After Jimmy Wayne’s strangely soft rock-esque single “I Will,” it seemed anything a bit more country and a bit less melodramatic would move him in a positive direction. Meet “I’ll Be That”: a catchy summer track that does just that.
It’s not a particularly interesting song, but by design, it’s not supposed to be. “I’ll Be That” serves its purpose as a pleasing sing-a-long with a decent hook, packed with sweet albeit unoriginal promises: “The one that’ll stand and fight for you/A safe place you can run to/The truth in the words ‘I do’/I’ll be that to you.” Stacked against the crop of male regulars on country radio, Wayne has one of the better, more soothing voices, so the song automatically gets an added boost. Of course, it’s a little difficult to pick Wayne’s voice out from the over-produced chorus, but as clamoring radio releases go, it could be worse.
The singles off Wayne’s second album, Do You Believe Me Now, have yet to cross over into an even moderately traditional country sound, so those still hooked on Wayne’s original stylings, a la the potent “Stay Gone,” should move along – nothing to see here. But if you can settle for an energetic, toe-tapping little number that may or may not be forgotten when the leaves start to change, “I’ll Be That” is worth a listen.
Written by Kevin Paige, Bob Regan and Jimmy Wayne
Grade: B-
Listen: I’ll Be That
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