Brad Paisley Album: “Mud on the Tires”

I don't throw out labels like "genius" often, but Brad Paisley must be one, because he has managed to remain rather traditional AND successful at the same time in a "country" music world mired by pop starlets like Faith Hill and Martina McBride and "hardcore" oafs like Big and Rich. While most country radio these days spin plasticized country like Rascal Flatts, they cannot ignore the drawing power of Brad Paisley.

His "Mud On The Tires" album stands squarely in the way of modern country music. The title song is great. "Celebrity" takes a stab at Hollywood's latest "get famous quick" fad. Immediately following that, "Ain't Nothin' Like" shows us all what really matters in the world today. Songs like "That's Love" and "Famous People" make us laugh and shake our heads and say "how true" everytime that we hear them. Paisley introduces the modern country fan to real legends like George Jones, Little Jimmie Dickens and Bill Anderson as they sit in on the "Spaghetti Western" song. We also get a taste of Redd Volkaert, who I'm sure 95% of modern country fans don't know about, but should. Allison Krauss and Vince Gill also sit in on a couple of the tracks.

Paisley has put together an album that pulls at the heart with songs like "Little Moments" and makes you laugh with tunes like "The Cigar Song." The instruments are played perfectly and the sound is fantastic.

If you miss the standards set by legends like Merle Haggard and Buck Owens, get this album or any of Paisley's offerings. If you want great modern "traditional" country, get this album. If you're hung up on who's wearing the tightest skirt or the latest Buffett rip-off from guys like Kenny Chesney, stay away from this, because you wouldn't know a real star from a poser if they fell on you.

I'm not a huge fan of "loved and left" country songs, or drinking yourself silly songs that seem to be commonplace among country music. My preferences might be met with protests of "but that's the heart and soul of country!" but I still say there's plenty of positive that is worth listening to. Brad Paisley's Mud on the Tires contains just the kinds of songs someone like me enjoys, with one or two exceptions. Brad's plain and simple, enjoyable, entertaining and laid-back style of singing mixed with light and happy tunes of the simple joys and hurts of life make it one of my favorite country albums.

Brad opens the album with the title track, "Mud on the Tires," which is a great summer song wherein the singer invites the love of his life to go for a ride in his brand new truck. It's just an awesome song that -- for me -- evokes memories of inviting summer evenings outdoors, the smell of freshly-mowed grass, crickets and birds singing in the background, and the sky turning darker shades of blue. Considering that the song was released as Brad's new single in WINTER, it shows how cool the song is.

Perhaps one of the funniest and cleverest songs in all of country music is Brad's "Celebrity," where he sings of all the benefits of being a celebrity, like being able to sue his dad, and dating supermodels, and wrecking Ferraris on his way to rehab, taking a little here and a little there from current culture. A rip-raring riot. Even if you don't like country music.

I can almost taste the catfish when Brad sings of simple pleasures in life in "Ain't Nothing Like."

Perhaps one of the best songs about affection for a spouse has to be "Little Moments," mixing and weaving the realest of life's quirky moments around what still remains true; the love that a couple shares. How good is this song? Let's put it this way. My sister found the song irresistible, and that's saying a lot. (If you ever want to hook someone on country music, use Celebrity and Little Moments)

These first four or five are my absolute favorites not only of the album, but out of country music altogether. The rest are more simple life songs, except the rather dreary Whiskey Lullaby, wherein he and Alison Krauss sing of an alcohol-ridden couple who eventually kill themselves one after the other after drowning their life sorrows in whiskey. In a more humorous style, he also sings about his love for fine cigars, which he can't afford, until he insures them and files a claim because, through a series of small fires, they were destroyed. :-)

From my perspective, the cream of the crop in country music comes from Paisley, and if you like country music in any form, or if you have more discriminating tastes, or even if you aren't particularly a fan of country music, you're certain to find plenty of hits worth listening to several times on this CD.

Brad Paisley is known as one of the most clever song-writers in all of the music world. This CD continues with that theme. Just like the first two CD's. this CD starts of with a clear, fun, feet-stomping song "Mud on the Tires". "Celebrity" is another fun song that has been a huge radio hit. The fourth song is "Little Moments" which I heard him sing at the Grand Ole Opry the week before the CD arrived. There were many tears in the crowd. This song is the perfect example of how well Paisley can write a song that strikes a chord by writing about moments and emotions that are simple, but true. "Famous People" is my favorite song, just because of how funny it is. If you know anyone form the country (where I live) you'll understand why. "Whiskey Lullaby" is a beautiful song, with one problem - we want more of Kraus and Paisley together. "The Best Thing I had Going" and "The Cigar Song" are different sounding songs, but shows how amazing Paisley is (much like Toby Keith) in how he can make two seperate styles of music sound ao good together. A great cover, "Is It Raining At Your House", and another gospel rendition and this CD certainly stands on it own. The problem is Paisley can never make enough music to keep his fans happy. Thank you Brad for making country music so much better.

Like many others, Brad Paisley was my crossover artist to country music. When my friend started playing Little Moments in her car one day, I was officially hooked. The difference between Paisley and most other artists is that the majority of his songs on the album are better than just average. It's not like the rest of the songs are there to fill space...they mean something. There are the moving songs like Somebody Knows You Now and Whiskey Lullaby, the humorous songs such as Famous People and That's Love, and with songs like Farther Along and Is It Raining at your House that round off the album with a bit of classic country, it's easy to feel as though you've made a great purchase. This really is a must-have album for country fans and a must-try for any other music lover!

well this being brad's 3rd album, (and best so far) is well worth any penny you could pay for any album out there. not only is brad more talented than any one person should be, this album is filled with his county/jazz style that will rock anyone, especially musicians in every field, and his lyrics range from serious to funny. so it is well rounded for music lovers. and of course his duet with the wonderful allison krauss on "whisky lullabye" is mind-blowing. a needed album for everyone to have.

p.s. his new album "time well wasted" is also a needed album in everyones collection.

a brad fan and fellow musician, rossy