Steve Moakler - Wide Open (2014)

There’s gotta be something in Steve Moakler’s Kool-Aid. After almost three years, his new album “Wide Open” is his best yet, and here’s why. Full of catchy melodies, smart lyrics, and honesty, this album makes you feel good. It’s an album for dreamers caught in the corporate jail cell. It’s an album for the person struggling with loneliness. It’s an album that reminds you to stay hopeful when times get tough.

Fun fact: Dierks Bentley’s new album, “RISER,” was named after a track he cut that was written by Moakler and Travis Meadows. That’s got to feel good. Cross that one off the bucket list. Steve recorded his own version of “Riser” for his new album and it’s definitely worth a listen.

My personal favorite is “Humble Operations,” a song about working hard for what you’ve got. It doesn’t matter what color your collar is when you go into work each day. It’s about staying humble and remembering that small, “menial” jobs keep the world afloat. Also, this song has everything you want in a good bridge. Inspiration, drive, and passion are all present in Moakler’s vocals, and it’s the perfect anthem when you’re caught with the working world blues.

Another favorite of mine is “Rather Make A Living.” Moakler talks about shows he’s played for $1 a day and how they meant more to him than any huge gig he’s played. The incredibly witty chorus says that he’d “rather make a living being myself/ than a killing being someone else.”

TRACKLIST
01 - Rather Make a Living
02 - Damn, Do I Think About You
03 - Crooked Heart
04 - Humble Operations
05 - I've Got You to Love
06 - On Your Side
07 - Be Your Man
08 - Riser
09 - Have It so Bad
10 - Wide Open
11 - Holiday at Sea