“Beautiful Stranger”
Toby Keith
Written by Toby Keith and Bobby Pinson
A haunting, evocative album closer that I can’t believe is being sent to radio, “Beautiful Stranger” showcases Toby Keith’s often overlooked talents as a vocalist and as a songwriter.
It’s drenched in melancholy, but is still the most romantic thing Keith has done in a very long time. It’s a love song for a rocky marriage, where husband and wife rediscover each other after too much emotional space has developed between them.
“Beautiful Stranger” is an insightful framework to use for such a rediscovery, and also works with Keith’s soaring vocal performance, which is a beautiful rediscovery in its own right. It’s the first time in years that I’ve heard him drop all of his bravado and be flat-out vulnerable. It’s a revelation.
And just for those keeping track, this is the fourth song released from a ten song album, and so far, all four have been worth listening to.
Check out Toby Keith again, y’all. He’s on fire.
Grade: A
I haven’t purchased this album, but the long iTunes clips sound really good, which will make me eventually purchase it.
Radio has rejected Toby, so he might as well go down swinging.
This latest album is fantastic. There’s not a bad song on it. Which is good, I guess, since it’s only 10 songs.
Toby’s saying “fuck it, if they don’t want to play me, there’s no point in trying to write stuff they’ll play.”
And I dig it.