Wheelhouse -- Brad Paisley

[…continued from Tuesday]
 

Brad Paisley is one of the most known voices of US country music today and very rightly so. His ninth studio album, “Wheelhouse”, released in April 2013, ventured a wide range of lyrical and musical ground. The album review continues:
“Harvey Bodine” tells an interesting story, of a man who passed away, but then came back to life five minutes later, thanks to a defibrillator machine. With catchy whistling and a rhythmic progression, the song is definitely worth going back to, although maybe not over and over again.
“Tin Can on a String” is a story of heartbreak, of a beloved getting married and going away. Simple but vivid lyrics, fantastic vocal falsettos and the piano-like keys arrangement has an air of yearning about it, and is one of the touchiest romantic songs you will come across in a while.
“Death of a Single Man”, has a typical Southern groove with subtle melodic guitar pieces, and is a genius piece in terms of lyrics, describing a wedding like a funeral. “Everyone cheered, I thought 'How odd!' / I didn't understand / Why with champagne and cake, we celebrate / The death of a single man” is a deceptively cheerful song.
“The Mona Lisa” steps out of the acoustic arrangement and throws in a bit of fiddle along with clean, swift electric guitar track. Another love song, this one is about the feelings of finding the woman of your dreams and being with her, and is said to be inspired by Paisley's Paris trip with his wife.
 “Accidental Racist”, featuring rapper LL Cool J, addresses the issue of racial conflict in the South of USA in an honest conversation. Paisley's “Our generation didn't start this nation / We're still pickin' up the pieces, walkin' on eggshells, fightin' over yesterday”, and LL Cool J's African-American accent replying “Just because my pants are saggin' doesn't mean I'm up to no good / You should try to get to know me, I really wish you would” speaks about the barriers that need to be broken.
“Runaway Train” is a delight if you're a fan of silky cowboy guitar-work. The fast-paced song picks up a catchy riff and brisk drumming, and the guitar pieces are crisp and crunchy, with just enough sprinkling of fiddle.
“Those Crazy Christians” in interestingly about religious, practicing Christians, and is where Paisley's maturity as a songwriter is most evident. Without being offensive in any way, he portrays his observations of the anomalies that he finds between religion and humanity, and expresses his opinions clearly but respectfully.
The album closes with “Officially Alive”, an upbeat number with autobiographical-styled lyrics that some of his best songs (“Anything Like Me”, “Letter To Me”) are written in. The song bursts into life, much like the title suggests, saying that doing crazy things, being in love and being hurt are all signs that a person is alive, and the continuous cycle of love, when your child is born and how the feeling of new life can make you feel alive itself.