This is where Kid Rock really began to go Redneck. By that, we are talking about the fact that the dude started to explore Country Music gradually and at various points later on, fairly openly. At this point, Kid Rock was still changing his style and sound throughout. This is his self-titled album released in 2003, exhibiting his changing sound. Let’s hear it and see what it sounds like and if Kid Rock had any musical relevance by this point, knowing some of his previous efforts.

Rock n’ Roll Pain Train begins the album with sampled crowd cheering and another musician thanking the said crowd, before quickly launching into a piece with slide guitars and acoustic guitar. Yes, this is Country music central. Kid Rock’s singing is a little raspy here, but the song itself is relatively consistent. Kid Rock eventually launches into a glorious sounding and good tune with crunchy electric guitar sounds throughout. “Life’s been good to me so far, hope it’s been kind to you,” sings Kid Rock. Soon enough, this tune launches into various lead guitar breaks that sound ridiculously good. Yes, this is a bit of a strange musical change for Kid Rock, but it’s acceptable. The tune is nicely constructed, and it seems to be a very different song than anything before that Kid Rock down. Remember, Kid Rock used to tour with Ice Cube back in 1989-1990. Sure, this is for a limited audience but it works well nonetheless. The sounds of this song are very delicious. There is a false ending, followed by a sampled voiceover about playing records backwards before the song gets going again. The song then ends with repeated singing, “Let the sun shine on you”. A good song nonetheless, although rather lengthy.

Cadillac Pussy (feat. Hank Williams, Jr.) begins with piano and drums, before quickly launching into a good but not great song. It’s a song about dirty sexual deeds, as you may have guessed from the song title. There are some neat production touches. This is not at all like earlier work, such as the Devil Without A Cause album. The music on this song is fairly terrible, and it lacks the magic of earlier songs and albums by Kid Rock. All the same, it is okay, just not fantastic. The backing vocals and saxophone throughout are good, but Country Kid Rock doesn’t sound all that good. It ends with some clapping and cheering, before cutting out. Weird.

Feel Like Makin’ Love begins with some more piano and electronic drumbeats, along with some nice acoustic guitar strumming. This sounds very U2-ish in a Country Music way. This is more of the same as earlier offerings, and it lacks magic and interest about it. This record comes across as a bit of a failure from earlier offerings by this Kid. It’s okay, but the chorus and some of the sounds on this tune are fairly naff. But then again, what would you expect from a guy who calls himself Kid Rock? In any case, this is a good tune to listen to, although it is not memorable. There is a good, yet a rather slow guitar solo present here. The song is really long too. There are some sampled female orgasm sounds towards the end, before Kid Rock ends it all with loads of screaming in the final chorus. Rather awful, to be honest, although the guitar solo in the outro is great.

Black Bob begins with some interesting wah-wah guitar and soft percussion in the background. This is actually quite good. Soon enough, it breaks into a good groove based tune. This is a tune directly aimed at the haters who do not love Kid Rock. Still, this is a very good tune to listen to. The chorus is also quite good, and it is followed by a rather awful ultra-fuzzy guitar solo. This song is okay, but again, it is not the best Kid Rock can do. This is Kid Rock in serial killer mode. A decent tune, all the same, the bridge towards the end is really funny and profane. It is a great set of lines that is in this section which one could easily recite as a party trick. Nonetheless, this song is a grower as it goes on. Some decent quality music here, compared to what was offered before. Nice work.

Jackson, Mississippi begins with some subdued instrumentation and multitracked guitar parts. This is a suspenseful beginning. Soon enough, this song gets going and is a nice drop-tuned groove. This is an excellent pseudo-Metal tune, which is really different for this album, although it is fairly familiar territory for Kid Rock. A really out there and powerful tune, Kid Rock does a great job here. The chorus is fantastic, with some great screaming and guitar riffing, and there are some lyrics about drug use here. In any case, this tune is good. A very enjoyable and wonderful listen, Kid Rock is in a glorious form on this song, and is likely singing about hard drug use such as heroin here. A good song, and better than what came before it.

Cold and Empty begins with some piano and Kid Rock singing. It is a tale of desperation and loneliness. This is a good song about relationship issues, which is fairly personal for Kid Rock. Again, not the greatest that Kid Rock has done, but still, it does sound fairly decent. Regardless, Kid Rock fans should enjoy this one. Country Kid Rock sounds rather awkward, however. There is a really good guitar solo in the second half that is very much a part that sounds like The Rolling Stones. Towards the end, Kid Rock pleads for forgiveness from a lover, likely his ex-wife, Pamela Anderson. It’s okay, but wearisome after a while. Anyway, a good listen.

Intro is oddly in the middle of this album. It begins with some awesome drum rolls, before launching into a terrible piece of junk. It is really ordinary and awful. This is a terrible listen and is Kid Rock’s last real foray into Rap music. It just sounds really awkward and pretentious here. Kid Rock can do better than this, and it is likely he regretted making this track. Pathetic.

Rock N Roll begins with some unusual playing of guitars, before launching into an improved track over what has come previously. This is a song about sexual pleasures that Kid Rock enjoys. It’s not exactly a phenomenal piece of music, it is barely average. In any case, it is an ordinary song that should be skipped. Country music has been done better elsewhere, and Kid Rock fails here. In any case, this is more Country trash that has neither aged very well nor is consistent musically. The lyrics are awful, and the music is also awful, too. Dreadful, and skippable, you’ll be glad when this is over. Pretty terrible.

Hillbilly Stomp begins with cartoon sound effects, some loose guitar parts and a good Southern sounding piece of music. Although again, this isn’t perfect, it is fairly enjoyable. An interesting song with some good production touches, such as banjo, this isn’t the best that Kid Rock ever did, but he pulls it off with a decent approach. This song is about banging BBW ladies and living a Redneck life, typical immature Kid Rock stuff. The guitar solo present on this song is okay, but still, it isn’t the greatest tune made by Kid Rock. The chorus has some Southern harmonies and the song itself is fairly catchy. It ends with some nice slide guitar on acoustic and electric guitar over some Roland 808 style beats, different.

I Am begins with some background noise, before some acoustic guitars and Kid Rock singing about taking drugs enter and this song gets going. This is a really selfish and self-centred tune by Kid Rock on this song, and it is a poor attempt at deep and meaningful sentiments by a very immature man. It’s okay, but really only worth hearing this album (and song) is only for Country music and Kid Rock fans, particularly the latter. Eventually, some digitized vocals and crisp acoustic guitar soloing enter near the middle, giving this song some life. This isn’t the best that Kid Rock has done, and this album is sadly fairly forgettable. Still, one can conclude that Kid Rock was trying, although Country music doesn’t sound like he is good at this Country stuff. Okay, but fairly meh and boring.

Son Of Detroit is an old school Country/Blues mash-up that sounds really fantastic. This is a definitive statement from Kid Rock from this album, and he outlines the music that inspires him and the life that he lives from it. The simple chord progression here sounds fantastic, although this is a really selfish sounding listen, to be fair, just like what came before it. Anyway, Kid Rock does sound fiery and passionate here, but all the same, this isn’t really top or groundbreaking. It’s good for what it is, however. Hard to believe that Kid Rock was a Rap/Rock artist 5-10 years earlier. The Country music side of Kid Rock isn’t as good but is still listenable. An okay tune.

Do It For You begins with some slow piano, harmonies and matching acoustic guitar. Kid Rock gets singing, and he does a really wonderful job here on the song in some ways, although these songs are rather naff. This is a piece of deep romanticism, and it sure sounds really fine and great in this sense. Still, it is Kid Rock doing southern Country music, which is really weird. Anyway, a good song but unfortunately, this is on this really ordinary album. A melancholy and deep ballad, this is the Devil Without A Cause that was around just five years earlier? Geez, what a change. An okay song but very soppy, which is totally different from the Kid Rock we used to know. Weird, and not that wonderful. The outro is nice though.

Hard Night For Sarah begins with more hybrid piano sounds, before launching into more of the same. Unbelievably, this is Soft Rock, not Kid Rock. The song itself is again not flash, it seems that a more serious sounding Kid Rock falls flat musically. The song is about the emotional distress that a divorce can hold, which is tragic. Still, this is not a good piece of quality music to listen to. The album by this point is a bit of a drag, and Kid Rock comes across as neither more mature nor accomplished. A lame and forgettable song, this is enough to put one asleep. The guitar solo is good, but all the same, this song is uninspired and dull. It is over after four minutes in length, a rather laughable song.

Run Off to LA begins with electronic beats, nice guitar overdubs and some excellent playing. Kid Rock quickly launches into a piece of deep music to his fanbase and suggests that a partner should run off to Los Angeles to rectify issues in their life. A really weird song, this sounds unusual and is another poor attempt at Kid Rock trying to be taken seriously by all listeners. The guy still isn’t mature at this point in time of this review, and this album released back in 2003 proves that Kid Rock hadn’t matured at all back then, either. An okay listen, but this song is another disappointment sonically and naff overall. It’s also fairly long at over five minutes long. Ordinary and dull, welcome to the 21st century of Kid Rock. A lame piece of music with little variation musically, skip this one. The outro is extremely annoying in its repetition, just avoid this tune. It ends with Nine Inch Nails style drumbeats.

Single Father is the last song on this long and boring album. It begins with a moody string section, and this is a fairly autobiographical piece from Kid Rock. He sings about his son and how he deals with him as a father. Surprisingly good, this is a nice sentiment from Kid Rock about dealing with a broken relationship, so to speak, where the child of the relationship cannot be ignored. A good thing to hear, but it comes across as too serious and soppy once again to be taken seriously. The things that make Kid Rock tick are unusual, and this comes through in the music. Regardless, it’s okay to listen to this song, and it is a fairly emotional listen throughout. A heartfelt finish to an album that is barely okay otherwise. Once you hear this album, you will not wish to hear this ever again. Ordinary music, it ends with some subdued electronic sounds.

To be fair, this is barely listenable. The songs are too long, the music is fairly bland and the production doesn’t do this justice. Plus, Kid Rock is much worse as a serious Country musician than an ordinary Rapper. Seriously. Fortunately, Kid Rock lifted his game later on but this is quite ordinary music. Avoid it if you can.

Like the taste of bland cigarettes.

4/10