Artist: Brad Paisley
Album: American Saturday Night
Year: 2009
Grade: A-
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Brad Paisley’s eighth album is arguably his most complete product to date. While albums like “Time Well Wasted” and “5th Gear” seem like a greatest hits collection, “American Saturday Night” was a portrait of what makes Paisley such a gifted singer/songwriter/musician.
He keeps his wide range of talent going forward in the new album. With country-rock tracks such as the opener “American Saturday Night” and “Welcome to the Future”, Paisley explodes with passion and well-paced tunes. He also hasn’t lost his humor with songs like “Water”, “You Do the Math”, “Catch All the Fish” and “The Pants” which all are basically self-explanatory. That’s right, he sings songs about his love for water, how it takes two to tango, how he loves fishing and drinking beer, and how it doesn’t matter who wears the pants but more importantly it should be about who wears the skirt.
To top things off, Paisley has a number of ballads, which in my opinion is where his strongest talent lies. When he struts his dedication and love for his wife, his sincerity is matched by no one else. The sweeping love-anthem “Then” (also the first single off the album) is a magnificent tribute to the lasting effect his wife has on him. “She’s Her Own Woman” explores the strength and independence she has, which makes him realize how he loves her even more. And then “I Hope That’s Me” tells a story of how he knows that someone’s going to be there her whole life to be happy, he just wishes she allows that man to be him.
Overall, “American Saturday Night” is a great modern-country album by one of the most popular country artists today. I don’t know how much longer Brad Paisley can keep out-doing himself, but I sure hope he keeps trying.
Posted by Rob Eng 
