Ira Dean Reclaims The Spotlight With New Album 'I Got Roads'

Entertainment Focus | Pip Ellwood-Hughes

Ira Dean rose to fame as a founding member of Trick Pony, who released three studio albums and had a string of hits including ‘Pour Me’, ‘On a Night Like This’ and ‘Just What I Do’. Dean left the band in February 2008 and concentrated his attention on writing songs for other artists including Montgomery Gentry, Ronnie Dunn, Rascal Flatts and Aaron Lewis. Alongside that, he’s also worked as a touring musician and he’s currently on the road playing bass for Brooks & Dunn. Now, Dean is ready to step back into the spotlight as an artist in his own right with the release of his long-awaited new solo album ‘I Got Roads’.

The 14-track collection is one that is deeply personal to Dean and to tell his stories he’s enlisted some of the friends he’s made throughout his career. Only 3 of the songs on the record are true solo moments but amazingly, Dean never gets lost in the mix. The album opens with recent single ‘Tele-Man’, a collaboration with Ronnie Dunn that also features Vince Gill, John Osborne and Brent Mason. The all-star line-up creates a jingly-jangly slice of traditional Country that takes you straight back to the 90s. It’s a high-energy start to the record and a testament to the respect Dean has in the industry that he can assemble such an incredible line-up on one song!

The strength of ‘I Got Roads’ is that it’s an album that’s rich in variety. No two songs sound the same and there’s no filler here at all. The beat-driven ‘I Like It Like That’ with David Lee Murphy is a windows-down, crank up the radio kind of song while the title track, ‘I Got Roads’, features Gary Allan and is one of the emotional anchors of the whole record. Current single ‘Everything’ featuring Gretchen Wilson gives a glimpse into Dean’s more vulnerable side and honestly, it’s a side I’d be happy to explore further. Dean’s voice on the track drips with soul and emotion, and it’s a highlight on the record for sure.

Elsewhere on the collection the legendary Ted Nugent provides an intro ahead of ‘WWCDD (What Would Charlie Daniels Do)’, which he sings on. The song leans into Dean’s rockier side and it’s a meditation on the changing state of the world. ‘Wreck Me’, featuring Jeffrey Steele, is another highlight on the record, capturing the peak of modern Country by drawing on 90s influences. The chorus for the song is huge and it’s a radio hit in waiting. The raucous ‘1 To Hank’ with Uncle Kracker recalls the pair’s hell-raising days before Dean got sober, while ‘I Get High’ drops the tempo for a more contemplative moment that showcases Dean’s vocals.

The song that started the journey to this album, “Missin’ How It Used To Be”, serves as the album’s closing track. A tribute to Dean’s late mother, whose voice message precedes the song, the reflective track finds the singer-songwriter reflecting on the changes he’s encountered in life, and you could take the song as a comment on the way wider society has changed. It’s an emotive way to end the record but a fitting one that brings Dean’s personal odyssey to a close.

‘I Got Roads’ is a superb record. While it may be packed with star power, it’s Dean that stands out thanks to his songwriting and his distinctive voice. This is an album that reminds you of the true roots of Country music. There’s no ego here or attempt to cash-in on a trend, it’s simply an honest collection of songs that hit you where it matters. Dean has talked recently of this being his last album but I truly hope that’s not the case. As he’s rebuilt his momentum leading up to the album’s release, a resurgence looks to be on the cards.