Bentley’s Fire is hot, but it could’ve been much more

The only thing more difficult than producing an excellent album is following with an album just… The only thing more difficult than producing an excellent album is following with an album just as excellent. ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ This is clearly evident in Dierks Bentley’s new record, Feel That Fire. The songs are decent, but considering his last album’s quality, this new album is a slight disappointment. Bentley does not challenge his vocals as much as he did on Long Trip Alone, and the new songs, while fun and upbeat, are not of the caliber for which Bentley is known. ‘ ‘ ‘ Feel That Fire kicks off in high gear, quite literally. The first track, ‘Life on the Run,’ has an intro of a car engine revving up to get you ready for the high-energy ride that is to follow. It features a classic rock guitar jamming, but when Bentley’s crooning voice cuts in with ‘She never knew my name, / At least not the one my Daddy gave me,’ the song takes on a southern-rock sound. ‘ ‘ ‘ Bentley ends the song with tremendous vocals as he sings about ‘living life on the run.’ However, this is the last time we hear him challenge his voice. ‘ ‘ ‘ The amped up speed of the album continues with the second track, ‘Sideways,’ which is a classic party anthem complete with a clapping, chanting crowd in the background. The banjo and electric guitar create a great country party aura that Bentley has come to perfect. ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘Hey, now, here we go, DJ don’t ya play nothing slow,’ he sings. ‘Worked all week, it’s time to play. / Gonna get a little bit sideways.’ ‘ ‘ ‘ This is one of the many songs on the record that make you want to get up and start dancing, and it is one of the few songs on the album with true potential to be a radio hit. ‘ ‘ ‘ Bentley’s smooth voice makes ‘I Wanna Make You Close Your Eyes’ a soothing love song. The content is slightly dirty, though. ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘Just leave a trail for me to follow you into the bedroom, / And if you need a little bit of help from me. / Babe, there’s not a button that I can’t reach,’ he croons. ‘ ‘ ‘ But despite the sexual content of the song, he and co-writer Brett Beavers manage to make it seem classy. ‘ ‘ ‘ The rest of the album features a few more fast-paced and danceable songs along with a few forgettable love songs. But there are, however, two songs that do stand apart. ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘Last Call’ is a bluegrass song featuring banjo great Ronnie McCoury. It’s a simple drinking song, but it features incredible banjo solos and Bentley’s voice sounds just a little bit more backwoods when he sings this slightly different genre. McCoury and Bentley alternate singing the verses but they both share the line ‘Last call for alcohol still ringing in my head’ as they sing about a rough night. ‘ ‘ ‘ The best song on the album is ‘Better Believer,’ a profound tune from the very first line. ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘Life is seen more clearly through your tears,’ sings Bentley. ‘ ‘ ‘ This simple line draws you into the otherwise forgettable melody by making you think. He then goes on to sing about how ‘when my life’s going like I want God becomes an afterthought.’ He then thinks about how he takes so many things for granted and his lucky life must be a mistake because such a great life ‘should belong to a better believer.’ ‘ ‘ ‘ He speaks of how wonderful his life is, but goes on to say ‘Some days I’m not satisfied. / It happens to me every time. / I look around instead of looking up.’ The religious profundity of this song is difficult to overlook. ‘ ‘ ‘ The quality of ‘Better Believer’ is what we have come to expect from Bentley, because his previous album was filled with songs such as this. However, Feel That Fire lacks a surplus of these songs. While it may be fun to dance ‘mdash; or two-step ‘mdash; to, there’s not much else involved.