There comes a point in most of our lives, definitely beyond our twenties, when something causes us to take stock of life-to-date. For some of us, past failures are the motivation to do better. For others, those failures are just an omen of things to come. For the remainder, hindsight is just an observation of lessons learned, sometimes on repeat. Beaumont native Pug Johnson seems to have followed that third arc on his newest album, From A Beaumont Bar, that could have been subtitled As Seen From A Barstool.
This is an old-school country music record and sets that tone from the first notes of the opener, a laid-back cover of Bob Wills’ Bubbles In My Beer, with keys and accordion adding a vaguely Cajun, Beaumont-appropriate flavor. Beginning with the first sentence of the lyrics, “tonight in a bar, alone I’m sitting”, you can almost hear Johnson sitting there shaking his head. It’s followed by the first (Thirsty’s) of 4 short musical interludes scattered across the CD, shout-outs to dive bars from his past. Where Dowlen Meets Phelan is next, an outlaw country number that serves as a philosophical center as it tells the tale of needing to find a new hangout when the old one isn’t welcoming anymore.
Side B, if you’re into vinyl, begins with Second Chances. It’s a twangy, two-stepping beauty espousing a heartfelt wish “they served second chances at the honky-tonk next door.” Then comes Can’t Fall In Love With You, a slower dance number with a touch more of that Cajun feel. This time our hero recognizes early on a relationship isn’t going to happen, “so it’s best that I set you free.” Hangaround has a distinctly Jerry Lee Lewis feel with that pounding style of piano that served as one piece of inspiration for Johnson as he considered the tone he wanted to set across the record. Last up is Lowering the Bar, a country waltz that borders on polka with the addition of a tuba some of the bass line. It’s full of funny metaphors, like no longer shooting for par, about lowering one’s standards. At the end of the day, there’s a solid truth that “the name of the game is having no shame.”
Thinking too hard about past mistakes and clueless actions can cause the proverbial crying in your beer. In the case of Pug Johnson, they’re cause to raise a glass to the knowledge that comes with maturity. There are no admonishments to be a better person or broad commentary on social woes. Instead, From A Beaumont Bar is a classic country music ode to the youthful indiscretions that come with living life fully.
About the author: I've actually driven from Tehatchapee to Tonopah. And I've seen Dallas from a DC-9 at night.