Arista
2005
Time Well Wasted
About This Album
As anybody who follows country music knows, Brad Paisley is acknowledged among audiences and critics alike as the new traditionalist standard-bearer for the 2000s -- the new guy that not only keeps the fire burning, but also rakes in the cash, having number one hits along with good reviews. He's not big and brassy like Toby Keith; he's the heir to George Strait, Randy Travis, and Alan Jackson, the guy who hails back to George Jones, Merle Haggard, and Buck Owens but is savvy enough not to play to overly serious Americana fans, the listeners who like their country music somber. That's not Paisley -- he may take his music seriously and will sing a serious ballad or two, but he also likes to crack wise and have a little fun. Although that's certainly preferable to colorless alt-country singers, Paisley has been known to overdose on fun, favoring a cute turn of phrase or a knowing wink to his audience. Of course, humor has always played a big part in country -- George Jones, one of Paisley's heroes, made novelties his stock-in-trade -- but there was a terminal cutesiness that threatened to overwhelm his otherwise excellent third album, Mud on the Tires. Thankfully, Paisley has reigned in this trait on its superb follow-up, 2005's Time Well Wasted.
Track List (try tracks 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,12,13,14 and 15)

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