Tracy Lawrence Album: “Strong”

Description :

This is an Enhanced CD, which contains both regular audio tracks and multimedia computer files. <p>Personnel: Tracy Lawrence (vocals); Biff Watson (acoustic guitar); Brent Mason (electric guitar); Paul Franklin, Dan Dugmore (steel guitar); Steve nathan (piano, keyboards); Gary Lunn (bass); Shannon Forrest (drums); John Wesley Ryles, Liana Manis (background vocals). <p>Digitally remastered using HDCD technology. <p>This is an Enhanced CD, which contains both regular audio tracks and multimedia computer files. <p>With STRONG, Tracy Lawrence keeps on doing what he's always done best, which is to deliver an accessible mix of rocked-up country barn-burners and melodic-but-twangy ballads. On the rock side, the beginning of opening track "It's All How You Look at It" sounds for all the world like the intro to Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit" (though without the punky abandon), and tough-luck tale "What the Flames Feel Like" comes across as Waylon Jennings amped up for the 21st century. The softer side of Lawrence's sound can be found in the tender heartbreak and homesickness of "Paint Me a Birmingham" and the closing, piano-and-strings ballad, "The Questionnaire." Surely much to his considerable following's delight, Lawrence keeps a steady course on STRONG, playing to his own strengths with the assured presence of a seasoned pro.

This CD (Along with Gretchen Wilson's "Here's To The Party") is the best CD of the year, I have listened to him for about 3 years, and the more I listen to his music, the more I realize that he does NO bad songs. There is only one singer who is better than him, and that is George Strait. I would recommend ANY CD this man comes out with (I have 4, and I want to complete the entire collection), I would start with "Greatest Hits", and if you can get it "Tracy Lawrence Live", if you are unfamiliar with his music. But this should be apart of anyone's country collection.

What an incredible album, if you don't like this, then you don't like Country Music. Tracy's style of singing goes back to the traditional roots of Country the way it should be sung !

Almost every song on there tells a story some more powerful then others, but never the less they are all great !

I purchased this album on the strength of "Paint Me A Birmingham," which, I believe, will come to be regarded as a country classic. Several other songs in this recording (Strong, Everywhere But Hollywood, Bobby Darwin's Daughter, and What The Flames Feel Like) are also worth mentioning. These songs especially get an "A" for vocal technique, and the ability to paint a picture in one's mind. If I wanted to introduce pure country music to someone, and show the heart and soul of country, this would be a good resource.

It's about time Tracy Lawrence is back on the radio again!!

If you don't have the new cd "Strong" you don't know what you're missing!

This cd is still the traditional sound of Tracy Lawrence but you can tell he's getting older and wiser!!

Now since he's married and has a family, i think alot of these songs reflect on that.

You still have your roll down the window and crank it up song like "Sawdust On My Halo" and the What the heck happened at the end of this story with the song "The Questionaire."

If you're a Tracy Lawrence fan, you'll love this cd. If you're not, you will be after listening.. I Promise!!

Today's country music has taken to the interstate versus the old backroad. Out Out with the old - in the with new; as some would say. Pop-country acts are ever-so-slowly dominating country radio, much to the media's delight. It takes a 'strong' man to release a real country album, in this day and age. STRONG is nothing short of a magnificent piece of work. Twelve tracks that are more than difficult to become burnt-out on. The album's opener (and soon to be 2nd single) - "It's All How You Look At It", shows traces of commercialism, but is laced with enough steel guitar to dismiss any thought of that. "A Far Cry From You" and "Think Of Me"(which echoes the ghost of Restless Heart), could easily have been on any of Tracy's past studio ventures. In a society that looks down on tradition and embraces drastic change, it warms the heart to know there are singers like Tracy Lawrence that know where his roots lie. STRONG is worth every penny.

Christopher Rolen

KnoxvilleParrothead@msn.com