Farce the Music: Kenny Chesney

Oct 22, 2012

I'm Sorry, This Exists 8

Kid Rock Wallet Chain

Numerology for Taylor Swift Book

This.

aaaannd this.

Garth Brooks Satin Jacket

Hunter Hayes Bottlecap Necklace

These bedazzled jeans for looking like your heroes of "country" music.

And this bedazzled aid for your self-date after you wear those jeans.

Taylor Swift Periodic Table T-Shirt

Tribute to Luke Bryan EP

Bracelet with one of Brantley Gilbert's deep thoughts emblazoned on it.

Hunter Hayes Autographed Tambourine

Chow down!

Jun 18, 2012

Snap Judgment Track-by-Track Review: Kenny Chesney - Welcome to the Fishbowl

Come Over

Already reviewed this. Still dull. I've noticed quite a few recent country singles sounding a lot like this - tuneless, that is. It reminds me of the days when I was still an aspiring lyricist. I'd get my "song" just perfect (to the eyes of a wordsmith) and then send them to a musical collaborator. Working from pre-written lyrics didn't give them a lot of room for melody and the finished product often came off sounding bland and skeletal. I'm sure "Come Over" wasn't written by this method, but still, it's clear that the music part of this song wasn't nearly as important as the words, and it should usually be 50/50. On the other hand, maybe it's prime time for me to get back in the lyric writing game!

C-

Feel Like a Rock Star (duet with Tim McGraw)

Big, dumb and full of star-power. And it's a country song about being a rock star. Not really anything else to say.

C-

Sing 'Em Good My Friend

Lots of "whooo ooh's" and "doo doo doo doo's" in this slow story song. They're trying to create a mood. If the mood is "moderately uncomfortable," job well done. In the positive column, this isn't a song about bars, beaches or reminiscing. It's about buying a guitar from a man whose wife is near death. As tiresome as "country dying songs" are, this isn't really one of those. It's about "passing the torch" so to speak. So, kudos for a pretty well done idea. It's kind of a downer though and not particularly memorable musically.

B-

Welcome to the Fishbowl

It's about reality TV and the Twitter generation. About how there is no privacy anymore. Funny enough, Chesney himself remains a deeply private individual who rarely reveals anything much about himself, so this comes off a bit inauthentic. This is a catchier tune than what's come before on the album, but it doesn't have enough meat to stick with you.

I'm a Small Town

Well, here's a new way to write about the same old thing - this small town anthem is actually from the perspective of the town. While this might seem like splitting hairs, Kenny actually pulls this one off with aplomb. It's a well written tune as well. Thoughtful, insightful and heartbreaking. Let's just hope nobody writes a song from a truck's point-of-view next.

B+

El Cerrito Place

This is the song I was most anticipating (or dreading?) from this album. It's a cover of one of my favorite Charlie Robison tunes. Here we go… It certainly fits the gray mood of the album. This is a pretty flat reading. Chesney doesn't have enough grit to pull this off. When the song picked up, I thought it had a chance here… but the chorus just killed the cover dead. No variation whatsoever. That's the thing about a refrain. The singer is supposed to reveal a different emotional facet of the words with each repetition, not just recite the words. I'm not one of those folks who summarily hates commercial covers of more "indie" country songs, but I hate this.

D-

Makes Me Wonder

Ah, some real melody. Finally. Another song with a refrain. He gives this one some oomph though. This is a good tune. Nice harmonies. If Chesney can do one emotion right, it's wistfulness. Ugh, "what's up with that?" is a line in the bridge. That'll count off half a letter grade.

While He Still Knows Who I Am

Alzheimer's. Big time downer. It's fairly believable and free of cheese though. I don't even like to think about this subject matter. Not sure it's a song I will want to revisit. Not too badly done though.

Time Flies

This sounds more like a trademark Kenny song. Bouncy island rhythm and kicking off responsibilities. "Time flies when you're having rum" - I wrote that line once back when I was an aspiring lyricist. "Talking to a cutie, heading for the booty," however, is not a line I would ever consider writing. WTF?? This has an earworm of a chorus, but there's too much familiarity and too many clunker lines to give this a good grade.

To Get to You (55th and 3rd)

Another depressing ballad framed by a particular place. Didn't we already have one of those four songs ago? This piano-driven weeper features a far better performance than "El Cerrito Place," but the song isn't as interesting. And while Chesney delivers an emotional vocal, the music doesn't pull its weight. It's a power ballad minus power.

C-

Always Gonna Be You

Sigh. Kenny needs some Celexa, Red Bull or maybe some meth. Cheer up, bald buddy! I'm going to hit up the Mio now, myself. Another dull, depressing tune. Kinda sums up the album.

C-

You and Tequila (Live at Red Rocks w/Grace Potter)

Great song. Better than anything else on the current album. That's not a good thing when this is a rehash of a single from the previous album.

Jun 12, 2012

Single Review: Kenny Chesney - Come Over

Kenny Chesney - Come Over

(click to hear the song/see the video)

Looks like he's finally embracing his baldness.

When I heard this song for the first time on the CMT Awards last week, I remarked that I'd rather listen to paint dry. This was before I'd actually paid any attention to the lyrics. In the beginning of the song, ol' Kenny is flipping the TV off and on and watching the ceiling fan spin. So, pretty much, I described the song perfectly without even giving it much mind.

It's nice to see that Kenny has continued releasing more mature songs lately, like last year's gem "You & Tequila" and the somewhat duller "Somewhere With You." He's finally realizing he can't put out the same old beach song with different words for every single. That said, he hasn't yet grasped the concept that adult life doesn't have to sound boring, even if it is quite often more regimented and expected.

This is another grown-up "booty call" song. The theme is much more exciting than the vehicle and the delivery. Unmemorable and dry, nothing in this song will stick with you besides the droning repetition of "come over come over come over" over and over. Chesney sounds as bored as the listener does.

Two lonely adults living lifeless lives, hooking up more out of malaise than even habit or fading passion - at least, that's what the delivery tells us, if not the words. It's a sad subject and a sadly spiritless release.

C-