Single Reviews – Page 134 – Country Universe

Review: Rascal Flatts, “Take Me There”

July 2, 2007 Kevin John Coyne 35

Rascal Flatts, “Take Me There” Writing a review of this just seems like an exercise in futility. No fans will be won or lost by this performance. If you enjoy listening to “I Melt” and

Josh Turner, “Firecracker”

June 30, 2007 Kevin John Coyne 17

Josh Turner, “Firecracker” This is one of those songs that could easily be dismissed as a ditty, a simple little love song that stretches its titular metaphor until it almost breaks. What elevates it

Brad Paisley, “Online”

June 28, 2007 Kevin John Coyne 46

Brad Paisley, “Online” Why did so many of us in school look the other way when the cool kids were picking on the outcasts? Why did so many of us laugh along with them? For

Porter Wagoner, “Committed to Parkview”

June 25, 2007 Kevin John Coyne 5

Porter Wagoner, “Committed to Parkview” While Amy Winehouse sings about not going to rehab, country legend Porter Wagoner does a sympathetic roll call inside the walls of the Parkview mental hospital. Recorded by the Highwaymen

Clint Black, “The Strong One”

June 21, 2007 Kevin John Coyne 3

Clint Black, “The Strong One” So this is much better than all those treacly love songs that were Clint’s bread and butter in the mid-nineties. He’s much more effective singing about the perfect woman in

Emerson Drive, “You Still Own Me”

June 21, 2007 Kevin John Coyne 2

Emerson Drive, “You Still Own Me” So about six months ago, “Moments” was sent to radio, and after hearing it, I pretty much had to take back everything mean that I’d ever said about this

Alison Krauss & Union Station, “Simple Love”

June 17, 2007 Kevin John Coyne 4

Alison Krauss & Union Station, “Simple Love” All of the new tracks from the recent Alison Krauss compilation A Hundred Miles or More are worth hearing, but this is one of the best. It’s

Billy Currington, “Tangled Up”

June 13, 2007 Kevin John Coyne 52

Billy Currington, “Tangled Up” Currington follows up his multi-week #1 “Good Directions”, a charming country shuffle, with “Tangled Up”, which has Currington trying on Keith Urban’s boots and finding that they don’t quite fit. His

Blake Shelton, “The More I Drink”

June 9, 2007 Kevin John Coyne 7

Blake Shelton, “The More I Drink” It’s hardly been noticed by the country music media, but Blake Shelton has turned in a surprisingly strong traditional country album, chock full of fantastic heartache and drinking songs.

Toby Keith, “Love Me If You Can”

June 8, 2007 Kevin John Coyne 22

Toby Keith, “Love Me If You Can” Toby makes a surprisingly earnest attempt to soften his image, wishing we could all just agree to disagree before our debates turn to angry words, and praying for