Play Review

PLAY
Brad Paisley
2008
Arista Nashville
Prod. by Frank Rogers


I should come out in front of this album and admit that I'm not much of a country music person. More so in that genre of music than any other, melodies, harmonies, and lyrical themes borrow liberally from inspiring classics and contemporary artists. However, I have a soft spot in my heart for the extremely lyrical and expressive guitar noodling that comes out of the combination of country and rock music. Most consider the genre long gone, the days of Duane Allman, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and The Outlaws being long behind us.

Maybe this is why Play feels like such a breath of fresh air. While there are a few very traditional country songs that neither offend nor excite on the album, this is Paisley mostly fooling around with his six strings both acoustic and electric, along with the occasional banjo. And, guys? The boy can play. He's no legend, at least not yet, but it's shocking how long this album lasts without ever feeling supremely repetitive. Much of what's here is his own take on the work of The Outlaws, but he also puts on the hats of Dick Dale, Eric Johnson, and BB King throughout the proceedings.

So, where does this album take its faults? Well, the country songs that appear are not so good that they'll convert opponents of the genre, and it's probably two or three songs too long. Meanwhile, although he pulls in a number of vocal and instrumental guests, none of them are as differentiable as, say, Duane Allman and Eric Clapton on Layla. But it's smart, it's fun, and it's probably worth your time. And, most importantly, it'll give you faith in the guitarists of our time once again.

4/5
HIGHLIGHTS: "Turf's Up," "Kentucky Jelly," "Cluster Pluck," "Cliffs of Rock City"
MISSED OPPORTUNITIES: "Departure," "More Than Just This Song," "What A Friend We Have In Jesus"
NEXT STOP: Derek & The Dominoes, "Layla And Other Assorted Love Songs"
AFTER THAT: The Allman Brothers Band, "At Fillmore East"