CMT Blog: Archive

How can someone who talks so slow sing so damn fast? That's what I want to know every time I hear Jason Aldean's "She's Country." In real life he's got one of those Georgia drawls that makes every conversation last twice as long as it needs to. And you can hear that side of him on his new album, due out Tuesday (April 7), on stretched-out-and-sexy tracks like "Love Was Easy," "The Truth" and "Fast" (which despite its name is probably the most tender ballad on the album).

But I am a lyrics memorizer. So I see songs like his platinum-sellin', city-name-checkin', banjo-pickin', fast-talker "She's Country" as a personal challenge. You show me a song with words I can hardly decipher, I will show you an afternoon where I do nothing but hit my back button until I get it right. This one's all about this hard-to-define woman who's a bit of a ragin' Cajun, a juicy Georgia peach, a Kansas princess, a bad mamajama from down in Alabama and a hell-raisin' sugar. It's like I am learning the Big Mac jingle all over again. Only this time, it's a country song, and it's all about a sexy swingin' walk, cowboy boots and down-home roots.

What I love about Aldean is that he has not fallen prey to the theme-album craze. "This is my dark album." "This is my joyous album." "This is my traditional album." Please. I mean, who wants the same song to play over and over? This is one album that will have you drumming your steering wheel one minute and forgiving sins the next. It's music the album title so aptly describes as wide open. Aldean says of the album, "I'm really just starting to hit my stride."

I think by "stride" he means he can sing any kind of song, give each one his Southern rock feel and never leave anyone feeling like they've already heard it. Even on "Big Green Tractor," which you think will be a Kenny Chesney-like ode to girls who love tractors, Aldean has managed to give that one his own voice.

If you download it today (April 6), you can get Wide Open for just $3.99 at Amazon.com.