Uncle Kracker "Seventy-Two & Sunny" (Atlantic-Lava Records, 2004)
I'm, uh, not, like, really that up on Kid Rock and what he sounds like... I've seen his picture, heard a few tunes, sorta felt like I didn't need to worry too much about it one way or the other. So when I heard this was a record by his "DJ," I thought, "Huh? Neo-Southern Rockers have DJs now?" Still, I'd heard that song Kracker did with Kenny Chesney, so I was a little confused -- was this guy totally rowdy or a big ole wuss? What was the deal? As it turns out, Uncle Kracker's third solo album is pretty good, or at least pretty listenable. It's also surprising how measured and skillful this album is; it's fairly thoughtful, fairly catchy, melodic stuff, country-tinged post-'70s soft rock with a bitter, sardonic edge. I think I may have caught a few veiled, coded good-ole-boy racist signifiers on a tune or two, but, hey -- the rest of the album plays out so smoothly that you kind of have to shrug your shoulders and go, oh well. It's a very sleek, highly crafted pop album, sort of like Beck, but without the Dadaist indierock baggage. I wouldn't put in in my top 10 list (if I had one, which I don't) but it was much more enjoyable and compelling that I had ever imagined. Worth checking out!
Uncle Kracker "Midnight Special" (Sugar Hill Records, 2012)
Carrie Underwood "Some Hearts" (Arista Nashville, 2005)
Carrie Underwood "Carnival Ride" (Arista Nashville, 2007)
Carrie Underwood "Play On" (Arista Nashville, 2009)
