Album Review: Drake White’s ‘Spark’

Though he is far from an established name on the radio or at retail (outside of a row at Walmart and one at Best Buy, does that term even exist anymore?), Drake White has quite the reputation already as an artist and as a live act. People have seen him – even as long as two years ago – are still buzzing about the energy and the spontaneity that one gets from a Drake White set.

Kudos to Scott Borchetta and all the staff at Dot Records for signing Drake. The key on Drake White – as a recording artist – is going to be sticking with him, and let radio and the fans catch up to him. The reason I say that is that there is nobody – and I do mean nobody – who does what Drake White does. And, if I do say so myself….he does it damn well.

The only thing is… describing it. There are times on this disc that he is very traditional-based, and then just as soon as I say that, the rock element comes out. But, it’s not “Bro-Country.” He’s just doing what comes natural.

Personally, I like his rough-hewn side the best. This comes out on tracks like “Heartbeat” and “Makin’ Me Look Good Again,” which you can tell he has lived – and bled – every lyric. Simply put, there is nothing left on the floor, emotionally. He gives it all – performance after performance.

White takes more of a traditional Country side on cuts such as “Story” (we all have one!) and “Back To Free,” which offers up a little bit of a nostalgic feeling. I could hear the latter perhaps making a dent at the always-impossible-to-guess world of Country Radio.

And, there are the times where Drake White just lets loose and has fun. The audience will share in that emotion on songs like “It Feels Good,” where the bad-assery is in full view, the laid-back vibe of “Equator,” (a novel idea for a Country song title) as well as the closer, the funk-laden “Take Me As I Am.”

Is Drake White a radio artist? I don’t know the answer to that, because I wouldn’t have seen Sam Hunt or Old Dominion coming with their new styles of the format, so I can’t say. What I will testify to is that radio needs to give the fans a chance to hear this guy for themselves. If they do, the sky is the limit!

Spark is available for pre-order HERE.