Album Review – Cody Johnson’s “Gotta Be Me”
While acts like the Randy Rogers Band and Wade Bowen rule the Texas country roost in Central Texas, and acts from Oklahoma like the Turnpike Troubadours and Ft. Worth natives such as Cody Jinks rule the northern regions, Cody Johnson is the Texas country king of the east. The Huntsville, TX-native has a huge following in Houston, College Station, and similar places, and has amassed himself one hell of a music career including multiple corporate endorsements, not allowing the fact that mainstream country radio has no clue who he is to get in his way from earning a healthy living from his name and music.
In many sectors of Texas country, and among many Texas country and traditional country fans, a new record from Cody Johnson is a highly-anticipated event, and for good reason. Cody Johnson is a squared-away, clean cut, simple, down-to-earth, good ol’ American boy in Wranglers and starched shirts singing undeniably country songs about everyday themes. This should be something right down Saving Country Music’s alley you may suspect.
But not necessarily. A governing maxim here has always been that just because something is country doesn’t make it good. Though Cody Johnson’s country cred is pretty undeniable, his last record Cowboy Like Me might have been the most egregious example of Auto-tune oversaturation ever employed on a country album in history, rivaled only by the controversial George Strait Live album from his final concert. Was it country? Sure. But the unabashed and aggressive slathering of Auto-tune all over the vocal track made Cowboy Like Me unlistenable for this cowpoke, while the songwriting frankly left much to be desired, and even the music was more dependent on blazing rock guitar than steel and fiddle like a traditional country record should be.
READ: Album Review – Cody Johnson’s “Cowboy Like Me”
This unpopular opinion on Cody Johnson had some questioning Saving Country Music’s charter and legitimacy, just as attempting to ignore Johnson’s Cowboy Like Me well after the release for not wanting to turn the poison pen on a traditional country artist led to long-winded diatribes about Saving Country Music’s dereliction of duty. How could one fly such a flag without singing the praises of Cody Johnson? But are opinions are just that, and when regular east Texas running buddy and fellow Bud Light/Wrangler/Resistol endorsee Kyle Park released his latest record, the ridiculous Blue Roof Sessions with it’s futuristic treatment and Billy Squier cover, it seemed like the end of all hope, the proverbial nail in the coffin for the Kyle Park/Cody Johnson dynamic duo to do anying more than sell lots of Bud Light to shallow Houstonians playing cowboy in their Resistols on Saturday nights.
Yet isn’t it funny how sometimes when you think you have someone pegged and hung up all hope on their future, they’ll haul off and surprise you. That’s exactly what Cody Johnson has done with his latest record, Gotta Be Me. Don’t get me wrong, the songwriting of the effort still leaves some to be desired, and this is in no way a slam dunk stellar Texas country release. But the Auto-tune that saddled his previous record was not just dialed back, it sounds virtually non existent, while the instrumentation veers much closer to what people consider traditional country throughout the track list.
If Cowboys Like Me was Cody Johnson selling out in an attempt to garner more national attention with a super-polished and radio-friendly product, the appropriately-titled Gotta Be Me is Johnson reeling it all back in and being truthful about who he is, where his sound lies, and what his prospects are. Gotta Be Me is Cody Johnson being Cody Johnson again. If anything, you wonder if it’s too traditional and straight-laced for passive fans to find enough to latch on to.
The problem that still remains is that Cody Johnson just doesn’t have a lot of insight to offer through his songs. There are a few moments though, like the final song “I Can’t Even Walk (Without You Holding My Hand),” or “Every Scar Has a Story.” Yet beyond the production issues, Cowboy Like Me may have been a better selection of tunes. But not every songwriter has to be like Townes Van Zandt, and that’s not Cody Johnson’s bag anyway. As Johnson says himself, “I’m a God-fearin’, hard-workin’, beer-drinkin’, fightin’, lovin’ cowboy from Texas. That’s about it.” He writes and performs simple songs because he’s a simple guy. It may not be what pointy-nosed critics love to condone, but it doesn’t make it bad. It just doesn’t make it singular in the music marketplace.
Ultimately, if a performer is being himself and making the best of his God-given abilities, it doesn’t leave much to quibble with. Gotta Be Me isn’t great, but it’s Cody Johnson, and it show an attention to details and an honesty that illustrates solid improvement, which is also all you can ask from an artist. Cody Johnson was never the problem in country music. It’s just that now he takes his place back as part of the solution.
1 1/2 Guns Up (7/10)
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BwareDWare94
August 10, 2016 @ 9:21 am
I had a similar take on this album in my review, especially the point about him reeling himself in a bit. I think he came off as too much of a salesman before, but this is much better.
“Wild as You” is a can’t miss tune for sheer catchiness, and I agree with you about standout tracks.
Two Time Slim
August 10, 2016 @ 10:10 am
Really enjoying this, but he should consider hiring an artist or graphic designer, rather than leaving his album covers to (what I assume is) a 10th grader with a macbook. They all look like throw away albums you’d find 50 copies of at Goodwill.
Black Boots
June 20, 2018 @ 5:07 am
The accuracy
Jordan Kirk
August 10, 2016 @ 10:12 am
I like the title track the best. It just has a different but good sound. But I agree that the last album had better songs, although I didn’t mind the auto tune or really notice I guess as much.
Trigger
August 10, 2016 @ 10:34 am
Totally understandable that some folks don’t have ears that are attune to pick up on Auto-tune usage. I listen to so much damn music, I’ve become accustomed to picking up on the sharp edges of note changes where it’s pretty obvious immediately that Auto-tune is in play. Before listening to this record, I actually went back and listened to “Cowboy Like Me” just to reset my perspective. Listening to the two records side by side, it’s like night and day with the Auto-tune use. It wasn’t just that they used Auto-tune. It’s that they made no attempt to hide it. And really, Cody probably doesn’t need it. Auto-tune was designed to fix a note or two, and in that context, it is fine. But when you apply it to every vocal track of a record, it’s a deal killer for me. Not even Taylor Swift does that.
ThatFireGuy13
August 10, 2016 @ 2:44 pm
The part that gets me is I’ve listened to him sing live and he sounds spot on. Just my opinion, but Cody Johnson has a really good voice, why do they throw auto tune on top of that?
Trigger
August 10, 2016 @ 8:04 pm
I don’t even know if the Auto-tune on “Cowboy Like Me” was Cody’s call. He was probably sold that they wanted to make the best album possible and it needed it. And in my opinion it ruined an otherwise decent effort.
Jordan Kirk
August 10, 2016 @ 7:53 pm
Yeah when I do pick it up I think it’s just lazy. If a note is a little off why not go back and re sing it? Cody has the pipes no doubt. Excellent review as always trig
karl
August 10, 2016 @ 10:16 am
I guess I will have to use my google play account to give it a listen. I listened to one of his about a year ago, A Different Day. I listened because of some one here’s recommendation. I tried to like it, gave it several listens, but just couldn’t really like it. Like you said, the songwriting was not up to par.
I will give this a listen, though. But this is his last shot at me.
Bill Roy
August 10, 2016 @ 10:32 am
I don’t notice much difference in the vocals from last album to this on. I’ve seen him live and doing acoustic sets and he sounds great. But I know we’ve discussed that before.
I agree with the simple structure you point out. That’s one of the reasons I enjoyed his music in the first place. He stays true to himself and doesn’t change to be popular. That’s tough to come by these days.
Corncaster
August 10, 2016 @ 11:33 am
Simple man? Fine. Just don’t expect people who value poetry and musical excellence to give you some kind of medal.
Trig, I think the problem with “saving country music” is that the only people who care about saving any kind of art are a small minority. Most people keep things simple and only “think” about music when it comes to choosing wedding songs. Most times, people want to kick back, head to the lake, put on some Kenny Chesney, and have a good time, or at least be seen as having a good time. They don’t approach music “aesthetically” — it’s just sort of part of the scenery. They’re not looking for “insight” or “poetry” or “musicianship.” They have their trusted ones for insight, their lovers for poetry, and whatever mp3’s they pick up, like sea-shells, and stick in their cellphones. From my porch here on the demand side, all that’s perfectly fine.
But what I’m interested in, the older I get, isn’t “saving” country music. It’s *growing* it. What are the good seeds? Where do they grow? What keeps them growing? Where are the farmer’s markets, so to speak. How can I start one, buy local, and keep the cultivation of Country Music healthy? If we start to think about culture as something similar to cultivation, we can free ourselves from being hand-cuffed to a dying corpse of an industry.
I know, easy for me to say. But there it is.
Trigger
August 10, 2016 @ 12:49 pm
“Trig, I think the problem with “saving country music” is that the only people who care about saving any kind of art are a small minority.”
Saving Country Music has always appealed to a small minority, but I don’t see that as a problem at all. In fact I like to keep it that way. The bigger the site gets, the more conflict there is, the more expectations folks put on me that I can never live up to. I could post memes all day and spend money on Facebook, and I could reach millions. But I’m not interested in that. I just want to reach the right people, and I feel like I do that—the dedicated hardcore fans, the tastemakers, and the artists, songwriters, label heads, and industry that appreciate what I have to say, even if they don’t agree with it. Hopefully it makes an impact that ultimately does affect the masses.
I do think I contribute to helping “grow” good country music. But I do it in a sustainable way.
Corncaster
August 10, 2016 @ 1:38 pm
Cool.
dB
August 11, 2016 @ 11:43 am
I’m a producer here in Nashville, having worked on some projects that’ve been reviewed here. I spend a lot of time on this site reading these blogs/articles in order to hear what I think is an incredibly intelligent analysis of an art form and culture which I have a passion for, that is country music. Whether I agree or disagree, this site has definitely had a profound impact on the direction of my compass when I’m making decisions in the studio. Just wanted to drop that in there Trig
Trigger
August 11, 2016 @ 12:37 pm
Thanks for the kind words dB!
albert
August 10, 2016 @ 7:32 pm
“Most people keep things simple and only “think” about music when it comes to choosing wedding songs. Most times, people want to kick back, head to the lake, put on some Kenny Chesney, and have a good time, or at least be seen as having a good time. They don’t approach music “aesthetically” — it’s just sort of part of the scenery. ”
This is exactly why SCM is so important, my friend . Indeed , most people don’t care what they are fed musically ….or for that matter , nutritionally . Once they get used to it , they are used to it and then its familiar and they can’t be bothered asking or wondering or complaining or suggesting or ….or anything but ‘heading to the lake ‘. Thank goodness there are people who DO care enough not to let this musical mudslide we’ve been immersed in for 10 years now completely bury us . THANK goodness some of us see where it was ( and still is ) going and voiced our thoughts about that or the lowest common denominator would completely dictate what gets written , recorded , performed and played where $$$ are concerned . Just take a walk down the cereal aisle at your local grocery chain . That over-processed nutrition-deficient crap-in-a-box is there because no one cared enough to say FOR GOD’S SAKES WHAT ARE YOU FEEDING US ?? . I love that there’s a community of folks who really CARE about having good music available to everyone and preserving the best of the traditions or each genre and upping the bar where creativity is concerned and letting the next generation know that THEY DO NOT HAVE TO SETTLE FOR MARKETING over substance . They have a say , they have a voice , they have options and they have brains .
FeedThemHogs
August 11, 2016 @ 9:16 am
“That over-processed nutrition-deficient crap-in-a-box is there because no one cared enough to say FOR GOD’S SAKES WHAT ARE YOU FEEDING US??”
Yes. It takes somebody to step up and raise the question, WHAT IS THIS GARBAGE being shoved down our throats on the radio. That leads others to ask the question as well, and hopefully look for something else. Reminds me of that one episode of M*A*S*H where Hawkeye goes through the food line, and Igor asks if he wants liver or fish. Which leads Hawkeye to go on a rant and raise a ruckus in the mess tent, because apparently its been the only choices of the menu for a while, and eventually everyone in the tent is banging and throwing a fit, (except Radar, who apparently loves it). But it takes that one person of influence to pose the question.
TK
August 10, 2016 @ 12:27 pm
Cody is one of the good guys no matter how you slice it. Songwriting doesn’t have to be Townes Van Zandt to be worthwhile and the instrumentation ranges from Chris LeDoux to early 90’s Clint Black, which is a nice mix and works really well in a live context. I think Cowboy Like Me and this album are solid, enjoyable, undeniably country albums that I hope he continues making.
Two additional notes:
1) editorial comment on shallow Houstonians is out of left field
2) Trent Willmon never really broke through to the next level in Nashville and never built a following in the Texas scene, but I enjoy his support of younger artists like Cody (reminds me of Radney Foster helping out Randy Rogers back in the day). Hope he continues to mentor younger acts in the Texas scene as I think he has a lot to contribute.
Trigger
August 10, 2016 @ 12:42 pm
I wasn’t taking a crack at Houston or Houstonians in that comment. What I was making a crack at was elements of the concrete cowboy culture that loves to dress up in super cowboy duds, spend $700 on their weekend getup, and meanwhile live in the suburbs and work a desk job. I’m not saying those are who Cody Johnson’s fans are, but there is that element mixed in. You see it all around Texas, and that’s the reason Bud Light, Resistol, and Wrangler sponsor folks like Cody, because they’re trying to sell a look to folks.
justin casey
August 10, 2016 @ 1:00 pm
i live near houston and go out to shows there at least once or twice a year i saw jon pardi at house of blues in january and saw a lot of guys dressed like that so you’re not kidding man
RD
August 10, 2016 @ 1:09 pm
“All dressed up like Gunsmoke for Saturday night…”
Cobra
August 10, 2016 @ 3:38 pm
“Cowboy Like Me” really grew on me after a while and I’m really digging his new album. No, it’s not “Top Ten List” worthy (or even Top Fifteen), but it’s relaxing and a good listen.
I’m a particular fan of “The Only One I Know (Cowboy Life).” Rodeo songs of this ilk are almost non-existent in country music now and it was good to hear one. It reminded me a bit of “Much Too Young (To Feel This Damn Old)” and even “I Can Still Make Cheyenne.”
I also really like the lead single “With You I Am.” It’s a really good country love ballad.
Matt
August 15, 2016 @ 12:22 pm
Is one who has a desk job not allowed to dress in boots and wranglers? I don’t really get the close minded view. If you wear a tie or a suit for a wedding does that make you a poser? I have a desk job. I like my boots. I live in a city. Doesn’t mean I don’t mind working a hard day. Just because my hard day is different doesn’t mean I can’t relate to all the songs in some way……
albert
August 10, 2016 @ 7:22 pm
Never heard anything by CJ before the videos above . I could listen to this all day and will . Not only does CJ have a terrific and unique ( pick him out of a crowd ) voice , this production , IMHO is superb and a great example of where country radio could ( and should ) be at in order to preserve traditions and still be palatable to the newer fan . This is one of the few commercial- oriented artists I’ve heard ( Sam Outlaw , Margo Price and Wade Bowen are others ) that I can say that about with some conviction . Even Chris Stapleton ( whom I love ) is , perhaps , a bluesier side of country . I have not enjoyed the songs chosen as singles for Chris or the productions where radio is the target.The songs here are lyrically solid, well crafted and most importantly ..they are COUNTRY and fully arranged without being in your face and total overkill ( Aldean , Kruze Kids , and 90% of the bro brats ). They let the singer and the song do the heavy lifting , as it should be , and not the headache-inducing bottom end and white noise of most radio country . Solid and smart review Trigger …..I might even give CJ an 8 or 9 based on the tracks posted .
Parth Venkat
August 10, 2016 @ 7:35 pm
I tried really hard to hate Cody. I didn’t really know anything about him but he smelled like Nashville Pop dominating my koke FM. I was also kind of stunned that not only were Cory and Shane Smith opening for him but he sold out Stubbs. Have to say though the guy puts on a hell of a show. I think your review nails it. He’s authentic. Not my jam but gotta respect him doing him. Looking forward to the disk and the next time he comes around.
Parth Venkat
August 10, 2016 @ 7:47 pm
Wow, 2 songs in the production (or lack their of) is soooo much better than CLM … would prefer this second song wasn’t a Brad Paisley Ticks reprise but wouldn’t mind hearing stuff like this all over country radio.
Taylor
August 11, 2016 @ 2:37 pm
As a pretty big fan of him, I am anxious to pick this one up!! Have his last two offerings and they are stellar as well, auto-tune or not, I have always liked Cowboy Like Me. Always liked going to going to a store to pick the albums up but with Hastings on its way out, I may have to resort to online shopping.
albert
August 11, 2016 @ 6:01 pm
Just bought this album……looking forward to gettin’ my ” country on ” .
Scott S.
August 11, 2016 @ 7:57 pm
I love Cody Johnson. No his music may not be deep or straight traditional, but every album has been good in my opinion. Cody plays good ole catchy sing along country music, and sometimes that’s exactly what I want. Listening to Cody always makes me happy.
Thanks for the review.
Frank the Tank
August 11, 2016 @ 8:26 pm
I’d never listened to him before hearing this album. I think the review is pretty much bang on. The production is very good in that it sounds like a country album, as it should. As someone else mentioned, it reminds me somewhat of a solid 90’s country album. What brings this down to a 7/10 rather than a higher score is some of the lyrics in some of the songs. Overall, a very good effort.
Bolivwx
August 12, 2016 @ 3:04 am
What caught my eye was the statement “just because something is country doesn’t make it good.” While I hate the pop country a lot, I can recall a lot of the real country songs that are simply not good. This past night I I received my preorder the new Cody Jinks album from iTunes. And in my opinion he is a very talented artist. However, I know many people say that not all country songs are supposed to be happy, and I felt that this album just has him wining quite a lot. And in no way does it make me into better mood or think that any of it really is special. I personally think his previous album that came out the year before has much more to offer as he had more things to talk about than just himself.
Trigger
August 12, 2016 @ 9:37 am
The new Cody Jinks is a tearjerker.
Mike W.
August 13, 2016 @ 10:03 am
I sorta feel the same way about Johnson as I do about Aaron Watson, Kevin Fowler, Zane Williams, etc. Solid Country artists who I would never turn off if they were being played on the radio, but whose records are generally never going to make my personal top 10 list for a year. Williams has probably come the closest out of that group the past couple years, but overall I just sorta feel ambivalent towards them. That’s not meant as a slam at all, like I said they are all solid artist who have recorded solid enough material, but I just can’t get as excited about them as I do the like of Jinks, Knight, Bowen, Rogers, Canada, Boland, TT, etc.
Craig
August 13, 2016 @ 2:16 pm
Sometimes you want to have a couple beers and two step with your wife in the kitchen, and this is that record.