Ragged Ass Road

Tom Cochrane's split from Red Rider at the end of the '80s saw him pursue a more organic, rootsy sound in his solo career. Ragged Ass Road, released in 1995, is one of the best examples of that stylistic shift. Reeling from the separation from his wife, brought about by the overwhelming success of "Life is a Highway" and nonstop touring, Cochrane used this hard-rocking 12-track CD to exorcise his demons and try to get grounded once again. It is fiery and passionate, an album equal in substance and spirit to American roots rocker Steve Earle's breakthrough solo album, I Feel Alright. This is the CD you want to listen to after a particularly painful break up. Song after hard-driving song Cochrane delivers his emotional diatribes with a fierceness not heard on previous albums. If "Life is a Highway" (from Mad mad World) was the feel-good hit of 1991, "I Wish You Well" is a sobering reality check that that highway has some pretty nasty potholes. A Ragged Ass Road indeed. As the album proceeds, you can literally hear Cochrane pick up the pieces of his shattered life and attempt to put it back together again. It's truly the sound of a beaten down man pulling himself up, dusting himself off and moving on. Chilling in its honesty and pain. --Adem Tepedelen