“Bucked Off”
Brad Paisley
Written by Chris DuBois, Kelly Lovelace, and Brad Paisley
It’s tempting to give a rave to “Bucked Off” for that Strait-inspired artwork alone, but thankfully, the influence of King George goes beyond the surface image and is all over the track itself.
Effectively using rodeo images and classic Strait lyrics, Paisley and his collaborators have created a fresh metaphor out of borrowed parts. His humor has always been most effective when it’s been self-deprecating, and his tale here of a cowboy about to get the boot is clever and funny while still remaining grounded in heartbreak.
I love the country instrumentation and Paisley’s restrained vocal. Perhaps I would’ve made the record a bit faster or a bit slower, as it’s stuck somewhere between uptempo and ballad when it should’ve picked one or the other. But beyond that, it’s a solid record and a reminder of how good Paisley is when he’s at his best.
Grade: A-
“My Miracle”
Brad Paisley
Written by Gary Nicholson and Brad Paisley
Another solid entry from Paisley that just might be his strongest love song to date.
There’s a humility to “My Miracle” that plays beautifully against the spiritual message of the lyric. There isn’t an ounce of the condescension or poor attempts at humor that have marred previous attempts at celebrating the love of his life. Instead, Paisley allows himself to be completely vulnerable, something he’s rarely done in the past. “Letter to Me” might be the best reference point for “My Miracle,” and it’s been far too long since we’ve heard him display such sensitivity and gratitude.
Paisley’s at a point in his career now where the radio airplay is drying up, which is unfortunate, as he’s releasing some of the best music of his career. This one is highly recommended.
Grade: A
Don’t care much for Bucked Off but I like My Miracle. Surprised to see Gary Nicholson as a co-writer. GN is one of my favorite songwriters. Delbert McClinton’s music got a lot better when he began writing with him.
I like both of these. “Bucked Off” is the first Paisley song in forever that actually is clever instead of just thinking it’s clever.
I really like “My Miracle.” It reminds me more of his earlier ballads. It’s very refreshing to me, since it seems mature love songs like this are very rare these days in mainstream country. It’s too bad that it came out in a time in which Brad is struggling to stay on the radio.
I also liked “Bucked Off,” and I wish it could’ve done better for him.