Search - Brad Paisley :: Time Well Wasted

Now THIS is Country Music!

rockymtnlzrd | Salt Lake City, UT | 08/16/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Brad Paisley does it again! This often overlooked country musician consistently puts out hit after hit and superb cd's and Time Well Wasted is no different. If you have yet to discover his talent then you are truly missing out.



What I enjoyed the most about this cd is it shows Paisley's maturity as an artist. Don't get me wrong, there is still plenty of his wry humor packed into the 16 tracks, but he has delivered on his promise to take the fans "somewhere different". While I thoroughly enjoyed "Out in the Parkin' Lot" with Alan Jackson, the duet with Dolly Parton on "When I Get to Where I'm Going" is one of the most poignant country songs I can remember. It would be an injustice if this song was not released to the general public, no offense Alan.



Duets aside, you can expect typical Brad toe-tappin' rhythm's and soaring guitar licks. If there is a musician that has come out in the last 20 years that is as talented as Brad with the guitar I throw down the challenge to show me.



I wish I could rate this cd 6 stars because it deserves it! 6 years ago the country torch was passed; not to Kenny, Keith or Toby, but to a talented singer, songwriter and musician from West Virginia. Brad, here's to this year being the year you get the recognition you deserve!"

Sweet & Soulful, Fast & Fun...Paisley gets it done!

Eddie Lancekick | Pacific Northwest | 07/18/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Today, country music, like many other genres of music, has taken on some challenging times. Trying to get off the hay bale while not stepping over so far as to look like the guys from say, Collective Soul, The country music scene is ever changing and evolving. Trying to hold on to its roots without twanging backwards into oblivion is no easy task, and yet many implement so much pop and Top40 feel to it that it really does "Crossover" and become something else.



To me country music isn't about the sound or the themes as much as the genuine writing that is crafty and crazy, beautiful and blunt all wrapped together. One of the artists that have come onto the scene that I think "walks the line" better than many of today's country performers, is Brad Paisley. While Tim McGraw started singing nearly every song about his wife, his love of his wife, making love to his wife, when he met his wife, why he loves his wife...yeah you get the picture, Brad sticks to random stories that are diverse on every album. You won't find the cliché' here of "I lost my dog" "I lost my truck" half as much as most. Instead, Paisley blends a great country sound with blue-collar vocals that reach out to the listener to say, "I'm just like you". In a time when McGraw I feel stepped down a notch when he started making concept albums about Faith, Brad stepped up, and never looked back.



Though I mentioned that the songwriting is what I think is the base of country music, the sound on this thing is second to none. Okay call me hypocritical, I know, but to listen to this CD all the way through, I'm taken into a world of fun, love, irony, and also a little heartbreak. From the guitars to the percussion and every sweet note in between, this album has a great fluid moving to the music that keeps us going as listeners, whether we're tapping our feet, nodding our head in agreement, or just hitting the back button to catch that song's power for another listen!



I won't preview or break down every track on the album; instead I'll just highlight some that I found superb. Don't let that last sentence fool you; this entire album is great, with a blend of old country Americana folklore and visions of our everyday life in the present tense.



Track one...wow! Starts out with a rocking beat and great guitar sound before Paisley comes in with some no nonsense vocals. The song is called "The world" and touches on the fact of a girl who is just a face in the crowd (described in a variety of ways and in a variety of locales, from ticket counters to restaurants) until she comes home to her man, who tells her "To the world, you may be just another girl, but to me, baby you are the world".



Track 2 is another superb one that is called "Alcohol" and is a bluesy rocker that has a lot of great sounding crescendo's in it in between chorus setups, whereupon Paisley is describing in first person the experiences seen by alcohol. When it says "I got you in trouble in high school" and "Helping white people dance". Very witty lyrics that really do make sense..."Since that day I left Milwaukee!" Alcohol is a fun song that is not to slow and not to fast. Track five gets us more into the usual lovey dovey song that we know is going to find its way on pretty much any album regardless of genre. This one is called "She's everything" and also is a strongly written song. Track seven has Brad singing with country legend Alan Jackson. This song is called "Out in the parking lot" and is a soulful duo sang tune that makes me smile remembering the days when Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard sang about Poncho and Lefty. The song is pretty basic in theme and writing but the fact it's got some sweet sounding violin on it and 2 of the best country music voices joined together taking turns singing of what all does go on in a parking lot during various times. The details of the song come out stronger and stronger and for someone like myself who grew up in a rural town in Idaho, I must say those memories may seem like nothing to many, but to me its a fun little trip down memory lane.



Diversity was mentioned before, and by now you know that Paisley is not your run of the mill, assembly line singer. Track 14 is a nice little instrumental that is fast and fun and features some great playing "speed style" on both the violin and on guitar. There's also what sounds like a Mandolin on the track. "Time Warp" does evoke some various timelines in the sound of music, and it includes a piano that even leads into the Charlie Brown theme for a couple of seconds. Another fun track on another great album by Brad Paisley. "Time Well Wasted" is just that, so if you are looking for some fun, fluid and truthful tunes that are not like some of the country music you've been tired of hearing on the radio, get this album!



Oh..Diversity again. Yes, I'm not quite done, and you'll find some bonus tracks on here that seem to be quips of various recordings from the studio or television. I really found them to be filler but at this point the album with just the track listings alone is a five star gem so I suppose these comical little voice add ins aren't going to hurt it any."

Money well spent

Dr. Emil "Tom" Shuffhausen | Central Gulf Coast | 08/16/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"First of all, let me admit up front that this review is very "fresh," and I've only basically just heard this CD straight out of the wrapper.



Who would have thought that Brad Paisley could equal or even--GASP--better his previous CD, the stellar MUD ON THE TIRES? Well, get ready, folks, because Brad has just delivered another outstanding collection of songs that are both "vintage Paisley" and also fresh and bold.



It's almost unfair how talented Paisley is. Not only is he a great songwriter and vocalist, but he's a superb guitar picker. All of his gifts shine brightly on this CD. He is also excellent at picking and sequencing songs, as this release sports an excellent blend of the fun, the funny, the spiritual, the poignant, and the classic. His sound is, as always, authentic, traditional country, but Brad is anything but stodgy.



If Paisley didn't have an absolute blast making this CD, then he's a great actor. Songs like "She's Everything," "Alcohol," "The World," "I'll Take You Back," "You Need a Man Around Here," and "Out in the Parkin' Lot" (with the ever lovable Alan Jackson) are infused with Paisley's contagious joi de vivre and scream out for repeated listens.



But then again, Paisley can shoot an arrow straight to your heart, as he does on beautifully moving tracks like "When I Get to Where I'm Going" (Dolly Parton is a luminous co-vocalist here) and "Rainin' On You." "Flowers" is one of those unique Paisleyan creations that provides catharsis and knowing laughs all at once. "Cornography" is humorous, though not, perhaps, suitable for younger ears.



If you are a tough old coot who likes traditional country like Waylon, Willie, Johnny, or The Possum, you will like this CD. Or, if you are a young buckaroo with a lot of spit and vinegar, you will like this CD also. Either way, everybody wins with Brad Paisley."