is, a man like Randy Houser is one who rides a John Deere, drinks light beer, loves Hank Jr., hasn’t missed church in his life except to take part in a bass-fishing tournament, and wouldn’t leave Pumpkin Center for a lifetime supply of grits.
Now, I’ll go see if I’m close.
October 7, 2010 at 10:22 am
I was actually a bit bored by this song’s lyrics, but it sure does have a cool sound to it. Those steel guitar riffs just sound so raw and natural – not at all like the apologetic steel fills superfluously inserted in an attempt to lend country credibility to non-country songs.
October 7, 2010 at 10:23 am
I’ll be damned! I was wrong!
October 7, 2010 at 10:24 am
I’m actually liking this one too. After “Anything Goes”, everything I’ve seen from Houser has been pretty lacking… hopefully he can get back the promise he showed before.
October 7, 2010 at 10:39 am
…there’s a first time for everything, fizz.
October 7, 2010 at 11:31 am
Glad you were proven wrong Fizz!!
October 7, 2010 at 11:34 am
Did anyone else feel that his line in the chorus, “I’m gonna hit my hands and knees” wasn’t quite right? He’s gonna pray, not crawl.
October 7, 2010 at 12:40 pm
Or WAS he going to pray? That opens up a whole new angle for the song, a very un-radio-friendly one. Thanks for pointing it out.
October 7, 2010 at 1:19 pm
I totally noticed it, Janet78.:)
October 7, 2010 at 1:20 pm
I like this song. I also think that the new album is quite good, much better than his first.
October 7, 2010 at 3:56 pm
I really dig Houser, as a general rule, but man I just can’t wrap my head around this one. It seems to be a lot more of him yelling, as opposed to singing, which is a shame, because the dude can REALLY sing.
Maybe it’s something that’ll take a few listens for me to come around on, but upon first play, it’s not something that I’m particularly “into”.
October 7, 2010 at 6:10 pm
Houser’s latest album is actually pretty solid. It’s a mized bag, but better than his debut.
October 7, 2010 at 9:48 pm
I like the sound of this. This is the kind of dumb/fun song I like. I do agree with Noeller that Houser is better when he sings rather than yells… it’s kind of amusing, that almost roaring sound he gets sometimes seems to be the trendy thing for country singers to be doing right now. Usually sounds kind of out of place to me, but to each his own!
I also have to disagree with the line in the last paragraph throwing Niemann in with Johnson and Houser. He’s got a nice voice, but I certainly wouldn’t characterize his recent 2 singles as “effortlessly country”.
October 8, 2010 at 10:10 am
I disagree with the review on the whole “soft verse, loud chorus” thing. It might be new to country, but it’s been done to death in other genres for years, so I’m not hearing anything fresh about that. As for the yelling? It has its place, but man, if you’re gonna yell, get a big lungful and YELL, really get it up there, don’t just sort of raise your voice like you’re calling into the kitchen for another beer.
October 8, 2010 at 12:50 pm
At least Conway wore his ballcap frontwards!
October 10, 2010 at 7:12 am
Janet…we commonly say that in church. It’s one thing to prayer in the pew but another to be so emotionally hurt, in need, so down that you can’t seem to get up for anything…so you “fall on your face and pray” meaning you are desperate for God’s guidance.
October 12, 2010 at 4:32 pm
It ’s sad when an artist has to be subjected to mainstream Country to get acknowledged. Especially in this day and time. Because mainstream Country sucks! Randy’s record was tailor made for Country radio. I hope somebody gets off there ass and spins it. Randy Houser is a whole lot more as an artist. One day I hope he really grabs the roots of where he is from. I know he’s made of a whole lot more I have seen him LIVE.
January 13, 2011 at 11:20 pm
hey, as one who lived this song and found the lady who literally saved from the human garbage can of life all thumbs up to Randy for this one