Before I begin my review, I want to acknowledge that this one has been a long time coming as it came out a few months ago. I debated just not doing it since it's been out for a while, but that idea didn't settle right with me because this album is too good to ignore. And it's not like my opinions on the songs has changed since I heard it the first time right after it came out. So, here is my long overdue review of Kellie Pickler's 100 Proof.
First, I'm going to give my general thoughts about it before the cut if you want a quicker read. Feel like a long read? Well, then after the cut I'm looking at each song individually and going into a little more detail like I do in my song reviews. It does get kind of long in there, just to warn you. So really, I got ya covered whatever your reading preference may be at this time.
- In a nutshell, I feel like this is the strongest CD Kellie Pickler has done so far by a lot. I enjoyed her first two, especially her first one, but I kind of felt like Kellie was still trying to figure out who she was as an artist. Sometimes it takes a while and that's fine. I'm not trying to knock those first two as it's not like they were bad by any means. I feel like both of them gave the listener glimpses of who she was, but something was lacking in both. Something that is not lacking anymore.
- Which brings me to my next point. If Kellie didn't know who she was as an artist; if people were confused about who she was as an artist, they needn't be any longer. Because with 100 Proof she has landed exactly where she needs to be. This is one of the highest compliments I can give an artist. This is the most authentic she has been and it's wonderful.
- You know what else is wonderful? The traditional country sound she has going here. In a lot of ways this album feels like a throwback to classic country with some modern elements mixed in. In a time when a lot of artists seemed bound and determined to convince everyone that they are country, this just is. What's beautiful is that this album is representing a country sound that hardly any other current female artist has now.
- I really love the production of this album and the playing on it. I also believe that this is the best that Kellie's ever sounded. All the songs are very well written and fit together nicely. This album has a very nice flow to it.
- Yeah, I really do love this album and those are really the main reasons why. Now to look a little deeper at each cut individually after the cut.
"Where's Tammy Wynette" The first couple of lines: "I stay torn between killing him and loving him/ He stays torn between neon lights and home" I love it. I love when a song can hook me from the very beginning and that's what this does. That little riff and then that line coming in, it's such a great start and I really like the concept. It makes me so happy that Kellie cut this song and I hope it inspires people who maybe aren't so familiar with Tammy Wynette to look her up. Spoiler alert: she was pretty awesome.
"Unlock That Honky-Tonk" Okay, so the first song is such a throwback country song to me while this one feels a little more modern. I can't really explain why. I like that this was the second song since it shows some diversity. Another song with a great feel and the sentiment of this song. Very solid song.
"Stop Cheatin' On Me" This one sounds like something that Tammy Wynette or Loretta Lynn may have recorded. The concept of this makes me chuckle a little bit. "Stop cheatin' on me/ Or I'll start cheatin' on you". Interesting take on the cheating song, eh? I see this one as being a really fun song live since I can just imagine people singing along with it.
"Long As I Never See You Again" In an album of well written songs, this one might be one of the best. I particularly love Kellie's vocal on this. The song's about how she's finally over this guy and is going to be okay - just as long as she never sees him again. It's beautifully sung and played; the music cradles her voice so nicely. The steel guitar is probably my favorite instrument ever and this song does a great job in highlighting why. It can add so much to a song; so much that it almost becomes more of a character than an instrument. Shout-out to Paul Franklin who played the steel on this album. One of the finest steel players of our time. Such beautiful playing here for a beautiful vocal on a lovely lyric.
"Tough" Another of my favorites on this album. Lyrically I really like that this came after the last song, which was about how she's going to be okay as long as she never sees him again. And this song is why she'll be okay - she's been through a lot in her life and always makes it through because she's tough. I don't know if that's what they were thinking putting this song after that one, but I find it interesting. It was a fantastic choice for a first single off of this album.
"Turn On the Radio and Dance" The title of this initially led me to believe that this was going to be faster. The tempo was a surprise, but a pleasant one. A very nice mid-tempo, mid-album song. There's a breeziness to this almost, it has a good feel to it.
"Mother's Day" Kellie co-wrote six of the songs on this album, including this one which she wrote with her husband Kyle Jacobs, which is one of the most personal songs on here. What I like about this is that it very easily could have been sappy, but is not. It feels very real to me. The first part is kind of heartbreaking and I like the hopeful twist it takes as the song progresses. The realness makes this one of the best cuts on the album. I love the simplicity of the music in this as well.
"Rockaway (The Rockin' Chair Song)" I've seen other reviews call this next song Dolly Parton-esque and I completely agree with that. It feels like something that Dolly Parton would write and that's not a bad thing at all. Kellie even sounds like her a bit at times in this, especially when it gets higher. This is one I seem to like more with each listen.
"Little House On the Highway" This might be one of my least favorite song on the album and it's not because it's a bad song. It isn't. It's a very good song in fact, but for whatever reason it doesn't stick out as much as some of the others do. I do like the groove this song has and the feel of it.
"100 Proof" Since I already did a review of this song, I decided to include a link to that: http://countrymusicatk.blogspot.com/2012/03/song-review-kellie-picklers-100-proof.html#more It's all still true, I promise. Such a strong lyric with a terrific vocal by Kellie. I love this song and think it was a great choice for a next single.
"The Letter (To Daddy)" I usually like to read other reviews when I write reviews, just because it interests me to see what other people think and came across this article, http://tinyurl.com/6w85f7h It was there that I first learned about the origins of this song and how it was never intended to be heard by anyone else. It's so honest and heartfelt and I really like how stripped down it is. Just Kellie and a guitar. This song is a great example of less being more - adding anything else would've ruined it. It could've been more polished if they'd wanted, but it would've lost a large part of what makes it so special.
"Arm Candy (Bonus Track)" And finally, we come to what might be the strangest song on this album. I'll be totally honest and admit that the first time I heard this, I was wondering what made her include it as a bonus track. But you know what? This song has grown on me quite a bit and I don't even know what it is about it. It has a certain charm to it; a quirkiness to it that I appreciate. I feel like this one might be a bit of an acquired taste. I would really love to know everyone's thoughts on it.
So yeah, there we go. I really believe that this is one of the strongest albums out right now and one that belongs in your collection. This is Kellie's time to shine and this is the album that can get her there. It's so crazy good and she so deserves it. I'm really hoping that we start seeing her getting nominated for things and not just getting nominated, but winning. In another blog I admitted that most of my favorite newer albums have been put out by men and I've been waiting for a solo female artist to put out an album that I'd lump in with all of those and you know what? Kellie Pickler has done that. As I've said before, Kellie Pickler is exactly where she needs to be. Now country radio and the country fans need to get behind her and 100 Proof. Do your ears a favor and get this album if you haven't already.
First, I'm going to give my general thoughts about it before the cut if you want a quicker read. Feel like a long read? Well, then after the cut I'm looking at each song individually and going into a little more detail like I do in my song reviews. It does get kind of long in there, just to warn you. So really, I got ya covered whatever your reading preference may be at this time.
- In a nutshell, I feel like this is the strongest CD Kellie Pickler has done so far by a lot. I enjoyed her first two, especially her first one, but I kind of felt like Kellie was still trying to figure out who she was as an artist. Sometimes it takes a while and that's fine. I'm not trying to knock those first two as it's not like they were bad by any means. I feel like both of them gave the listener glimpses of who she was, but something was lacking in both. Something that is not lacking anymore.
- Which brings me to my next point. If Kellie didn't know who she was as an artist; if people were confused about who she was as an artist, they needn't be any longer. Because with 100 Proof she has landed exactly where she needs to be. This is one of the highest compliments I can give an artist. This is the most authentic she has been and it's wonderful.
- You know what else is wonderful? The traditional country sound she has going here. In a lot of ways this album feels like a throwback to classic country with some modern elements mixed in. In a time when a lot of artists seemed bound and determined to convince everyone that they are country, this just is. What's beautiful is that this album is representing a country sound that hardly any other current female artist has now.
- I really love the production of this album and the playing on it. I also believe that this is the best that Kellie's ever sounded. All the songs are very well written and fit together nicely. This album has a very nice flow to it.
- Yeah, I really do love this album and those are really the main reasons why. Now to look a little deeper at each cut individually after the cut.
"Where's Tammy Wynette" The first couple of lines: "I stay torn between killing him and loving him/ He stays torn between neon lights and home" I love it. I love when a song can hook me from the very beginning and that's what this does. That little riff and then that line coming in, it's such a great start and I really like the concept. It makes me so happy that Kellie cut this song and I hope it inspires people who maybe aren't so familiar with Tammy Wynette to look her up. Spoiler alert: she was pretty awesome.
"Unlock That Honky-Tonk" Okay, so the first song is such a throwback country song to me while this one feels a little more modern. I can't really explain why. I like that this was the second song since it shows some diversity. Another song with a great feel and the sentiment of this song. Very solid song.
"Stop Cheatin' On Me" This one sounds like something that Tammy Wynette or Loretta Lynn may have recorded. The concept of this makes me chuckle a little bit. "Stop cheatin' on me/ Or I'll start cheatin' on you". Interesting take on the cheating song, eh? I see this one as being a really fun song live since I can just imagine people singing along with it.
"Long As I Never See You Again" In an album of well written songs, this one might be one of the best. I particularly love Kellie's vocal on this. The song's about how she's finally over this guy and is going to be okay - just as long as she never sees him again. It's beautifully sung and played; the music cradles her voice so nicely. The steel guitar is probably my favorite instrument ever and this song does a great job in highlighting why. It can add so much to a song; so much that it almost becomes more of a character than an instrument. Shout-out to Paul Franklin who played the steel on this album. One of the finest steel players of our time. Such beautiful playing here for a beautiful vocal on a lovely lyric.
"Tough" Another of my favorites on this album. Lyrically I really like that this came after the last song, which was about how she's going to be okay as long as she never sees him again. And this song is why she'll be okay - she's been through a lot in her life and always makes it through because she's tough. I don't know if that's what they were thinking putting this song after that one, but I find it interesting. It was a fantastic choice for a first single off of this album.
"Turn On the Radio and Dance" The title of this initially led me to believe that this was going to be faster. The tempo was a surprise, but a pleasant one. A very nice mid-tempo, mid-album song. There's a breeziness to this almost, it has a good feel to it.
"Mother's Day" Kellie co-wrote six of the songs on this album, including this one which she wrote with her husband Kyle Jacobs, which is one of the most personal songs on here. What I like about this is that it very easily could have been sappy, but is not. It feels very real to me. The first part is kind of heartbreaking and I like the hopeful twist it takes as the song progresses. The realness makes this one of the best cuts on the album. I love the simplicity of the music in this as well.
"Rockaway (The Rockin' Chair Song)" I've seen other reviews call this next song Dolly Parton-esque and I completely agree with that. It feels like something that Dolly Parton would write and that's not a bad thing at all. Kellie even sounds like her a bit at times in this, especially when it gets higher. This is one I seem to like more with each listen.
"Little House On the Highway" This might be one of my least favorite song on the album and it's not because it's a bad song. It isn't. It's a very good song in fact, but for whatever reason it doesn't stick out as much as some of the others do. I do like the groove this song has and the feel of it.
"100 Proof" Since I already did a review of this song, I decided to include a link to that: http://countrymusicatk.blogspot.com/2012/03/song-review-kellie-picklers-100-proof.html#more It's all still true, I promise. Such a strong lyric with a terrific vocal by Kellie. I love this song and think it was a great choice for a next single.
"The Letter (To Daddy)" I usually like to read other reviews when I write reviews, just because it interests me to see what other people think and came across this article, http://tinyurl.com/6w85f7h It was there that I first learned about the origins of this song and how it was never intended to be heard by anyone else. It's so honest and heartfelt and I really like how stripped down it is. Just Kellie and a guitar. This song is a great example of less being more - adding anything else would've ruined it. It could've been more polished if they'd wanted, but it would've lost a large part of what makes it so special.
"Arm Candy (Bonus Track)" And finally, we come to what might be the strangest song on this album. I'll be totally honest and admit that the first time I heard this, I was wondering what made her include it as a bonus track. But you know what? This song has grown on me quite a bit and I don't even know what it is about it. It has a certain charm to it; a quirkiness to it that I appreciate. I feel like this one might be a bit of an acquired taste. I would really love to know everyone's thoughts on it.
So yeah, there we go. I really believe that this is one of the strongest albums out right now and one that belongs in your collection. This is Kellie's time to shine and this is the album that can get her there. It's so crazy good and she so deserves it. I'm really hoping that we start seeing her getting nominated for things and not just getting nominated, but winning. In another blog I admitted that most of my favorite newer albums have been put out by men and I've been waiting for a solo female artist to put out an album that I'd lump in with all of those and you know what? Kellie Pickler has done that. As I've said before, Kellie Pickler is exactly where she needs to be. Now country radio and the country fans need to get behind her and 100 Proof. Do your ears a favor and get this album if you haven't already.
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