Rolling Country 2012

Looks promising, re going further in direction of Emotional Traffic:
TIM MCGRAW REVEALS MORE DETAILS ABOUT HIS UPCOMING ALBUM RELEASE TWO LANES OF FREEDOM – IN STORES FEB 5, 2013

Debut Big Machine Records Disc To Include Standard & An Accelerated Deluxe Version At Most Retail Accounts

Nashville, TN- Dec. 13, 2012- Country music icon Tim McGraw is revealing more details about his highly anticipated release TWO LANES OF FREEDOM. His first album for Big Machine Records will be released on Feb. 5, 2013 and is set to prove once again that on stage and on record, he remains dedicated to delivering music that is innovative, heartfelt and authentic.

"I feel like I've progressed in my work, and I've always strived to get better," says McGraw. "On my last album, I was discovering some new sounds and new things that I wanted to do, scratching the surface of the direction I wanted to head. This album was a way to reach a little further back, to all that I'd done throughout my career, and bring both sides together—it's a combination of that discovery, along with some rediscovery."

On TWO LANES OF FREEDOM, the sense of nostalgia comes through on the hard-driving current single "One of Those Nights." The reverie of that song, though, is countered by the humor and joy of "Southern Girl" or the feel-good hangover of "Mexicoma." McGraw maintains that it was the album's title track that really established the tone for the entire project.

"When we cut 'Two Lanes of Freedom,' there was such a freshness to it," he says. "The track has this sort of Gaelic drive to it and really sets a palette for the whole record because it's so visual—it has that summery, hazy image and I think that made the whole record open up for me."

McGraw reaches some especially emotional depth in his performances on such songs as "Number 37405," the lament of a singer-turned-convict. Most powerful of all might be "Book of John," a wistful account of a family going through the journal left behind by its late patriarch. The album closes with "Highway Don't Care," a breezy yet complex track that features Taylor Swift (the song is featured as number 13 on the album as a nod to her) and Keith Urban.

TWO LANES OF FREEDOM TRACK LIST
1. Two Lanes of Freedom
(Jaren Johnston/Jenn Schott)

2. One Of Those Nights
(Luke Laird/Rodney Clawson/Chris Tompkins)

3. Friend Of A Friend
(Mark Irwin/Josh Kear/Andrew Dorff)

4. Southern Girl
(Jaren Johnston/Lee Miller/Rodney Clawson)

5. Truck Yeah
(Chris Janson/Danny Myrick/Preston Brust/Chris Lucas)

6. Nashville Without You
(Kyle Jacobs/Joe Leathers/Ruston Kelly)

7. Book of John
(Jon Nite/Greg Becker)

8. Mexicoma
(James Slater/Brad Warren/Brett Warren)

9. Number 37405
(Tom Douglas/Troy Jones)
10. It’s Your World
(Scott Stepakoff/Josh Osborne/Shane McAnally)
13. Highway Don’t Care (featuring Taylor Swift and Keith Urban)
(Mark Irwin/Josh Kear/Brad Warren/Brett Warren)

ACCELERATED DELUXE VERSION INCLUDES
Annie I Owe You A Dance
(James Slater/ Tom Douglas)

Tinted Windows
(Mark Irwin, Josh Kear, Andrew Dorff)

Let Me Love It Out Of You
(Rachel Thibodeau, Jason Sever, David Tolliver)

Truck Yeah LIVE

In his record-shattering career, McGraw has sold over 40 million albums and dominated the charts with 32 No. one singles. Since the release of his debut album in 1993, he has won three GRAMMY’s, 14 ACM Awards, 12 CMA Awards, and 10 AMA’s, while simultaneously maintaining a parallel career as a successful actor in such films as The Blind Side, Country Strong, and Friday Night Lights—as well as hosting Saturday Night Live, a rare honor for a singer in any genre. Nielsen-BDS recently certified McGraw as the most-played Country artist of the past 20 years (1992-2012) with more than 10 million spins detected and Mediabase recognized him as the most-played Country artist in the history of their tracking service.

For more updates and the latest information, visit www.timmcgraw.com or follow @thetimmcgraw on twitter.

Sir Charles Jones "Country Boy" is not a country song per se, but rural Southern soul that I think y'all would like. I think you can find it on Youtube and maybe Spotify

Don't think there was ever a time in the history of sound recording when country didn't have blues riffs, though.

Yeah this is true; I guess I phrased my request wrong -- I'm just trying to avoid riff-based rock that masquerades as country, stuff with a heavy rhythm section. I do dig this Dwight Yoakam record even though a lot of it hinges on that sort of thing, but I've always had a soft spot for Dwight. "A Heart Like Mine" and "Missing Heart" are probably the closest to what I'm looking for.

"Heart Like Mine" definitely rocks out but it's mixed tastefully.

but, crüt, when hasn't country used riffs and heavy rhythm sections?

man, I'm just trying to find country music that doesn't sound like Tom Petty or "Rock My World Little Country Girl." I think there is plenty of country music out there that fits into this category.

i generally only lurk on this thread but hey i did a list of best and worst country singles of the year: http://narrowcast.blogspot.com/2012/12/the-20-best-country-radio-hits-of-2012.html

I mean I love a lot of country-rock and Texas boogie kinda stuff! I just need an antidote for Luke Bryan.

it's all good – my bad

<3

free of its parent album, the Alan Jackson song sounds terrific.

doesn't it, though?

ha – we really disagree over "5-1-5-0."

Jackson's like that (I've had "Everything I Own" in my iPod since July and when it comes on shuffle I don't dare skip it). Drive and Like Red On a Rose are the only two studios that don't bore me.

*Everything I LOVE

Just filed my Nashville Scene ballot a couple hours ago. Three of somedude's 20 favorite country singles of the year made my singles ballot; none of his least favorite singles did, though a couple were definitely in the running, and I voted for the EP containing another one (which I actually like a lot.) Never heard Kristen Kelly's "Ex Old Man" until this morning (finally listened to it since Frank had recommended it above); didn't make my ballot, but I the OMC "How Bizarre" thing jumped out at me right away, a couple hours before I saw somedude mention it.

I'm kind of ambivalent about "5-1-5-0." Sort of like it okay, but it sort of it annoys me (just like the album it's on, come to think of it.)

i'm not gonna defend my dislike of "5-1-5-0" too strongly, it was just on the radio all the time and i never wanted to hear it

otoh Kenny Chesney can fuck right off

seriously

I'm wondering if he's got genuine talent: the guy has made vanilla blandness offensive.

Then again, he's also made a few pretty great albums (though not this year).

Wikip takes me to an article in the New Zealand Herald on whether "Ex Old Man" had permission to use the riff from "How Bizarre." Answer: the person who wrote the article doesn't know whether there was permission or not.

(The world's full of similar and lifted riffs, and it's not like this is gross plagiarism or "Ex Old Man" is built around the riff.)

"The world's full of similar... riffs"

--I mean riffs that are similar to each other, not that the world is full of riff's similar to "How Bizarre."

jeez that jackson tune is great, missed it