CD review: Blake Shelton, “Hillbilly Bone”
From Friday’s Weekend Look section of The Oklahoman.
Country
Blake Shelton “Hillbilly Bone” (Warner Bros.)
Oklahoma country music star Blake Shelton sets out to tickle his fans’ “Hillbilly Bone” with his sixth album, an amusing ode to what he calls “redneck fun.”
With “Hillbilly Bone,” the Ada native tries an innovative format. Instead of a traditional 10- to 12-track record, the new album has been dubbed a “Six Pak,” with six new songs and a price tag around $6. While Shelton plans to send out another Six Pak in August, the current release feels undeniably short and slight.
Still, “Hillbilly Bone” is fortified with appealingly downhome humor, with the title track and album opener setting the rowdy tone. The fastest-rising single of Shelton’s decade-long career, the raucous duet pairs the Okie and deep-voiced country crooner Trace Adkins. With their good-natured drawls and good ol’ boy personalities, it’s tough to imagine a more fitting musical match.
The Academy of Country Music apparently agrees: Shelton and Adkins were nominated Tuesday for vocal event of the year at the 45th Annual ACM Awards, which will air live April 18.
Shelton, who lives on a Tishomingo farm, defiantly pays tribute to Marlboro Reds, Wrangler jeans, moonshine and myriad other symbols of the small-town, backwoods lifestyle with “Kiss My Country A- -.”
The singer’s sly sense of humor sneaks through on the deceptively pretty ballads “You’ll Always Be Beautiful” and “Delilah.” The first extols the virtues of standing by your woman even when you have to haul her home drunk and wake up with her hung over. As for the second, Shelton penned it about one of girlfriend Miranda Lambert’s dogs.
And if album closer “Almost Alright” uses playful steel drums that sound more Caribbean beach party than Oklahoma field party, well, at least it’s still a party.
— BAM
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Bought it…..LOVE it!