Tim McGraw – Southern Voice (Review)

Tim McGraw’s Newest album Southern Voice, I feel will really stick with me as a down home country favorite for years to come. An album way deeper than previous ones by McGraw, this one deals with subjects such as death, regret, infidelity, and tragedy. Fun fact: McGraw started recording this album in the fall of 2006 following his stepfather’s passing, but it was put on hold due to the label Curb Records putting out the much maligned Greatest Hits Vol. 3. McGraw hired his road band, The Dancehall Doctors, to record this album with him to try to get a “live vibe” for the quality. It’s not the orchestration on this undoubtedly hit album, however, that stands out- it’s the well-chosen topics and the weightiness, which McGraw brings to them. “Still” is a song that’ll bring on the homesick blues concerning everything you will always appreciate your true home for, while “Good Girls” is a captivating and gah dang sinister story song about double-crossing best friends that shows that good girls are anything but (“Hell has no fury like a woman scored” indeed).

Now to bring y’all’s tails from under and between your legs, here’s a damn good and exciting turn to write about. McGraw released two singles from Southern Voice: a current radio single and the title track. When you get to the track “It’s a Business Doing Pleasure”, you may feel it out of place but by the time the song’s over you’ll for damn sure want to listen to it again. Not to mention the fact that not many songs can pull off or even match the rhymes of Versace and Liberace. This song which was co-written by Nickleback’s Chad Kroeger, and has that kinda rythym you wanna slap your knee, clap your hands stomp your feet, and get three steps to. Now if you all TGLR fans wanna get to know ol’ Country Mann a little more, then listen to the title track “Southern Voice”. In fact if you wanna know damn near anything about the south or country listen to it please. It’s a song that describes the history, tendencies, and attitude of Tim McGraw. I’m going to go ahead and say the track “Southern Voice” is the “We Didn’t Start the Fire” of this whole setting.

I believe the general theme of Southern Voice is one of real deep inward thought and perspective on McGraw’s part. He wrote these at a time when his song choices had him doing just that. And perhaps his cinematic work has given him a look in at good storytelling. Southern Voice gives the listener’s songs that make us question, react and most importantly, feel. All I know is that this shows me a new level of ripeness and maturity that combines to deliver McGraw’s most beefy releases. Im gonna go ahead and give this album a good solid grade of an A. Now all of y’all just remember, let out your inner Southern Voice.

Tracklist:

1. Still
2. Ghost Town Train
3. Good Girls
4. I Didn’t Know It At The Time
5. It’s A Business Doing Pleasure With You
6. If I Died Today
7. Mr. Whoever You Are
8. Southern Voice
9. You Had To Be There
10. I’m Only Jesus
11. Forever Seventeen
12. Love You Goodbye