Shock'n Y'all

About

In 2002, Toby Keith—already a country star in good standing—gained fame outside the genre due to his polarizing, bellicose post-9/11 anthem "Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue (The Angry American)" from his <i>Unleashed</i> album. His 2003 follow-up, <i>Shock 'N Y'all</i> was another blockbuster success, but despite the title pun (on American "shock and awe" war strategy), the record is a largely lighthearted affair. Keith focuses on his strengths, which include being one of the few country superstars of his vintage to champion an old-school outlaw-country-informed sound. Good-time saloon sing-along "I Love This Bar," which could have come off a classic Jerry Jeff Walker record, opens the album. It would become one of Keith's best-known tunes, inspiring him to open an eponymous bar-and-grill chain. Keith's wry side comes out in the tongue-in-cheek lyrics to "If I Was Jesus" and "Nights I Can't Remember, Friends I'll Never Forget." But "Sweet" highlights Keith's secret weapon: his knack for tunes with funky, R&B-infused grooves and soul-slathered horns. The only truly solemn turn Keith takes is his tribute to the troops, "American Soldier," but the song is more earthy than political. Keith's sole return to 9/11 themes is a live track appended to the end of the album, "The Taliban Song." But it's a broadly satirical romp written from the perspective of Afghans complaining about the Taliban. Don't be misled by the title—on <i>Shock 'N Y'all</i> Keith made good use of his newfound notoriety by doubling down on the easygoing approach that made him appealing to begin with.

via Apple Music