The Good Life (Montage Music Group, 2008)

Andy Griggs tries awfully hard to be like the late Waylon Jennings, his friend and mentor, here. While this tougher than leather persona fit the hard as nails Jennings, it's not certain such a grizzled exterior is right for Griggs. For instance, "Tattoo Rose" and "You Can't Drive My Cadillac" are both lusty to the hilt. Is this really the same fresh-faced kid that gave us "She's More" and "You Won't Ever Be Lonely"?

Musically, many of these songs ramp up high the Southern rock elements, particularly "Shadows" with its stinging guitar lines. And when the volume is up to 11, Griggs' voice is a dead ringer for Third Day's Mac Powell. There's little of Griggs' soft romantic side, however, with "What If It's Me" a rare exception. It asks personal questions about why a relationship went bad. Griggs' early recordings also had a distinctly spiritual side, which is mostly absent. "It's All About the Money," with its take on the evils of cha-ching, would find both churched and un-churched having trouble disagreeing with Griggs. It's pretty sure Waylon done it this way; it's just not sure Jennings' boots fit Griggs' tender feet.