Joe Nichols Album: “Man With a Memory”

Description :

Personnel includes: Joe Nichols (vocals); Brent Rowan (acoustic & electric guitars, tiple); Bryan Sutton (acoustic guitar, mandolin); Dan Dugmore (steel guitar); Jerry Douglas (dobro); Chris Thile (mandolin); Aubrey Haynie (fiddle); Tim Lauer (accordion, Wurlitzer piano, Fender Rhodes piano, harmonium, organ, Mellotron, keyboards); Gordon Mote (piano); David Hungate (bass); Shannon Forrest, Vinnie Colaiuta (drums); Eric Darken (percussion); Harry Stinson, Vince Gill, Wes Hightower (background vocals). <p>"Brokenheartsville" was nominated for the 2004 Grammy Award for Best Male Country Vocal Performance. <p>If you think that photogenic young country singer Joe Nichols looks more like a Calvin Klein model than a honky-tonk warrior, just count your blessings that he doesn't feel bound to don an ill-fitting cowboy hat in the vain quest for the kind of phony image purveyed by far too many of his peers. Similarly, MAN WITH A MEMORY finds Nichols unafraid of sounding contemporary without completely abandoning his country roots. There's no hokey, half-assed western swing number tossed in here for "authenticity;" instead, the songs seamlessly blend rock, pop, and country in a manner that finds Nichols sounding equally at home with all three. That said, he does possess enough of a sense of history to pay homage to country legend Tom T. Hall by covering "Life Don't Have to Mean Nothin' at All." And it's no shameful thing when a Hall song turns out to be one of the best on anybody's album.

Since I was a country DJ years ago and got a copy of Joe Nichols FIRST cd back in 1996, called "Joe Nichols", I've been a great fan of his. I've waited six long years for Joe to get signed to a major label, and I am not disappointed in this CD. I kind of hoped he might have included a couple of the great songs from his first CD, since no one really ever heard them on the radio as often and on as many stations as they should have been played on. His voice, the traditional feel of the music, and the subject matter are all perfect country and combine for one super listening experience. For six years I've enjoyed the first ten songs Joe Nichols has recorded, now I have 12 more to add to the rotation.

The first time I heard his voice...I knew he had "it". "It" is that something special that comes along once in a while that makes you listen to the same song over and over again because it had that special something that stirred you. Joe Nichols not only "keeps it country"..he is going to play a major role in bringing it back. I am a long time fan of ALAN JACKSON..always have been, always will be. And when ALAN takes someone on the road and says...this is what I like..this guys is worth listening to...its just another afirmation to me. You go JOE..you keep doing what your doing. You're great on stage, you have the voice and the God given talent to take "IT" to the top.

A MUST HAVE CD FOR ANY TRUE COUNTRY FAN.

I was VERY happy with Joe Nichols first release. His sound is like a youthful spin on George Strait. Just enough classic feel, with a new edge to satisfy all. From the touching 'The Impossible,' the painful yet satiracle 'Brokenheartsville,' and the down right humorous 'Life Don't Have To Mean Nothin At All,' you will be satisfied with this buy! Don't hesitate, you won't regret it!

Devil drives a Coupe de Ville was stuck in my head for almost a week.

It got so bad I had to actually google at what a coupe de ville is.

Without passing a judgment on the artistic merits, it is safe to say that

this (and companion 'Tequila Makes Her Clothes Fall Off') are clearly going to be some of those rare records that people truly associate with, an American Classic in other words.