CD Review – Clancy’s Tavern – Toby Keith

12 years ago Liv Carter Comments Off on CD Review – Clancy’s Tavern – Toby Keith

Clancy’s Tavern – Toby Keith  (ShowDog-Universal Music, 2011)

While listening through (multiple times)  Toby Keith’s  15th album, ‘Clancy’s Tavern,’ I found myself subconsciously categorizing every song as it played and that became very distracting. When an album does not have any fluidity, your mind and ears are left jumping all over the place and it is difficult to land and really embrace each selection.

‘Beers Ago’ is a hook-filled, rocking country tune about life as a country boy, including owning a red truck, making whoopee, drinking and tryin’ not to get caught and all the shenanigans in-between. However it is stationed between ‘Just Another Sundown’ and ‘South of You,’ both of which are unimpressive ballads that seem to be mere track fillers.  ‘South of You’ is followed by harmonica-riddled ‘Club Zydeco Moon’ which is reminiscent of the previous album’s single, ‘Bullets in the Gun.’ (A dancer/stripper playing with the hearts, minds, innocence and wallets of men…) Overall, it felt like a game of hop-scotch going on in my mind.

This album’s  first single, ‘Made in America,’  is classic Toby patriotism and while this type of mantra is close to becoming overkill on the air waves, Toby knows his audience and crafts his music with not only his fans in mind, but with “formula”-type approach. ‘Tryin’ to Fall in Love’ (co-written with Bobby Pinson) is an example of yet another “rejected by a woman” tune, albeit with a catchy, upbeat flair that I suspect will strike a chord with many. However, lyrically, it falls short. “I fell in love with Linda/she didn’t love me back/ I went crazy over Chrissy / she went crazy over Jack.” Toby is clearly capable of being more creative than this.

And to prove my point, here come the only surprises and delights of the album, ‘I Won’t Let You Down’ (written soley by Keith) and ‘Clancy’s Tavern’ (co-written with Scotty Emerick). The music from the album’s title track immediately reminds you of an Irish pub with its lilting sound, but as you journey through the song you visualize his grandma’s tavern and all the country-grown characters that called it home. A more mature, clever and wise Toby is reflected here.

Out of nowhere also comes the heartfelt, bluesy-sounding, blistering guitar-solo filled ‘I Won’t Let You Down’ whose core sentiment is that if you don’t try to change the one you love (or expect a miraculous makeover), the relationship has a better shot at survival. There is level of sincerity in Toby’s vocals on these two songs that I fail to see on the other tracks, which is unfortunate.

If you are content with picking and choosing a few recorded songs to add to your playlist, you will be satisfied. However, if you are looking for more, you may be disappointed. The Deluxe Edition of the cd has Toby and his band, Incognito Bandito, performing 4, live, cover songs which really sound great. Keith has the ability to cover a song and make it almost more enjoyable than the original. Live tracks include ‘High Time (You Quit Your Low Down Ways) –Waylon Jennings; ‘Truck Drivin’ Man’ – Buck Owens; ‘Shambala’  – Three Dog Night and ‘Memphis’ – Chuck Berry.

Liv Carter

Liv Carter

Liv is a career coach for creatives, and the people who work with them.
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.
Liv Carter

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