Keep it Redneck kicks off with the title track, a Colt Ford-sounding song that infuses a steady rock & roll-influenced electric guitar riff with the rapping skills of Clay Sharpe and Brian King (also known as Uncle Snap and Rooster). Like much of the album, it is the kind of song that has become popular with the 4-wheeling, muddin’ crowd.
“Kick Dust” is the second track on the album, and it features country singer-songwriter Noah Gordon. It shows a softer side of The Lacs (stands for Loud Ass Crackers), and reminds me of Colt Ford and Jake Owen‘s song, “Back.”
There are a couple of skit tracks mixed into the album titled “Great Moments in Redneck History #3” and “Rusty’s Junk Shack.” The first one was about a baseball card collecting kid who invented the riding lawnmower by attaching a push-mower to the front of his bike. The second one is a skit where Rusty’s Junk Shack is a call-in show where a guy calls in trying to sell his cock-fighting rooster so he can get new lawn mower, another guy looking to trade his Red Wing steel-toe boots for a muffler, and a Luke Bryan-sounding guy looking for cassette tapes…he even quotes Bryan’s lyric, “Don’t be a tape player hater.”
“Shichyha” is a tongue-in-cheek play on words that brings back the heavily featured electric guitar/rapping combo. Not sure how I feel about this one…it’s either a clever way to curse without getting slapped with a Parental Advisory tag or it’s a lame attempt to be funny.
“Make Things Right” slows it down again, this time with a little R&B influence…this is one of my favorite songs on the album. This is followed by “Smokestack” and the second skit (described above).
“Empties” is a typical “redneck” beer-drinking song that has a sound to it that reminds me of Montgomery Gentry‘s “Merry Christmas From the Family.” The next tracks are “Get Lost” and “All Weekend Long,” neither stood out to me, just two more rapping country songs, that after awhile, all start to sound the same to me (though I will admit this sub-genre of country music isn’t my favorite).
“Relacs” is a catchy tune that features a gal named Sarah Ross. This is followed by “She’s Runnin’,” another mellower song that I really liked. “Memory” didn’t jump out at me, and “Tylenol” was a fun song about needing a “king-sized” Tylenol after “too much alcohol.”
The album closes out with the two best songs on the album: “Field Party (Remix)” featuring Colt Ford and JJ Lawhorn and their biggest hit to date, “Kickin’ Up Mud.”
The Lacs are a duo that makes music for a younger country “redneck” crowd. I think if you’re over the age of 40, this album won’t be for you. If you’re into mudding, 4-wheeling, and partying, this album is right up your alley. While there are some good songs on it, hearing Colt Ford rapping on “Field Party” towards the end of the album made me realize that these guys come a bit short in their efforts when compared to the master of the rapping-country sub-genre, Colt Ford himself. Overall I’d give it a 3 out of 5, and that if you’re a Colt Ford fan, you may either like it because it sounds similar, or you won’t like it because your standards have been set higher.