A Collection of musings on music, life, and the world as we know it by someone who shouldn't know better.
Well you know those times when you feel there's a sign there on your back says I don't mind if ya kick me, seems everybody has...
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In Nashville, once somebody hits big, there seems to be a rash of soundalike artists signed to somehow have “lightning strike twice”. Garth Brooks begat Jeff Carson, The Dixie Chicks even in their own way begat Rascal Flatts, and with If You’re Going Through Hell, Tim McGraw now begat Rodney Atkins. Now Mind you, this isn’t even Atkins’ first trip to the park. Besides a false start in 1997, Atkins’ 2003 album Honesty slowly but surely won over country radio, with the third single (and title track) reaching #4. That album had many gems, and held promise for a building career. Well cue of 2006 and Atkins’ next single “If You’re Going Through Hell” became the biggest radio hit of last year, followed by a second hit “Watching You”, which held on to #1 for another four weeks. As for the namesake album, Atkins unfortunately forsakes originality for easy success, and while If You’re Going Through Hell has some good moments, too often it falls flat into clichés. Starting with the overused redneck-ad tracks “These Are My People” and “About The South”, Atkins takes on a direct impersonation of McGraw’s voice not heard even on his first outing, while sporting hokey lyrics better left for a newcomer. “Watching You” is about as hokey, but at least its saved by Atkins’ earnest delivery, singing convincing in the perspective of a realistic (albeit Bible-Belt) father. After four color-by-numbers country exercises, he picks up a little steam with the forlorn “Invisibly Shaken”, portraying a man quietly suffering heartbreak, and “Angel’s Hands” which illustrates the tragic consequences of addiction. “If You’re Going Through Hell (Before The Devil Even Knows)” is by far the standout track, overshadowing everything else here by a mile.With it swirling epic arrangement and uplighting message, the song deserved all the success it received. Tacked on to the end is an acoustic version of “Honesty (Write Me A List)”, which admittedly is a good plan (add the only top-10 hit from the previous album). This puts the album from kinda rote to a little over average, though the title track is definitely a keeper in any way you can get (thank goodness for I-Tunes).
Grade: C+ Best Cuts: “If You’re Going Through Hell”, “Invisibly Shaken”, “Honesty” Weakest Links: “These Are My People”, “About The South”, “Cleaning This Gun”
If You're Going Through Hell hit #3 pop albums and #1 country albums. "If You're Going Through Hell (Before The Devil Knows)" hit #1 country and #33 pop. "Watching You" hit #1 country and #36 pop. "These Are My People" made #20 country (so far).
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