Off to Join the World (CD - 2005)

Personnel: Blaine Larsen (vocals, guitar); Merle Haggard, Paul Overstreet, Joey Martin (vocals); Michael Spriggs, Pete Hutlinger (acoustic guitar); Chris Leuzinger, Tony Harrell, Danny Parks (electric guitar); Mike Johnson , Bruce Bouton (steel guitar); Larry Franklin (mandolin, fiddle); Michael Rhodes , Spady Brannan (bass guitar); Sean Patrick McGraw, Joey Martin (background vocals); B. James Lowry (acoustic guitar); Jerry McPherson, J.T. Corenflos (electric guitar); Russ Pahl (dobro); Stuart Duncan, Jonathan Yudkin (mandolin, fiddle); Jimmy Nichols (piano, background vocals); Eddie Bayers, Tommy Harden (drums).

Audio Mixers: Bill Decker; Tony Green; Bill McDermott.

Recording information: Blaine's Backyard In The Barn; Blueberry Hill; Dogden Studios; Sound Stage Studios, Nashville, TN.

Photographer: Russ Harrington.

Looking at the cover of Blaine Larsen's 2005 major-label debut Off to Join the World -- which is a reconfigured version of his first album, In My High School, released on an indie about six months before Off -- it's easy to think that the youthful, clean-cut singer is about 14-years-old, a cloying novelty along the lines of Billy Gilman. First impressions are often misleading, as the music on this lean 11-track album makes clear. Larsen possesses a rich, full baritone reminiscent of his idol George Strait -- a sound that sure shouldn't be coming from a kid who looks like he's yet to learn how to shave. Preternaturally gifted youngsters are not uncommon in country music -- for instance, LeAnn Rimes came storming on to the scene at the age of 14, sounding like a dead ringer for Patsy Cline, and Tanya Tucker started her career when she was 13 -- but often the raw talent isn't yet supported by technique. That's not the case with Larsen. He knows how to deliver a song, whether it's ramping up the sentiment or slyly tossing off a punchline, which is something that does not come easily to young singers, as any regular viewer of American Idol can attest. Larsen not only has that technique down, but he has excellent taste, sticking to the straight-ahead neo-traditionalist country that made Strait a star, writing and picking hooky, memorable songs. Some of these tunes have more than their fair share of country corn, but they're so unapologetic and spirited, they're quite charming, as is the whole of Off to Join the World. Blaine Larsen may not have quite yet broken free of his influences on this debut, but he sounds as if he's absorbed their lessons, beginning to turn what he's learned from Strait, Alan Jackson and Merle Haggard into something of his own, both as a vocalist and a fledgling songwriter (he's penned just over half of the songs here, and there's not a bad tune in the bunch). In the process, he's delivered a terrific debut album, one that qualifies as a totally unexpected and wholly enjoyable surprise. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

With looks reminiscent of a young Paul Newman and a resonant baritone that is equal parts Merle Haggard and George Strait, Blaine Larsen amazed the record industry by scoring a Billboard hit ("How Do You Get That Lonely") that came from an independently released album, and was recorded while the singer was still in high school. On OFF TO JOIN THE WORLD (a spruced up re-packaging of his debut, IN MY HIGH SCHOOL), Larsen reveals surprisingly mature tunes worthy of the aforementioned influences, and co-writes many of the disc's best songs. ("If Merle Would Sing My Song" actually features Haggard on guest vocals.)

Although Larsen's intensely personal songcraft often deals with topics appropriate to his age, the album is imbued with a seriousness that transcends the subject matter. "The Best Man" is a the true story of Larsen's mother's divorce and subsequent re-marriage, while "In My High School" is a slice of life drama full of wisdom that usually takes a lifetime to attain. The record's earnest tone is matched by spare, thoughtful production, characterized by twanging Telecasters and sliding steel guitars in just the right measure. minimize