A common occurrence in the music industry today is that it’s becoming more difficult to figure out which tracks are meant to be filler and which are meant to be singles. This is mainly due to the lackluster quality of the tracks being released. When people wonder why music sales are on the decline, they need only look to the wares the industry is trying to peddle. That’s certainly the case with Toby Keith’s latest release, Bullets in the Gun. Before we get to that, let’s examine Toby’s past.
I came to the Toby Keith party a bit late, but he has quickly become one of my favorite artists. While those who aren’t into the country scene might quickly dismiss him, there’s something unique to what Toby brings to the table. I like to think of him as the “Don Draper of Country Music”. Like the Mad Men character, Toby exemplifies a particular idea of what it means to be a man, though in different times and circumstances. Don Draper lives according to the adage that “a man should always be ready to leave at a moment’s notice” – the idea that a man takes care of his responsibilities, but doesn’t allow himself to truly be tied down. There’s a lot of this to Toby Keith’s persona, as he works hard and plays hard, without ever letting himself get too caught up in the goings on of life.
In “How Do You Like Me Now?”, Toby rubbed his celebrity in the face of the valedictorian who didn’t give him a chance in high school. You can pretty much figure out what “I’m Just Talkin’ About Tonight” is about. His first gold single, and most controversial song, was “Courtesy of the Red, White, and Blue (The Angry American)”. Released after 9/11, it’s a jingoistic call to arms, as Toby tells the terrorists that we’re gonna “put a boot in yer ass – it’s the American way”. Now, if that concept scares some of you, then try hearing the song in concert, with a couple thousand rednecks singing along. I have. I’ll never forget that.
Later in the decade, he gave us “I Love This Bar”, which described the only true love in his life – his local watering hole. The song even went on to inspire his real life investment venture, Toby Keith’s I Love This Bar & Grill. “As Good As I Once Was” was a catchy song about a man wistfully comparing present-day experiences to similar events in his past. “God Love Her” is the tale of falling in love with a precher’s daughter.
The thread tying together Toby’s most successful singles is the fact that they were all catchy songs, each containing a good hook. Even in country music, a great hook is key. This is the problem with Bullets in the Gun, as there aren’t any strong hooks. The songs just feel like leftover tracks from 2009’s American Ride. Considering the accelerated release of the follow-up, that’s probably exactly what they are. The album’s lead single is “Trailerhood”, which was the product of a Freudian slip where Toby mixed up neighborhood and trailer park in a conversation with a friend. It’s clearly one of the stronger tracks on the album, but it’s still not great. Outside of that, there are a bunch of forgettable tracks that don’t really leave a mark. It’s not until the album’s final track, “Get Out of My Car”, that you get what could be called a “Toby Keith song”. It’s a bit of a date rapist’s anthem, but the gist of the song is that Toby and a woman are in his car long after last call. It’s the interpersonal tug-of-war of “will they or won’t they”, as they drank, danced, and kissed, so she either needs to take off her top, or get out of his car. Written out, it seems a bit off-putting, but it’s actually a pretty fun song. In the vein of “I’m Just Talkin’ About Tonight”, it’s another example of a good ol’ boy just trying to get his rocks off.
As I’m a sucker for a flashy cover, I sprang for the deluxe version that came with a lenticular cover (that’s “magic motion”, for the uncultured). Along with this chase cover, the disc also included 4 live tracks from Toby’s recent tour. While most people wouldn’t look this gift horse in the mouth, I found the tracks problematic because they were presented without explanation. They aren’t live versions of his most popular hits. Instead, it’s like he chose some jam tracks that sounded the least muddled. It would’ve been great to have live versions of “The Angry American” or “I Love This Bar” with audience participation. The original version of the album would’ve ended at “Get Out of My Car”, which would’ve been a good note on which to end. The deluxe version’s inclusion of the live tracks only made an uneven album seem even more rudderless. Apparently, the album topped the Billboard chart with 71,000 units, but that’s due to Toby’s loyal fan base. This is the kind of album that’s released in order to fulfill a contract obligation; it was either this or another Greatest Hits album. If Toby wants to retain those fans, he can’t keep releasing albums like Bullets in the Gun. The decline began in American Ride, and now this. You’ve got one strike left, and one last bullet in the chamber, Toby. Let’s make the next one a good one.
