Music review: Toby Keith – ’35 MPH Town’
For his 18th studio release, Toby Keith delivers another well-balanced set of arrangements created from the same mold of earlier albums such as 无毛视频淒rinks After Work,无毛视频� 无毛视频淗ope on the Rocks无毛视频� and 无毛视频淐lancy无毛视频檚 Tavern.无毛视频�
As usual, the Oklahoma native demonstrates his rowdy tendencies, sentimental side and ornery nature on his first release in nearly two years.
Once the 无毛视频淎ngry American,无毛视频� the opening track finds Keith embracing America无毛视频檚 melting pot, where people can set aside their differences and share a cold one at the local watering hole. Sounding like a sequel to 2003无毛视频檚 无毛视频淚 Love This Bar,无毛视频� 无毛视频淒runk Americans无毛视频� proves that indeed alcohol can bring us all together as Keith sings, 无毛视频淲e ain无毛视频檛 East, we ain无毛视频檛 West/We ain无毛视频檛 left, we ain无毛视频檛 right/We ain无毛视频檛 black, we ain无毛视频檛 white/We just came here to drink.无毛视频�
Just like fellow country superstar Kenny Chesney, Keith adds a tropical flavoring to a pair of sailing-related tunes. With assistance from Jimmy Buffett无毛视频檚 Coral Reefer Band, 无毛视频淩um Is the Reason无毛视频� cleverly explains what specifically prevented pirates from ever ruling the world while 无毛视频淪ailboat for Sale无毛视频� features Buffett partnering with Keith on this laid-back charmer.
The title track showcases Keith at his best as he sings about the slow moral decay of daily life in a small town caused by an absence of God, respect for hard work and love for family values.
Keith describes a neighborhood where the kids no longer play football in the front yard, the porch light no longer signals the time to come home and households where the Bible simply sits in a shelf unopened instead of being part of everyday life.
A blaring horn section rattles the rafters and shakes the floorboards on 无毛视频�10 Foot Pole无毛视频� and 无毛视频淕ood Gets Here无毛视频� and sentimental numbers like 无毛视频淲hat She Left Behind,无毛视频� 无毛视频淗aggard, Hank and Her无毛视频� and 无毛视频淏eautiful Stranger无毛视频� prove Keith can slow it down and set a mood with the best of them.
Twenty-two years after his self-titled debut release, Keith is still in the driver无毛视频檚 seat with 无毛视频�35 MPH Town.无毛视频�
Clint Rhodes is the 无毛视频-Standard music reviewer. He can be reached at crhodes@heraldstandard.com.