Release Date: August 2010
Music Label: Warner Brothers
The Skinny: Blake Shelton's second six-song EP- (Warner Brothers is calling it a mini-album, but a spade is still a spade)- still represents the grown-up kid’s rowdy anthems and more critically accepted ballads as most of his previous work including the predecessor, Hillbilly Bone. The title track isn’t overly deep, but has made a connection at radio with its tasty little chorus hook. The real highlight is the Dobro-infused "Draggin' the River," a fantastic duet with Shelton's fiancée, Miranda Lambert. It puts a twist on their real-life romance with a back-story of pushing their car off a bridge so that they can buy some time to get married while their families are looking for them in the river. "Got a Little Country" is a new-age rockabilly tune that features some great and nimble guitar work. The other big star on the album is the beautiful ballad “Who You Are When I’m Not Looking.” It opens with Shelton putting his lover on a pedestal, only to realize that there's a lot more to the woman than such two-dimensional treatment might suggest. "My, oh my, you're so good lookin'," he muses to himself, "but who are you when I'm not lookin'?" It’s not overly philosophical, but asks and answers enough questions to be personally specific. The album is typically rowdy on the uptempos and real on the ballads. It adds up to nothing overly new from Blake Shelton but appealing nevertheless.
Sounds Like: Jake Owen
Standout Tracks: "Draggin' the River," "Who Are You When I'm Not Lookin' "
The Verdict: Three and a half stars out of five
Music Label: Warner Brothers
The Skinny: Blake Shelton's second six-song EP- (Warner Brothers is calling it a mini-album, but a spade is still a spade)- still represents the grown-up kid’s rowdy anthems and more critically accepted ballads as most of his previous work including the predecessor, Hillbilly Bone. The title track isn’t overly deep, but has made a connection at radio with its tasty little chorus hook. The real highlight is the Dobro-infused "Draggin' the River," a fantastic duet with Shelton's fiancée, Miranda Lambert. It puts a twist on their real-life romance with a back-story of pushing their car off a bridge so that they can buy some time to get married while their families are looking for them in the river. "Got a Little Country" is a new-age rockabilly tune that features some great and nimble guitar work. The other big star on the album is the beautiful ballad “Who You Are When I’m Not Looking.” It opens with Shelton putting his lover on a pedestal, only to realize that there's a lot more to the woman than such two-dimensional treatment might suggest. "My, oh my, you're so good lookin'," he muses to himself, "but who are you when I'm not lookin'?" It’s not overly philosophical, but asks and answers enough questions to be personally specific. The album is typically rowdy on the uptempos and real on the ballads. It adds up to nothing overly new from Blake Shelton but appealing nevertheless.
Sounds Like: Jake Owen
Standout Tracks: "Draggin' the River," "Who Are You When I'm Not Lookin' "
The Verdict: Three and a half stars out of five
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