Clint Black Album: “Put Yourself In My Shoes (BMG)”

Description :

Personnel: Clint Black (vocals, guitar, harmonica); Martin Young (acoustic guitar); Hayden Nicholas, Brent Rowan (guitar); Jeff Peterson (pedal steel guitar, dobro); Jeff Huskins (fiddle, keyboards); Randy McCormick (keyboards); Jake Willemain (bass); Dick Gay (drums, percussion); Jana King, Michael Black, Curtis Young (background vocals). <p>Recorded at Digital Services, Houston, Texas, Masterfonics, Nashville, Tennessee & Westlake Audio, Los Angeles, California. <p>Following up a debut as brilliant as KILLIN' TIME would be daunting for any artist, so it's a relief that Clint Black's sophomore album, PUT YOURSELF IN MY SHOES, works as well as it does. The album finds Black growing both as a vocalist and as a songwriter, and developing his own sonic signature--harmonica, fiddle, acoustic picking, and a distinctive, low, twangy electric guitar. <p>Brilliant songs of heartbreak and yearning such as "Where Are You Now" and "A Heart Like Mine" cut closer to the bone emotionally than Black's earlier work, and both feature complicated, gorgeous melodies. "The Old Man," a meditation on aging, is astonishing in its lyrical and emotional depth; Black's vocal performance here is outstanding. The CD's best track, "Loving Blind," is a gem: a perfect combination of vocals, lyrics, arrangement, and a melody that manages to be both familiar and wholly original. Overall, PUT YOURSELF IN MY SHOES is the sound of a country artist on the brink of becoming a true country star.

I've just ordered this CD after years of listening to the cassette. It is my favorite CD by Clint, the songs seem to flow from one right into the next. Be that as it may, I would buy this CD for the pure pleasure of listening to two of its tracks over and over, The Old Man, and The Goodnight-Loving Trail. When a song can again give me goosebumps after hearing it hundreds of times, it is for real. Wonderful CD to listen to while driving the back roads.

Clint Black's second CD is pretty good on it's own merits, but pales in comparison to his debut. The title song is terrific, and "Gulf of Mexico" is a beautiful ballad. Also on the plus side is the great traditional country sound - it's not the kind of boring, easy listening stuff that many country stars are recording today. However, most of the songs simply don't stand out in the same way as the hits on his debut CD did. Overall, a good country CD that will likely satisfy fans of Clint Black and more traditional country music.

I think if there is anyone that knows about country music at all, they will tell you that Clint Black is by far the best country singer of all times in this era. The country music of today has lost all of its meaning, as hard as it may sound, todays country music sounds like Roll & Roll as well as some carvial music. There are stories to be told in country music, there is love stories that are talked about country songs, there is real life facts of life in country songs, and Clint Black has kept that tradition going right on in his music, all of this other wild so-called country music needs to go back to the drawing board and start over, Start out by talking to the Forefathers of the country music, like George Jones, Conway, Mel Tillis, and so on. However Clint can even give one a few lessons about great country music, I know what I am speaking of I've been listening to country music every since I was 4-years olds. Keep up the good work Clint Black.