The Next Adventure, MTB’s 23^rd original album, is all over the musical road map.  That’s fitting for the band that has never been afraid to strut their musical influences.  Several old friends like Paul Hornsby, Ace Allen and Tony Heatherly, make appearances. The creature comforts that make this album feel like home includes four songs written by founding members Toy Caldwell and George McCorkle. Each song is a musical odyssey because  complexity and intrigue has been added to MTB’s signature sound as pedal steel, fiddle, classical guitar, mandolin, and dobro are all used to add body and depth to the songs.  The result – a classic MTB album.

The album mesmerizes you from the first strum of Chris’ acoustic guitar on the lead track, The Guitar Playing Man.   A seductive song about a deadly temptress in Ol Mexico, the classic MTB sound comes alive and the ghosts of Toy and Tommy can be felt throughout. For those that like to make comparisons of today’s MTB to the Caldwell era, this song would fit perfectly on Dedicated.  And it should, it was written by founding member George McCorkle.  Many of the songs from The Next Adventure would saddle up comfortably on any one of a number of the original line-up’s albums.  MTB again has all the elements that originally made them great – chemistry, song writing… and an incredible vibe.  The entire album is outstanding and I just can’t seem to stop playing it.  OK, moving on…

You know that warm, comfortable feeling you have as you’re taking in a sunset at the end of a really good day?  That’s how Come Running Like a Friend settles in.  It’s a wistful song about an old love, friendship, and time marching on.  The country fiddle and electric guitar help you meander back to days gone by, and the longing in Doug’s voice carries the message home.  A steel guitar compliments the mood perfectly.

We change directions 180-degrees as Chris gets down to some heavy-duty funky delta swamp boogie-woogie with Travelin’ Man.  Melvin Seals wrote it, but it has Chris’ swagger all over it.  Slide guitar and harmonica are played to the hilt and you’re  gonna want to turn up the volume when this track comes on.   Somewhere Robert Johnson is walking on a cloud with his iPod cranked up as loud as it can go!

The musical journey takes to the highway with Cold Steel.  The song is pure horsepower and you’ll want to straddle a Harley, crack the throttle and thunder on down the road as it plays.  MTB’s signature flute is as infectious as ever and the song will be running through your mind long after you’ve turned off the stereo.  The thing is, most of the songs on this album are that way.

One of Toy’s saddest songs is given the full MTB treatment.  Why Am I Crying features the steel guitar and fiddle work of guest musician David Johnson.  The lonesome sound of the two instruments, along with the lyrics and Doug’s vocals, capture Toy’s sentiments perfectly.  Former bassist Tony Heatherly also appears, playing electric guitar on the song he recorded on Toy’s last CD.

Barry "BB" Borden gets his third turn on the Mic since his tenure began with MTB began, this time on Down This Road Before II.  Both are songs of survival, though the moods are very different.  The first, featured on Beyond the Horizon, is a whimsical tune that makes the musical statement equivalent to one of those moments when you get through doing something really crazy and wild and you look at your friends and say, “holy !?! can you believe what we just did – and lived!”  Part II is the realization that there comes a time when a man has to face the fact that it’s time to change because he’s all out of second chances. 

The melancholy continues with A Sad Cowboy Song.  It written by MTB’s newest member, bassist Pat Elwood.   Doug has said that he writes a lot like Toy.  Though those are some pretty big boots to fill, Elwood lives up to the praise, as this could be the sequel to Desert Skies.  

Crossroad swiftly changes the mood.  Stuart Swanlund’s ever-present smile seems to come through in his guitar playing on this feel-good song.  Paul Hornsby’s piano, along with David Muse’s sax, accentuates the vibe perfectly.  Written by Doug and Chris (along with Buddy Strong) the two share lead vocals and they make for a great combo.  You’ll want to roll back the ragtop and tool on down the road with this one.

The CD closes out with the eclectic Jesus Never Had a Motorcycle, also penned by George.  It’s a thought-provoking romp that’s a lot of fun.  It also conjures up a vision of Jesus in leathers.  I wonder how he’d be received?  Like I said, thought provoking!

MTB’s core sound hasn’t changed all that much, but it’s evolved immensely.  And after being around for almost 35 years, it should!  Doug’s voice is more complex than it was when he was younger.  It’s not as bold or brash as it once was, like Jack Daniels, but has more character, like a fine, well aged single barrel whiskey (think Black Maple Hill).    It’s as incredible as it ever was, just in a different way. 

Like any great album, The Next Adventure leaves you waiting for just that!  Let’s hope MTB cranks out another CD as swiftly (and deftly) as they did this one.

Craig Cumberland