Thoughtful messages reign in 'What Am I Supposed to Do?' from Doop and the Inside Outlaws

The latest album from the Detroit collective, Doop and the Inside Outlaws, packs meaningful messages over somber strings.

The album opens up with "Heartbreaker," which reminds us of the very simple truth: What goes around, comes around. Next up, lead singer Don "Doop" Duprie lets his love know that he'll wait up for her to come around, in "Give It to You." Doop is then joined by Alison Lewis for a duet concerning the one that got away, and thinking, later in their lives, if there might still be a chance for their love. "Sittin here" is a tune that will resonate with many Detroit residents, and American citizens as all, as the lyrics talk about unemployment, and uncertainty of the future. Doop's given up the crazier side of the touring lifestyle, but he still encourages it, on the album's most spirited track, "You Gotta Rock 'n' Roll Sometimes." The album wraps up by offering a few last, simply told messages. "Hard Way" tells the tales of a few different people's lives who never listened to advice from the wise, and the consequences they endured. "The Preacher's Kid" tells a tale of a girl who desperately wants to escape the stigma of being her father's daughter, but couldn't shake the label. The second to last track, "Shorty's Song," resonates with anyone who's been in one of life's valleys, and how they'd rather be left alone. The album finishes on a high note, asking listeners to remember to pay their respects to the hardworking men and women of America, in "Salt of the Earth."

All in all, the album manages to deliver straight-forward messages in pleasant melodies, over consistent, head-nodding guitar riffs. For those that don't listen to country all that often, this would be a great place to start.