Joe Nichols’ latest offering, “Believers”, makes a valiant effort to feel significant and inspirational. Within its verses, the song tells three stories of people who display faith in various ways: A hundred people demonstrating for a cause, a married couple who’ve lasted thirty-five years, and an eighty-nine year-old mother who learns that her son has finally found God. Frustratingly, the effort falls flat and we are subjected to yet another generic song that will be touted as powerfully motivational as a result.
It’s all meant to be touching and it likely will be for many, but both the lyrics and the performance (which includes jarring key changes) feel contrived and even heavy handed. Songs of this paint-by-numbers nature and quality are typically good for the length of a successful chart run, but don’t withstand the passage of time. This is rather unfortunate, since Joe Nichols clearly possesses a voice that could be a song’s best friend. Instead, he has made a career of singing songs that are not worthy of his rich vocal ability, which is a sad waste of good talent.
Written by Ashley Gorley, Wade Kirby & Bill Luther
Grade: D+
Listen: Joe Nichols, “Believers”
“He has made a career of singing songs that are not worthy of his rich vocal ability, which is a sad waste of good talent.” This statement and review couldn’t be more wrong. Have you listened to ‘Real Things’ and his past work. I dont think he could pick any better songs. ‘Real Things’ was an under apreciated masterpiece. If this is how harsh you are with Joe, who is traditional and country, I’d love to read your review on Rascal Flatts. I think Joe and the song deserve a bit more credit than this.
Well, I’ve written two Rascal Flatts reviews and they’ve both been harsher than this one. I will admit, however, that my patience with mediocre to bad songs has worn thin in the year that I’ve been writing about country music. So, my grading has certainly gotten tougher in the last couple of months.
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This is the first that I have heard of Joe Nichols I am not really big into this type of music but I am open to new things and Ill have to look out for him and see how good he is.