Album Review: Moonshine in the Trunk – Brad Paisley
10 years ago Liv Carter Comments Off on Album Review: Moonshine in the Trunk – Brad Paisley
After a month of album “leaks” via various social media platforms, Brad Paisley finally dropped his new album, Moonshine in the Trunk, this week. I was ready to submit my review by Tuesday, but ended up spending the rest of the week with the record. I am glad I did.
After the extremely impressive 2013 release, Wheelhouse, was lauded by critics but underperformed commercially, I wondered what the response would be. Was Paisley going to persist or was he going to turn toward what the market has been demanding? On Moonshine, he does a little of both. Together with fellow songwriters Lee Thomas Miller, Kelley Lovelace, Brent Anderson, Chris DuBois, and Tim Owens, Paisley wrote an album that both impresses and frustrates.
The bad news is easy to avoid though. Steer clear of the few songs that employ any of the beer/truck/girl tropes, and you will discover some outstanding work. It’s not like first single, ‘River Bank,’ has that much to say, but it is saved by creative songwriting. The same skill also elevates carpe diem-anthem ‘Limes,’ and ‘High Life,’ part redneck celebration, part social commentary.
Paisley has always had a knack for combining substance with light-heartedness, and it is again a defining characteristic of this album. The solo-penned ‘Shattered Glass’ is all substance as it tackles gender inequality while treading lightly. Its feminist message is delivered easily with a strong, charged vocal performance. All those elements are also present on ‘You Shouldn’t Have To,’ a truly modern and sweet seducer that leaves the woman her autonomy and self-respect. (Side note: if only they had sent this song to radio next, instead of the rather mundane ‘Perfect Storm.’)
And speaking of radio songs, album-only track ‘Country Nation’ is a hit-in-waiting. It relies on the oft-successful method of name-checking various places around the country, but in a fashion I have never heard before. Brilliant! Bonus track, ‘Me and Jesus,’ is an untouched and acoustic Tom T. Hall gem that by itself is enough reason to grab the full album. It also has a rather unusual history – Paisley worked on the song on Air Force One during a trip to Afghanistan with President Obama.
The reason the extra listening time was useful was to fully appreciate the production value. Repeated listens are needed to unpeel the layers and reveal surprises. Paisley showed himself a creative and meticulous producer when he took the helm for Wheelhouse, and for the new record he enlisted the additional assistance of Luke Wooten. The tracks are crisp and fresh, instruments carefully layered, and studio tickery solely applied to enhance what is already there. While this album isn’t as sonically diverse as its predecessor, it is also tighter and more disciplined.
Moonshine in the Trunk is available now in music stores and from digital retailers.
Liv Carter
She holds several certificates from Berklee College of Music, and a certificate in Positive Psychology from UC Berkeley.
Her main influences are coffee, cats, and Alexander Hamilton.
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