kay bee elle: Music Review :: Toby Keith, Drinks After Work

Toby Keith is the first country artist that I started listening to. He was also my first country concert on his Shock 'n Y'all tour, which I went to with my mom, dad, sisters and best friend, Nina, at the Delaware State Fair in the summer of 2003. Fun Fact: Blake Shelton opened for Toby on that Tour, how wild is that!! I credit his Unleashed (2002) and Shock 'n Y'all (2003) albums for getting me into country music and they are still my favorites of his to this day! Should've Been A Cowboy is one of my favorite songs off all time, the live version, of course!

Toby Keith recently released his Drinks After Work album, which I think is his best album in years. Don't get me wrong, he's had some great singles, but as a whole, I really like this album. With the genre of country music somewhat changing and ranging from country-rock to country-pop, Toby Keith remains country. His songs are real, and American, and down-home country. He stays true to what brought me into this genre and out of my boy-band phase.

This summer I had that pleasure of meeting Toby Keith for first time with Nina. It was so much fun being able to meet him together 10 years after we went to his concert for the first time. We've seen him a number of times since then too.

It was also fun being able to upgrade my sisters' seats and watch the concert just a few rows back with them! I just really love country music and the experiences I've had with my family and friends surrounding it. It warms my heart!

Now back to talking about the album, Drinks After Work was somewhat delayed due to the devastating Tornadoes tearing through Toby's hometown of Moore, Oklahoma back in May.

As usual the album ranges from heart-felt and sentimental tracks to lighthearted laughs and crowd pleasers. In this album he also experiments with a few new styles including blues and a hint of R&B in one of my favorite tracks, Little Miss Tear Stain (Could we ever get back together or is never still a good time to call... loveeee that line!). Toby gives his fans what they want and look forward to in tracks that tell a story and show off his wit, like I'll Probably Be Out Fishing.

In his Deluxe Edition, which I highly recommend, Toby showcases his patriotism once again in Call A Marine and sings a beautiful and deeply powerful tribute to his band member in Chuckie's Gone.