Song Review – Brad Paisley’s “Today”
Taking a play out of the book of fellow mainstream country music upperclassman Tim McGraw, Brad Paisley has decided to try and stop running with the young dogs by releasing party anthems, and realized that the paradigm has shifted back in the direction where his career first started. Sure you may still be able to launch a new Bro-Country artist and single like Chris Lane’s “Fix,” but you’ll spend twice as much in promotion as you’ll make from the track, and for what—an investment in a trend that’s past its prime?
Even a high-profile collaboration with massive pop star Demi Lovato and the cross-genre spins accrued on Top 40 radio couldn’t push Brad Paisley’s last single “Without A Fight” into the Top 15. So why not take the lesson laid out by many of the recent #1’s and actually release a song that means something? “Without A Fight” was far from terrible, but Paisley’s new single “Today” is much more suited for a mainstream environment that has recently seen #1’s for songs like “I Met A Girl” and “Humble and Kind.”
“Today” isn’t particularly great, but it’s actually aimed at adults instead of children, features steel guitar, mandolin, and fiddle, and if we’ve figured out nothing else about Paisley’s still unnamed upcoming album (of which this is the second single), it appears he’ll at least have opportunities to unsheathe the Telecaster again and attempt to live up to all of the hype behind his guitar playing. “Today” is a song about something, played with real instruments by human beings. Holy shit what a concept.
More specifically “Today” is about how certain days in our lives go on to define who we are, and stick out in our memories with rich texture and emotions that we’ll never forget, and we’ll recall fondly often and forever. As refreshing as this subject matter is, just like “Humble and Kind” and a few of the other surprisingly-performing singles recently, it is just as much sappy adult contemporary as it is country, keeping “Today” from being considered ‘good’ by anyone except those who love to succumb to the emotional interjections that now permeate American popular culture from pop songs to cereal commercials. It used to be sex that everyone tried to use to steer your attention their way. Now everyone’s trying to stimulate the water works.
The primary asset of “Today” is also the song’s greatest vulnerability—a pandering to the overloaded emotional quotient that will make listeners who are actually accustomed to emotionalism being delivered in their music via much more subtle textures wince with displeasure. The video for this song unfortunately emphasizes this point with real-life scenes of soldiers returning home, proposals, weddings, and other such scenarios—not to say that watching the emotion of a child and a soldier reuniting is not a touching thing, but it’s so summarily rammed down our throats in every sector of media already, it’s easy to harbor a resentment.
But on the scales of effort and substance, a song like “Today” surpasses many of its contemporaries, so a more positive than negative conclusion is still in order. And the song is actually performing well out of the chute, once again corroborating the theory that it’s a new day in mainstream country moving forward.
Kale
October 17, 2016 @ 8:18 am
Disregarding some of his newer music, Bard Paisley may be my favorite artist of all time. His songs in the mid 2000s were, in my opinion, a near perfect example of how to spice up country instrumentation and have it still be country. Why the hell did THAT style not catch on? I guess it wasn’t hip enough. Instead, we get no talent douchebags grunting out “beer, truck, girl” with drum machines and EDM bullshit in the background. And I still can’t figure out how anybody can consider this urban dance fad to be country, especially when they actually talk about clubs in the songs and use urban enunciations. I don’t get it. People are stupid.
Eddie666
October 17, 2016 @ 8:22 am
You’re becoming an old cynic trigger! Haha! Nothing wrong with an old fashioned tear jerker!
Trigger
October 17, 2016 @ 10:55 am
Becoming? I thought I started as a heartless curmudgeon 🙂
Michael Reddy
October 17, 2016 @ 8:30 am
Whiskey Lullabye and He Didn’t Have To Be are my two favorite Brad Paisley songs.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BjO1F6oCab8 – He Didn’t Have tTo Be
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IZbN_nmxAGk – Whiskey Lullabye
ThatFireGuy13
October 17, 2016 @ 8:59 am
Good songs. I’ve got to say my favorite are “I’m Gonna Miss Her” and “Waiting On A Woman”, especially because Andy Griffith was awesome in the music video.
Joe
October 21, 2016 @ 7:58 pm
My favorite is definitely “behind the clouds”
Vernon Parker
October 17, 2016 @ 9:03 am
It’s most likely the best song of this year! Tired of hearing bro country on the radio. That stuff has to get old eventually!
Nate
October 17, 2016 @ 9:06 am
I think Brad Paisley has the opportunity (if he wants) to walk the same path as an Alan Jackson or Vince Gill. As long as he’s fine with less-time in the spotlight and becoming an elder-statesman in the genre, he could possibly just do what he wants to do. Maybe release an album of Buck Owens covers. I think he’s immensely talented with the guitar (I know there are some on this site who happen to think his skills are overrated). He’s got the talent and enough clout to pick the direction of his career though, and “Today” is a positive step in the right direction.
Donny
October 17, 2016 @ 9:29 am
Not a good song from Brad. Sounds very bland, like something McGraw would put out. Paisley’s best days are definitely behind him. RIP
Luiz
October 17, 2016 @ 9:33 am
I think I heard a little of Blake Shelton’s “Who Are You When I’m Not Looking “
hoptowntiger94
October 17, 2016 @ 10:07 am
Or are you hearing a little of Joe Nichols’ “Who Are You When I’m Not Looking?” It’s hard to say.
Mike W.
October 17, 2016 @ 9:34 am
Never been much of a Brad Paisley fan, his work has always leaned a bit too corny/sappy for my tastes, but I would rather listen to him doing songs like this, before doing another “Camouflage” or “Crushin’ It”.
Big Red
October 17, 2016 @ 9:58 am
As a long time Brad Paisley fan – who’s become disgruntled with recent albums and disgusted by recent single choices – this seems like a solid step back to some decent stuff. I hear shades of “Then,” both musically and lyrically, and “Little Moments”. Let’s hope its this is the beginning of a long stretch of better music for Mr. Paisley.
hoptowntiger94
October 17, 2016 @ 10:02 am
For a former Paisley fan who hasn’t paid attention to his music in nearly a decade, I think Today is ok. I may never hear it again and I’m ok with that, but I don’t hate it.
Do people really propose to each other on stage in the middle of a concert? As a ticket holder, I’d be pissed. I get pissed when the artist talks too much during a concert. I’ve been to hundreds of concerts and half a dozen Paisley shows and fortunately I haven’t encountered this kind of rude interruption.
Trigger
October 17, 2016 @ 10:58 am
At this point many mainstream concert promoters are looking for people who want to do a proposal or some other tearjerking moment on stage to get the media and social networks buzzing. It’s all choreographed and written into the set list, though it’s sold to the public as being completely spontaneous.
hoptowntiger94
October 17, 2016 @ 11:19 am
I guess that’s the same for sporting events. The NFL recently took some heat for charging the military for staged acts of patriotism – the solider’s homecoming, ceremonial flag waving.
Tunesmiff
October 17, 2016 @ 2:36 pm
Like when Bruce Springsteen “pulled* Courtney Cox out of the audience in his Dancing In the Dark video~ of course, we all know where THAT wound up… (Cougar Town…)
Dogit
October 17, 2016 @ 10:23 am
The old Bad Paisley. The guy has some good songs. They are on his first 4 albums. I like “beat this summer.” Other than that pretty much all his music is forgettable. I would like to see him make a decent album. Mud on the tires was decent album, but songs like Celebrity were stupid. I saw him front row at a fair in Mobile Alabama in 2003. Boy has he evolved since then…. Good news is country radio may start sounding country, but the listeners have already left.
KC
October 17, 2016 @ 10:29 am
Brad has played it safe through the Bro-Country movement without diving into those waters like so many of his contemporaries have. He’s stayed in the middle ground and I think he has positioned himself to have a resurgence once the smoke clears.
Brett
October 17, 2016 @ 10:32 am
I have no problem with this song whatsoever, but I’ve long wanted Brad Paisley to make an album that was darker in tone. I like “Whiskey Lullaby” and his cover of “You’ll Never Leave Harlan Alive.” He seems to respect his and the genre’s Appalachian roots, would be cool to see something further inspired by that.
See Ya
October 17, 2016 @ 11:06 am
What are these “cross-genre spins” you occasionally reference? Without A Fight didn’t register any notable airplay at pop or Hot AC airplay, and that’s true of most country songs — even the ones that “sound” pop.
The only recent country songs to receive any notable attention at Hot AC radio are Setting The World On Fire, Die A Happy Man, Burning House, HOLY, and Take Your Time.
HOLY also got to around #60 at pop radio.
See Ya
October 17, 2016 @ 11:07 am
*And Girl Crush. But, again, the list is *very* small compared to the amount of songs people claim are more pop than country.
Trigger
October 17, 2016 @ 4:28 pm
The point I was trying to make is that Brad Paisley’s last single with Demi Lovato I’m sure was hoping to receive some cross-genre attention through Lovato’s involvement. But as I also said, it still didn’t do particularly well in the charts, meaning it probably didn’t pick up those pop spins it was looking for.
BlackHawgDown
October 17, 2016 @ 11:58 am
It’s a good song, it’s not stone cold country but it’s a good middle of the road song that is good for radio. It may be a good stepping stone in order to get listeners warmed up to more traditional songs to come in the future.
CCRR
October 17, 2016 @ 12:43 pm
Brad Paisley has always had some seriously cheesy songs but I’ve enjoyed them over the years – I don’t mind a good sappy tear-jerker. I like this song too, even if it isn’t extraordinary. Will always like Brad.
CCRR
October 17, 2016 @ 12:47 pm
On another note, what are we even defining as “bro country” these days??? I feel like this term is thrown around so much I don’t even know what I refers to anymore except for maybe “artist I don’t like” or “Luke Bryan”. Anyone want to attempt to define this term for me? I’m being serious by the way – I would like to know…
Lorenzo
October 17, 2016 @ 1:49 pm
well if someone says Sam Hunt is bro country then that’s just thrown around. Bro country defines song in which the singer tries to prove how country he is by getting a girl in his truck, driving around on some dirt road, mixtape with a little Travis Tritt and a little Fifth Harmony playing on the radio, alcohol consumption, cutoffs, sliding on over etc. Pretty much the standard Jason Aldean song: My Kinda Party, Just Getting Started, Gonna Know We Were Here, 1994. That garbage pretty much defines bro country.
CCRR
October 17, 2016 @ 3:25 pm
See, that makes sense to me….so yes, a lot of Luke Bryan music would also fit into this. I swear, it seems like suddenly anyone not very country/too pop sounding was automatically labeled as “bro” – it’s become just a standard insult around here….
albert
October 17, 2016 @ 3:55 pm
”…it’s become just a standard insult around here…. ”
And as such it works just fine . If you aren”t sing REAL country , what does it matter to a country fan if you’re called ” bro ” or pop/country or crossover country ? Its just a lot easier to call everything that isn’t country ” bro ” isn’t it ? Let the pop fans draw the distinctions .
CCRR
October 17, 2016 @ 4:10 pm
Whatever floats your boat. I don’t care one way or the other – I was just making an observation
Trigger
October 17, 2016 @ 4:32 pm
I think I’ve gone out of my way to not only define Bro-Country, but to delineate artists that should not be designated as such, including Sam Hunt. In fact I’ve written multiple articles complaining about the term because it’s not descriptive enough. I always preferred the term “laundry list,” but unfrotunately it didn’t stick like “Bro-Country.”
…and “River Bank” was pretty Bro.
CCRR
October 17, 2016 @ 5:05 pm
You may have….I haven’t read everything on here. It was more something I noticed in the comments, not that specifically promote…
CCRR
October 17, 2016 @ 9:21 pm
geez, I botched that comment….what I meant to say was “not that YOU specifically promote…”
Eduardo Vargas
October 17, 2016 @ 2:54 pm
Gotta disagree here with Trig, I think the song is much better than being given credit to.
Reminds me a lot of the Brad Paisley circa 2009
RachRob
October 17, 2016 @ 3:22 pm
I’m glad this Brad Paisley is back. Historically, I think he’ll always be one of my favorites. I remember wearing his first CD out when I got a CD player in my first car! While I don’t always love the cheese factor in some of his songs, I like that his albums generally have a good mixture of different types of songs. Brad Paisley was my husband’s first real exposure to country music and he’s been hooked ever since. We named our daughter Paisley! At the end of the day, this song is better than almost anything else we can hear on the radio in South Alabama. I actually watched the video before ever hearing the song as a standalone and I definitely teared up which is way out of the ordinary for me! I love this song.
RachRob
October 17, 2016 @ 3:24 pm
And I do realize that it is neither lyrically nor musically absolute genius, but it all works together at the end of the day.
Bella
October 17, 2016 @ 3:27 pm
I like the song and find it refreshing on today’s country radio given all the other trash that gets played.
Song aside, I completely disagree with you on your comments on the video, especially this comment…. “not to say that watching the emotion of a child and a soldier reuniting is not a touching thing, but it’s so summarily rammed down our throats in every sector of media already, it’s easy to harbor a resentment.” I agreed with you on how awkward the reference to the military was in Cole Swindle’s “Ain’t worth the Whiskey” video was, but in this video it fit with the overall theme.
I can tell you that as part of a very proud military family who lives in a military community where a lot of us listen to country music, the video was refreshing for us to see. It’s real life, sorry you feel that it’s being crammed down your throat, but watching those reunions are real, and if artists chose to show them or respect them, I don’t see how that can lead to such resentment on your part. I’ve been to numerous country shows, Dierks Bentley in particular, who in each show will bring up service members during his song “Home” or “Freedom” and say “Thank you”. He says “I’m saying thank you for all you sacrifice so I can lead the life I lead.” I’ve heard several artists say this and give back to our military with no media involved.
My suggestion to you would be to not harbor such resentment to seeing those homecomings, maybe find some gratitude, freedom isn’t free and sacrifices are being made so you can sit at your computer and write your country music blog.
Trigger
October 17, 2016 @ 4:39 pm
See, the reason some folks harbor resentment again such mawkish displays of emotionalism is if you question them, all of a sudden you’re accused of being un-American, not respecting of the troops, or not respecting freedom. Which is ridiculous.
If you really want to know what I think, I think Brad Paisley, Dierks Bentley, and many other mainstream country artists are using our service men and women as marketing pawns for their music and should be ashamed of themselves, and I find their pandering to patriotic demographics way more insulting than someone saying they don’t want to see videos of returning service members. It doesn’t mean Brad Paisley and Dierks Bentley don’t care about the troops, but the mearketeers behind their brands care more about the money it generates.
Bella
October 17, 2016 @ 5:05 pm
We will just have to agree to disagree then. Maybe that is the way it is in some cases, but from what I have seen for the most part it appears genuine and you know what…..it makes military families feel good to watch these videos and see the happy outcomes. I don’t think this is as calculated as you make it out to be in all cases. Have a good night.
Nate
October 17, 2016 @ 5:55 pm
“I’ll bring the girls, you bring the beer….and the troops will bring the freedom!” – Chipp McCapp
albert
October 17, 2016 @ 3:59 pm
I commented quite extensively on BP a couple of days/posts back . I’m a fan of his smarts , his humour , his writing and his vocals . This is a solid substance-driven extremely well-produced and performed song and about as country as it comes right now in terms of its universal sentiment AND a terrific arrangement ….not to mention BP’s always strong vocal conviction .
Corncaster
October 17, 2016 @ 4:54 pm
“mawkish”? sorry, that dog won’t hunt. like it or not, Brad Paisley is at the moral center of country music. that’s why people propose at his concerts, dance to his songs at their weddings, cry with his weepers at times of loss, and listen and love these songs with their children. in a word, he’s admirable, and for all the right reasons.
Karen
October 17, 2016 @ 7:27 pm
Question: Why do you consistently give Brad Paisley a backhanded compliment? Everything about him is Country music & he honors the past. Have you ever watched him play at the Grand Ole Opry? Just Curious.
Trigger
October 17, 2016 @ 8:15 pm
Hey, I’m a tough critic, and I ultimately gave this song a positive review, while also articulating my reservations which I think are fair and well-argued. I want to like music. I’m a music fan. And I want to like Brad Paisley. But it’s my job to be honest and forthright about my opinions. I don’t do it to pick on anyone. It’s from a love of music that I’m critical of it in hopes it gets better, which in the case of Brad Paisley and “Today,” I see as a step in the right direction.
Karen
October 18, 2016 @ 4:46 am
You frustrate me 🙂 When are you going to admit that Brad has never left country music? He has always had a fiddle and a steel guitar in his music. He grew up playing with the greats and I feel like his intent with music has always been to preserve country music while still getting radio play time. I want to hear you say Brad Paisley is saving country music. Just say it.
Christian H
October 17, 2016 @ 10:43 pm
There are some elements of country in there, but I’ll have mine served up without the overly compressed, generic distortion, 80’s arena rock guitar solo and the over the top, big rock 80’s drumming. Didn’t like those sounds back then; I don’t like ’em “today.”
Bolivwx
October 17, 2016 @ 10:51 pm
His previous albums had some terrible songs. “River Bank” kind of sucked, and “Perfect Storm” being chosen as the then current radio song displayed his sell out status. These newer songs seem decent, even if “Without A Fight” not sounding country.
musiccityman
October 18, 2016 @ 1:49 am
Pleeeeeease let their be a track about race relations on the new album. Brad Paisley is my moral compass.
Corncaster
October 18, 2016 @ 8:30 am
*golf clap* for the sarcasm
Bertox
October 18, 2016 @ 4:41 am
I think there are a lot of fair opinions here, on both sides of the fence. I’ve always kind of liked the guy, but not enough to buy much of his stuff. He kind of reminds me of Vince Gill: nice guy, helluva guitar player, good writer, likable/charismatic (hosts award shows), etc. My only gripe is that he tends to play it safe and not dig too deep. Lots of sappy love songs (some of them really good) and light-hearted, funny stuff like “Alcohol,” “Camouflage,” “I’m Gonna Miss Her,” etc. But I get him. Not everyone can be Vernon Gosdin, nor should be. Overall, I like seeing Brad have success.
albert
October 18, 2016 @ 7:48 am
”My only gripe is that he tends to play it safe and not dig too deep.”
Gotta disagree with you Bertox . BP digs deeper than most and on a wider range of material…from race to family/divorce to religion to alcoholism to kids , success , love , of course , and on an on . You’ll find some terrific album material which addresses so much more life experience than just about any other cont. artist short of McGraw and puts most cont. radio stuff to shame with his writing AND vocal talents .
Bertox
October 18, 2016 @ 8:41 am
I agree with you in that respect, Albert. In comparison to his peers on country radio, Paisley is William Shakespeare. He is one of the only artists on the radio worth listening to. My gripe is a small one. I like Brad just like I like Vince Gill, just neither are one of my go-to artists. But they are both very deserving of all their success, in my opinion. And in fairness to Mr Paisley, I have not listened to his entire body of work, so I might be a little quick to judge
albert
October 18, 2016 @ 3:26 pm
Bertox …check out a BP tune called Those Crazy Christians . You won’t hear many artists even venture into these waters unless its a hymn . Man …this guy gets it SO right in this song .
Larry
October 19, 2016 @ 4:37 am
I paused Karen Jonas on my Echo to listen to this. Game, set, match to Karen.
Joe
October 21, 2016 @ 7:55 pm
My sisters were listening to the mainstream country radio while I was reading this in the same room. After about two minutes I realized the song I was reading about was the one playing on the radio.
Orgirl1
October 26, 2016 @ 6:23 pm
I like the song a lot, actually. He seems sincere. Something about the song got to me. I didn’t watch the video. But the song- I liked it. A lot. It goes up there with one of my favorites of his.