Album Review – Brad Paisley’s “Love and War”
When Dierks Bentley released his last dreadful record Black, it didn’t just mean we lost respect for Dierks for releasing the worst record of his career, and clearly what the suits wanted instead what Dierks wanted, it also meant we lost one of the very last good guys in mainstream country music—a dude that even many of the hard-nosed independent fans could find common ground with their mainstream buddies over.
There was a time when Brad Paisley also held that position. Even if you couldn’t get behind some of the newer songs, it was hard to not appreciate Paisley for his guitar playing, and he had enough solid material from early on in his career to point to as being more of a positive influence in mainstream country than a negative one. Recently when a local country station out of Ft. Worth changed their rotation and added a few older Brad Paisley songs to the playlist, some listeners were up in arms. But many of those older Paisley songs are better and more country than what some local “Texas country” acts have to offer.
When Brad Paisley won the CMA for Entertainer of the Year in 2010, bisecting the years that Taylor Swift would walk away with the award, it felt like a victory for good ol’ country music. It was Brad Paisley. And though at that time his use of joke songs and some other nitpicky things were already beginning to wear thin for some, he was hard to hate.
Paisley’s last few records however, they had enough awkward moments and bad decisions to where even if you didn’t fall out of favor with Paisley, you still wanted something more from him. Brad Paisley has never been the guy to define the sound of country at a given moment, even when he won Entertainer of the Year. But he always remained a steady rock of quality in the mainstream, and you had the sense his good guy persona wasn’t an act when he did things like taking the point when it came to remembering and preserving the legacy of “Little” Jimmy Dickens.
When reviewing one of the first songs released from this album—a rendition of a Johnny Cash poem Paisley put to music called “Gold All Over The Ground“—it was said this could be a very important record in Brad Paisley’s career. This project could go on to define him in many ways. Because up to this point, the Paisley legacy is straddling the fence. Is he truly a generational star whose 19 #1 singles put him in contention for the Hall of Fame when his time comes, or is he a perennial 2nd-tier country star with some hot guitar chops who is good at cracking jokes? Love and War would seem to indicate the former is a more fair assessment than the latter.
Sure, Paisley’s a great guitar player, but what does that matter if he never showcases it? Love and War is Brad Paisley returning to doing what he does best, which is being Brad Paisley. His last couple of records had their moments, but they were indicative of an artist sensing the pressure to sell records to elongate his career. So he tried to stir the pot and take chances. But Paisley is really not a chances kind of guy. He’s Brad Paisley. He’s even keeled and constant. He didn’t do well trying to be somebody else.
But before you think that Love and War is safe and careful, appreciate that on this record Paisley collaborates both in the writing and performance with Mick Jagger, John Fogerty, Bill Anderson, and of all people, hip-hop producer Timbaland, and does it all while putting out probably his most country record in the last six years. Folks seeing headlines about Paisley collaborating with Timbaland are freaking out, but “Grey Goose Chase” might be Paisley’s most traditional track in years, even if the lyrics leave some to be desired. Is Timbaland warming up his country chops for the long-rumored Justin Timberlake country album? We’ll just have to see.
One of the big complaints about Paisley’s last couple of albums has been that his guitar playing is nowhere to be found. On Love and War, he leads with the head of his Telecaster, and nearly ever song is bisected with a ripping solo. His tone still leaves some to be desired for country music, but it’s a display of instrumentation most modern mainstream country music doesn’t leave room for.
Remember how we all love to complain about Paisley’s joke songs? Well the song “selfie#theinternetisforever” is actually pretty damn funny. You remember what a disaster it was when Paisley tried to get political with “Accidental Racist”? His “Love and War” song with John Fogerty about the mistreatment of returning soldiers is spot on, and this is coming from someone who hates the pandering found in many of these mawkish “support the troops” songs from mainstreamers. “Love and War” works not just because Fogerty is present, it’s because it actually says something in a honest and pointed manner about a real problem instead of just the same self-ingratiating patriotic trumpeting.
Love and War still leaves much to be desired. Sonically, hats off to Paisley for putting together a spicy, energetic effort that is traditional at times, contemporary in others, but always true to itself and to the heart of modern, healthy country music. In doses the songwriting just feels a little light, like the list-tastic, though harmless “Heaven South,” the underwhelming “Grey Goose Chase,” or the completely failed “Solar Powered Girl.” “Go To Bed Early” is a quite strong songwriting effort though, and “Last Time For Everything,” though you want to hate it at the beginning, gets you with some powerful, timely lines.
Are we just so happy to hear a mainstream record that doesn’t alienate us or let us down that we can construe a few good songs into a strong effort? Maybe that’s the case, but any work is only fair to judge beside its peers, and right now Paisley is one of the few setting the pace for decency in popular country music. Let’s just hope the radio plays it, and people pay attention. Because this is the Paisley we want, this is the Paisley country music needs, and the one the world deserves to remember.
1 1/2 Guns Up (6.5/10)
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FeedThemHogs
April 27, 2017 @ 8:06 am
I’ll admit, I’m a Brad Paisley apologist.
Now that that’s out of the way, this is another fantastic album by Brad. Bringing Whispering Bill along once again gets his name out there, and Dying to See Her is fantastic in my book. If mainstream listeners buy this album and only take one thing from it, I hope they listen, really sit down and listen to Gold All Over The Ground. People just don’t talk (or write songs) like that anymore. Kudos to Brad for putting that poem to music and including it. Brad Paisley has been, and always will be one of my all time favorites.
Adrian
April 27, 2017 @ 9:21 am
Paisley is generally a good guy, from a music perspective. Occasionally he has let me down, most notably when he sold out in “Welcome to the Future”. And some of his singles have been a little too cognizant of the reality that it is probably mostly the female audience that feeds his commercial career, and have tried a little too hard to cater to them in a way that can sound contrived. But nevertheless he’s one of the best compared to today’s mainstream stars.
FeedThemHogs
April 27, 2017 @ 9:30 am
I get the criticisms against him, I really do. Even though I sort of like Welcome To The Future, I understand that from a critical standpoint, there’s not much there.
Acca Dacca
April 27, 2017 @ 4:19 pm
Wait, the prominent guitar, fiddles and hint of steel of “Welcome to the Future” is your idea of Paisley selling out? Just because there’s some thematically appropriate (albeit a bit doofy) electronic sound effects? Not hardly, at least not according to me. But I also think that’s a great song on its own merits. Perhaps it wasn’t traditional, but for once it was in service to the song, not a detraction from it (and debasing it’s traditionalist influence is still a stretch in my eyes).
Adrian
April 27, 2017 @ 11:50 pm
I didn’t have a big problem with the instrumentation in “Welcome to the Future”. I definitely don’t think it is a great song at all. When I say that he sold out, what I meant is that he was trying too hard to belong to the “in” crowd. What I heard in the song was an overly trendy, expedient political statement crafted to align with the election of Obama as President – a political statement that Brad has a right to express under the First Amendment, but which did not do much to add to the quality of his country music repertoire. “Welcome to the Future” made Brad seem less authentic. But then again maybe the guy who wants to fit in and be accepted by the cool people is part of who he is.
Acca Dacca
April 28, 2017 @ 5:25 am
Last I checked, lines about people burning crosses in the front yard of high school students wasn’t “cool” or “trendy.” That line is the moment during my initial listen that the song jumped from good to great for me. It takes courage to even speak of such frank hate in a mainstream song, and while it’s certainly not the overall point, it gives an idea of where Brad was coming from with it. The song has a gimmickry about it, but no more than anything else the man has done. I think you’re misjudging it’s frank honesty and sentimentality as pandering, though I’ll concede some of it rings of pop culture adulation. “Welcome to the Future” broke Brad’s string of number ones at radio, and I’m certain the “burning cross” line and what some might see as politicizing afterwards did it in (though that’s relative, as it still got to number two as I recall).
Adrian
April 28, 2017 @ 8:28 am
The song tries to conflate two changes that were largely unrelated: the civil rights movement which ended segregation, and more recent advances in consumer technologies such as smartphones. The federal civil rights act passed in the 1960s. The first iPhone was released in 2007. Thus it is quite clear that smartphones and video chat had nothing to do with the ending of legally enforced segregation.
However, it is well known that social media sites such as Twitter were heavily used by the Obama campaign as a marketing tool. And it is quite clear that the line “wake up Martin Luther” was referring to the election of Obama as President, not to the Civil Rights Act of 1964 which had passed during Martin Luther King’s lifetime. Paisley told Country Weekly magazine that he was inspired to write the song when he learned that Obama would be President, and in 2009 he performed the song at the White House for President Obama (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Welcome_to_the_Future).
Hey Brad, welcome to the cool crowd of Washington and Hollywood progressives.
Acca Dacca
April 28, 2017 @ 9:00 am
I’ve been aware of the motives behind the song for quite some time, but thanks for the explanation. The technological deliberation isn’t exclusive to smartphones, but I can see why you’d think it’s a bit shallow for him to compare that to social progress. But I also don’t think he was specifically referencing the Civil Rights movement in the 1960s; he was declaring a victory in the name of that equality that is often trumpeted but actually evidenced quite a bit less than some would like. Agree or disagree, but that doesn’t make the song shallow. The future is more than one advancement at a time, so conflating certain ideas to paint a picture is indicative of the actual process, even if it have perhaps been done with more subtlety.
Not entirely sure why you’re complaining about him performing for President Obama. Just because he seems to favor more liberal politics doesn’t mean he’s suddenly a lesser artist, nor that he wrote a given song just to bolster his reputation. I don’t think he sold out in any way, shape or form, even IF the song is a turd and I’m mistaking it for roses. He was being true to his convictions. Complaining about that in this context is like complaining about some other country artist singing about how nobody is taking their guns or religion. “Hey dude, welcome to the cool crowd of Southern and otherwise rural conservatives.” If Brad has voiced disparate political opinions in the past from the ideas of “Welcome to the Future”, I could understand your sentiment. But I don’t think he has (do correct me if I’m wrong).
If it helps to clarify my opinion, allow me to specify that I think the song is 8/10 “great”, not 10/10 universal masterpiece of the ages “great.” It IS a bit unfocused, and I wouldn’t necessarily recommend it to anyone if I were giving a crash course in country music. But for what it is it’s unique and notable.
Acca Dacca
April 28, 2017 @ 9:04 am
Slight edit for clarification: obviously Brad references the Civil Rights movement explicitly near the end of the song via allusions to certain events, but it seemed to me to be less about the history and more about the MISSION at the time. The spirit not the details, if you will. I’m rushing through comments on my phone and have even less time to attempt to proof read than I normally do.
Cobra
April 27, 2017 @ 12:50 pm
In my own review, I said the same thing, that I’m a Paisley fan, and despite some nonsense, there’s usually enough good material on his albums to make up for it. This was a fun album, and I enjoyed it, maybe a little more than I should have, but, damnit, Paisley is just so darn likeable, that it’s nice to have an album once in a while that you can not take too seriously but know there’s still going to be some really solid substance included.
Johnnyboy Gomez
April 30, 2017 @ 3:49 am
The only way this song can be interpreted as a “sell out” is if Paisley personally thought that Obama’s election was a bad thing but wrote a song with a line that celebrated it anyway. Don’t you think it’s possible that Paisley was actually delighted that Obama won? I know I was.
SRM
April 27, 2017 @ 8:08 am
The standout for me was “The Devil Is Alive and Well.” I was pretty “meh” on the record until that one came around. “Gold All Over The Ground” and “Last Time For Everything” are also keepers.
Acca Dacca
April 27, 2017 @ 4:21 pm
Same here. I wasn’t really sold on it until that song came on, and it grabbed me in a way that helped recontextualize the rest of the record for me in a more positive light. Funny how music is like that.
countryfan24
April 27, 2017 @ 8:16 am
Overall, very happy with this record as a whole. It was not mentioned here but “Dying to See Her,” co-written by and featuring Bill Anderson, resembles a more serious version of “Waitin’ On A Woman” and is one of my favorites here.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2YvVRmT-j4c&t=16s
mihlur
April 27, 2017 @ 9:50 am
Yes, excellent song. Gives me chills every time. I’m surprised Trig didn’t specifically address it in the review, because I view it as maybe the best song on the album. Would be great if it was a single and performed well.
CCRR
April 27, 2017 @ 8:20 am
Happy to hear this is a decent album. Paisley has always been one of the mainstream guys I really like – cornball songs and all. I was worried he was going the way of Dierks (who I used to like but have hated as if lately). Glad to hear that might not be the case!
Clint
April 27, 2017 @ 8:55 am
I didnt want to like “Last Time for Everything” either but I have to say I think it really works.
Honky
April 27, 2017 @ 4:04 pm
Are you THE Clint?
Clint
April 27, 2017 @ 4:06 pm
I AM a Clint
Honky
April 27, 2017 @ 4:14 pm
So, no?
Steve
April 27, 2017 @ 9:05 am
This is his best album since This is Country Music. Wheelhouse was just mostly awkward or bad with a few decent songs thrown in and Moonshine in the Trunk was pretty bad overall with maybe 3 decent songs. The only song on this album that I legitimately don’t like is Solar Power Girl. The rest are decent to genuinely good, in my opinion. And, despite it’s name, selfie#theinternetisforever is hilarious.
Gena R.
April 27, 2017 @ 3:19 pm
I never did bother to get ‘Moonshine…,’ but last week I sampled a few tracks from L&W — “Gold…,” “Dying to See Her,” “Drive of Shame” (with Mick Jagger) and the title cut — and thought they were pretty good. 🙂
Scott S.
April 27, 2017 @ 10:00 am
I’ll admit that when I saw Timberland in the credits I figured this was Brad following Keith Urban into disco country, so I didn’t even bother to give this a listen. After your review I’m thinking I’ll at least listen to the samples on iTunes and see if it’s worth giving it a shot.
Trigger
April 27, 2017 @ 10:53 am
Timbaland’s involvement in this record is a non issue, and anyone who says they won’t listen because of it is a fool. And this is coming from who openly objects to all of the pop producers encroaching on country because they see it is fertile soil. Ultimately, it’s not about the names, its about the songs. Neither of Timbaland’s contributions are great, but they’re fine. Whatever. If you think this record is awful, you’re not paying attention to the rest of the stuff going on in pop country right now.
Fat Freddy's Cat
April 27, 2017 @ 10:18 am
I didn’t like his last couple of albums, but it sounds like I should check this one out.
Lorenzo
April 27, 2017 @ 10:33 am
Excellent review! In my opinion this album blends the very original 1999 Brad Paisley style with the more contemporary sounds of his 2009 effort American Saturday Night. ‘One Beer Can’ has a cool riff that brings back ‘Long Sermon’ and ‘The World’, ‘Contact High’ is in line with “She’s Her Own Woman” and ‘Grey Goose Chase’ is reminiscent of “The Nervous Breakdown”. The only track that I did not really like is Solar Power Girl (I don’t know if it sounds country, it’s more like a strange mashup between “Time is Love” and “Would You Go With Me” by Josh Turner), but on the other hand this album has very good moments in Last Time for Everything, Dying to See Her, Devil is Alive and Well and my personal favorite Gold All Over the Ground.
Welcome back Brad!
FeedThemHogs
April 27, 2017 @ 11:22 am
This was well-stated. Almost like this album brings his career-to-date full-circle if you will.
+1 for mentioning The Nervous Breakdown
countryfan24
April 27, 2017 @ 11:52 am
Love these comparisons from past records; I didn’t make the connection with “One Beer Can” being reminiscent of “The World,” but now I definitely see it! “Gold All Over the Groud” is such a special song and also my favorite on the record.
Big Red
April 28, 2017 @ 8:17 am
Listening to Grey Goose Chase I heard glimpses of Mr. Policeman from 5th Gear.
Derek Sullivan
April 27, 2017 @ 11:51 am
Trigger I’m glad you said you like the “Selfie” because I also liked it. To disagree, I really like Solar Power Girl. In fact, the Timbaland songs were two of my favorites on my first listen.
The album kind of grows on me to be honest. It gets better with more listen.
Finally, I think you will end up being wrong on “Gold On the Ground.” I think Brad will release it and it will be at the very least a song of the year/single of the year candidate. It’s a great song and I radio will play it just for the Johnny Cash angle and it will grow on listeners.
Finally, I do miss the father-son songs Brad does. I was hoping Last Time for Everything would hit on some fatherhood/marriage issues, but it stayed way too much teen years for me. And I hate songs that talk about how amazing teen years are.
Trigger
April 27, 2017 @ 12:27 pm
I would be happy to be wrong about “Gold All Over The Gound” getting released as a single.
Nadia Lockheart
April 27, 2017 @ 12:50 pm
“Last Time For Everything” is balanced well with lines like “Watching Glenn Frey sing “Already Gone” at the Forum in LA.” and references to Little Jimmy Dickens and Prince, in my opinion.
I also like the arc of maturity between the first and second verses. The first speaks of young lust and mischief mostly, but the second feels like a natural progression from there. And I also like how the fourth verse mostly reflects adult maturity, yet the Santa Claus line reminds us that we all still have that inner-child somewhere in us all life long and it’s nothing to be ashamed of as long as you know yourself and your place.
It may follow a songwriting style similar to previous singles of his, but I like it and am glad it’s a single even though “Gold All Over The Ground” and “Dying To See Her” are better songs overall.
Kevin Wortman
April 27, 2017 @ 1:01 pm
Honestly, the only thing I dislike about Brad Paisley is that stupid hipster goatee/ mustache…Remember back in the day when facial hair was for men?
Kevin Davis
April 27, 2017 @ 2:04 pm
The goatee is not hipster. It’s more like the opposite of hipster. Hipster is all about a full-on beard or styled mustache.
Kevin Wortman
April 27, 2017 @ 2:33 pm
Uh…sure.
Kevin Davis
April 27, 2017 @ 2:57 pm
Uh…go to the arts district of any city or to a craft brewery (basically the “hipster” phenom’s base of operations) and good luck finding anyone with a goatee.
Kevin Wortman
April 27, 2017 @ 3:02 pm
I try to avoid those places, but…I guess I’ll leave it up to those hip experts like yourself lol.
Stringbuzz
April 27, 2017 @ 1:38 pm
“clearly what the suits wanted instead what Dierks wanted”
Let’s stop making excuses for him.
Dick
April 27, 2017 @ 2:34 pm
Have to agree with this. If DB had any desire at all to maintain credibility he wouldn’t have taken Cole Swindell on tour and produced the Godawful Flatliner. Look at the acts Eric Church pushes these days in comparison to DB.
As for Brad Paisley’s album. At first I was ‘meh’ but over the course of the week it’s been a real grower. I’d be interest to know what people think of Charlie Worsham’s latest. Definitely not a country album Bar a few songs, but most of it is decent.
Annie
April 27, 2017 @ 3:27 pm
Completely agree…..With ‘Some Where on a Beach’ I really had hoped that was just a song to launch the album, but after I heard the album, realized that probably wasn’t the case. And then I lost all respect for him when I heard him in an interview say “I consider Some Where on a Beach to be a career song for me” Dierks knows exactly what he is doing – chasing that A lister status.
Mike W.
April 27, 2017 @ 3:30 pm
Agreed. I used to make excuses for Dierks, mostly due to the goodwill that he had earned in my book for his first couple albums and his Bluegrass-inspired album. But, the ship of waiting for him not to suck has sailed. Maybe one day he will have a “come to Jesus” moment, but until he proves otherwise it is clear the dude is content to cut crap that gets played on the radio rather than actually writing and recording good songs anymore.
Honky
April 27, 2017 @ 2:07 pm
Horse feces smells less horrible than dog feces, but it’s feces none the less.
thebugman10
April 27, 2017 @ 3:06 pm
What’s wrong with Paisley’s joke songs? It’s partly what he’s best known for.
Not everything has to be Cody Jinks darkness.
Acca Dacca
April 27, 2017 @ 4:31 pm
The problem some people have with Paisley’s sense of humor is that it’s very tongue-in-cheek and knowing. The jokes with him often seem to be less about the punchline itself and more about recognizing how silly it is in and of itself. He has a very warm and honest sense of humor — Dad humor, if you will — that some people who have been weened on ironic snark, crass sex jokes or memes just don’t understand. It’s “stupid”, they say, because it’s so transparent but not “edgy.” Or at least that’s my take on it.
Mike W.
April 27, 2017 @ 3:32 pm
I’m not a big Paisley fan, he has always come off as “dad” Country to me. That said, I will give him credit for this album. It has some bad spots, but it is easily the most inspired album he has cut in a LONG time. “Last Time For Everything” should suck, but somehow it has become one of the only radio-friendly Country songs I can stand right now.
WRS
April 27, 2017 @ 3:44 pm
I know Brad is a very talented guitar player but I just have never really gotten into his music. With that said if you compare his music to what is getting played on mainstream radio it is head and shoulders above the rest.
Acca Dacca
April 27, 2017 @ 5:51 pm
What an insightful review, one that perfectly captures the landscape of where Brad Paisley fits into country circa 2017 and also how a decent portion of his fanbase as felt for some time, myself included. I kind of wish that you’d have deliberated a bit more on individual songs, and the review reads a bit more positively than a 6.5 indicates, but I still endorse your take on Love and War.
I was a huge fan of This is Country Music, warts and all. The title track might have been a little basic, but it tapped into a fervor with me that few “remember the greats” songs have. However, I remember thinking at the time that “Camouflage” was a damn odd choice for a single from that record (it was one of his gimmicky songs that screamed “album cut” to me when listening) and whaddya know, it was his first single since the start of his career to miss the top 10. That, for me, was the start of his decline. I don’t think “Camouflage” is a bad song so much as a joke that wore thin VERY fast, and it was honestly baffling to me that it was released in favor of what would have been a guaranteed number one in “Don’t Drink the Water” with Blake Shelton. Say what you want about Blake, but at the time he was mainly releasing fun if braindead pap like “Hillbilly Bone” and cutesy cuts like “Honey Bee.” But, perhaps Brad or his label figured three duets was too much, so it wasn’t chosen. A dumb move on everybody’s part, because that’s a damn fun song that’s also very country, and I had it pegged as a shoe-in for the next single at the time.
Then we hit Wheelhouse in 2013, which had some interesting moments but was mostly a bunch of half-baked ideas that didn’t really hit. I always draw comparisons to Eric Church’s album The Outsiders in terms of intent to reach outside of the artist’s usual style, the insular flourishes, the “recorded in a garage” aesthetic and hell, even the choir parts. Brad completely lost me with that one, as did Eric with his. Moonshine in the Trunk felt to me like a half-measure between Brad’s two worlds at the time, which is to say it had some good ol’ Paisley moments and some disconcerting “new direction” moments. And I honestly hate criticizing an artist for trying something NEW, as I sympathize with anyone who wants to do it a little differently than they always have. But as we all know, there’s a way to do that and not rip up your roots — I myself don’t mind when an artist calls a spade a spade and cuts a new project, provided they have the courage about them to call it what it is. I take issue when that “sold as country because that’s where the artist started out” project is pushed on us like it belongs. I honestly think Brad nailed a perfect synthesis of traditional country and pop sensibility on American Saturday Night, but that’s just me.
But where were we? Ah, Love and War: not a great album, but I’ll be damned if when I first heard the banjo, fiddles and Brad’s distinctive tone exit my speakers on “Heaven South” I didn’t well up a bit. The song itself is a little silly and almost tone-deaf in some ways, but good Lord how much I missed classic Brad Paisley, and I hadn’t realized just HOW much I missed the man’s sound until that moment.
“Last Time For Everything” is right on the cusp of being a great song for me, but it’s ultimately too laundry list for its own good. But it effectively portrays nostalgia in a SUBTLE manner for once (obviously the point is “enjoy it while it lasts”, but I admired Brad for not blatantly saying it), whilst also mining the emotion for more than cheap appeal on the basis of “back when I was cool.” There’s real feeling to this song, and certain lines got to me. I honestly can’t believe that it’s going to be the next single, and I almost feel like Brad is calling the industry on its shit with this one — “Last Time For Everything” is reflective, mature and even a bit somber. Tell me what other song on country radio fits that description, even from Jon Pardi or William Michael Morgan (the new “good guys”)? I’m honestly a little afraid for the song, but I’m glad it’s being put out there.
“One Beer Can” is classic Paisley, right down to the blatant double meaning embedded in the chorus. Fun, but along the lines of “Camouflage” in how it can wear thin on repeated listens, though hopefully they know better than to go with this one for a single next. I myself quite enjoyed “Go to Bed Early”, and was honestly a bit surprised by how risqué it was (risqué in terms of Paisley, of course, which is still squeaky clean by most metrics). But, the song still has class, and I’d much rather hear something like this than “Body Like a Backroad”, not least because there’s actually some twang to it.
“Drive of Shame” is a fun song, but some of the lyrics seem a bit awkward to me. Mick Jagger’s part also sticks out because it seems to feature more reverb than Brad’s, which gives the impression that they aren’t inhabiting the same place (which is very likely the case in this age of duets that are recorded and sent via email or whatever). But still a very fun song, and Jagger has enough country cred to make it work. “Contact High” is another “love is a drug” song and it bored me — somebody call when an artist puts a new spin on this metaphor. But speaking of rockers with ties and respect for country, the title track and John Fogerty’s appearance on it are great. The song is flagrantly CCR-esque, which makes Fogerty’s involvement all the more appropriate. This or “Drive of Shame” would make good singles, but I’m not sure how likely that would be to happen.
“Today” is a good song with good vibes, but it doesn’t quite rise above the pack. It caught my ear when it was first released due to its classic Paisley vibe and message, but I wouldn’t really call it a standout. “selfie#theinternetisforever” IS a good joke, one that got some actual laughs from my wife and I while also ringing true in many respects. I especially liked how it’s more or less the twangiest cut on the whole record, which I took to be a thematic contrast with the intrinsic modernity of the subject matter. I was apprehensive of the Timbaland collaborations, but they’re actually not bad and feature some interesting and very country flourishes. Nice of Paisley to kick up the tempo once again after keeping his stuff in the midrange for most of the record.
“Gold All Over the Ground” is worth owning the album for. It’s not my favorite track or even the one that I’d term the best, but the gesture in and of itself deserves every true country fan’s support. I held off on listening until I got the whole record and it didn’t disappoint. A poem by country music’s most transcendent figure this side of Willie Nelson and Dolly Parton cut by an innately likable neo-traditionalist? HELL yes. The idea of this song almost single-handedly redeemed the past few years of Paisley’s work for me, and “Heaven South” cemented it for me. The bread crumb audio of Cash talking about June Carter is perhaps a bridge too far, but I can appreciate Brad’s attempt to call some attention to the song’s origin for those that are out of the loop. “Dying to See Her” with Bill Anderson is another winner, but not quite as powerful as “Gold” or the other duets. I didn’t much care for the spoken word details, but that’s a small quibble.
“Solar Power Girl” is lame, and that’s all there is to it. It’s just short of the type of song I was dreading from this Brad/Timbaland fusion, so hopefully it remains buried in the album. It’s not unpleasant, but it sits contrary to “Gold All Over the Ground” in every way. Luckily it’s followed by “The Devil is Alive and Well”, one of the best cuts on Love and War. It comes across a bit like a companion piece to “A Man Don’t Have to Die” from This is Country Music. Perhaps the most appropriate message in a country song for this day and age that I’ve heard in some time, particularly in the current political climate. Though it might seem contradictory to my other comments, I wasn’t completely sold on the album (great moments notwithstanding) until I hit this song, which helped me to appreciate the others as fully as I do now. A great song, and even greater for being co-written by the man himself and not 14 songwriters. “Meaning Again” falls into the same territory as “Today” in that it’s solid but in no way exceptional, not to mention that it’s more or less just an alternate take on the “Dying to See Her” idea but without the tragedy. The album closer “Heaven South” reprise is pleasant but rings of an attempt to tie the songs together in some concept format which doesn’t work nearly as well here as it did for American Saturday Night or This is Country Music.
Despite my gushing (which is bolstered by my non-existent expectations following almost six years of Paisley being on the rocks), I’d still rate this one a 7/10. That said, I’d much rather listen to Brad at his best than anybody singing about turtles or covering Nirvana. Shoot me. At the very least I can say that wasn’t true for quite a while, and I hope Paisley maintains this new commitment to his roots, though I’m still a bit apprehensive. The Timbaland contributions, while not bad, are suspect in intent. The stalled single “Without a Fight” with Demi Lovato also seemed to be destined for this album (the two titles tie together), but it was cut for whatever reason. Brad also announced just a day or two ago that he’s dropping a visual component for Love and War a la Beyoncé, so we’ll see how that turns out.
Pardon my rambling but this album made this past week for me; what a pleasant surprise it was. Looking forward to Willie’s album God’s Problem Child this week.
Trigger
April 27, 2017 @ 7:30 pm
I should’ve just had you write the review :).
With 16-song album releases, it’s hard to touch on every song and still keep the review at a reasonable length. I agree more could be said about certain songs, but some will be released as singles, and that perhaps will allow for more focus on them.
Tim from GA
May 2, 2017 @ 5:06 pm
Really wish you could hear the “pitched” Demo of “Go To Bed Earkly”!!! Better lyrically and a little more risqué! No talk of “runways in New York.” Ha
Willie Potter
April 27, 2017 @ 6:13 pm
Right On Acca.
Excellent insight,
Willie’s new album is going in the history books.
Dane
April 27, 2017 @ 9:41 pm
Trigger, I’m happy to see your thoughts on this album. I’d wondered what your take would be. I’ve never been a big Paisley fan, but I’ve come to respect him quite a bit. My respect has grown with this album. . For an A-level artist to consistently use pedal steel, fiddle, chicken-pickin guitar and LIVE drums in this environment, is a worthy feat. Plus he wisely left off the Lavato duet mishap. Now if we could only get him to edit himself down to a lean 10-12 songs, we’d be all good.
Off subject- Saw Jinks & Ward Davis last night in NC. Cody is the best live act out there for the (relatively low) dollar. And who is Ward Davis?? Wow.
Anne
April 28, 2017 @ 7:54 am
Cut out Trigger’s 3 worst tracks and it does come to 11 quite neatly.
Lone Wolf
April 27, 2017 @ 11:47 pm
Trig, while I’ve not heard BP’s new CD yet, the posts all seem pretty encouraging. With regards to the two Timbaland-produced songs, perhaps this is a case of a typically non-country producer working WITH the artist and not AGAINST him, which is how it should be approached. I was hoping your review would be positive and it sounds like everyone else’s posts are, too.
Big Red
April 28, 2017 @ 7:44 am
One of my fondest memories was taking my then-74 year old Gramma to downtown Pittsburgh to see Brad Paisley who was touring to support his “Mud on the Tires” release. She loved Brad because he was traditional and handsome and I did because he played good country music and could play the guitar.
So, Trigger, when you write, “Paisley’s last few records however, they had enough awkward moments and bad decisions to where even if you didn’t fall out of favor with Paisley, you still wanted something more from him,” well, I completely and totally understand. If the last few albums were a slide downward, how much worse would “Love and War” be?
But, holy cow! The first few seconds have banjo and mandolin? And then a distinctive Paisley guitar intro? Steel guitar? Real drums?
I’ve yet to get to listen to the entire album, so I’ll reserve final judgement. What I’ve heard, I like. And what I’m reading here have me much more hopeful than I was a couple days ago. I hope Brad Paisley’s back. I hope he has some success and that we can look back and count “Wheelhouse” and “Moonshine in the Truck” as the low point in his career.
sbach66
April 28, 2017 @ 8:43 am
I think it’s way overproduced with (what I think is a failing in most modern country) way too much going on just underneath/in the background. Would be interesting to hear what someone like Dave Cobb could with these same songs.
Having said that, still a pretty darn good effort – anything with Whisperin’ Bill has got to be good. I was worried about the Timbaland tracks, but really do enjoy Goose Chase (not so much Solar Power). Dying to See Her is good as well, as is the Fogerty duet. The Jagger track seems too forced to me – not bad, but just too obvious (if that makes sense).
Much better than what you hear on country radio these days.
TDubbya
April 28, 2017 @ 9:38 am
I’ll be in the minority and say it was not very enjoyable to my ears at all. I just find his music so……meh. Most folks have a thing you know……a distinct voice or a darkness or songwriting or something. I guess Brad’s “thing” are joke songs or maybe being a badass guitarist? Couldn’t care less about rocking guitar solo’s in my country and the joke songs are I guess ok….I might chuckle at them the first time I hear them but they certainly aren’t on any playlist with music that sticks to your ribs. Idk….I think early brad was ok, and he’s had some good moments, but for the most part but as usual, another 2/5 out of 10 album from Brad, for me.
Benny Lee
April 28, 2017 @ 12:20 pm
Like so much of Brad’s stuff over the years, for me, this is completely forgettable. Too conformist. Too safe.
He’s a ridiculous guitar player, a very talented writer, and real entertainer, but it just doesn’t all come together for me on his records for some reason. And it has something to do with the production- the “sound”- but I can’t seem to nail down what it is.
BwareDWare94
April 28, 2017 @ 5:18 pm
I don’t the love for “Last Time for Everything.” It certainly isn’t bad but it’s about 60 cliches and 4-5 good lines, the Glen Frey line being the best among them.
Fine album. “Dying to See Her” is phenomenal. “Love and War” is going to be an iconic song, “They you off to die for is, forget about you when you don’t” will be an iconic line in country music history. This album is good because the good is great and the few missteps are tolerable.
Mike W.
April 28, 2017 @ 10:23 pm
I would agree that “Last Time for Everything” is cliché-riddled, but I also think it sounds pretty damn fresh in its competence. Is it all that original? No, but it ain’t Thomas Rhett, it ain’t another stupid truck song, and it is pleasant enough to listen to without annoying the listener with its stupidity. In short, it’s a very good radio song that probably won’t go down as Paisley’s greatest song, but it’s much better and filled with more charm than Paisley’s radio singles have been the last few years.
Mark
April 29, 2017 @ 4:44 am
First country tune guitar I’ve heard with Wah wah.
That is a great guitar solo in that tune.
Tim from GA
May 2, 2017 @ 4:54 pm
One of my good friends co wrote “Go to Bed Early” (1 of 2 ORIGINAL writers) with another fella for her 1st album cut. Proud of Hannah! However, the “business of music” now shows FOUR writers (Paisley, Dubois added) as they take liberty to basically change the verses a good bit then add themselves as co-writers. Having said that you should hear the DEMO that was pitched and the way it was originally written. Far far better lyrically and not as “cheese dick”, for lack of a better term, in certain spots. A shame the world will not hear it as it was written and that now songwriting royalties are split 4 instead of 2 ways. Anyway, so it goes in Nashville these days!
Dirt Road Derek
August 4, 2018 @ 9:52 am
When Paisley released his extremely underwhelming collaboration with Demi Lovato I was pretty concerned about the direction of his new album. “Today” eased my concerns, and the full album ended up being one of my favorite releases of the year. Thankfully the dreaded Lovato collab was axed. There are a couple tracks that feel like filler, but overall this is a very satisfying and enjoyable listen.