Life as a singer-songwriter has run the gamut from major-league success to disappointing failure for Steve Azar. Azar first signed a record deal in 1995, and his most notable single “I Don’t Have To Be Me (‘Til Monday)” earned Top Five status in 2002. The artist has endured long stretches of relative inactivity on the record shelves and on the radio. After leaving Mercury Records in 2005, he struggled in his pursuit of another recording contract, but returned this year with Indianola, an album on his own record label, Dang! Records. His latest single is “You’re My Life”, an ode to undying love and devotion.
The song, co-written by Steve and Radney Foster, owns an acoustic country-rock arrangement. Buoyed by a sweet organ sound and the bluesy quality of Azar’s voice, “You’re My Life” is a cut above the rest of country music’s love songs. Is the song revolutionary? No. But it does sprinkle enough unique details into the verse (his woman is a “smooth, rolling river” and a “warm and tender night”) to rise just a little higher than those paint-by-numbers sappy ballads that fill quite a few mainstream country releases.
Azar is a talent, and his album is distinctive in theme and sound. “You’re My Life” may not be the song that jump starts his career again, but it is a quality piece of work.
Written by Steve Azar & Radney Foster
Grade: B
Listen: You’re My Life
Buy: You’re My Life
Just a quick aside: “Indianola” was self-financed and released by Steve on his own Dang Records and Ride Records.
Thanks so much, Matt!
You’re welcome.
I’ll give any song with the words “Written by Radney Foster” behind it.
I have his whole catalog and he is one of my favorite underrated country singers.
I was a bit disappointed by this Radney Foster Composition though.
Saw Steve open up for Keith Anderson and Travis Tritt over the Labor Day weekend. Quite honestly, he stole the show. “You’re My Life” is about to be released as the next single but the entire cd is quality. Definately one of the most underrated artists out there and his live shows are outrageously entertaining.