“American Idol” Season 10 champ Scotty McCreery is nothing short of a Southern sensation. With a platinum debut album and a gold Christmas collection under his belt among several sold-out concerts and high-rated television appearances, there is no doubt that the country industry is being taken more and more under the spell of his deep vocals mixed with his down-home Carolina charm. Now, good ol’ Scotty McCreery is coming at the country market once more with his second full studio release chockful of original pieces. The question here, however, is whether McCreery has cast himself into a sophomore slump with the release of “See You Tonight” or if he’s brought yet another hit record into his repertoire.
From opening track “Now” onward, it can be rightly assessed that McCreery’s ability to tell a story with his signature rich vocal are placed front and center in an attempt to deliver as solid a listening experience as possible. Thankfully, the themes of the album are age appropriate for the 20-year-old Raleigh boy and are henceforth delivered with a grand touch of relatability that makes the record’s overarching story of the ins and out of young love believable. While titular single “See You Tonight” is already making a splash on the country charts (and is likely to get a big bump with this album’s release), songs like “Feelin’ It” and “Forget To Forget You” are surely radio hits in the making. The album maintains a good balance of fun Southern stompers and country ballads that have the ability to bring back a listener’s memories of times which they can relate to more often than not.
“See You Tonight” is proving itself not to be a sophomore slump by any meaning of the term. By all means, “See You Tonight” plays much more like a comeback of the year. Fans of modern country looking for a slightly more genuine rootsy sound in the voice of the performer couldn’t do much better than giving Scotty a listen, and his second effort paints a picture of just why that is more effectively than ever before for the young gentleman. If you’re in the market for a compelling new country release, do yourself a favor and give “See You Tonight” a spin. McCreery, for his age especially, is making great leaps in the right direction toward country superstardom with his signature vocal, varied style, and, above all else, his ability to tell a compelling story through his music with relative ease.
Rating: 5/5
You can pick up “See You Tonight” on iTunes in either its deluxe or standard edition for just $14.99 or $11.99, respectively, or visit your local store that sells CDs for a physical edition of the album. Also, make sure to follow Scotty on Twitter and Facebook to keep up with the latest on his budding career in country.
