Music review: Toby Keith – ’35 MPH Town’
For his 18th studio release, Toby Keith delivers another well-balanced set of arrangements created from the same mold of earlier albums such as 鈥淒rinks After Work,鈥� 鈥淗ope on the Rocks鈥� and 鈥淐lancy鈥檚 Tavern.鈥�
As usual, the Oklahoma native demonstrates his rowdy tendencies, sentimental side and ornery nature on his first release in nearly two years.
Once the 鈥淎ngry American,鈥� the opening track finds Keith embracing America鈥檚 melting pot, where people can set aside their differences and share a cold one at the local watering hole. Sounding like a sequel to 2003鈥檚 鈥淚 Love This Bar,鈥� 鈥淒runk Americans鈥� proves that indeed alcohol can bring us all together as Keith sings, 鈥淲e ain鈥檛 East, we ain鈥檛 West/We ain鈥檛 left, we ain鈥檛 right/We ain鈥檛 black, we ain鈥檛 white/We just came here to drink.鈥�
Just like fellow country superstar Kenny Chesney, Keith adds a tropical flavoring to a pair of sailing-related tunes. With assistance from Jimmy Buffett鈥檚 Coral Reefer Band, 鈥淩um Is the Reason鈥� cleverly explains what specifically prevented pirates from ever ruling the world while 鈥淪ailboat for Sale鈥� features Buffett partnering with Keith on this laid-back charmer.
The title track showcases Keith at his best as he sings about the slow moral decay of daily life in a small town caused by an absence of God, respect for hard work and love for family values.
Keith describes a neighborhood where the kids no longer play football in the front yard, the porch light no longer signals the time to come home and households where the Bible simply sits in a shelf unopened instead of being part of everyday life.
A blaring horn section rattles the rafters and shakes the floorboards on 鈥�10 Foot Pole鈥� and 鈥淕ood Gets Here鈥� and sentimental numbers like 鈥淲hat She Left Behind,鈥� 鈥淗aggard, Hank and Her鈥� and 鈥淏eautiful Stranger鈥� prove Keith can slow it down and set a mood with the best of them.
Twenty-two years after his self-titled debut release, Keith is still in the driver鈥檚 seat with 鈥�35 MPH Town.鈥�
Clint Rhodes is the 缅北禁地 music reviewer. He can be reached at crhodes@heraldstandard.com.