par cacambo Sam 21 Jan - 0:50
Embroiled in controversy and legal red tape, Emotional Traffic is the album Tim McGraw literally sued to get released. The final album submitted to Curb Records under a contract signed years ago, Emotional Traffic was deemed by Curb to have been delivered too soon and deemed to have had too many ‘old songs’ on it. Yet when listening to the album, it’s hard to see the label’s argument except for the oft-held view that the label was trying to hold onto it’s key asset (McGraw’s recording career) as long as possible.
After just one listen to the tracks that make up Emotional Traffic, it’s not hard to see why the label would want to hold onto McGraw for as long as possible. Quite simply, Emotional Traffic is the work of an artist at the top of his game, 20 years into his career. While clearly not the same neo-traditional artist of his early years, Tim McGraw has remained one of country music’s most bankable stars and well-known faces and like Garth Brooks and George Strait, Tim McGraw knows how to choose songs that suit his voice and the particular style of contemporary country music he’s making on a particular album.
The record kicks off with “Halo” a Jedd Hughes and Luke Laird composition that oozes romantic charm and certainly feels like a song that could’ve crossed-over to Hot AC Radio in addition to being something likely to bring a little variety to the mainstream country dial. There is a pair of Dave Pahanish and Joe West songs on the album and like the writing team’s past radio hits for Toby Keith (“American Ride”), Jimmy Wayne (“Do You Believe Me Now”) and Keith Urban (“Without You”), both exude classic rock/pop melodies and contemporary country hooks and stories. “Right Back Atcha Babe” is the kind of melodic ear candy that country radio is always begging for while “The One That Got Away” tells the story of a girl who follows her destiny to success. Quite simply, this latter song rivals anything Tim McGraw has released in his career to this date and if not for the controversy surrounding this album, the song would definitely be destined to be a big radio hit – Curb must think so as it joined “Halo” and “Right Back Atcha Babe” as the ‘preview singles’ on iTunes before Emotional Traffic got released on January 24, 2012.
“One Part, Two Part” is a fun little breezy tune not unlike something from Kenny Chesney or Billy Currington while the Warren Brothers, Martina McBride and Tim co-write “I Will Not Fall Down” is a strong, progressive melodic story song about not giving up despite a ton of odds. The Warren Brothers co-wrote three more tunes (two with “Red Solo Cup” co-writers Jim and Brett Beavers) on the record including #1 earworm “Felt Good On My Lips,” “The One” and “Hey Now.” The latter two are jovial up-tempo numbers that recall some classic moments of Tim’s catalog. Current single “Better Than I Used To Be” is rocketing up the charts and it’s a song that really connects on many levels. Written by Ashley Gorley and Bryan Simpson, the song is a lyrical gem that also was once a single for 90s country star Sammy Kershaw. Tim’s version is very good and is the most traditional country-leaning tune on Emotional Traffic.
The Peach Pickers provide Tim with “Touchdown Jesus” a tune that retains the writing collective’s melodic catchiness that has helped them become the go-to source for country songs but this song has a stronger lyrical message than some of their other songs and rivals the Joe West/Dave Pahanish songs and “Better Than I Used To Be” as the best tunes on this record.
Singer/songwriter Angie Aparo (who wrote and originally recorded Faith Hill’s “Cry” and co-wrote “The One” with the Warren Brothers) co-wrote the song which gave Emotional Traffic its title, “Only Human.” The song features R&B artist Ne-Yo – also a co-writer along with Ty Lacy – and certainly works well as a duet between the two artists. The record closes out with “Die By My Own Hand,” a song written by and originally appearing on a Halfway To Hazard record a few years ago.
Emotional Traffic is the work of a confident artist completely willing to record songs that aren’t the same ‘ol song and dance that he’s done before and it’s a shame that it is an album that was ready 18 months ago (right around the time “Felt Good On My Lips” was released and put on Number One Hits by Curb Records). This is an album that should’ve been four singles deep by now and because of the ‘controversy’ surrounding it, it’s likely that it could end up being lost in the shuffle as Tim is set to release new music on a new label (or independently) sometime in the coming months of 2012. Still, it has a shot to be one of 2012’s best records.
Some fans have said they’re not going to buy Emotional Traffic because it will just add more money to Curb’s bank account. I have a feeling Tim would be the first person to disagree with that argument. Sure, it does contribute to the record label’s bottom line but it also would be a shame not to support the songwriters who wrote the tunes on this collection. Also, why would a fan want to deny themself the chance to have all of Tim’s albums in their physical or digital music collection? They shouldn’t.
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