Brad Paisley - Moonshine In The Trunk

[Arista Nashville 2014]

Rating: 7/10

By Sean Neidig

Key Tracks: “River Bank,” “Perfect Storm,” “Shattered Glass”

Brad Paisley has been around long enough to know what does and doesn’t work in country music, but he also knows what does and doesn’t work for him personally.

Paisley has long been known as country music’s resident class clown, recognized as much for his goofball humor as his signature white 10-gallon hat. And on his 10th studio album, Moonshine in the Trunk, Paisley returns to the zone he typically occupies, a place he strayed from on his previous record.

Many people still remember Paisley most for his controversial song “Accidental Racist” off of his 2013 album Wheelhouse. The aim of Moonshine is assuredly to remind everyone of what made Paisley one of country’s biggest stars before “Accidental Racist.” Out with the intensely introspective ballads, in with the feel-good jams that are all the rage in country music right now.

The album opens with “Crushin’ It” and “River Bank,” the album’s most upbeat songs. They tell of weekend warriors looking to have some fun after a long week working for The Man.

“River Bank” is particularly noteworthy, as it features Paisley’s affinity for the simple things that make life great, including (but not limited to) booze, boats and bikinis. These ideals are clearly communicated through the song’s chorus: “We got an inner tube / We got a trailer hitch / We’re near the river and far from rich / But we have got each other and gas in the tank / We’re laughing all the way to the river bank.”

This doesn’t mean Paisley has completely become part of the “bro-country” movement, however. While a majority of the album’s tracks could be constituted as “bro-y” in terms of subject matter, the style is unquestionably not. Paisley sticks to his guns and combines his smooth voice and instrumentals to create a more subtle sound, especially compared to the more rock ‘n’ roll style of music currently dominating country radio.

Nonetheless, it wouldn’t be a Brad Paisley album without a few of his famous blues guitar solos, which can be found throughout the album. Moonshine also wouldn’t be considered a country album without a few love songs, the most poignant of which is the track “Perfect Storm.”

This power ballad is easily one of the most heartfelt cuts. It tells of a woman who’s a “Sunday drive meets high speed chase,” complete with analogies galore, choir ensembles and impressive guitar work by Paisley.

“Shattered Glass” is another song about a woman, but is of a different breed. Sung from the point of view of a father to his daughter, Paisley urges his daughter to shatter the proverbial glass ceiling that restricts women in society. Although “Shattered Glass” demonstrates that Paisley hasn’t abandoned the social conscience that spawned “Accidental Racist,” this album’s deep track is executed with much more finesse and care.

Unfortunately, not all of the songs on Moonshine are treated with as much attention. Paisley reunites with Carrie Underwood on “High Life,” which tragically falls flat when one considers the song’s untapped potential. In fact, Underwood is barely featured throughout the song until the end, when Paisley and Underwood banter about the quality of Chick-Fil-A’s waffle fries (no, seriously).

Another track that could have used more TLC was “4WP,” short for “four wheel park.” “4WP” isn’t necessarily a bad song, just strange. The instrumentals are a combination of genres thrown together in a disjointed manner, with segments of rock riffs, fiddle solos, Texas-country guitar picking and some blues elements mixed in for good measure.

By the time the album draws to a close, Moonshine in the Trunk is a solid return to form for Paisley after the numerous misfires of Wheelhouse. Country music is inherently a rather divisive genre in terms of commercial appeal, so Moonshine probably won’t convert any nonbelievers. But for fans of Paisley and country music in general, one could certainly do worse.