Review: The strong stuff suits Jon Pardi's new album

Jon Pardi "Heartache Medication" (Capitol Nashville)

Jon Pardi's third studio album, "Heartache Medication," is surely positioned to be a bartender's best friend. The traditional country release offers up a strong sampling of drinking songs about love lost.

Pardi is a California native, but he's got the Nashville arithmetic down to a science. Break up with a woman, drown your sorrows and write about it. There are at least four songs here that find our protagonist listening to a jukebox and tipping back a beer or something stronger.

The title track puts a fine point on it as Pardi sings, "Here I go again/I'm drinking one, I'm drinking two." It would be tiresome if Pardi weren't so good at it. He eschews some of the sound fusion that has crept into modern country, instead opting for traditional fiddles and Telecasters. It works well and he's got a talented ensemble around him.

The best and most raucous track on the album is "Me and Jack," a tribute to a breakup with a certain bottle on the shelf. Like a nicely aged Tennessee whiskey, Pardi's music is strong stuff and should keep him a staple on working class radio.

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Ron Harris is at https://www.twitter.com/Journorati