Album Review – George Strait’s “Cold Beer Conversation”
Ladies and gentlemen, we now live in a world where not even King George remains relevant on country radio. Isn’t that the sad, ever present revelation of the living—that time marches on, and no matter how important something was in the past, the present moves forward, callously at times, and the greatest of efforts are relegated to moments of fond reminiscing.
But even though George Strait is officially off the road and out of favor with radio, he’s certainly not out to pasture. Surprising everyone in late September, he released Cold Beer Conversation on less than a week’s notice. Strait didn’t pull a Beyoncé or Eric Church per se, but it was close, and showed he’s not only far from going away, he’s still willing to work a little spontaneity into his career.
Some could be heard groaning simply from the title of this record. Great, was even George Strait going Bro-Country now? Cold Beer Conversation is nowhere close to Bro-Country, but it is in many respects a drinking album—not cover to cover, but it is bookended and bisected by drinking songs for the most part, and of a mostly jovial, and positive variety.
Strait knows his audience and what he does best, and if nothing else, you can be guaranteed he’s not going to stray too far off of that path. You can call him King George, or you can call him Captain Consistency. Strait is never going to lay a stinker, and he’s never going to deliver you some creative masterpiece. But you can be assured if you put a George Strait record on, it will stay on because it will be entertaining enough to not give you a reason to turn it off, and few, if any within ear shot will find themselves offended.
“It Was Love” is a really great way to start off this record. Where today’s country stars all rely on buzzwords and acrobatics in the songwriting and production, Strait and songwriter Keith Gattis understand that a subtle working of the chords, and the right little hitches and turns here and there combined with a good lyric can go a long way. Gattis, Dean Dillon, Jamey Johnson, Brandy Clark, Buddy Cannon, Bill Anderson, and Strait’s son Bubba are included on an impressive list of songwriting contributors for Cold Beer Conversation.
Thirteen tracks exude decent variety, but there is a slew of “heard this song before, just differently” moments, especially when it comes to the drinking songs. “Stop and Drink” is yet another play on the switching of “drink” and “think” performed umpteen times, and you can probably guess where the song “Cheaper Than a Shrink” goes. And “Take Me to Texas” written by Brandy Clark and Shane McAnally adds yet another track to the tiresome march of songs comparing Texas to heaven (even if it’s true). Granted, all of these songs are written and performed well, but are just slight variations on previous efforts.
There’s also a couple of … well, let’s call them “island” songs. “Let It Go” feels like it’s going in the whole beachy direction but doesn’t fully commit, until the steel drums come in and you can’t help fight back visions of Kenny Chesney. “Wish You Well” is even less subtle in its embracing of isle latitudes, despite being the best exposition of steel guitar on the album.
I still don’t know what it is about beach songs and big time country singers. Perhaps they get to spend so much time on the sand they feel obligated to sing about it at least once or twice on every album, and it’s usually about somewhere south of the border. Meanwhile your average country fan’s experience with paradise is budget Tiki torches fending off mosquitoes in the backyard, or digging cigarette butts from between your toes as an ambulance rushes by carrying a stabbing victim off the beach in Biloxi.
But Cold Beer Conversation has numerous bright spots. The ballads “Something Going Down” and “Even When I Can’t Feel It” may be considered too sentimental for some listeners, but certainly show Strait at his best, and the Western Swing-themed “It Takes All Kinds” was a fun surprise in the center of this record. “Rock Paper Scissors” gives the album a little country rock kick without going too out-of-character for George, and by the end you feel like Cold Beer Conversation gives you its money’s worth.
There has been some talk about the use of Auto-Tune on this album, especially after the controversy surrounding Strait’s live album from his final official concert. But this critic with perked antennae that usually pick up on such things didn’t run afoul at any point of any obvious audio enhancements, though it wouldn’t be unheard of for a little tweak here or there to be performed on the vocal track.
Radio may have stopped paying attention, but the country fans that matter stopped paying attention to radio years ago. George Strait is now in the tender care of grassroots and loyal listeners who buy records in whole and don’t wait to be instructed by radio jockeys, because they know an investment in George Strait is never going to let them down.
Not a bad effort, George.
1 1/2 of 2 Guns Up (7/10)
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hoptowntiger94
December 2, 2015 @ 7:38 pm
It’s hard to believe, but there was a long period of time after his daughter was killed by a drunk driver that Strait did not record any songs about drinking. From 1986-2001 (Desiginated Drinker w/ Alan Jackson on Jackson’s album), only one song (a cover of “Drinking Champagne”) referenced drinking. That’s 15 chart-topping, award winning years! No drinking songs.
As a long time Strait fan, I find the drinking theme of Cold Beer a little hard to swallow.
ElectricOutcast
December 2, 2015 @ 11:03 pm
Could probably be why I heard rumors of him originally being offered Friends in Low Places but turned it down before Garth took it .
To put my two cents in Trig: You did make a few good points about Let it Go and Wish You Well being compared to Kenny Chesney’s beach songs but my humble opinion, Wish You Well was probably the better of the two.
Also I thought that “Something Going Down” was actually the bigger standout track than “It Was Love”, I thought both Strait and Jamey Johnson were channeling Kris Kristofferson and it was one of the few instances where it actually worked, I thought that song and production felt very organic.
Also am I the only one that thinks that “Rock, Paper, Scissors” was probably his most electric track since “Heartland” from Pure Country?
Smokey J.
December 3, 2015 @ 10:04 am
Well George has covered the more serious and consequential side of drinking with songs like “Living for the Night” and “Drinkin’ Man” in the past, the latter of which I consider to be his best and definitive “drinking” song. It’s a delicate balance in country music with drinking songs. I tend to like the more somber and serious approaches, myself, but I don’t mind a positive, upbeat drinking song either. It kind of mirrors the role of alcohol in my own life. I’ve had my best times and my worst times while drinking. It has caused me to make some horrible mistakes, but has also aided in many a good time shared with friends. No doubt the stuff is both medicine and poison, and country music will continue to explore both sides of it. Even on this record, I think George does it with more thoughtfulness than the bros tend to to do. Interesting point you brought up, though.
Mike
March 28, 2016 @ 10:10 am
It wasn’t a drunk driver. It was the kid she was riding with driving too fast
Big Texas Mike
August 14, 2017 @ 8:34 pm
Or maybe it was the recording industry mafia — as you know when an artist dies their catalog can often go up 13,000 % in sales — maybe old boy George was thinking about going political with all of his popular pull against the NWO and the leftists made an example of his daughter?
Great review though as always Trig, you are the Drudge Report assignment editor of country music.
Cooper
December 2, 2015 @ 7:42 pm
Glad you reviewed this album, Trigger. It’s one of my personal favorites this year.
I believe this album is an upgrade over his last one. Although “Love Is Everything” had its moments and it was still King George, it sort of felt like he was mailing it in, especially in the midst of his farewell tour and stuff. I think on this album, though, he really got into it. After being away from the stage and studio for a year, he really poured himself into this record I feel like.
“Cold Beer Conversation” does not have a bad song on it. Although there isn’t a masterpiece like “Fool Hearted Memory” or “You Look So Good In Love” on here, every song is good and man, that title track is modern George at his best. Not a bad effort, indeed.
Anthony
December 2, 2015 @ 7:53 pm
Long live The Kinggg!!!!
Boatwrong
December 2, 2015 @ 7:57 pm
George Strait is overrated. How many number one songs has he had without writing a hit? He wrote one song that has been released “Strait Out of Texas” out of his entire collection of songs. Or am I the only one who thinks that he is overrated?
Eric G
December 2, 2015 @ 8:23 pm
I don’t agree one bit. Elvis Presley wasn’t exactly a writer, but God damn could he sing a song and make you love it. Just be glad he’s cutting actual country records and he hasn’t followed the new R&B or EDM trend.
mattdangerously
December 2, 2015 @ 8:27 pm
No, he isn’t a great songwriter. Hell, I’m not even convinced he knows how to play that guitar he’s always carrying. But that’s not why George Strait is so great. He’s a fantastic interpreter of songs, much like Frank Sinatra, who was also not much of a songwriter.
Eduardo Vargas
December 3, 2015 @ 7:56 pm
Let’s not forget that George Strait once called Frank Sinatra “the greatest male singer of all time”-
It’s easy to see where he gets his inspiration from, and also easy to see why his career has managed to outlive that of almost everyone else. He has kept being consistent, just like Sinatra
Melanie
December 5, 2015 @ 3:59 pm
To me, unless you’re the front man in a rock band, you’d best know how to at least look like you can play your instrument. The key words there are rock band-what I consider to be rock music is basically guitar-based. My country standards are different-unless your claim to fame is as an instrument-playing whizz kid a la Ricky Skaggs, Barbara Mandrell, or a Jerry Reed type, you’d better have the most country-fried soulful voice this side of Loretta Lynn. Or unless you can write some really special country-oriented lyrics.
If you can do all three, you’re my hero (and if you can also act, even within the parameters of your own personality, like Jerry Reed), you are in class by yourself. Jerry Reed never got near his due for being a quadruple threat, probably because the man let it appear that he’d just as soon be out fishing. Makes me wonder if he could dance too (country-style, of course, Just kidding, I think).
Brandon
December 2, 2015 @ 8:58 pm
He wrote a lot more than one song..
Boatwrong
December 3, 2015 @ 6:42 am
Name the songs then…I’ll be waiting
Mike
March 28, 2016 @ 10:14 am
Drinkin’ Man
Here for a Good Time
I Believe
Let It Go
Living for the Night
Strait Country 81
December 2, 2015 @ 10:22 pm
George Jones didn’t write a whole lot of his stuff either.
Go ahead and call Jones (the best country singer ever) overrated also.
KC
December 3, 2015 @ 5:28 am
Please tell us how much better Luke Bryan is because he has penned some of his release music. George is kind of more less the voice for the voiceless writers of traditional country music. I do know he has said in interviews that writing more stuff is one of the things he wished he had done, but unlike others like Tim McGraw, Stait has known his sound from day 1 and not sold out to radio fads.
Boatwrong
December 3, 2015 @ 6:54 am
I would never argue that Luke Bryan is better…I don’t like his shit one bit. In my opinion, there are tons of people that are better than George Strait, but most aren’t on the radio. I do believe that you gotta write some of your own songs if you are gonna be considered “Greatest County Artist Ever”, like so many proclaim. George Strait isn’t even the best country artist named George, that goes to the possum. George Jones lived his music. He also wrote a ton more songs than George Strait.
Nick Brown
December 3, 2015 @ 3:34 pm
I’m a big Jones fan, I will admit that if it wasn’t for Bobby Braddock writing “He Stopped Loving Her Today” I don’t think Jones would’ve had much of a career after 1980, that song saved his career, hard to say how much longer he would’ve lived if it wasn’t for his wife and that one song.
Now weather or not Strait was a song writer or not, keep in mind there has been a long list of great song writers that were not very good singers.
Melanie
December 5, 2015 @ 4:04 pm
At any rate, George Jones sang it like he could have/should have wrote that song. He made it his. I can’t bear to hear anyone else sing it, now matter how good a job they do. Only he could sing it like he’d lived every nook and cranny of it, and paid the price. That was Jones’ song, and he did indeed live it until he met (God bless her) Nancy.
the pistolero
December 3, 2015 @ 5:34 am
Or am I the only one who thinks that he is overrated?
Yes.
Cool Lester Smooth
December 3, 2015 @ 7:26 am
He has a writing credit Drinking Man, which is probably my favorite of his songs, except for maybe I Hate Everything.
Michael
December 3, 2015 @ 7:45 am
George has co-written quite a few songs late in his career:
From Twang:
Living For The Night, Out of Sight Out of Mind, He’s Got that Something Special
From Here for a Good Time:
Drinkin’ Man, Shame on Me, Here for a Good Time (was a #1 record), House Across the Bay, Three Nails and a Cross, Blue Marlin Blues, I’ll Always Remember You.
From Love is Everything:
I Just Can’t Go On Dyin’ Like This (new arrangement of song George wrote by himself), That’s What Breaking Hearts Do, The Night Is Young, I Believe
From Cold Beer Conversation:
Let It Go, It Takes All Kinds, Everything I See
Gena R.
December 3, 2015 @ 8:30 am
Besides the original recording of “…Dying Like This,” he had a few other solo writes on his box set: “(That Don’t Change) the Way I Feel About You,” “I Don’t Want to Talk It Over Anymore,” and “I Can’t See Texas From Here.” 🙂
Dogit
December 3, 2015 @ 8:21 am
Boatwrong,
George Strait is underrated if anything. His album cuts could be a hell of a career for anyone. If you just recut his non-singles and released them you would have hit after hit. Look he has wrote some of his own songs, but he give great songwriters a voice that would otherwise be unheard. Dean Dillion is one of the best songwriters ever, but his voice is not all that pleasant. The world is better off with his great songs cut by a fantastic singer instead of going unheard. IMO, Dean Dillion and George Strait are the same. One is the writer the other the singer.
Andrew
December 3, 2015 @ 9:11 am
So he’s arguably the best ever at picking songs and singing the hell out of them. Why is that a bad thing? There’s no reason why an artist has to write their own stuff to be great.
the pistolero
December 3, 2015 @ 9:48 am
There”™s no reason why an artist has to write their own stuff to be great.
Yep. I am nigh well sick and tired of the implication that an artist is less of an artist just because they don’t write their own songs. As I have put it before, I often heard Shania Twain defended on the basis that she wrote her own songs and I was always like, “yeah, and they sucked ass too.” (Now, how much of that was Mutt Lange is another discussion, but there you go.) I know Clint Black and Alan Jackson wrote a lot of their own songs in their earlier years too, and they were great, but as the years went on I heard more than a few people say they probably should have looked more to outside writers for songs. And I can see where those folks were coming from at least with some of Alan Jackson’s album cuts in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Hell, my favorite song from Who I Am was the cover of the old Kendalls hit “Thank God For the Radio.” And arguably the greatest song Alan ever recorded, “Gone Country,” was written by Bob McDill.
Dogit
December 3, 2015 @ 12:59 pm
At some point when you write your own songs, you will repeat yourself musically, and sometimes lyrically. Look at Brad Paisley, he has been making the same album for 10 years (and it really sucks). I would say his best cuts since “Time Well Wasted” were outside material. You have to have outside songs to shake things up sometimes. Even Conway said that. Eric Church has done a fine job of making his album different from each other and still writing the songs, but not many others are good at that.
BTW, AJ’s “Who I Am” is a masterpiece.
the pistolero
December 3, 2015 @ 1:23 pm
At some point when you write your own songs, you will repeat yourself musically, and sometimes lyrically.
Yep, this is exactly what I was getting at. I just couldn’t find the words for some reason. 😀 Paisley’s probably an even better example of that than Clint Black or Alan Jackson; I’d have to say his creative well was starting to run dry by his third album. And yes, Who I Am is a masterpiece indeed. It and Drive are my two favorite AJ albums.
To the topic at hand, Strait is an interesting example in that he started writing so late in his career. It’ll be interesting to see how long his writing lasts him. He and his co-writers have come up with some really great stuff on the last few albums. “Shame On Me” was an absolute killer tune, as was “Drinkin’ Man.”
RD
December 3, 2015 @ 1:32 pm
According to Wikipedia (take it for what its worth,) Strait wrote a number of songs early in his career that were recorded, but didn’t go anywhere.
“Soon, his band was given the opportunity to record several Strait-penned singles including “That Don’t Change The Way I Feel About You,” and “I Can’t Go On Dying Like This” for the Houston-based D label. However, the songs never achieved wide recognition, and Strait continued to manage his family cattle ranch during the day in order to make some extra cash.”
Convict Charlie
December 3, 2015 @ 5:25 pm
On Alan Jackson it may not have been his biggest problem of cutting his own material. One book I read had an interview with his manager on talking about him. He could’ve been an even better writer but he got to a point of success and comfortable with money. All he wanted to do was work on old boats and old cars. Had to be forced a little to write and work. As he said with “where were you” and it was the song that spoke to a nation of grieving. God wrote it, I just held the pen.
RD
December 3, 2015 @ 9:32 am
I agree. Its great when you can sing and perform. The real talent is in writing the songs. That being said, a very overlooked component of a great song is the arrangement. A so/so song can be made very good by a its arrangement and a great song can be made so/so by a poor arrangement. I really like Guy Clark, but I don’t think that I realized what a great song LA Freeway is until I heard Jerry Jeff Walker do it live.
Boatwrong
December 3, 2015 @ 3:52 pm
Guy Clark is really high on my list. He has authenticity and that’s what I look for in music.
Trainwreck92
December 3, 2015 @ 3:58 pm
I won’t disagree that Strait is at least a bit overrated, but I don’t think it’s because of his lack of songwriting prowess. His music, at least since the mid 90s or so has just been very samey and kind of bland to my ears.
Leland Lawrence
December 5, 2015 @ 4:28 pm
Some are better singers than writers and some can write but make you cringe when they sing. George has always had a knack of picking songs that fit him.
Tom
December 7, 2015 @ 3:10 pm
Yes, the world would be so much better if nobody had recorded “Amarillo by Morning” besides
Terry Stafford.
BgJff
February 28, 2017 @ 4:57 pm
So he’s not legit if he doesn’t write the songs he sings? His string of chart toppers, Artist of the Year, Male Vocalist of the Year don’t make him legitimate? If that’s true then I’ve got ocean front property in Arizona to sell you…
Martha
December 2, 2015 @ 8:17 pm
I know this is a little off topic, but I really like that album cover. One of the best ones I’ve seen in a while.
Trigger
December 2, 2015 @ 8:22 pm
I totally agree. Quality covers are so few and far between these days.
Nadia Lockheart
December 2, 2015 @ 8:44 pm
To me, the cover headshot is strikingly reminiscent of that for his earlier album “Troubadour”, only he’s smiling here.
Bigfoot is Real (AKA Progressive Fascist Rat)
December 3, 2015 @ 2:04 pm
Check out the art of Jon Langford. His subject matter is a bit on the grim side but the style and color pallet are a more than likely influence on the artist that rendered this album cover.
Brandon
December 2, 2015 @ 8:46 pm
In my opinion, it’s by far the worst album of his.
I can’t say much else , only a song or two I liked.
Tom
December 2, 2015 @ 8:48 pm
Glad you reviewed this. If country radio can make room for “Breakup in a Small Town” and Sam Hunt, it should be able to make room for “It Was Love”.
Though the real travesty of country radio is that Turnpike Troubadours aren’t blasting out of every station.
albert
December 2, 2015 @ 8:58 pm
Yup …..you nailed it with this review Trigger . George delivers to the folks who’ve come to know, appreciate and have always supported exactly WHAT he delivers .And its always a variety of song-types that are always all country , always impeccably sung , arranged and produced and mostly substance-filled without being preachy . He mixes up the fun with the sad , the swing with the ballads and always gives it to us in an accessible , relate-able and , above all , entertaining package designed to stand the test of time unlike so much current fare which almost completely relies on the most contemporary sonic palette it can to arrest any attention . Unfortunately trendy sonic palettes may momentarily arrest attention but they fall far flat of sustaining that attention when the sonic barrage is all a piece of music has has going for it . It’s yesterday’s news by mid -afternoon . Dated by its own trend-chasing desperation .
George is a professional . He knows what he’s capable of , he knows what his fans and real country music wants from him and he knows a good song when it comes knocking . Add the best -sounding best produced arrangements in the biz to that and you have some serious alchemy to be reckoned with , my friend . Oh and by the way , folks can actually dance to George Strait’s music . That can’t be said about very many contemporary country records . It seems THAT aspect of timeless country has fallen by the wayside .
Convict Charlie
December 2, 2015 @ 9:35 pm
George strait may not even be in my top 10 favorite artists. Definitely not top 5. If you asked me though if I only had one artist to choose for a soundtrack or catalogue to play forever- no doubt it would be him. It’s a problem when you play a three hour concert with 20 songs, and you know there’s a standar he doesn’t play. Some person is going home unhappy just a little regardless.
Kale
December 2, 2015 @ 10:28 pm
His “60 No. 1 Hits” edition was the first album I ever downloaded. That’s the thing, I never download singles, just albums, and I only buy ones with a ton of good songs on it, like “The Essential Waylon Jennings” and those kind of things. If I’m going to go spend money on music, it better be a helluva good deal, and I better get a lot out of it. Actually, a lot of it has to do with the fact that I need everything organized neatly. I need to be able to go to one album with almost every song from that artist I could possibly want right there and not have to look multiple places. I’d rather just wait til somebody has a “Greatest Hits” and get everything in one place and not have to sift through stuff. I’m weird that way.
RD
December 3, 2015 @ 5:39 am
Well, then you could never really appreciate an album or how and why the song order is chosen. An example would be David Allan Coe’s “Compass Point.” The song can be enjoyed individually, but you don’t get an appreciation for the whole album unless you listen to all of the songs in the order in which they were intended. In my mind, Compass Point is one of the most perfect albums ever released by any artist. Another example would be Wilco’s “Yankee Hotel Foxtrot.” It can’t be appreciated unless one listens to it all the way through. Also, you won’t be able to appreciate concept albums like White Mansions or The Legend of Jesse James.
RD
December 3, 2015 @ 5:41 am
Another example would be The Black Crowes “Southern Harmony and Musical Companion.”
ElectricOutcast
December 3, 2015 @ 7:45 am
Or ‘The Pilgrim’ by Marty Stuart, very happy to say I own that album.
RD
December 3, 2015 @ 11:48 am
That is a good one.
Cool Lester Smooth
December 3, 2015 @ 11:44 am
And for something more recent, Metamodern -needs- to be listened to as an album.
PETE MARSHALL
December 2, 2015 @ 10:30 pm
Very good cd it’s a shame he doesn’t get much radio air play anymore. I hope he will have another hit record soon.
Ben
December 2, 2015 @ 11:36 pm
I hear Cold Beer Conversation several times a day on mainstream country stations here in MT.. Every time it comes on, I breathe a sigh of relief. 😀
Acca Dacca
December 3, 2015 @ 12:13 am
I’m not the biggest Strait fan, primarily for the reasons you outlined above (“Strait is never going to lay a stinker, and he”™s never going to deliver you some creative masterpiece.”) In large doses, he’s a little TOO consistent for my tastes. But whenever I come back, he’s like the warmth you feel when returning home on a lazy weekend afternoon. You might not think much of the moment when you’re actually in it, but it’s never less than enjoyable when it happens.
RD
December 3, 2015 @ 6:24 am
I agree. I like a lot of his music, but it is always safe and some of it borders on bland.
the pistolero
December 3, 2015 @ 5:47 am
Glad to see you review this album, Trigger. Your thoughts more or less mirror mine. I really like this album and listen to it frequently. (Listening right now, as a matter of fact.) As you said, Trig, Strait isn’t one to deliver a creative masterpiece, but as I’ve said elsewhere, he made himself a country music legend precisely by not pushing the envelope. I thought “Even When I Can’t Feel It” was kinda meh, but maybe it’ll grow on me. “Something Going Down” was a real knockout though. First time I heard it I thought, take note, Jason Aldean and Luke Bryan, ’cause this right here is how it’s done.
He sounds really great on the whole thing, but the vocals on “Goin’ Goin’ Gone” in particular were spectacular, IMO. I don’t know what it is about the way he sounded on that song, but it was awesome. I would guess the only reason “Take Me to Texas” made it to the album was that it was part of the soundtrack to that History Channel show. But I thought it was okay. (All of those songs lounge in the towering shadow of Gary P. Nunn’s “What I Like About Texas,” if you ask me.)
Cooper: I felt the same way about Love Is Everything, though it grew on me after a while. If I had to pick one album to characterize as Strait’s “phone book” album, that would be it. This one is really damn good, though.
gbkeith
December 3, 2015 @ 8:17 pm
“Take Me to Texas” fits in with a number of other songs he’s recorded over the years. “Can’t see Texas From Here,” “If It Wasn’t for Texas,” “Somewhere Down in Texas” and probably some others I’m not thinking of right now. ‘When it’s Christmas Time in Texas.” Plus at least three songs about Fort Worth, one that mentions Amarillo, San Antone, and Houston, and one Remember the Alamo. There’s a reason he declined membership in the Opry.
Trigger
December 3, 2015 @ 9:31 pm
Take any of those songs individually, and they’re all great. I’m a Texan, and I like songs about Texas. But after a while, it can get a little trite.
gbkeith
December 6, 2015 @ 7:33 am
If they were all on one album then sure. But spread out over 30 odd years, one or two per album? I’m in favor of it.
the pistolero
December 4, 2015 @ 5:50 am
Oh, believe me, my remarks were not to say that I outright don’t like those songs, because I do like them. “If It Wasn’t For Texas” (whose title is actually just “Texas”) was a masterpiece. I remember seeing GS do it as his encore in Austin a few months before that album (Somewhere Down in Texas) came out and was blown away, especially by the chorus.
Donny
December 3, 2015 @ 6:21 am
It’s hard to top Love Is Everything, but this album is a pretty damn good effort. Many heaters on this album especially “It Takes All Kinds”, “Wish You Well” and “Goin’ Goin’ Gone”. Those who love traditional country will find this album being one of their favourites of the year.
Michael
December 3, 2015 @ 7:33 am
Trigger, I was one of the ones beating the autotune drum early on when all I had was the “Mastered for iTunes” version. I bought the physical cd a little over a month ago, and it is not present on the actual record.
“Something Going Down” is really good. “Everything I See” is quite possibly my favorite on the album as its one of the most personal songs we will get from George (written about his dad.)
Gena R.
December 3, 2015 @ 8:35 am
Agreed on “Everything I See” — I found the whole album pretty solid, but that track was especially moving.
Trigger
December 3, 2015 @ 10:05 am
Interesting. So I wonder if they used a heavier Auto-tune suite for the iTunes version, thinking this would appeal to younger listeners or something. There was only one point on this record that I thought I heard the use of Auto-tune. But at this point, nearly every record is going to have Auto-tune somewhere.
I’ve said this before, but it’s probably worth repeating. Auto-tune was created so that if you have an artist give a stellar performance in the studio, but a single note, or maybe two, are just slightly out of pitch, it’s a way to correct it as opposed to doing their entire take again. It’s a tool, and used in that context, it’s fine. It’s those records where artists are clearly singing through it, where it’s on all the time (looking at you Cody Johnson, Kyle Park) where the use is egregious, and should be criticized. The use of it on Strait’s live album was almost comical it was so obvious.
Bill Roy
December 3, 2015 @ 12:56 pm
I’ve seen Cody Johnson live several times and he sounds pretty spot on to his album cuts. It might be used on some songs, but it in no way is a major factor.
Trigger
December 3, 2015 @ 1:48 pm
Cody Johnson’s last album “Cowboys Like Me” is the most egregious use of Auto-Tune I’ve ever heard aside from Strait’s live album, and that includes any and all mainstream projects I’ve ever heard or reviewed. If he sounds just like the album live, then he’s using Auto-Tune live, which I wouldn’t be surprised about.
Believe it or not, I don’t have anything against Cody Johnson. He seems like a nice guy and his music is fine. But he sets the benchmark for the excessive use of Auto-Tune in country music. I just call ’em like I see ’em.
Bill Roy
December 3, 2015 @ 2:53 pm
Maybe I’m thinking of his catalog as a whole, I’ve pretty much wore out A Different Day and don’t hear much on that one. There were only a few songs on Cowboys Like Me that might have benefited from the use of Auto-tune.
I’m not saying you do, I’ve read your review of his album and you gave it a fair shake. Still I just don’t hear Auto-tune as much. Puts on a good show though. Haven’t listened to his albums much lately. Been on a Doc West or Rumor Town kick for a while.
Brandon
December 3, 2015 @ 4:57 pm
Cody Johnson desperately needs a new producer , and his songwriting needs to pick up. He has a few great songs but the sound is just so off and the lyrics don’t match his good voice.
albert
December 3, 2015 @ 2:01 pm
“I”™ve said this before, but it”™s probably worth repeating. Auto-tune was created so that if you have an artist give a stellar performance in the studio, but a single note, or maybe two, are just slightly out of pitch, it”™s a way to correct it as opposed to doing their entire take again. It”™s a tool, and used in that context, it”™s fine. It”™s those records where artists are clearly singing through it, where it”™s on all the time (looking at you Cody Johnson, Kyle Park) where the use is egregious, and should be criticized. The use of it on Strait”™s live album was almost comical it was so obvious. ”
Indeed Trigger . Autotune is a tool ….like a guitar tuner or a compressor/limiter on a vocal . Lee Ann Rimes , for instance , has nothing to prove as a vocalist . But autotune WILL be used on her recordings to keep everything – vocals , harmonies and music – as flawless as possible and not allow one of these elements to undermine the quality of the next . If an artist sings a phrase 5 times , a dozen times …whatever ….ONE will be magic and if that ONE time is even almost imperceptibly flawed by one ‘suspect’ note , it will detract from the precision pitch-wise of anything supporting it . To keep the magic in the performance , the lesser , by far , of the two evils is to tune that note . REAL singers who are confident of their gift understand this and have no qualms about using autotune in the scenario outlined above.
Singing live is another animal . It can be extremely difficult for even the BEST to pitch properly with the distractions swirling around them …audience noise , inferior monitoring , hall acoustics , band proximity , that out- of-tune b string the guitar player needs to address ..etc etc etc. Used properly , auto tune is a vocalist and a producer’s best friend . Used to fix everything all the time for someone who is NOT a vocalist , its a fan’s worst enemy .
Melanie
December 5, 2015 @ 10:09 pm
I think it’s too bad that some artists feel that way, that their performance must be perfected to a fare-thee-well, because as long as they can obviously sing on key and carry a tune in a bucket, IMO it’s the little imperfections which give their performance its individuality and warmth and humanity and makes it their own.
Dogit
December 3, 2015 @ 8:50 am
This is not the greatest George Album. I really can’t think of what is worst would be. Probably the last live album. I hated all the auto tune. I own every George album. This one would rank around the bottom, but that is not bad when you have so many good albums.
Ranger
December 3, 2015 @ 9:01 am
There’s something about a new George Strait album that’s kind of like getting into your own bed after you’ve been away from home for a week.
Applejack
December 3, 2015 @ 9:31 am
I just listened to “Rock, Paper, Scissors” on YouTube.
Man, that was actually kinda heavy. I don’t think I’ve ever heard anything from George Strait that sounded like that. I like it!
Michael
December 3, 2015 @ 10:29 am
And I don’t think it would’ve made the record had his son not written it and pushed/encouraged George to do it. It is fun tho.
Don
December 3, 2015 @ 1:23 pm
George Strait is like AC/DC. Consistent. You know what you are getting and darn glad to get it.
albert
December 3, 2015 @ 3:05 pm
“George Strait is like AC/DC. Consistent. You know what you are getting and darn glad to get it”
Good comparison , Don .
I recently read a funny quote ( paraphrasing ) by AC/DC in reply to an interviewer’s observation ” You’re new album sounds EXACTLY like your last album ”
” No it doesn’t” was the band’s reply ..” It sounds exactly like the last 17 “
Trainwreck92
December 3, 2015 @ 4:05 pm
Man, I really like It Takes All Kinds. It makes me wish George would put out a Bob Wills-esque western swing record. That being said, that’s the first song of George’s that I’ve really liked in a long time. Being a country music fan from Texas, most people expect me to be a George Strait fan, but his music (especially in the last 15 years) has been so middle of the road that it’s bored me. I would love to hear him start making music like he was making in the 80s.
the pistolero
December 4, 2015 @ 5:59 am
I like all of Strait’s music, but to be honest if I had a preference it’d be the ’80s stuff. “Let’s Fall To Pieces Together” is my second-favorite song of all time, from any artist in any genre of music.
Melanie
December 18, 2015 @ 1:05 am
It Takes All Kinds was the one I liked of what I heard also. I love western swing.
sweet on stuart
December 3, 2015 @ 8:13 pm
If you can write the stuff you sing, then have at it. All the glory to you. But many of the best voices of any genre were not writers. Frank would be the prime example, and anyone from Ronstadt to Billie Holliday to Judy Garland.
luckyoldsun
December 3, 2015 @ 10:57 pm
Frank….and Bing….and Ella didn’t write the songs they sang.
When you had Irving Berlin and Harold Arlen and Sammy Cahn and Rodgers and Hart and Hammerstein and Cole Porter and Hoagie Carmichael and Johnny Mercer providing material, I guess there wasn’t any demand for pop singers to write their own.
Robert S
December 4, 2015 @ 10:20 am
King George’s voice is timeless and comfortable. When I am in San Marcos, I hear “Cold Beer Conversation” very often.
rptexan
December 4, 2015 @ 7:45 pm
I have been a George Strait fan since 1982. This CD is AWESOME! I think the title track is one of his best songs ever written! It’s truthful and meaningful. It has a touch of sadness, a bit if joyfulness and a huge dose of everyday reality. I think this song touches the heart and excels in story telling. Everything I See, after you know it was basically written about his father, is heart wrenching. I don’t care what anyone says, great songs about Texas never get old, and Take Me To Texas is about as good as it gets. From track 1 to 13, this is among the best of George, in my opinion.
Sonas
December 5, 2015 @ 4:56 pm
I enjoyed this article. You’re right, I listened to George Strait all of the time. I have more of his CD than I do any other artist, yet he’s not my favorite artist. Go figure. Usually, I go to the record store to purchase someone else, and there is always a Strait CD that is ridiculously priced that I don’t own. So there you go…. He is entertaining and light. Sometimes you just need something light and entertaining. This coming from someone who do not know how to write anything entertaining and light.
Tom
December 7, 2015 @ 3:18 pm
George Strait recorded “Let It Go”? Did he do it Idina Menzel style or Demi Lovato style?
Mike
March 28, 2016 @ 10:19 am
King George !