Easton Corbin - "About To Get Real"

[Deleted]

June 30 - Out Now!



Easton Corbin
"About To Get Real"
(Mercury Nashville)

Track List:

01 "Kiss Me One More Time" (Carson Chamberlain, Wade Kirby, Phil O'Donnell)

02 "Guys and Girls" (Jaren Johnston, Zach Crowell, Cary Barlowe)

03 "Clockwork" (Carson Chamberlain, Wade Kirby, Ashley Gorley)

04 "Diggin' On You" (Easton Corbin, Carson Chamberlain, Wade Kirby, Phil O'Donnell)

05 "Baby Be My Love Song" (Brett James, Jim Collins)

06 "About To Get Real" (Rhett Akins, Ben Hayslip, Jeremy Stover)

07 "Yup" (Shane Minor, Wade Kirby, Phil O'Donnell)

08 "Wild Women and Whiskey" (Ronnie Dunn, Terry McBride)

09 "Are You With Me" (Shane McAnally, Terry McBride, Tommy Lee James)

10 "Damn Girl" (Easton Corbin, Carson Chamberlain, Jeff Hyde)

11 "Just Add Water" (Tony Lane, David Lee)

12 "Like A Song" (Easton Corbin, Carson Chamberlain, Stephen Allen Davis)

[Deleted]

Listening to this for the first time right now -- will have more thoughts tomorrow, but I just wanted to post this real quick; quoting myself from earlier this month in the "upcoming albums" thread:

Jun 2, 2015 20:05:01 GMT -5 jhomes87 said:

No, "Wild Women And Whiskey" is not a bro song. It sounds like a 90's neo-traditional country tune that maybe Alan Jackson or Brooks & Dunn would have recorded.

Maybe the reason it sounds like something Brooks & Dunn would have recorded is because it was co-written by Ronnie Dunn along with Terry McBride :)

Gonna tag George Strait Junkie here because I know he really likes "Wild Women and Whiskey" (and I do too!)

[Deleted]

Also read this nice "bio" of the album from the UMG website:

Easton Corbin has found the sweet spot. Like few recording artists today, the rural Florida native has landed on the secret formula for effortlessly mixing contemporary country with the traditional sounds on which he was raised. And that musical alchemy is what defines About to Get Real, his new album on Mercury Nashville.

Easton’s third major-label release is a record that is country music for a broad fan base. Like a winning candidate, Easton and his music appeal to young party-minded fans and country purists alike. Radio-ready beats sidle up alongside fiddle and steel guitar, blending seamlessly to create an at once modern and timeless sound. Songs like earnest Top 10 single “Baby Be My Love Song” and the clever take on romance “Guys and Girls” bring country music into the 21st century, not with jarring genre mash-ups, but with the finesse of producer Carson Chamberlain and the maturity of Easton’s textured voice.

“There’s not a whole lot of traditional country music out there today. But what’s great about the country genre is how wide it is—there’s room for everybody,” says Easton, proud to carry the torch for traditional country, albeit in his own modern way. “I’ll always wave that flag, but you still have to grow as an artist, not only in the studio but on the stage entertaining as well.”

Easton’s growth is apparent on About to Get Real, the mark of an artist who was able to capture the lightning-in-a-bottle success of his 2010 self-titled debut and its two Number One singles—“A Little More Country Than That” and “Roll With It”—and channel it into a career. He was the first solo male artist in 17 years to have his first two singles go Number One. If 2012’s All Over the Road and its Top 10 singles “Lovin’ You Is Fun” and the title track showed Easton furthering his reputation as a promising singer, the 12 tracks of About to Get Real paint a picture of a likely future Male Vocalist nominee.

“I definitely feel that I’ve discovered my natural sound with this album. If I try to do anything other than straight-ahead country, then that would just sound forced. And to have any longevity in this business, you really have to know who you are,” Easton says.

Just as importantly, he also knows what makes for an Easton Corbin song.

“If it has a steel and fiddle in it, that definitely attracts me,” he says with a grin. “But it has to be a song that I relate to in some way. And that’s where maturing and growing older comes into play. As you have more life experiences, that comes through in your music and your writing.”

Along with working with his producer to find just the right songs, Easton co-wrote three of the tracks on About to Get Real: the steel-heavy Seventies ballad “Like a Song,” the nostalgic slice-of-life “Diggin’ on You,” and the surprisingly sweet “Damn Girl,” which finds him apologizing to a particularly fine woman for his spontaneous titular exclamation.

“You apologize, but the girl has such an effect on you that you’re just floored, and those words just come out,” Easton laughs.

Like much of About to Get Real, the song, while light on the surface, shows increasing depth upon further listens. Easton is adamant about cutting songs that go beyond the bottle and the bonfire—so much so that he even re-recorded All Over the Road‘s stunning ballad “Are You With Me” for this album, convinced it’s the type of song country needs right now.

“Country music isn’t only about having a good time and drinking and this and that. It’s also about serious subject matter,” he says. “It touches on each end of that spectrum, from happy-go-lucky to heavy. And that’s the basis of country music, that whole human experience.”

“Like a Song” best addresses that solemn side. Co-written by Easton, the album’s closing track compares a lost love to an unforgettable song and was inspired by events in his own personal life. “It looks at that lonely, gnawing, nagging feeling after a breakup,” he says.

Other tracks celebrate the liquid lubrication and nights out with friends that help us shed such feelings. “Yup” is a deceptively simple chronicle of a much-too-late weeknight in a bar spent pursuing the pretty girl across the room, while the honky-tonkin’ “Wild Women and Whiskey,” co-written by Ronnie Dunn, name-checks Jim Beam and Jack Daniel’s — as well as George Strait and Alan Jackson. It’s as wonderfully intoxicating as its title and lyrics imply, and another example of Easton finding that musical sweet spot.

“I grew up around my grandparents a lot, and my grandpa’s favorite singer was Roy Acuff, and my grandma’s favorite singer was Bill Monroe. I also fell in love with George Jones, Merle Haggard and Keith Whitley,” he says. “All that definitely shapes who I am musically.”

As does Easton’s keen ear for today’s language. The storyteller is able to take a modern phrase and, with just a change of inflection, twist it on its head, giving it a more classic, refined meaning. He does it in “Damn Girl.” He does it in the title track.

Easton laughs, aware that such clever wordplay—the deft merging of the old with the new—is a metaphor for the entire album.

“About to Get Real was a great title for this record because I just love what that says. It pretty much explains everything,” he says. “When country fans listen to this album, I want them to take away that, even though the music mixes the modern with the classic, it’s entirely real. Like the music of my heroes, it’s the real deal.”

[Deleted]

Upon first listen, it's hard to say about this album. Overall it's pretty good, but like countryfan15 pointed out in another thread, there's a lot of songs that, while sounding country, have fluffy, cliche lyrics. Overall, though it's not bad and could grow on me with repeated listens. I was honestly surprised that there were no attempts at R&B or rap lol, I'm glad there wasn't!

For now it's a 7/10 for me, and my personal favorites were Clockwork, Wild Women And Whiskey, Are You With Me, Like A Song

Edit: After 2nd listen this is how I personally rank the tracks:

1. Are You With Me
2. Clockwork
3. Like A Song
4. Wild Women and Whiskey

5. Kiss Me One More Time
6. Damn Girl
7. Guys and Girls

8. Yup
9. About To Get Real
10. Just Add Water
11. Diggin' On You
12. Baby Be My Love Song

[phil1996]

Easton is brilliant. His first two albums were gems, andt reminiscent of George Strait. I'm not feeling this one as a whole right now. A lot of it sounds really bland, and I know Easton is capable of more. With that said, "Are You With Me", "Wild Women and Whiskey", "Damn Girl", and "Like a Song" are all excellent songs.

He should have success single-wise because it's a very radio friendly record, but overall, not as good as I was expecting.

[carriekins]

I'm really enjoying this CD. I think they made a deliberate effort to (and did a good job of) find songs that are in Easton's neo-traditional wheelhouse but that still hit the current buzzwords to keep him relevant. On the surface it may be easy to discount songs like "Yup," "Damn Girl" and "Guys and Girls" for the maybe-bro clichés, but Easton's vocals and the totally-country production (and lack of female objectification) make the songs sweet instead of skeevy.

I'm not sure which direction I'd go with for the next single. I like "Yup" a LOT more than I was expecting to (I actually like it more than Joe Nichols' "Yeah", which is saying a lot), "Guys and Girls" is pretty immediate, "Wild Women & Whiskey" is a jam, and obviously "Are You With Me" was included again for a reason. I think they have plenty of options for radio here.

[.indulgecountry]

Only listened to this once through thus far, but I liked everything on it and I love that Easton continues to keep it country. I agree with carriekins that even though this album might not be full of super weighty material, Easton's delivery is enjoyable, the production is actually country, and his lyrics never stray from "light" to just plain bad or anything that would put him in the bro-country lane.

Looking forward to listening to this more and getting better acquainted with all of the songs on it. There's also a lot of pretty solid options for radio, so I hope that they play their cards right with the next single choice. I'd like to see Easton continue to get hits at country radio, but more importantly, I'd really like to see him finally get back to the #1 spot that he's not been able to replicate since his first two career singles 5 years ago now.

[LBTrocks]

I wasn't blown away on first listen, but the more I listen to this, the more I like it. The album is very good and very solid. I'll be buying it.

"Wild Women And Whiskey", "Damn Girl", and "Like A Song" are all amazing. I already loved "Baby Be My Love Song", "Clockwork", and "Are You With Me" and that hasn't changed. "Yup" has a great sound to it as well. "Diggin' On You" was another track I really liked and "Kiss Me One More Time" is also really enjoyable. "About To Get Real" (the song) sounds better on the second listen and I like it now. "Just Add Water" is a nice enough listen, but I'll probably never love that one. Not a fan of how the 'just add water' line sounds.

One song I don't like is "Guys and Girls" because the chorus is gross and not at all flattering to Easton's voice...i think I'm adjusting to it now though lol so we'll see how I feel about it going forward.

[bjer127]

I really am liking this album. Some of the lyrics are elementary, but Easton's performance out does them. I am really surprised how subdued "Yup" sounds. I was expecting something loud and obnoxious, but the contrary. I like seeing him step out of his comfort zone for "Wild Women and Whiskey". He's never really done a real honky tonk barn burner before, and he sounds great on it. He steps out of his box a few times on this album, again with the aforementioned "Yup"
"Like A Song" is also very good. And I actually don't mind "Kiss Me One More Time" or "Guys and Girls". As long as these types of songs keep him relevant and his momentum going, I'm all for it. All in all, this wasn't quite as good as Joe Nichols "Crickets" (as far as blending traditional country with modern radio fare), but he does a damn good job at it. I would say this is my 2nd favorite album from him, behind his debut (very strong) and All Over The Road (still a good album)

8/10 for me.

[onebuffalo]

TV appearances for Easton Corbin:

www.allaccess.com/net-news/archive/story/143009/easton-corbin-celebrate-release-of-album-with-tele

[straitfan87]

Really like this album on first listen, solid song choices. There's plenty of neo-traditionalist Corbin on this album and radio friendly material.
Just listening now to the last song "Like a Song" and it sounds reminiscent of some George Strait material. Wild Women and Whiskey is also another favorite of mine so far gonna have to listen to this album again and again. Glad I added this album to my catalog

[Deleted]

This album is decent. Easton seems like he's trying and having fun. I just wish the lyrics were better written. This album just comes off way too safe.

6/10.

The people at Saving Country Music destroyed this album. I just don't get their argument the traditionalist stuff was thrown on and is a cop-out. Also Easton could release a song like Donkey but if it had traditional production he could get away with it. I do wish Easton well.

[rsmatto]

Jul 1, 2015 20:36:32 GMT -5 raylatch98 said:

This album is decent. Easton seems like he's trying and having fun. I just wish the lyrics were better written. This album just comes off way too safe.

6/10.

The people at Saving Country Music destroyed this album. I just don't get their argument the traditionalist stuff was thrown on and is a cop-out. Also Easton could release a song like Donkey but if it had traditional production he could get away with it. I do wish Easton well.

They trash it because it's mainstream radio-ready stuff or is at least perceived as that. No surprise there. I think it's a solid record I just think he's stuck trying to figure out who he is. What was once an asset as the George Strait sound-a-like is actually probably a negative at this time. "Are You With Me" is a song that can really change those perceptions and it was shrewd to add it to this album too.

[Deleted]

Unpopular opinion here but whatever,

This album actually hasn't held up well for me. I can respect that the album does its best to incorporate traditional influences into the music but really, when Easton sings about hooking up with a girl on the majority of the tracks, I'm still not that impressed. And really, 3 albums into his career you'd think he'd have some type of identity by now but it's hard to tell here. I still think it has its redeemable moments and it SOUNDS like a good album, I just wish the lyrics weren't so lackluster.

I'm dropping my grade to a 6/10, more so 5.5/10

[Kentucky25]

While I prefer the previous albums, I think this is still a pretty good album. I can understand the complaints that it sounds a lot like everything else right now, lyrically, but I feel there is enough traditional country elements in the production and, of course, Easton's voice that it makes up for a lot of the less lyrics. I also feel like some of the songs have cool twists on the "tailgate girl" story, "Damn Girl", "Boys and Girls", and "Kiss Me One More Time". Also, "Are You With Me" was my favorite song off his last album and I agree with others that it could end up being a career defining tune for him, I'd hate for him to go down as George Strait-lite (though, that's not exactly a bad calling card), and I think a song like that will help distinguish him more.

[Markus Meyer]

Jul 2, 2015 16:25:23 GMT -5 rsmatto said:

Jul 1, 2015 20:36:32 GMT -5 raylatch98 said:

This album is decent. Easton seems like he's trying and having fun. I just wish the lyrics were better written. This album just comes off way too safe.

6/10.

The people at Saving Country Music destroyed this album. I just don't get their argument the traditionalist stuff was thrown on and is a cop-out. Also Easton could release a song like Donkey but if it had traditional production he could get away with it. I do wish Easton well.

They trash it because it's mainstream radio-ready stuff or is at least perceived as that.

That's not a fair comment. They've given positive reviews to plenty of mainstream, radio friendly stuff, such as "Dirt", Tim McGraw's latest album, 'Riser', etc.

On another note, I haven't heard this yet but I love "Are You With Me" and I really hope it's a single one day.

[rsmatto]

Jul 4, 2015 14:32:49 GMT -5 Markus Meyer said:

Jul 2, 2015 16:25:23 GMT -5 rsmatto said:

They trash it because it's mainstream radio-ready stuff or is at least perceived as that.

That's not a fair comment. They've given positive reviews to plenty of mainstream, radio friendly stuff, such as "Dirt", Tim McGraw's latest album, 'Riser', etc.

On another note, I haven't heard this yet but I love "Are You With Me" and I really hope it's a single one day.

Sure, there are exceptions to the rule but in general if it hits the mainstream, they're (if not Trigger than the community of commenters there) not big fans of it.

[Deleted]

I agree with Markus, the reviews are usually fair. I mean usually when they do criticize something it's either because it's hardly country, the act can do way better, or both. The things that are exceptions like "Dirt", "Burning House", etc...are exceptions because they're good examples of country's evolution.

[George Strait Junkie]

this album is great glad i can still count on Easton here's my ranking of all the songs

1. Wild Women And Whiskey - straight up 90's country you can hear Ronnie Dunn in Easton's voice here glad ronnie never cut it
2. Like A Song - solid country gold
3. Just Add Water - i get this song 100% being in california and it being over 100 degrees and in a drought i wish i could "Just Add Water" great song
4. Clockwork - i was pissed off when this one failed at radio great song
5. Diggin' On You - i don't know what it is about this song but i cant stop playing it (Future #1 Hit)
6. Kiss Me One More Time - this should be another hit single
7. About To Get Real - again another hit here
8. Guys And Girls
9. Baby Be My Love Song - this one's a good song but im a bit tired of it
10. Damn Girl
11. Yup
12. Are You With Me - why in the hell is this song back i hated it on the last one

[phil1996]

"Wild Women and Whiskey".......Can't get enough. Classic stuff right there. If George/Alan hear that song they'll be proud.

[onebuffalo]

#1 country, #13 top 200 CD with 20,000 sold. Congratulations, Easton Corbin.

[kw9461]

Solid record, but I'll echo the sentiments that it plays it way too safe and Easton still hasn't "found" himself yet. A couple of radio made hook up songs are obligatory these days, but that encompasses almost this entire album. There are a lot of goods songs here, but I'd preferred a little more heartbreak (he does heartbreak so so well, it's just a waste to have only 1 such song). I'll continue to root for Easton though, and Wild Women and Whiskey & Like A Song are both fantastic, even if neither will be considered for radio. I'd say Yup is a no brainer single (I expected to hate it, but it's actually quite good - would fit right in on Blake Shelton's current album), and Just Add Water would be a good summer single for 2016. I just hope they don't try and release Are You With Me, I never thought that would do well at radio and still don't. I hate that an old song took up the only true ballad spot on the album.

[onebuffalo]

Jul 8, 2015 14:27:13 GMT -5 onebuffalo said:

#1 country, #13 top 200 CD with 20,000 sold. Congratulations, Easton Corbin.

Added top 200 placing for About To Get Real.

[Daryl the Beryl]

I personally liked Are You With Me. Last track is also very good.

[Uncle Lumpy]

Meh. Way to watered down for my tastes. I've never been as enamored with Easton as a lot of you but watering down the traditional elements and mixing in Bro-lite influences just killed it for me. I bought "Wild Women And Whiskey" & "Like A Song" and called it a day.

[Cody Wants Out...]

Deepest apologies for bumping this thread up so late, but I've just gotten around to listening to this in full a couple of times.

*inhales*

At the moment, I'll have to say that this might be his weakest effort to date, but I can tell there's plenty of material for radio to eat up (hopefully) given that the right single choices are made.

From the singles that have been released so far (excluding "Yup"), BBMLS is one of my favorite country singles from this year and is one of the standouts from this record and I'm still kinda perplexed as to why "Clockwork" fizzled out so darn early, without factoring in competition on the charts.

I'm kinda iffy about the remaining album tracks, but two that have clicked with me include the title track and "Kiss Me One More Time", where I can see the latter matching the success of BBMLS given Easton's back in good graces with country radio. I also see the title track becoming a sleeper hit if country radio incorporates more of a country sound in the next year or so. "Guys and Girls" is alright, but the way he delivers the chorus is kind of off-putting to me for some odd reason. "Diggin' On You" and "Just Add Water" are cute, but I may end up burning out on the former sooner than I'd like to and the later gives me more of a novelty vibe, probably due to the summer imagery in the lyrics. "Yup" feels more like album filler with no special hook on it, and I really think this may destroy some of the momentum that has been built up from BBMLS. "Wild Women and Whiskey" and "Like a Song" both sound very promising, but they may end up being too good for country radio at the moment. When "Are You With Me" was on his previous album, it didn't really stand out that much until I listened to it some more. On this record, it stands out more and I wouldn't be surprised if this ends up becoming a single somewhere down the line. "Damn Girl" is not bad and is much better written than the title suggests imo.

If I were to grade this album, I'd most likely give it a B, maybe a B+ after a few more listens. I enjoyed his first two more, but I believe single choices are really going to matter this go round.