Tracy Byrd Albums (8)
What The Critics Say
Tracy Byrd is a bit of a goofball, which is a compliment. Unlike his second wave new traditionalist brethren, he realizes that a good part of country music is having a good time, and he refuses to take things too seriously. Add to that a good taste in songwriters -- something that can be particularly difficult for his peers, especially in terms of ballads -- and you have somebody who's a reliable record maker, somebody who always has a good joke and a good ballad at hand. Since he's so consistent, he's easy to underrate, because he makes it all seem easy and he does it with a smile. A smash hit like "Ten Rounds With Jose Cuervo" can provide an opportunity to reassess an artist, or at least to take stock of what he has to offer, and that happened with Byrd's 2001 album, Ten Rounds, yet another solid record that stood out from the pack due to that great song. For his follow-up, 2003's The Truth About Men, Byrd could have used that big hit to try something else, but he doesn't. He sticks to his tried and true neo-honky tonk and contemporary country ballad formula. But if a formula works, why try to change it? And The Truth About Men proves that the formula does work, offering smiles and slow dances in equal measure, all delivered with an offhand, guy-next-door charm from Byrd. Sometimes the slow tunes get a little too slow, sometimes the uptempo numbers are a little too silly (the title track has a good premise but some of the jibes don't quite work, not least because the Die Hard 4 mentioned in the second verse as a film preference doesn't even exist), but these are minor quibbles since this is a fun record. It has good-time party songs like the cheerful "Drinkin' Bone" (which is connected to the "party bone," after all) and "How'd I Wind Up in Jamaica," which does Jimmy Buffett better than "It's Five O'Clock Somewhere," Buffett's duet with Alan Jackson that was a smash hit the summer The Truth About Men was released, as well as good ballads like Rodney Crowell's "Making Memories of Us." By the time the record closes with a live version of "Ten Rounds With Jose Cuervo," you're beyond wondering why it's here and just enjoying the ride. True, this album doesn't offer much different than other Byrd records, but song for song, it's one of his finest efforts and a hell of a lot of fun. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
On It's About Time, his first album for RCA Records, Tracy Byrd slyly adds some pop flourishes to his neo-traditionalist style. Some longtime followers may be surprised how smoothly the opening track "Put Your Hand in Mine" goes down, but Byrd straightens things out with the next two cuts, "It's About Time" and "Can't Have One Without the Other," which glide along with mildly twangy guitars and his rich baritone. From that point on, It's About Time follows a strange path, bouncing between good, neo-traditionalist country and music that seems a little too smooth for Byrd. That's not really a problem, since he's a very good singer and he sounds good no matter what he's singing, but the pace of the album nevertheless is a little awkward, mainly due to the fact that the pop-tinged material isn't quite as strong as the straight country. Still, Byrd is a classy, professional performer, which makes sorting through the chaff to find the wheat a worthwhile experience. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
With I'm from the Country, Tracy Byrd continues his streak of sturdy, well-crafted neo-traditionalist contemporary country. With each album, Byrd grows more confident in his delivery and choice of material, which naturally makes the albums stronger. There are still a couple of filler numbers on I'm from the Country, but the key to the record's success is that he takes pains in proving the title true -- and by the end of the record, you have no question that he is indeed from the country. ~ Thom Owens, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Tracy Byrd doesn't change his formula much with Big Love. He still works the same new-traditionalist ground that he did with his debut album, only with more confidence -- his voice is more assured and, more impressively, his selection of material is stronger and more adventurous. On the whole, Big Love is the equal to No Ordinary Man. ~ Thom Owens, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
On his third album Love Lessons, Tracy Byrd doesn't come up with quite as winning a collection as he did on No Ordinary Man, but he comes close enough to make the record a worthwhile purchase for fans. ~ Thom Owens, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
No Ordinary Man, Tracy Byrd's second album, was his breakthrough record and its easy to see why. While he was still sorting out the ins and outs of recording on his debut album, Byrd sounds raw, vibrant, and confident throughout No Ordinary Man, which is clear from the record's first single, "Lifestyles of the Not So Rich and Famous" and the first-rate weeper "The Keeper of the Stars." Byrd plays ballads and uptempo dance numbers equally well and his set of material on the album is fairly consistent, making the album his best to date. ~ Thom Owens, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Tracy Byrd's self-titled debut is an unven but appealing set of new traditionalist country, highlighted by the number one hit, "Holdin' Heaven." On about half of the album's tracks, Byrd sounds confident and skillful, but on the other half, he sounds unsure and timid. Which just means that Tracy Byrd is a promising debut album, not a great one. ~ Thom Owens, All Music Guide
