Blake Shelton: Red River Blue
Off the heels of The Voice, country boy pulls out fifth disc
Blake Shelton’s newest LP Red River Blue aggressively plays up Shelton’s charming personality and sense of humor. A solid country album, the effort never comes off ‘innovative,’ but features some solid standouts. “Honey Bee,” the ‘selling point,’ opens the effort brightly finding Shelton expressing ‘expectations’ of the relationship to his lover (“you be my soft and sweet/I’ll be your strong and steady…”). The proceeding “Ready to Roll” possesses some crossover appeal with a soulful-pop groove while the honky-tonk influenced “Get Some” finds Shelton at his most buoyant and humorous. Tracks like “Drink On It,” “Good Ole Boys,” and the ludicrous “Hey” continue to play up ‘country boy swag,’ while closer “Red River Blue” slows the tempo, aiming for sincerity. While “Honey Bee” may be the main attraction, Red River Blue features a solid ‘supporting cast’ of cuts that hardly disappoint.
BRENT FAULKNER
HIFI DETAILS
- Release Date: 12 July 2011
- Label: Warner Bros.
- Producers: Scott Hendricks
- Spin This: ““Honey Bee,” “Get Some,” “Red River Blue”
