He sings straight, writes songs without a half dozen Music Row hacks pitching in their two cents, and keeps the music basic. On Drive, Jackson mixes wistful visions with satire, sorrow, and eloquence, using old cars--"Drive (For Daddy Gene)"--to explore growing up and, on "Work in Progress," spoofing a woman obsessed with "improving" her man. As usual, he explores love's joy ("When Love Comes Around") and anguish ("The Sounds").
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