Review--"Clancy's Tavern"--Toby Keith

(Today's word will be in ALL CAPS, BOLD, ITALIC, and STRIKETHROUGH.)


Toby Keith has had several hits over the course of his career. Some have been ballads, like the recent "Cryin' for Me". Quite a few have been rowdy and loud, like "How Do You Like Me Now" And of course there's Toby's patriotic contributions, for instance, "Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue".

On Keith's latest release, "Clancy's Tavern", listeners will find all the song styling they've come to associate with Toby.

For patriotism, one need look no further than the first track on the CD to find Toby's latest hit, "Made In America". The song tells the story of a man who, while not being prejudice, only buys, wears, and uses items made in the U.S.A.

"South of You" and "I Won't Let You Down", lean more towards being ballads, one of love lost and the other about a lasting relationship.

And naturally, it wouldn't be a Toby Keith CD without at least one rowdy song. "Red Solo Cup" fills the gap well. The tune is a rocking party ode to red solo cups. It's hard to describe the song here; you'll just have to listen to it yourself to understand. Honestly, if the melody and words weren't so catchy, this could easily be a "throw away" song. It's just silly and hooky enough to grab one's attention though; especially the video for the song with it's dozens of cameo appearances by some of Toby's famous friends.

The title track, "Clancy's Tavern" is the real standout on this CD. It's a song about the true story of Keith's GRANDMOTHER, the tavern she ran, and the summers he would spend with her, helping out. Though not quite the same, the melody, and Keith's delivery of this song is reminiscent of Billy Joel's "Piano Man".

Over all, Toby Keith has provided his followers with another great CD that should have something for everyone to enjoy.