Music review: Jason Aldean – 鈥楻earview Town鈥�
Six months after his powerful 鈥淪aturday Night Live鈥� performance of Tom Petty鈥檚 鈥淚 Won鈥檛 Back Down鈥� in remembrance of the Las Vegas shooting victims, Jason Aldean releases a new album that displays a defiant determination.
The spirited 鈥淒irt to Dust鈥� opens the set with the Georgia native describing the vital transition from work week to weekend singing, 鈥淟ight it up, let it out, stir it up, turning dirt to dust.鈥�
Made loud to be played loud, the party anthems 鈥淕ettin鈥� Warmed Up鈥� and 鈥淪et It Off鈥� follow the familiar formula found on 鈥淟ights Come On鈥� and 鈥淭he Way a Night Should Feel鈥� from 2016鈥檚 鈥淭hey Don鈥檛 Know.鈥� One could say that this is definitely the 41-year-old singer-songwriter鈥檚 kind of party as he sings about turning an ordinary night into something memorable.
Written by Brian Kelley and Tyler Hubbard of Florida Georgia Line along with Morgan Wallen and Jordan Schmidt, 鈥淵ou Make It Easy鈥� is the album鈥檚 first single and carries a smooth blues vibe as Aldean reflects on the inspiration provided by his better half by declaring, 鈥淵ou鈥檙e my sunshine in the darkest days/My better half, my saving grace/You make me who I wanna be.鈥�
The title track speaks about leaving the limited opportunities of a small town for bigger and better things with Aldean confessing, 鈥淣ever thought I鈥檇 ever leave it/It ain鈥檛 nothin鈥� what it used to be.鈥�
The theme of moving forward continues on 鈥淏lacktop Gone鈥� with Aldean making a hasty exit while singing, 鈥淏lacktop gone, four lane fast/Topping off the tank with some never look back.鈥�
Of course, heartache always manages to spoil the good times.
On 鈥淗igh Noon Neon,鈥� the loneliness of hitting rock bottom is revealed when you find yourself sitting at the bar in the middle of the day trying to drink away her memory.
The heartbreak continues on the closer 鈥淒rowns the Whiskey鈥� with Miranda Lambert joining Aldean only to discover (much like Travis Tritt and Marty Stuart back in 1991) the whiskey ain鈥檛 working at washing away the memories contributing to a broken heart.
You can bet it will be electric when Aldean hits the stage during a Pittsburgh appearance at KeyBank Pavilion on Aug. 24.
Clint Rhodes is the 缅北禁地 music reviewer. He can be reached at clinton43@me.com.