Tim McGraw

Despite the fact that the first two singles were humorous, lightweight songs, Tim McGraw's tenth effort, Southern Voice, is surprisingly weighty. "Forever Seventeen" deals with the struggle of getting older and living with regrets. Mirrored by a sad-sounding guitar and a slow, end-of-the-day tempo, "Forever Seventeen" is one of the album's most poignant moments -- and is sung from a woman's point of view. Another highlight comes via the song "Mr. Whoever You Are," which stars a lost soul looking for some comfort in a dance (or more) with a stranger. The loneliness that unwinds in the waltz is heightened by a gorgeous string section, making this a likeable downer of a song. More restless characters lurk through the album: cheaters ("Good Girls"), self-helpers ("Still") and sons without fathers ("You Had to Be There") are all represented in this striking collection.

Tim McGraw may not be the hardest-working man in country music, but he sounds the part,
having risen to megastardom by projecting the charm of a bootstrapper. His 10th album is
best when it's a little grim, as on the spaghetti-Westernized "If I Died Today," in which a
waiter contemplates the abyss, and "Mr. Whoever You Are," a bleak ballad about a
dead-end romance. McGraw doesn't have the vocal swing to pull off novelties lik... More >