McGraw takes us back to that place with Sundown Heaven Town, his thirteenth studio album (and second release for Big Machine Records). I picture a little town, like the one I grew up in," he says of the album's picturesque title. It's late in the afternoon. Sunset. Maybe some kids are playing baseball, and their family members are in the stands. You're at the point where the working week has given way to the weekend. That's my idea of sundown in heaven town." Sundown Heaven Town pays tribute to those two decades, putting a new stamp on all of the sounds the revved-up country rockers, the nostalgic ballads, the down-home numbers that have made McGraw one of the best-selling country artists of the modern era. From the banjo riff that kicks off the opening track, Overrated," to the digital percussion that pushes Lookin' for that Girl" into pop-influence territory, Sundown Heaven Town mixes the old with the new, the rustic with the modern, the organic with the electric. It's a country record, in other words... with all the twists and turns we've come to expect from someone who's been at the top of the genre since 1994. This album is very encompassing of everything that I've done in my career," McGraw explains. It's a good microcosm of what my 20 years in music has been. You can hear parts of my career throughout all these songs, as well as the future and where my music is headed." Sundown Heaven Town also shines a light on the family, friends, and collaborators who've played roles in McGraw's career. His first cousin, Catherine Dunn, joins him on Diamonds Rings and Old Barstools," a classic-sounding country ballad about love on the rocks. His wife of 18 years, Faith Hill, lends her award-winning vocals to Meanwhile Back at Mama's," which doubles as the album's first chart-topper. Longtime friend Kid Rock makes an appearance, too, raising a rootsy ruckus on the bonus track Lincoln Continentals and Cadillacs." I love being able to collaborate with great people," he says. To be in a place in your career where you can call up somebody like Keith Urban or Kid Rock and ask them to play or sing on a song with you, and they do it... How cool is that?" Several months before the album's release, McGraw launched the Sundown Heaven Town 2014 Tour," giving the singer a chance to perform some of the album's songs long before they hit stores. After spending countless summers on the road McGraw knew that his new songs deserved to be heard not only on the radio, or in a pair of fans' earbuds, but on stage. After all, there's an immediacy to Sundown's faster tunes, an anthemic vibe that owes just as much to the amphitheater as the honky tonk. A family man and devoted husband, McGraw also shines a light on his softer side with tracks like Words are Medicine" and Portland, Maine." He recorded his vocal parts for the latter song in just 10 minutes. The result is a wounded, wistful ballad, driven forward not by a drumbeat, but an acoustic guitar. McGraw may look larger than life while standing onstage... but when he sings about heartache, he sounds just as vulnerable as the rest of us. Maybe that's why he considers Portland, Maine" one of the album's best songs, a difficult distinction to make on a record that spawned three hit singles before the album's release. From start to finish, Sundown Heaven Town tips its cowboy hat to the traditions of country music, then tosses a some new ingredients into the mix. The result is a melting pot of everything Tim McGraw does best. It's a country album for 2014, anchored by a fondness for the genre and the desire to push it into uncharted territory. More than anything else, it's proof that artists can sound contemporary without chasing after current trends. After all, trends don't last but songs do. Especially songs like these.
K**S
Overall a Great Album
I have spent many hours listening to this cd. While not my favorite of his, I do think it's an excellent addition to his musical collection.In particular, these are my personal favorites,(1.) Last Turn Home(2.) Sick of Me(3.) Kids Today(4.) Dust(5.) Words are Medicine(6.) Black Jacket(7.) Meanwhile Back at Mama's(8.) Portland, MaineSeveral others I just can't get into though no matter how many listens including,(1.) Lookin' For That Girl(2.) Keep on Truckin'For me these are by far the two weakest songs on the cd.All in all, I highly recommend this cd to anyone who's a fan of Tim's or who likes GOOD country music (unlike most of what's on the air now).
N**Z
Great CD!
Great CD from start to finish. I first heard "Shotgun Rider" on the radio about a year ago, maybe a little less, and instantly fell in love with it; some time later, I heard "Diamond Rings and Old Barstools." I decided to pick this CD up, and I can say without a doubt it's one of my favorites. The only extra song I really liked was "Lincoln Continentals and Cadillacs," mostly because it's so upbeat. In any case, my favorites are "Portland, Maine," "Shotgun Rider," "Diamond Rings and Old Barstools," "Overrated," "Dust," and "Lookin' for That Girl," with "Shotgun Rider" actually now being my favorite song. To be frank, I only recently started purchasing CDs (since I was more of a radio-in-the-car-and-YouTube kinda guy before I got a pretty good headphone/amp setup), but I'm very glad I got this one. I'm normally pretty picky when it comes to music (as I like more upbeat, upfront and sometimes emotional music), but this CD is, I feel, so well-rounded that it appealed very nicely overall to my sensibilities.
S**R
Sunny Side of Tim mcgraw
I first became curious to check out tim mcgraw;s latest music effort after seeing a commercial for one of his youtube concerts televised at my job. I think it was back around September before his latest cd release. Additionally, I was previously familiar with his music because my husband played one of his greatest hits when we were stationed in japan, where we had met and I would sometimes hear his music as a teenager when my late adoptive mother turned on one of the country music stations while driving. I decided to purchase this collection of sundown heaven town by time mcgraw on October 14, 2014. Many of the songs on this cd are heartfelt such as meanwhile back at mama’s, a duet featuring his wife faith hill.
S**T
This one will do
This album was ok to fair. My favorite country music was from the 60s thru the 90s. There is some country since 2000 that I like but what passes for country today is nothing more than rock music being sung with a southern twang. IMO I'm a fan of Tim McGraw but like his older stuff better. This album has some nice songs, especially Shotgun Rider and Meanwhile Back At Mama's.
P**Y
... of these tunes - I find that Tim brings amazing feeling, warmth and authentic passion to this album
Considering he didn't write any of these tunes - I find that Tim brings amazing feeling, warmth and authentic passion to this album. I'm sure it will become one of my all time favorite country albums. So tired of juvenile mainstream country - thx so much Tim and the others associated with this album for keeping it real. Back to Mommas brings a tear to my eye - and I can't help but grab my wife and waltz around the living room to Shotgun. Thx Tim - just fabulous.
A**R
OK CD
This not one of Tim's best Cd's but it plays well. I had a lot of trouble trying to open the CD after getting all the rapping off of it. It seems like the company didn't want me to open the cd case. I get really frustrated if I can't get the wrapping off within a few seconds.
B**U
There are a few songs on it that I like a lot
There are a few songs on it that I like a lot. But the balance is tiresome. I don't know what's gotten into today's COUNTRY artists. All the songs are beginning to sound alike. They all seem to have the same theme and they all have the same beat and deliverance. Sounds like "canned" music. Like they can't decide if they want to be Country artists or Pop artists. If you go for both, Both genres lose out.
C**Y
perfect
Finally found the right version of Shotgun Rider. Good album to add to my collection of cd's.
D**H
Surprisingly stronger set than the last
I was never a fan of Tim Mcgraw in his early years, I still think 'Don't take the girl' is one of the worse country songs ever. Tim's whiny type of voice wasn't thought strong enough by people in the business when he was starting out and they said he would never make it. For me things changed with the 'Everywhere' album which was a solid country set of songs, but it wasn't until after his greatest hits album and the turn of the century where he started to choose better material for his voice and he matured as a singer.This album, his second after leaving Curb is one of his best albums yet. A very strong and solid set of country songs. I'm still amazed by reviews and comments I read in this country (UK) about country music after 20 years, Country is a genre not one style of music, and this is definately a country album at it's best. It's Tim doing his brand of country but also appealling to todays ladish style of popular country which is dominating the country charts now in the States (Bro Country).The album starts with the extremely strong and hopefully the next choice of single 'Overrated'. Infact it's one of a number of tracks on the album which are great driving songs: 'City lights', 'Shotgun rider', 'Keep on truckin', all brilliant! It's hard to know why he choose 'Lookin' for that girl' as the first single as althought it's a nice track, it's nowhere near the strongest song on the album, that's probably why he pulled it and released 'Meanwhile back at mama's' with the 'Mrs' as the 2nd taster before the album was released. The 5 bonus tracks on this set are all strong and it's difficult to know why artists take off some songs from the standard version and only include them on deluxe albums, but that's one of those things about the current music industry that drives me nuts! If you brought the standard version you were robbed, all the extra's are strong, especially 'I'm Feeling you'. Brilliant album!
R**M
Still on a high note.
I'm a long time fan of TMC. His voice and most of his songs are excellent, Age has become a problem though. There is a lack of powerful country songs like in the old times...such as "Unbroken", Live like you were dying, Indian Outlaw to name some. Still his music is of good quality and very well crafted. Highlights here are Shotgun rider and Meanwhile Back at Mama's hose, which is making a lot of headlines as considerd one of the best 2014 country songs(Grammy nominations included). Lets hope next album will come with all what we expect.
B**Y
Sundown? Then sit down and enjoy.
Liked it when I first played it but I put it on again yesterday and it seemed to get better. It's not an album to relax to but I didn't buy it for that. If you've never heard this artist then give it a go. I don't think you'll be disappointed.
A**R
Five Stars
The CD came early and I enjoyed the CD
W**H
Great
Another great album, fantastic voice
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