Look, Nashville’s got its issues. And a song that delves into its yin-yang core of image and art could be interesting, if not entirely original. It could be any combination of honest, clever, biting and entertaining. It could make sense.
Or, it could be sung by Jason Aldean, an artist who’s arguably risen to success not in spite of the industry’s flaws, but because of them. That’s not to say Aldean hasn’t put in the work to become a multi-platinum recording artist; it’s just that claiming to have conquered the evils of Music Row requires a decent amount of artistic credibility, separate and apart from the mass appeal that drives the careers of many Nashville artists. Aldean has shown glimmers of this, but his legacy thus far is a brand of pulsing country-rock that’s heavy on the production and light on the vocal and lyrical substance. Case in point: “Crazy Town.” The song, then, feels more like an ironic autobiography than a commentary.
But put artist context aside, and “Crazy Town” still fails to serve its purpose. A tribute to a love-hate relationship only works if you’re able to show that the love is worth the hate – that there’s a pay-off somewhere amidst the craziness. So what makes the years of free concerts, smoky bars, and “bang, bang, bang”-ing what one can only hope is a guitar worth it? A “honky tonk destiny,” sings Aldean, and we’re left to conjure our own image of the deep fulfillment such a destiny offers. The blanks certainly aren’t filled in by Aldean’s performance, which trades any specific emotion for smothering, empty aggression.
Any way you look at it, “Crazy Town” is an insubstantial miss.
Written by Rodney Clawson & Brett Jones
Grade: D
Listen: Crazy Town
Buy:
I cannot stand this song! It puts me in the mind of his other song It’s Country! Don’t get the craze about him.
…”d” is slightly too hard a verdict. sadly, nothing will stop this one from climbing up the charts. it’s a crazy world.
I really don’t like Jason Aldean =/
Jason is a strait up G. Much respect to his new album. It rocks for real
Very.. cool… :mrgreen:
Wow seriously someone always has to be the critic instead of applauding someones success people have to be debbie downers!!! Jason Aldean is a great artist and performer and he worked his ass off to get where he’s at!!! And to be honest your popularity comes from the fans and obviously we love him cause he’s selling out venues everywhere he plays!! Live and love:)Music is a form of expression listen to it maybe you’ll understand!!!
I can enjoy his music, but I have to agree. Almost every song sounds the same, or has the same lines, simply worded differently. All parties, drinks, girls, hank and skynard, etc. but I give props to his success, I would be running with it as well. He is giving the people what they want. Cudos
Jason is so messed up, seriously he takes Brantley gilbert’s songs and gets all the credit for them like My Kinda Party, he doesn’t the background to that song because he didn’t write it he just took it!!! i think he needs to do something respectful like somehow tell everybody who listens to his songs that were Brantleys and say something to give the credit to brantley, plus the brantley gilbert version is way better. i used to listen to jason aldean all of the time and loved his songs until he took brantleys. now i refuse to listen to him. he made a friggen mistake and he needs to fix it the best he can!!!!!!
Why can’t y’all just sit back and enjoy a great voice who sings a good song? Quit being haters!
I am learning to play “Crazy Town” on my Fender Starcaster. The chords are jamming!