Artist: Tim McGraw
Album: Emotional Traffic
Release Date: Jan. 24
Label: Curb Records
Grade: B+
In many ways, country music has become a parody of itself, allowing thematic conventions of lost love and the simple man's plight to dominate the genre's oeuvre. The 11th studio album from country music veteran Tim McGraw attempts to unify the genre's down-home reputation with more universally relatable themes. Emotional Traffic delivers a provocative reinterpretation of country music's evolving role in the music industry.
The album is a refreshing blend of inspiring power ballads such as "I Will Not Fall Down," and quirky, catchy love songs like "The One." The familiar country twang still exists, and is indeed dominant throughout most of the album, especially in the happy-go-lucky track, "One Part, Two Part." However, the extensive use of electric guitar, which is not only featured in each track but also well done in most, gives the album an inherent rock feel.
For those who are traditionalists looking for a run-of-the-mill country music experience, McGraw remains loyal to genre conventions in the song "Touchdown Jesus," which celebrates divine intervention in small-town believers' lives.
Tradition comes into play once more in "Better Than I Used To Be," which is musically and stylistically akin to country duo Montgomery Gentry's 2006 release, "Lucky Man."
However, the strongest track on the album seems to be "Felt Good On My Lips." An energetic beat and an adventurous storyline combine to create a youthful, catchy tune with a touch of stylistic innovation and a punch of nostalgia.
Despite its strengths, the album lacks cohesion, an aspect that might leave some listeners feeling unfulfilled. As the title suggests, the emotional tone of the record is mixed and jumpy: the whole album is not evocative of one emotional experience, nor is it a logical emotional progression. Regardless, Emotional Traffic, with its hybrid of stylistic elements, is a refreshing alternative to traditional rock or country albums.
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