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Stepping away from Lady Antebellum, Charles Kelley spreads his wings on his 2016 solo debut The Driver and, in the process, he reconnects with his Southern roots. These roots aren't precisely entangled in the backwoods. Based on this swift nine-track record -- clocking in at under 40 minutes, just like records used to back in the days before digital -- those roots are album-rock radio, a sound explicitly referenced in a cover of Tom Petty's "Southern Accents" where the head Heartbreaker's old muse is an enthusiastic duet partner, but this sensibility permeates throughout The Driver. It's there in the insistent, chiming guitars of the opening "Your Love," it's there in the cool urban cowboy simmer of "Dancing Around It," and even the burnished harmonies of the title track feel like a throwback to the '70s soft rock of America, or maybe B.W. Stevenson. This isn't to say Kelley isn't a modern guy, though -- quite the opposite, actually. Like the Brothers Osborne, Kelley enjoys how the past echoes in the present, so he'll play with these classic rock sounds but also a bit of soul ("Lonely Girl," "The Only One Who Gets Me," both sounding as if they were designed to be played alongside 2015 singles by Thomas Rhett or Brett Eldredge), and harness both his sensitive and rowdy sides in a nice clean pop sensibility. More than anything, these crowd-pleasing instincts give The Driver its charm: as it slides between soft aching tunes (including the Miranda Lambert duet "I Wish You Were Here") and widescreen pop anthems, this sounds as satisfying as listening to a sharply programmed radio station.
© Stephen Thomas Erlewine /TiVo
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Jerry McPherson, Electric Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Jimmie Lee Sloas, AssociatedPerformer, Bass (Vocal) - Andrew Mendelson, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - BIFF WATSON, Acoustic Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Chad Cromwell, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Scott Campbell, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Paul Worley, Producer, Electric Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Charles Kelley, Vocals, Background Vocalist, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Clarke Schleicher, Mixer, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Erik Hellerman, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Kevin Harper, Editor, Assistant Mixer, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Ashley Ray, ComposerLyricist - Brad Winters, Assistant Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Jeff Gartenbaum, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Abe Stoklasa, ComposerLyricist - Mark Trussell, Electric Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Mark Farnum, Assistant Mixer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 2016 Southern Accent Entertainment, LLC
Jerry McPherson, Electric Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Jimmie Lee Sloas, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Andrew Mendelson, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - BIFF WATSON, Acoustic Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Chad Cromwell, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Paul Worley, Producer - Charles Kelley, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Clarke Schleicher, Mixer, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Erik Hellerman, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Mike Rojas, Piano, AssociatedPerformer - Eric Paslay, Vocals, FeaturedArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Dierks Bentley, Vocals, FeaturedArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Kevin Harper, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Abe Stoklasa, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Mark Trussell, Electric Guitar, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2015 Southern Accent Entertainment, LLC
Michael Rhodes, AssociatedPerformer, Bass (Vocal) - Jerry McPherson, Electric Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Andrew Mendelson, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - BIFF WATSON, Acoustic Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Chad Cromwell, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Scott Campbell, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Paul Worley, Producer, Electric Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Charles Kelley, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Clarke Schleicher, Mixer, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Erik Hellerman, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Rob McNelley, Electric Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Mike Rojas, Keyboards, Piano, Hammond B3, AssociatedPerformer - Daniel Tashian, Electric Guitar, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Kevin Harper, Editor, Assistant Mixer, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Brad Winters, Assistant Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Jeff Gartenbaum, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Abe Stoklasa, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Mark Farnum, Assistant Mixer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 2016 Southern Accent Entertainment, LLC
Stevie Nicks, Vocals, FeaturedArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Jerry McPherson, Electric Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Jimmie Lee Sloas, AssociatedPerformer, Bass (Vocal) - Andrew Mendelson, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - BIFF WATSON, Acoustic Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Chad Cromwell, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Scott Campbell, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Paul Worley, Producer - Charles Kelley, Vocals, Background Vocalist, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Tom Petty, ComposerLyricist - Clarke Schleicher, Mixer, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Erik Hellerman, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Mike Rojas, Accordion, Piano, AssociatedPerformer - Kevin Harper, Editor, Assistant Mixer, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Brad Winters, Assistant Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Jeff Gartenbaum, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Abe Stoklasa, Pedal Steel, AssociatedPerformer - Mark Trussell, Acoustic Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Mark Farnum, Assistant Mixer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 2016 Southern Accent Entertainment, LLC
Kristin Wilkinson, String Arranger, AssociatedPerformer - Chris Stapleton, Upright Bass, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Craig Young, AssociatedPerformer, Bass (Vocal) - Andrew Mendelson, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - DAVID DAVIDSON, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Scott Campbell, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Monisa Angell, Viola, AssociatedPerformer - Paul Worley, Producer, Electric Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Charles Kelley, Vocals, Background Vocalist, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Karen Winkelmann, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Clarke Schleicher, Mixer, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Erik Hellerman, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Sari Reist, Cello, AssociatedPerformer - Jesse Frasure, Keyboards, Programming, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Kevin Harper, Editor, Assistant Mixer, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Brad Winters, Assistant Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Jeff Gartenbaum, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Mark Farnum, Assistant Mixer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 2016 Southern Accent Entertainment, LLC
Craig Young, AssociatedPerformer, Bass (Vocal) - Nathan Chapman, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Jerry McPherson, Electric Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Andrew Mendelson, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - BIFF WATSON, Acoustic Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Chad Cromwell, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Scott Campbell, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Paul Worley, Producer, Electric Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Charles Kelley, Vocals, Background Vocalist, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Clarke Schleicher, Mixer, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Erik Hellerman, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Rob McNelley, Electric Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Mike Rojas, Synthesizer, AssociatedPerformer - Kevin Harper, Editor, Assistant Mixer, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Brad Winters, Assistant Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Jeff Gartenbaum, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Justin Schipper, Pedal Steel, AssociatedPerformer - Mark Farnum, Assistant Mixer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 2016 Southern Accent Entertainment, LLC
Michael Rhodes, AssociatedPerformer, Bass (Vocal) - Jerry McPherson, Electric Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Andrew Mendelson, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - BIFF WATSON, Acoustic Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Chad Cromwell, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Scott Campbell, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Paul Worley, Producer, Electric Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Charles Kelley, Vocals, Background Vocalist, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Clarke Schleicher, Mixer, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Erik Hellerman, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Rob McNelley, Electric Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Mike Rojas, Piano, Synthesizer, AssociatedPerformer - Josh Kelley, Acoustic Guitar, Programming, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Kevin Harper, Editor, Assistant Mixer, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Brad Winters, Assistant Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Jeff Gartenbaum, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Mark Farnum, Assistant Mixer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 2016 Southern Accent Entertainment, LLC
Miranda Lambert, Vocals, FeaturedArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Craig Young, AssociatedPerformer, Bass (Vocal) - Jerry McPherson, Electric Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Andrew Mendelson, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - BIFF WATSON, Acoustic Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Chad Cromwell, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Scott Campbell, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Paul Worley, Producer, Electric Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Charles Kelley, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Clarke Schleicher, Mixer, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Erik Hellerman, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Rob McNelley, Electric Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Jedd Hughes, ComposerLyricist - Mike Rojas, Synthesizer, AssociatedPerformer - Kevin Harper, Editor, Assistant Mixer, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Brad Winters, Assistant Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Jeff Gartenbaum, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Justin Schipper, Pedal Steel, AssociatedPerformer - Mark Farnum, Assistant Mixer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 2016 Southern Accent Entertainment, LLC
Kristin Wilkinson, String Arranger, AssociatedPerformer - Andrew Mendelson, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - BIFF WATSON, Acoustic Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - DAVID DAVIDSON, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Scott Campbell, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Monisa Angell, Viola, AssociatedPerformer - Paul Worley, Producer - Charles Kelley, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Karen Winkelmann, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Clarke Schleicher, Mixer, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Erik Hellerman, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Sari Reist, Cello, AssociatedPerformer - Mike Rojas, Piano, AssociatedPerformer - Kevin Harper, Editor, Assistant Mixer, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Brad Winters, Assistant Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Donovan Woods, ComposerLyricist - Jeff Gartenbaum, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Abe Stoklasa, ComposerLyricist - Mark Farnum, Assistant Mixer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 2016 Southern Accent Entertainment, LLC
Album review
Stepping away from Lady Antebellum, Charles Kelley spreads his wings on his 2016 solo debut The Driver and, in the process, he reconnects with his Southern roots. These roots aren't precisely entangled in the backwoods. Based on this swift nine-track record -- clocking in at under 40 minutes, just like records used to back in the days before digital -- those roots are album-rock radio, a sound explicitly referenced in a cover of Tom Petty's "Southern Accents" where the head Heartbreaker's old muse is an enthusiastic duet partner, but this sensibility permeates throughout The Driver. It's there in the insistent, chiming guitars of the opening "Your Love," it's there in the cool urban cowboy simmer of "Dancing Around It," and even the burnished harmonies of the title track feel like a throwback to the '70s soft rock of America, or maybe B.W. Stevenson. This isn't to say Kelley isn't a modern guy, though -- quite the opposite, actually. Like the Brothers Osborne, Kelley enjoys how the past echoes in the present, so he'll play with these classic rock sounds but also a bit of soul ("Lonely Girl," "The Only One Who Gets Me," both sounding as if they were designed to be played alongside 2015 singles by Thomas Rhett or Brett Eldredge), and harness both his sensitive and rowdy sides in a nice clean pop sensibility. More than anything, these crowd-pleasing instincts give The Driver its charm: as it slides between soft aching tunes (including the Miranda Lambert duet "I Wish You Were Here") and widescreen pop anthems, this sounds as satisfying as listening to a sharply programmed radio station.
© Stephen Thomas Erlewine /TiVo
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 9 track(s)
- Total length: 00:35:54
- Main artists: Charles Kelley
- Composer: Various Composers
- Label: Capitol Nashville
- Genre: Blues/Country/Folk Country
© 2016 Southern Accent Entertainment, LLC ℗ 2016 Southern Accent Entertainment, LLC
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