He can bond the guys while they have a couple of beers. He can make the heart of a hopeless melt. He can make people laugh with his witty lyrics, yet also think and reflect on modern day society. He has had numerous No. 1 hits, and he has done it again. Brad Paisley released his American Saturday Night album Tuesday, and did not disappoint.
The album is full of variety for all people and all moods. The country singer co-wrote every song on the CD, and also played multiple instruments throughout the album.
His hit single, “Then,” is a love ballad that explains how his love for his wife continues to grow on as every day passes. Although this song is similar to past pieces he’s produced, it will still make girls sigh and get weak at the knees when he says things like: “Now you’re my whole life/ Now you’re my whole world/ I just can’t believe the way I feel about you girl/ We’ll look back someday at this moment that we’re in/ And I’ll look at you and say/ ‘And I thought I loved you then'”
He not only sings about his love for his wife, but also for their children. In “Anything Like Me,” Paisley wonders about the futures of his children. The song reveals details of Brad’s youth as he wonders if their childhood will be anything like his: “I already dread the day/ He’s gonna hug his mama, he’s gonna shake my hand/ He’s gonna act like he can’t wait to leave/ But as he drives out, he’ll cry his eyes out/ If he’s anything like me.”
Paisley not only lets listeners into his life, but also into his personal thoughts and beliefs about modern society in both “American Saturday Night” and “Welcome to the Future.” Paisley is not the stereotypical backwoods country boy with a drawl and a small brain. These songs have quips that will make you smile, but also think with their serious undertones.
In “Welcome to the Future,” Paisley captures a number of memories and compares them to modern times. For example, he remembers when a teammate of his had a cross burned in their front yard because he asked out the homecoming queen: “I thought about him today/ And everybody who’s seen what he’s seen/ From a woman on a bus, to a man with a dream/ Hey, wake up Martin Luther/ Welcome to the future.”
A few songs could have been left out such as “Catch all the Fish” and “The Pants.” Both are toe-tapping songs that could be heard at a bar, and do not highlight Brad Paisley and his pure talent for music. However, those are the only complaints on the album.
In its entirety, American Saturday Night exposes Paisley and can relate to all types of listeners. Songs such as “Water” and “No” musically sounded like a typical Brad Paisley song with his guitar instrumentals, but it was pleasantly surprising to hear him experiment with sound on “Everybody’s Here” and “Oh Yeah, You’re Gone.”
Purchasing the entire album is well worth the money, but if your budget only allows two songs from iTunes, get “Oh Yeah, You’re Gone” and the title track, “American Saturday Night.” You are guaranteed a progressive Brad Paisley song and a nice country jam.
4 stars out of 5.
