Love & War
This was originally posted to the S&R blog.
“All is fair in love and war, but that aint fair, its wrong” both Brad Paisley and John Fogerty belt off the title track from the latest album from Brad Paisley titled Love & War. This album returns to the style of Brad Paisley’s original material from the early 2000s (think Play album and earlier) after departing to a few more political and artistic albums such as American Saturday Night, This Is Country Music and Wheelhouse. These new tracks are humorous in a fashion Brad Paisley is known for and the musical collaborations with Paisley and Fogerty, as well as with Mick Jagger, Timberland, and country music icon, Bill Anderson provide a pleasurable musical listening experience that blend in other genre titans in with this new standard pop-country album.
The first song on the record is Heaven South which sets the stage for what is to come on the record. Heaven South is a standard pop-country tune that you will likely begin to start hearing on the radio painting a picture of a small town down south using imagery of southern stereotypes such as “beer battered chicken” or “drive[ing] down main street”. The song is simple but does what its supposed to do, set imagery of the South and give the listener a warm feeling of home.
The next song, Last Time For Everything, follows the mantra of reminiscing in the small things in life because you never know when it will be the last time. From “last call” to spending all day on the lake with your granddad” the song is filled with examples of why you should cherish every moment because you don’t know when it will be your last. The songs chorus driven guitar riffs adding almost an 80’s feel to the song. The solo has moments of 80’s pop/rock as well. This is a pretty good indicator that Brad was reminiscing in his childhood during the 80’s well. Pretty clever if you ask me. Update: When he plays this song live (usually the first song in the two concerts I saw of his in 2017), a video is played with multiple 80s references from Brad dressing up as Marty McFly played on the screens.
Up next is One Beer Can which shows Paisley’s more humorous side while relating to the younger crowd. The song is a story of a high-school boy (maybe Paisley himself at that age) who was caught throwing a party at his parents house when they where gone. He almost got away with it had it not been one beer can he didn’t throw away. It is a funny tune about growing up that most folks can relate.
Go To Bed Early is up next. It is a soft love song to which the Bard sings to his lover of going to bed early but not to necessarily sleep… i.e. Bow Chicka Wow Wow … but stay up all night. Is it cheesy? Sure, but it is in Brad’s wheelhouse of creativity and irony.
Drive of Shame is the first unique song on the album as it features vocals by none-other than Mick Jagger of the Rolling Stones! This is one of my favorites off the record as the song takes a walk of shame (where someone walks home from staying over at a strangers house in the clothes they wore the night before usually after a heavy night of drinking) adds rock n roll flair and a catchy hook . The first time I heard this song I was completely caught off guard when Mick Jagger came in on the vocals during the second verse. Definitely surprised and pleased.
In light of many states passing laws that legalize marijuana, so it is not surprising that Brad Paisley includes a song about Ms. Mary Jane on the record with Contact High. However, the song is not about Mary Jane the drug, but more likely an attractive woman. The song relies heavily on double entendres that both apply to smoking weed and a smoking good looking woman. Its a fun song that ends with Paisley doing what he does best, playing a mean guitar solo.
Up next Brad gets a bit political (rightfully so) with John Fogerty on the album’s title track, Love & War. Both Paisley and Fogerty sing the same message of the harsh truths of war and the hardships our nation’s warriors face when they return home from duty. The first two verses are essentially the same but from each of their own generation; Brad talks about the war in Afghanistan while Fogerty sings his story of the Vietnam War era. Its a wonderful collaborated song between the two that remind us listeners to be thankful and appreciate those who have fought for our freedoms.
Next is the first single off of the record, Today. Today started playing on the radio and streaming on your streaming services back in the fall of 2016 so it will likely sound familiar. Its a simple carpe diem song about being in love today and in the moment wherever you may be with the one you’re with. On that note, its this generation’s country version of Love the One You’re With by Croby, Stills and Nash.
Remember Paisley’s fifth album, 5th Gear when Brad was so much cooler online? Well, he is back on the interwebs tweeting out advice via the song selfie#theinternetisforever. While the song isn’t going to win a Grammy, it does have some good advice regardless of its “too close to home fatherly advice”. Brad reminds us the things we put on the internet are forever, even those silly #snapchat #selfies of our little #BrettFarves we think will go away forever… guess what? They won’t.
Grey Goose Chase is the first time on this record that Brad’s guitar pickin’ truly shines. The intro to the song showcases his chicken pickin’ skills and continues to show the country world why he is top dog when it comes to shredding mean country licks. The rest of the song is of course about Grey Goose vodka and its miracle potion of drinking the girl away.
This is the second product placement on the album that I’ve counted (first one being a Glade bag in One Beer Can). Another fellow blogger(vlogger?)/podcaster, Jim Lill, mentioned on his Back From the Gig podcast (its awesome go check it out if you like guitar country music) his dislike when artist include product placement into their songs. Up until that moment I, didn’t really associate ford tailgate with the company but recently I notice it all over the place.
I digress; back to Gray Goose Chase. The 8 bar solo by Brad is absolutely blistering hot and fits the song perfect. It reminds me of his early solos, particularly Nervous Breakdown off of his first album Who Needs Pictures. The guitar solo is followed by a simple but tasteful four measures of fiddle. The pedal steel takes a solo which is the first time the instrument has been showcased on the record so far followed by a bar of drums and were back to the double chorus to take the song out. From a guitarist perspective, this is my favorite track on the album. Its has all the qualities I look for in a hot blooded Brad Paisley country shred song.
Up next is an Gold All Over the Ground, a song which is based on a poem Johnny Cash wrote for his book, Forever Words. The song slows down tremendously compared to the last tune while an acoustic number and ebbs and flows sweetly as mandolin, soft electric guitar and pedal steel accents lyrical breaks. Its a beautiful number that Brad graciously pays homage to a legend. The song fades as the Man in Black expresses his love for June Carter.
This song then leads into another gorgeous song, Dying to See Her. Dying to See Her is a love song of a man who finally gets to see his wife again in Heaven just as she was when he first met her. This song following Gold All Over the Ground is a perfect pairing of love songs strays away from the silly nature of drinking songs and shows light to Brad’s softer song writing side.
Solar Power Girl builds back up the tempo as a heavy driven banjo song and also featuring Timberland. The song follows the mind of a girl who is packing to go off to college and whose been in a dark, grey world. The chorus portrays this girl as a superhero but refers to her as a “Solar Power Girl” who needs to live on the bright side of the world. I get what the two are trying to do with the song, but the lyrics and the imagery of solar powers take away from the message of the song.
The Devil Is Alive and Well is a beautiful call to attention of the evil that is going on in the world. Lines like “Everyday, hateful words, that we all use” and “its ironic, that some of the worst things, are done in Gods name” are obvious insertions of recent events. The song represents Brad’s PSA on the record stating that evil is alive and well around us.
The second to last song on the record is Meaning Again. The song features a feeling most of us have felt; the struggle to find meaning of our lives. But the feeling is only short lived when Brad walks in the front door of his house and is greeted by his loved ones and finds his meaning in life. It is a good reminder that no matter how bad a situation can get, your family will always turn things around and give you strength.
Love and War ends where it stared with Heaven South (reprise) thus creating a bookend album which I truly appreciated. The reprise is short and sweet; only the outro chorus to the first song is played but this time its only on an acoustic guitar. The first time (and many times after) I heard Heaven South, I thought the words were “Heavens House”. I like to think that was done intentionally as many of the songs are related to Heaven and they are all bundled up as in something you want in your house: your favorite food and atmosphere, the memories of your childhood, the fiery passion you have with your significant other, the funny stories that you and your buddies swore would never tell anyone, the hardship you had to overcome, and finally being reunited with those who you love. Maybe that’s Brad’s idea of his Heaven’s House? Who knows, that is just my takeaway.
Love and War is definitely my favorite Brad Paisley record of the past 10 years. It is filled with great guitar licks, thoughtful lyrics and everything people expect from Brad Paisley. His writting seems to have changed from a political stance to more of advice giving from the experienced. He has plenty of welcoming advice on this record. But don’t just take my word, go an listen to it yourself.
Until next time, let the music play!
-S&R