Anthology Review – Kenny Chesney'due south "Here and Now"

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photo: Allister Ann

No matter how many years yous have to count dorsum to when Kenny Chesney was the top male performer in modern country, he is still the human being at the tiptop of the heap when it comes to touring. Aside from Garth Brooks, Kenny Chesney is only the guy who can consistently fill stadiums with his huge fan base known every bit "No Shoes Nation." That's besides how his new record shot to #i in all of music upon its debut, helped along by an aggressive ticket bundle moving nearly a quarter million units during its get-go week.

Taking a play out of the book of his mentor Jimmy Buffett, Chesney has cultivated an identity for his fan base, condign only every bit much a make than a musician, selling fans on a lock step lifestyle centered around sandy beach escapism and big amounts of discretionary spending on vacations and high ticket consumer goods. It's these super consumers that sit correct in the bullseye of the advertisers that support mainstream country radio and phase shows, and brand Chesney a marketing machine for himself and others. Hits or not, Kenny Chesney just sells.

It's in feeding this constituency with respond backs and applause lines for the next stadium show that Chesney opens the new tape, Here and Now. The first song called "We Do" is all most reinforcing that "No Shoes Nation" identity, while the next song and title track basically exercise the aforementioned, imploring the audition to live in the moment, soak it all up, allow yesterday be forgotten, and tomorrow take intendance of itself.

Merely critics post-obit Chesney lately accept noticed that unlike some of his contemporaries, he's showing the propensity to abound former with his music more than to endeavor to chase whatever hot tendency might be out at that place in pop country at the moment. You won't hear any Bro-Land or Boyfriend State on this record, no rapping from the human being in Panama Jack attire, and any electronic beats or snaps tracks are relegated to a few song intros.

That too ways y'all're going to get allotment of songs that actually work as songs. "Knowing You" starts off, "…you've probably got your toes in the sand…" and your eyes immediately begin to scroll. But the song actually reveals itself as quite well-written and sentimental. It'due south set to a waltz beat, and dearest God y'all really hear steel guitar in the background.

Though much more contemporary pop in arroyo, "Someone To Prepare" is notwithstanding a good song besides, and shows empathy towards a lover without sliding into that objectionably sentimental realm of Beau Country. "You Don't Become To" also deals with relationships in a distinctly adult manner, while "Heartbreakers" is a reminiscent and fun Southern pop melody. The music even so isn't state, just it is historic period appropriate, which is more than you lot can say when you hear the latest vocal from Keith Urban, or some of the other repeat offenders in contemporary "state" who can't act their age.

Granted, these quality selections are interspersed between songs that attempt to significantly fortify that carefree No Shoes Nation vibe like "Happy Does" and "Beautiful Globe"—not necessarily an evil quality, simply not the part country music is supposed to play such a major part in when it comes to the surface area of popular music. That's pop'south task.

Only the two songs that have been the biggest talk of Here and Now are "Tip Of My Tongue" and "Guys Named Captain." For many, they define the spectrum betwixt the good and bad that Here and Now contains.

Yes, "Tip Of My Natural language" co-written past Ed Sheeran is nearly certainly a thinly-veiled limerick celebrating oral sex, and likewise happens to mark some of the nearly pop contemporary production on the record. Information technology feels like the reaction to this song should exist very negative, if not embarrassing or insulting. Just as the ninth track on a tardily career Kenny Chesney record, it really is by and large innocuous. No, it's non a good vocal. Only allow's also not be so uptight. Release it as a single, then we'll have some moral quandaries to discuss.

Oh look, "Tip Of My Tongue" was a Kenny Chesney'southward current radio single? It peaked at #8 you say? Well so yeah, that's some bullshit. Get out the song for mom and dad to enjoy, non for the 11-year-onetime in the back seat to slowly realize what information technology's near, and showtime asking mom and dad questions they're not ready to answer.

"Guys Named Captain" shows off what Kenny Chesney tin can do at his best. Written by James T. Slater who might be all-time known for co-writing Jamey Johnson'south "Loftier Price of Living," it'southward a darn good nightcap to an otherwise average embankment excursion, fifty-fifty if information technology feels much more personal to James T. Slater than Chesney himself. Kenny has commonly constitute songs like this and championed them, fifty-fifty if they tend to come at the end of his records when most of the "No Shoes Nation" take their noses smelling like tequila and margarita mix, and are nodding off beneath the cabana bar, barely paying attention.

Where Kenny Chesney's final album Songs for the Saints really seemed like a turning of the page and a surprising shift forward, Here and Now feels like an effort to shore upwardly his "No Shoes Nation" fan base, and not challenge them to recollect beyond the norm. It's too distinctly not a state tape aside for a few spots, fifty-fifty though that sort of goes with the territory at this betoken.

But when regarding it in the wide panorama of popular state, yes, the critical praise for this anthology is probably right for the most office. Information technology is better than nearly. Unfortunately, that still doesn't allow Hither and At present to rise to a level of being specially "skilful."

i one/4 Guns Upwards (5.5/10)

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Ed Sheeran, Here and Now, James T. Slater, Jamey Johnson, Jimmy Buffett, Kenny Chesney, Review