Drew Cooper has a couple conversations with Jesus on his new CD “White Horse.”
He opens the 10-song disc with the rocking proclamation “I Love Jesus (But I Cuss A Little),” then, near the end of the album, in a rough-hewn baritone that will remind you of Texan Pat Green, Cooper talks about bowing his head to pray and ordering up a round as he looks for salvation through “Jesus and Jack D.”
“White Horse,” which Cooper will release at a gig on Friday, April 20, at the Rialto Theatre, borrows heavily from Green’s Red Dirt country tradition and dusts it up with his own desert roots on the midtempo pop-country title song. Cooper swoons on the sexy ballad “Shimmy” — “Shimmy off your jeans / And let ’em lay on the floor / Come lie down with me / I can’t take it anymore” — then dares you to stay still during the frolicking love story of “Redneck Lullaby.”
In a pleasantly warbling baritone, he debates the neon Friday night of chasing a “Last Call Love” only to face the regrettable morning after, then chest-pumps rebellious spirit on the rocking “Reckless and Free.”
Cooper will share the stage Saturday with Safford Americana rockers The Cole Trains. The all-ages show starts at 8 p.m. at the Rialto, 318 E. Congress St. Tickets are $15 in advance through ticketfly.com or $20 at the door. Details: rialtotheatre.com or facebook.com/DrewCooperMusic
