StevePulaski

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Member Back to Top Post by StevePulaski on Bringing Back the Sunshine (2014)

By: Blake Shelton





Rating: ★★★ Rating: ★★★

Blake Shelton is in the same position that Brad Paisley is currently in, which is the struggle to maintain country roots while pursuing more original, unique styles and ventures. In response to his last album doing rather lukewarm business compared to his entire catalog, Paisley released the solid Moonshine in the Trunk just a few weeks ago, effectively stripping his music down to no strings attached, good ol' American country. After his gig on TV's The Voice, which launched him into even more national recognition, Shelton releases Bringing Back the Sunshine, a smooth, soulful album featuring Shelton's rustic country tunes and his ballads that are an effective ode to the genre he has functioned in for years.



Shelton hits the ground running with the album's titular track, which sets the mood appropriately, illustrating a low-key melody but also allowing Shelton enough pizazz to be the metaphorical sunshine he needs to infuse back into the genre he loves. The album then throws songs like "Neon Light," the album's first single, at us, an infectious blend of country-rock set to uptempo instrumentation about dealing with a breakup and seeing the subtle, vague light at the end of the tunnel, "A Girl," a fantastic song detailing the commonalities of relationships from a male's perspective in a way that, while familiar, succeeds because of its earnest attitude and truth, "Sangria," about kissing a girl who's lips taste like the titular red wine, a cute and cuddly little tune at that, and "Buzzin'," a great display of southern personality about the act you can probably infer from the title.



Shelton's best hits off Bringing Back the Sunshine are all fairly familiar tracks, but Shelton's approach to the material is what makes them warm and fun to listen to. The album's later hits, like "Good Country Song" and "Anything Else," however, lack the sort of Shelton spark, be it the instrumentation or his diverse vocals, that made the previous tunes so much fun to endure. The album, thankfully, concludes with "Just Gettin' Started," probably the album's most rock-influenced track of all. There is a serious commonality to Bringing Back the Sunshine in terms of its lyrics and subjects, but because they're almost disguised by the way Shelton handles the concepts, you likely won't immediately notice and simply find brand new feel-good songs to enjoy.



Recommended tracks (in order): "Neon Light," "Buzzin'," "A Girl," "Just Gettin' Started," "Sangria," and "Gonna." Blake Shelton is in the same position that Brad Paisley is currently in, which is the struggle to maintain country roots while pursuing more original, unique styles and ventures. In response to his last album doing rather lukewarm business compared to his entire catalog, Paisley released the solidjust a few weeks ago, effectively stripping his music down to no strings attached, good ol' American country. After his gig on TV's, which launched him into even more national recognition, Shelton releases, a smooth, soulful album featuring Shelton's rustic country tunes and his ballads that are an effective ode to the genre he has functioned in for years.Shelton hits the ground running with the album's titular track, which sets the mood appropriately, illustrating a low-key melody but also allowing Shelton enough pizazz to be the metaphorical sunshine he needs to infuse back into the genre he loves. The album then throws songs like "Neon Light," the album's first single, at us, an infectious blend of country-rock set to uptempo instrumentation about dealing with a breakup and seeing the subtle, vague light at the end of the tunnel, "A Girl," a fantastic song detailing the commonalities of relationships from a male's perspective in a way that, while familiar, succeeds because of its earnest attitude and truth, "Sangria," about kissing a girl who's lips taste like the titular red wine, a cute and cuddly little tune at that, and "Buzzin'," a great display of southern personality about the act you can probably infer from the title.Shelton's best hits offare all fairly familiar tracks, but Shelton's approach to the material is what makes them warm and fun to listen to. The album's later hits, like "Good Country Song" and "Anything Else," however, lack the sort of Shelton spark, be it the instrumentation or his diverse vocals, that made the previous tunes so much fun to endure. The album, thankfully, concludes with "Just Gettin' Started," probably the album's most rock-influenced track of all. There is a serious commonality toin terms of its lyrics and subjects, but because they're almost disguised by the way Shelton handles the concepts, you likely won't immediately notice and simply find brand new feel-good songs to enjoy.Recommended tracks (in order): "Neon Light," "Buzzin'," "A Girl," "Just Gettin' Started," "Sangria," and "Gonna."