George Strait - Cold Beer Conversation
Humphead 4723511
Following a couple of years absence from the recording studios, ol’ George is back in the saddle with one of the most adventurous and artistically satisfying albums of his career. COLD BEER CONVERSATION disproves those who mistake his consistency for predictability. Over a 35-year career, he’s repeatedly found fresh ways to enliven his material while staying within the parameters of what he does best. Yeah, George Strait’s still got it all under control. An album that is the musical equivalent of comfort food, Strait’s sound is familiar and accessible without a hint of pretence. As always, his voice is warm and captivates you, melodies hanging in your ears long after the songs’ end as he weaves thirteen of them into a conversation, between himself, the studio band, and his listeners. From the casual way he captures a meaningful talk between buddies on the title song to the slow waltz of Jamey Johnson’s Something Going Down his smooth vocals and the measured instrumental work are on top form throughout.
George Strait is one of the few mainstream country singers who appears to be very much aware of the so-called left-of-centre songwriters and performers like Johnson, Al Anderson and Brandy Clark, all of whom feature on this album. When he started out making music, back in the mid-1970s for small Texas labels, George often wrote his own songs. For some inexplicable reason he stopped using his own songs shortly after signing with MCA in 1981. Then a few years ago, driven by his son, Bubba, he turned his hand to penning songs again and has three co-writes here. Let It Go and Everything I See are clearly revealed pieces, shaping his cunningly simplistic sound and ability to paint an auditory picture with sensitivity and finesse. Both are dark, yet scripted with hope, which takes the listener into a warm glow of musical heaven, Then there’s It Takes All Kinds, a light-hearted western swing styled number with hints of early Lyle Lovett tinted with a classic Bob Wills vibe.
Some of the album’s many other highlights include the ballsy, hard-core rocking Rock Paper Scissors, Brandy Clark’s reflective Take Me To Texas Lone Star State anthem and the jaunty barroom ballad Stop And Drink. He returns to the bar for the tongue-in-cheek Cheaper Than A Shrink, a song co-written by Bill Anderson, Jamey Johnson and Buddy Cannon more as a joke than a potential country hit, but in the masterful hands of hands of George Strait, this joke is turned into a genuine modern-day country classic.
Great lyrics, strong melodies and above all, the true spirit of classic country music, all presented without hype or gimmick, COLD BEER CONVERSATION is likely to become a treasured and oft-played part of your collection.
www.georgestrait.com
Following a couple of years absence from the recording studios, ol’ George is back in the saddle with one of the most adventurous and artistically satisfying albums of his career. COLD BEER CONVERSATION disproves those who mistake his consistency for predictability. Over a 35-year career, he’s repeatedly found fresh ways to enliven his material while staying within the parameters of what he does best. Yeah, George Strait’s still got it all under control. An album that is the musical equivalent of comfort food, Strait’s sound is familiar and accessible without a hint of pretence. As always, his voice is warm and captivates you, melodies hanging in your ears long after the songs’ end as he weaves thirteen of them into a conversation, between himself, the studio band, and his listeners. From the casual way he captures a meaningful talk between buddies on the title song to the slow waltz of Jamey Johnson’s Something Going Down his smooth vocals and the measured instrumental work are on top form throughout.George Strait is one of the few mainstream country singers who appears to be very much aware of the so-called left-of-centre songwriters and performers like Johnson, Al Anderson and Brandy Clark, all of whom feature on this album. When he started out making music, back in the mid-1970s for small Texas labels, George often wrote his own songs. For some inexplicable reason he stopped using his own songs shortly after signing with MCA in 1981. Then a few years ago, driven by his son, Bubba, he turned his hand to penning songs again and has three co-writes here. Let It Go and Everything I See are clearly revealed pieces, shaping his cunningly simplistic sound and ability to paint an auditory picture with sensitivity and finesse. Both are dark, yet scripted with hope, which takes the listener into a warm glow of musical heaven, Then there’s It Takes All Kinds, a light-hearted western swing styled number with hints of early Lyle Lovett tinted with a classic Bob Wills vibe.
Some of the album’s many other highlights include the ballsy, hard-core rocking Rock Paper Scissors, Brandy Clark’s reflective Take Me To Texas Lone Star State anthem and the jaunty barroom ballad Stop And Drink. He returns to the bar for the tongue-in-cheek Cheaper Than A Shrink, a song co-written by Bill Anderson, Jamey Johnson and Buddy Cannon more as a joke than a potential country hit, but in the masterful hands of hands of George Strait, this joke is turned into a genuine modern-day country classic.
Great lyrics, strong melodies and above all, the true spirit of classic country music, all presented without hype or gimmick, COLD BEER CONVERSATION is likely to become a treasured and oft-played part of your collection.
www.georgestrait.com