Story by LB Rogers / Contributing Writer
Blake Shelton released his 11th studio album Friday entitled “Texoma Shore.” The album is named after a lake in between Texas and Oklahoma close to the town where Shelton grew up in Oklahoma. Much like his last few albums, “Texoma Shore” stays true to the familiar Blake Shelton sound, but also dips into some newer elements currently popular in the country music genre.
The record kicks off with Shelton’s newest single, “I’ll Name the Dogs,” which has already exceeded 8 million plays on Spotify. Indicative of Shelton’s style, the catchy tune tells the story of a couple settling down and him suggesting that she “name the babies and (he’ll) name the dogs.”
“I’ll Name the Dogs” isn’t the only love song on the record. Easy-listening tunes like “At The House” and “Beside You Babe” are sure to bring a grin to fans’ lips and butterflies to their stomachs. Like any good Blake Shelton song, the almost-corny lyrics, the traditional production and Shelton’s country vocals make the perfect Southern love song.
For fans not interested in a love song, “Money” is sure to bring them a laugh. The funny tune begins with the sound of a cash register while Shelton almost raps about his financial struggles, describing buying cheap toilet paper because he can’t afford Charmin. The sound of a record scratching in the background gives the inclination that this is Shelton’s take on the new “bro-country” sound that has risen to popularity with artists like Sam Hunt.
While Shelton does keep it traditional for a majority of this record, songs like “Why Me” include some more modern musical elements in their production, giving them more of an electric, almost orchestral sound.
“Turnin’ Me On” is perhaps the most interesting song on “Texoma Shore,” musically and lyrically. The song starts soft, and the volume grows louder as times goes on, as if being “turned on.” Written with Josh Osbourne and Jessi Alexander, this is the only track on the record on which Shelton wrote.
“Got the T-Shirt” and “When the Wine Wears Off” are really the only heartbreak songs on the album. “Got the T-Shirt” tells the story of a girl walking in the guy’s life only to walk out saying, “That’s the last I see of her/She’s been there, got the T-shirt.” Neither song entails a difficult breakup, unlike many of Shelton’s other records.
“Texoma Shore” seals up with a nostalgic, pretty tune about growing up in the South. “I Lived It” details Shelton’s upbringing, including riding around with his grandfather as he smoked his cigarettes with the windows up, his mother cooking with Crisco and him drinking out of a garden hose, saying, “That’s the kind of life that made [him] who [he] is.”
More information about “Lake Texoma” can be found here.
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