Album Review: Rocky Votolato - True Devotion

Album Review: Rocky Votolato – “True Devotion”

Alright, alright, alright . . . so I didn’t make it through all of Votolato’s records on my recent Discography segment . . . so sue me. I made it through two of the most important records in Votolato’s catalog as well as two of the most important records in my personal collection. In the coming weeks, I’ll make sure to wind back through Makers, A Brief History, Rocky Votolato, and my favorite, The Brag & Cuss. For now, you’ll just have to settle for a review of today’s release of True Devotion, a record with a ton of hype on the internet.

Rocky Votolato’s sixth full-length, True Devotion, is going to hold a place in my heart, I can tell, despite not being his best work. On past records, there has always been a mission to accomplish, a theme to uphold, or a certain longing present, but on True Devotion, there isn’t exactly a complete thought conveyed in the lyrics or even the strumming . . . there’s more or less a sentiment of “settling down” for a singer/songwriter that’s traveled his share of county roads.

True Devotion is, at best, another Rocky Votolato record. There are the heart-wrenching folk moments, the rock anthems, and the sincerity of a man with worn feet. The only problem is that there isn’t the same sparkle in Votolato’s voice that punctuated earlier albums like Suicide Medicine or The Brag & Cuss. Perhaps there’s nothing left to prove for a traveling man as the songs here are really nothing progressive.

There are select moments where Votolato DOES try and push the envelope with a drum-machine (gasp! “Red River”), vocal layering and the addition of orchestral movements, and these are the only times that the album seems really outstanding. All of the rise and falls of the singer’s voice accompany the mood, but for the most part, the content seems to be tame. There are hints of every album preceding True Devotion, and Votolato even seems to borrow directly from his own catalog on songs like “Sparklers” (ref: “Uppers Aren’t Necessary” from Makers) and “Don’t Be Angry” (See “Don’t Walk Out On Me” from Burning My Travels Clean). Still, the standout tracks are the ones where he sounds like a hopeful young man (“Sun Devil”) with a spark still left in his step, instead of the country-worn songwriter.

True Devotion seems, more or less, a book-end to an amazing string of albums. Everything here has been done on prior albums, but that doesn’t mean that this one isn’t good. It’s good . . . not great. Quite accessible, poppy, and toned-down, there are no hints of Waxwing, frantic pleas for life, or progressive vocal work here. His voice never hits the highs and lows it did in previous years, the strumming is subdued and the chemistry seems to be comfortable instead of moving. Still, Rocky Votolato is an artist that has well-earned his keep, making this album necessary for fans, or a good jumping off point for those looking to ease into the collection. I just can’t give Rocky Votolato a bad review, even if this album seems like a mixtape made for your next-door neighbor.