Once again the west coast offers country music a dyed-in-the-wool honky-tonk sound with new-comer Gary Allan's debut release Used Heart For Sale. Allan's "gravel-in-a-barrel" voice first hit the airwaves with "Her Man" (referred to by many as the "S.O.B." song) a ballad that announced the native Californian's arrival on the country music scene. Songs like the title track reveal the influence of fellow west coaster and living legend Buck Owens, proving that "young country" isn't just shiny belt buckles and "swallow 'em whole" Resistol's. In fact, Allan falls in line nicely with the traditionalist genre, his cover of the late Faron Young's "Wine Me Up" is a honky-tonker's delight, as is the album's first cut - "Send Back My Heart."
   Allans' choice of songs on this compilation include a Garth Brooks/Kent Maxon co-penned tune titled "From Where I'm Sitting," and the Billy Sherrill/Glenn Sutton "Living In A House Full Of Love," both of which spring to life with the singer's guttural vocals.
   With a free and easy style mixed with emotional lyrics, Gary Allan's name will be on the charts for years to come

-Charlton Wiggins