StevePulaski

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Member Back to Top Post by StevePulaski on Old Boots, New Dirt (2014)

By: Jason Aldean





Rating: ★★ Rating: ★★

Jason Aldean's Old Boots, New Dirt comes after his numerous appearances on the fronts of tabloid covers and unfavorable headlines on TMZ following a cheating scandal. For once, his charismatic and inherently likable nature has been tested and he now must try to continue his career, redirecting the large amounts of scrutiny away from him so that his music can be focused on in the most unbiased way possible.



With that being said, Old Boots, New Dirt is a mediocre change-up in direction for the singer who has made country-boy debauchery the prime focus of his last two albums (including his wildly successful My Kinda Party, which propelled him to the level of being a household name with single-after-single). He creates a sound that sounds like a lesser Chris Cagle, with a Luke Bryan-urge waiting to come through, making for an album that feels like it's simultaneously having an identity crisis and is too deeply fixated on monotony. With an overstuffed fifteen tracks (plus three or four additional tracks depending on what retailer you buy the deluxe edition from) and a melody and flow that sound interchangeable throughout the course of album, Old Boots, New Dirt is a plodding and forgettable letdown by one of country's biggest names.



Just from the title of the first song, "Just Gettin' Started," which is already working on being one of the most overused titles for a song, kicks off the album in a ho-hum manner, offering a solid flow, but thoroughly unremarkable lyricism. Following that track up is the okay but, again, sorely unmemorable "Show You Off," talking about Aldean simply wanting to bask a positive glow on the girl he is seeing at that time. The album persists on, often adhering to this theme by throwing songs like "Tonight Looks Good on You" in the mix of things and others like the nonchalant "Laid Back," "Too Fast," which clicks because it seems to identify what exactly Aldean was going for on this album, the album's winner, "Two Night Town," detailing Aldean staying three nights in a two night motel, and even the album's titular song, which seems to hold meaning all of its own.



To me, the significance of the title "Old Boots, New Dirt" is that, for this particular album, Aldean strapped on the same old boots that have guided him towards success but has decided to use those boots to explore unforeseen dirt or dirt he hasn't personally conquered yet. More power to him and I'm glad he decided to venture out of his comfort zone. However, rarely has an album seen so interchangeable, where one track can almost bleed over to the next one. Just a few weeks ago, Big & Rich gave us a change of pace with their album Gravity, in an effective, melodic fashion. Aldean wants you to know how much Old Boots, New Dirt is different from his other works so much so that he's willing to make flows and songs that sound the same so you can catch on accordingly.



Recommended tracks (in order): "Two Night Town," Old Boots, New Dirt, and "Too Fast." Jason Aldean'scomes after his numerous appearances on the fronts of tabloid covers and unfavorable headlines on TMZ following a cheating scandal. For once, his charismatic and inherently likable nature has been tested and he now must try to continue his career, redirecting the large amounts of scrutiny away from him so that his music can be focused on in the most unbiased way possible.With that being said,is a mediocre change-up in direction for the singer who has made country-boy debauchery the prime focus of his last two albums (including his wildly successful, which propelled him to the level of being a household name with single-after-single). He creates a sound that sounds like a lesser Chris Cagle, with a Luke Bryan-urge waiting to come through, making for an album that feels like it's simultaneously having an identity crisis and is too deeply fixated on monotony. With an overstuffed fifteen tracks (plus three or four additional tracks depending on what retailer you buy the deluxe edition from) and a melody and flow that sound interchangeable throughout the course of album,is a plodding and forgettable letdown by one of country's biggest names.Just from the title of the first song, "Just Gettin' Started," which is already working on being one of the most overused titles for a song, kicks off the album in a ho-hum manner, offering a solid flow, but thoroughly unremarkable lyricism. Following that track up is the okay but, again, sorely unmemorable "Show You Off," talking about Aldean simply wanting to bask a positive glow on the girl he is seeing at that time. The album persists on, often adhering to this theme by throwing songs like "Tonight Looks Good on You" in the mix of things and others like the nonchalant "Laid Back," "Too Fast," which clicks because it seems to identify what exactly Aldean was going for on this album, the album's winner, "Two Night Town," detailing Aldean staying three nights in a two night motel, and even the album's titular song, which seems to hold meaning all of its own.To me, the significance of the title "Old Boots, New Dirt" is that, for this particular album, Aldean strapped on the same old boots that have guided him towards success but has decided to use those boots to explore unforeseen dirt or dirt he hasn't personally conquered yet. More power to him and I'm glad he decided to venture out of his comfort zone. However, rarely has an album seen so interchangeable, where one track can almost bleed over to the next one. Just a few weeks ago, Big & Rich gave us a change of pace with their album, in an effective, melodic fashion. Aldean wants you to know how muchis different from his other works so much so that he's willing to make flows and songs that sound the same so you can catch on accordingly.Recommended tracks (in order): "Two Night Town," Old Boots, New Dirt, and "Too Fast."