Tracy Lawrence Albums (12)
What The Critics Say
On his first country-gospel album Tracy Lawrence pulls out all the stops. A traditional singer with a whole lot of twang in his voice, Lawrence sounds as comfortable singing songs about the Lord as he does singing straight country. The opening track, the fiddle- and steel-fuelled "Dear Lord," sets the tone for the entire album. Lawrence wisely recorded a batch of songs that don't beat people over the head with self-righteous religious rhetoric. Whether he's singing in the voice of the Bible on the poignant "The Book You Never Read," or offering a piece of simple advice to the hurting on the sweeping ballad "Say a Prayer," the singer openly shares his faith. "Somebody Who Would Die for You" is the album highlight. Lawrence digs down deep and delivers one of the album's most soulful vocal performances. The singer sees Jesus in the face of the ones we turn away when they need us most. A line inspired by the Columbine shootings will hit a lot of listeners in the heart. The Rock is a positive collection that will appeal to people of all faiths. ~ Todd Sterling, All Music Guide
'All Wrapped Up in Christmas'
Release Date 1/1/2007
Tracks 10
Label ACP Television
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What The Critics Say
Veteran contemporary country star Tracy Lawrence quietly slipped this ten-song seasonal collection out for the fans in 2007, but found success with it a year later. Eight of these tunes are familiar Christmas standards such as "Frosty the Snowman," "White Christmas," Mel Tormé's ubiquitous "Christmas Song," and others. But the real standouts on this collection are the two tunes by Flip Anderson and Kenny Beard. Bob Wills could have done the opening title track, as it walks the Western swing fence in a straight line with some killer pedal steel work. Add to this Anderson's co-write with J.D. Loudermilk, called "Cold Beer," a swaggering honky tonk number with righteous fiddle work, and you have a pair of oddballs that make the set. Recommended for fans of hardcore country. This is the real stuff. ~ Thom Jurek, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Although the album is called Strong, Tracy Lawrence sure isn't afraid to show his soft side on his eighth studio album and his first for DreamWorks after spending his career at Atlantic. Lawrence has never been among the most adventurous country singers and of all the post-Garth Brooks new traditionalists, he often avoids honky tonk grit, even though he has a nice twang in his voice that would work well on rowdier material. Nevertheless, Strong still ranks among his smoothest albums, a record dominated by ballads and where up-tempo songs are as polished as the slow ones. Not that this is a bad thing, since Lawrence does this kind of music well. There isn't as much musical variety as there is on a Kenny Chesney record, as it is divided between earnest heartache ballads, anthemic mid-tempo numbers, and the occasional mildly rock up-tempo tune. A few of these songs stand out -- the sentimental single "Paint Me a Birmingham," the honky tonk dance of "Sawdust on Her Halo," the gently insistent opener "It's All How You Look at It" -- but more than anything, this album is of a piece, a collection of professionally crafted, no-frills modern country with an adult contemporary bent. While it doesn't stand apart from the pack, either from Lawrence's other albums or those of his peers, it's a sturdy record, sure to satisfy anyone who's enjoyed his other albums. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
'Tracy Lawrence'
Release Date 10/23/2001
Tracks 12
Label Warner Bros.
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
There's a reason why Tracy Lawrence is on his ninth studio release, and a listen to the honky-tonk good album opener "Crawlin' Again" off his self-titled release reminds listeners why. Here, Lawrence's simple and lighthearted approach to addressing heartache is a refreshing and sorely needed touch in contemporary music -- country and otherwise. Look at these lyrics: "It takes a mama 20 years to make a boy a man/and another woman 20 seconds to have him crawlin' again." "Lawrence" wrote two sentences to describe what musicians fill four-minutes worth of song to express. Then there's the twangy and laid-back title track, where Lawrence, with no trickery or Shakespearean prose, expresses one of people's most fundamental desires: to live well, fully and simply. "Sit down in the porch swing/sip a little ice tea/play with the kids in the yard/it's time to get lazy/had enough crazy/life ain't gotta be so hard." You can't top that. Lawrence's ability to plainly and vividly portray life's moments is sheer artistry. This is best evidenced on "What a Memory," an ode to a mother-son relationship that could make a steer cry. Musically speaking, this set is noticeably more scaled down -- simple guitar lines, 4/4 rhythms, and vocals -- compared to Lawrence's past efforts. His minimalist musical style is in winning tandem with his delightfully direct and honest approach to songwriting. Together, you couldn't ask for more abundant fare. Tracy Lawrence is simply a great, real piece of work. It restores faith in jaded audiences who believe music has degenerated into one huge bucket of cookie-cutter swill. Less is so much more sometimes, and if artists can pull this off successfully, as Lawrence does here, God bless them. ~ Liana Jonas, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Given the three years separating it from its predecessor, it's a little disappointing that Lessons Learned isn't a little livelier, or at least a little different from his previous records. It's not. It's not bad, however. Lawrence sticks with the polished, modern-day honky tonk that made him a star, toning down the rough edges and adding gloss to the surface. That means the record heavily favors ballads, and even the peppier material is midtempo. The most exciting it gets is "Up All Night," a credible, mild-spirited rocker, graced by a moment of genius when the music stops and Lawrence sings "I Been Up, I Been Up, I Been Up" in mesmerizing cadence. In other words, it's a well-crafted, adult album. How that plays is a matter of taste. Strictly speaking, this isn't really a straight-up country record, but it's hardly the country-pop of Shania Twain either. It falls between the two extremes, borrowing the form of hardcore country, but the sound and attitude of country-pop. This isn't out of character for Lawrence, but it's a little surprising just how measured Lessons Learned is. It's certainly pleasant, yet it tends to fade into the background. It doesn't help that the material is, by and large, not particularly distinguished. A few tunes jump out, and there's nothing bad here, but there's nothing particularly noteworthy. It's the kind of record only a veteran could produce: accomplished, professional, and modestly -- yet only mildly -- entertaining. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
The Coast Is Clear again demonstrates that Tracy Lawrence was one of the finest new honky tonkers of the '90s. Lawrence can wring tremendous emotion out of a song, adding nuances that give each line heart-tugging resonance. Unfortunately, his material is not the equal of his skills. Although there are bright spots, such as "Livin' in Black and White," about half of the record is saddled with pedestrian material performed without style. Try as he may, Lawrence cannot bring material of this level to life. Still, The Coast Is Clear remains a winning record, since Lawrence sings well no matter what the material, and when he is given a good song, the results are first-rate. ~ Thom Owens, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Tracy Lawrence's Time Marches On, the singer's fourth album, is another crowd-pleasing set of contemporary country. Like his previous albums, the song selection is a hit-or-miss affair, with about half of the songs failing to make much of an impression. The remainder, however, proves why Lawrence is one of the most popular singers in Nashville. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
