Clay Walker Albums (9)
What The Critics Say
Clay Walker didn't last long at RCA Records -- just one album, 2003's A Few Questions, which found the Texan at his smoothest and poppiest, yet that didn't result in anything more than modest chart success. He parted ways with the label and signed with Curb, releasing Fall in the spring of 2007. Fall doesn't drastically depart from the sound of A Few Questions, but there's a crucial difference: it's produced by Keith Stegall, best known as the man who helmed hits by Alan Jackson. Stegall helps return some hard country to Walker's sound, but he does it with moderation, keeping Walker firmly within a mainstream, crossover sound. The subtle emphasis on pure country gives Fall a backbone A Few Questions lacked. Walker can still stray into sticky sentiment, particularly on ballads like "Love to Be Your Last," but these never get too saccharine (even if they remain awfully sappy at times) thanks to Stegall's simple, unadorned production. It also helps that these pieces of corn are surrounded by livelier material, whether it's the lean, good-hearted "Working Man," the cheerful, Kenny Chesney-styled beach anthem "Mexico," or especially the wry, funny lead single, "'Fore She Was Mama," where Walker discovers his mom's hidden hippie past. At times Fall does sound a bit too well-mannered, but part of Walker's charm as a veteran country singer is that he comes across as a gentleman: he may have fun in the sun, but he doesn't roam; he comes back home to the woman who loves him. The nice thing about Fall is that despite some treacly moments, it captures this character on record -- and it places as much emphasis on the fun as it does the love, so it's his most enjoyable collection in some time. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Clay Walker never was a superstar, but he scored consistently on the country singles chart throughout the '90s. Once the new millennium started, he hit a bit of a rough patch with 2001's Say No More, which became his first album to not spawn a Top Ten hit -- which may or may not have been a side effect of it being his last album for Giant. Following its release, Walker headed for RCA and debuted on his new label in the fall of 2003 with A Few Questions, a record that certainly does raise a few questions about what Walker is doing as his career enters a second decade. Though he still sports a big black hat on the front cover, this is hardly the sound of a new traditionalist -- it's the sound of the well-styled, hunky dude in a sweater that appears on the back cover. It seems that Walker got scared at the lack of success of Say No More and now has no compunction about being seen as a Nashville country-pop guy. Even when the dobros and fiddles are hauled out for "Countrified," it's for a Shania-styled chant-along, and they're soon buried underneath the twang of nu-country guitars, anyway, to move it firmly into the realm of pop-country. And that would be A Few Questions in a nutshell if only it had a little more country to it. Instead, from the moment the title track kicks off the album, it's clear that Walker no longer toes a new traditionalist line, and this ballad-heavy record lays on the sentiment real heavy, whether it's in a string of love songs, the assertion that "Jesus Was a Country Boy" ("swimmin' in the river/fishin' for his dinner"), or the claim that no matter what our differences are in this country, "Everybody Needs Love" (although it's clear by the way he sneers "sushi" in his verse on California that he's none too fond of the Left Coast). Though fans of his first few records will view this makeover with disdain, Walker's new style doesn't not fit him -- he's comfortable and outgoing in these new clothes, and the record is pleasant enough, even if it doesn't have much personality. Then again, it's not supposed to -- it's supposed to ease Walker onto contemporary radio once again by sounding like everything else on the radio. On that level, A Few Questions is a great success, but at its core, it just doesn't feel like a Clay Walker album, even if it is likely the start of the second phase of Walker's career, the phase where he is no longer a new traditionalist and is now an unabashed radio guy. Fans can make up their minds accordingly. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Of Clay Walker's first six albums, four went platinum and two went gold. Say No More, lucky number seven, seems destined for the same fate. This 11-track collection of inspirational prose about life and love covers everything from dreams to regret to tough times, but the common thread is love. In fact, the sensitivity on this album is so expressive that it makes you want to run right out and hug the one you love. The album's title track is an awesome song about falling out of love. "Could I Ask You Not to Dance" is a formidable song about losing someone you love and regretting it. "You Deliver Me" is a great track about feeling complete with your partner. Walker said, "I haven't ever put this much time or this much heart into an album, not even the first one. There's emotion in every single cut." There sure is. He adds some spice with a remake of Richie Valens' 1959 hit "La Bamba," as well as the pulsating "Texas Swing." Produced by Byron Gallimore, Blake Melvis, and Brent Mason, Say No More is a fine album from an artist who has proved his staying power time and time again. ~ Maria Konicki Dinoia, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Clay Walker is a good journeyman singer. He has a strong voice, knows how to twist clichés to his advantage, and knows that straying too far from the clichés will lose his wide audience. In turn, that means that he's enjoyable, but a little predictable, which is an accurate assessment of Live, Laugh, Love, his fifth album. The album never really distinguishes itself from its predecessors. Like those records, it's a safe blend of pop ballads, mild rockers, and polished honky tonk, all delivered in Walker's twangy tenor. Even if the ballads occasionally touch on adult contemporary (witness "Once in a Lifetime Love"), it's considerably more country than, say, Tim McGraw, but the music doesn't show enough imagination and isn't organic enough to stand apart from the neo-traditionalist pack. That said, it's hardly bad -- the material may be uneven, but "She's Always Right" has a good sense of humor and "Lose Some Sleep Tonight" is quite good, while the title track is an amusing twist on Faron Young's "Live Fast, Love Hard, Die Young," a calypso-ish number that is designed for yuppies into hat music. Ultimately, Live, Laugh, Love drags a bit too much to rank among Walker's best, but it has its moments. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
By the time he recorded Rumor Has It, Clay Walker had settled into a comfortable formula of radio-ready country-pop and honky tonk, and he had ceased to experiment with his music. Which isn't a bad thing, because Walker is a consummate professional able to make even mediocre material sound good. Rumor Has It may not be among his very best, yet there are enough strong moments to make it worthwhile for most fans. ~ Thom Owens, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Clay Walker's Hypnotize the Moon is his most assured, cohesive album to date. Walker shines on both polished, contemporary ballads and gritty traditional country, and his consistently excellent performance is what carries the album over the weak spots. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
'If I Could Make a Living'
Release Date 9/13/1994
Tracks 11
Label Warner Bros.
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
Clay Walker is another country music product from Beaumont, TX (others include George Jones, Mark Chestnut, Doug Supernaw, and Tracy Bird) who has broken into the Nashville music scene. Walker has a high-energy voice and a growl that reminds you of Conway Twitty. The highlights of his first album include "What's It to You?," his first number one hit, and "Live Until I Die." Other featured songs include "The Silence Speaks for Itself" and "White Palace." ~ Larry Powell, All Music Guide
