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George Strait: The Road Less Traveled
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TRACKS 1. She'll Leave You
With A Smile
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Hard core George Strait fans may be a little surprised as they listen to his latest offering "The Road Less Traveled". George ventures out from his traditional cocoon and tests the diversity of country music's waters with one of his most versatile compilations to date. The results of his efforts are mixed. In the past George's reluctance to vary from his proven formula of success has been widely criticized but this time out his yearly offering is the most un-Straitlike project he's done. The hearts of traditionalists may sink a bit upon hearing the opening pop-drenched cut, "She'll Leave You With A Smile", and the project's lead single "Run" will do little to calm their nerves. Choosing to stray from significantly from his usual array of songwriting contributors, listeners will find a familiar name with Rodney Crowell's Stars On The Water. The infectious song shows plenty of promise although background vocals distract from its full potential. In a recent AP interview George himself seems a little uncertain about the results of the computerized mixing. "Really, my producer Tony Brown did that, I really didn't care for it at first. . . . He kept easing it off and easing it off. I kind of like it now." Unfortunately for George one of the album's strongest tracks, The Real Thing, will be given a run for its money by a young, up and coming Texas artist, Rodney Hayden. The song will be making it's way to Texas country music radio soon as the debut single off of Rodney's upcoming independent release. Both versions of the song were produced by MCA's Tony Brown although the end results are markedly different, and have about as much in common as Nashville and Texas. The Chip Taylor penned song seems to criticize music that's generated to achieve crossover success, " I don't want you under my roof, with your 86 proof watered down till it tastes like tea If you're gonna pull my string, make it the real thing for me " but George warns his fans about taking it too seriously. "It's just a fun song, I like some of the lines in it, you know? They kind of ring true." Listeners have to wait until the last cut to hear the undeniable highlight of the entire album. Fans who have attended one of his country music festivals during the past couple of years have already experienced Strait's amazing, first-rate cover of the legendary Merle Haggard song 'My Life's Been Grand'. George's rendition is hauntingly superb, as he eloquently pays homage to one of his musical heroes in the smooth, understated elegance we've come to expect from one of country music's most enduring modern legends. When all is said and done, this may not be one of Strait's finest when compared against 'Does Fort Worth Ever Cross Your Mind, Blue Clear Sky, or Carrying Your Love With Me, but it does hold its own and offers the listener a brief glimpse at the versatility of one of country music's finest as he takes an unexpected journey on a road less traveled.
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Laurie Joulie Take
Country Back November 2001