Unlimited Streaming
Listen to this album in high quality now on our apps
Start my trial period and start listening to this albumEnjoy this album on Qobuz apps with your subscription
SubscribeEnjoy this album on Qobuz apps with your subscription
Digital Download
Purchase and download this album in a wide variety of formats depending on your needs.
After years of the strain of legal battles to get out of his contract with Curb Records, Tim McGraw emerges, relaxed and refreshed with Two Lanes of Freedom, his debut recording for Big Machine, co-produced with longtime collaborator Byron Gallimore. McGraw may be celebrating his independence, but he still understands what he needs to get played on country radio as evidenced by the collision of neo-traditionalist melody and hard rock guitars on the pre-release single "Truck Yeah (there are two versions on this set; one is live). His finger popping meld of pop, Southern soul, and contemporary pop on "Southern Girl" uses Auto-Tune in the chorus, and it actually works (why this wasn't chosen as a single is a head scratcher). "Highway Don't Care" -- a duet with Taylor Swift (a thank you for namechecking him in her first big hit) with a killer guitar solo from Keith Urban -- borrows some production cues from Swift's playbook to excellent effect. The hook is irresistible and McGraw's vocal, paired with the young singer's, is a perfect match. This track is actually a real clue as to what McGraw's about these days, wanting to be the perfect combination of pop, country, and rock in one persona. "One of These Nights" is classic McGraw, a midtempo paean to his protagonists object of desire. It's a love song in a sense, but to the nostalgia of the future, not a woman. "Mexicoma" is a pre-hangover heartbreak tune combining a country two-step with a norteño polka; Mike Rojas' accordion is a nice touch, especially where it meets the distorted slide guitars, upright piano, and horns. "Friend of a Friend" is a "talking to you while you're not here" love song. McGraw's protagonist tenderly offers the lyrics as an incantation, straight into the ear of the absent, longed-for other. The title track is saturated with contemporary country tropes, with enough rock & roll riffing to make it a perfect second single. "It's Your World" is a rock & roll screamer, a guaranteed barroom dancefloor anthem. Despite its wide range of material and experimentation, this is the pop record McGraw has always wanted to make. He packs in a little of everything here, and some of it stumbles: "Annie I Owe You a Dance" has too many strings, and the poignant, "37405," a narrative about a country singer turned convict, could have been leaner. But these are small complaints on a solid and ambitious recording. On Two Lanes of Freedom, McGraw proves he is indeed the artist that Curb never let him be.
© Thom Jurek /TiVo
You are currently listening to samples.
Listen to over 100 million songs with an unlimited streaming plan.
Listen to this playlist and more than 100 million songs with our unlimited streaming plans.
From £10.83/month
Tim McGraw, MainArtist - Jaren Johnston, ComposerLyricist - Jenn Schott, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2013 McGraw Music, LLC.
Rodney Clawson, ComposerLyricist - Luke Laird, ComposerLyricist - Chris Tompkins, ComposerLyricist - Tim McGraw, MainArtist
℗ 2013 Big Machine Records, LLC
Mark Irwin, ComposerLyricist - Andrew Dorff, ComposerLyricist - Josh Kear, ComposerLyricist - Tim McGraw, MainArtist
℗ 2013 McGraw Music, LLC.
Rodney Clawson, ComposerLyricist - Tim McGraw, MainArtist - Jaren Johnston, ComposerLyricist - Lee Thomas Miller, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2013 McGraw Music, LLC.
Tim McGraw, MainArtist - Chris Janson, ComposerLyricist - Danny Myrick, ComposerLyricist - Preston Brust, ComposerLyricist - Chris Lucas, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2012 Big Machine Records, LLC
Kyle Jacobs, ComposerLyricist - Tim McGraw, MainArtist - Joe Leathers, ComposerLyricist - Ruston Kelly, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2013 McGraw Music, LLC.
Tim McGraw, MainArtist - Greg Becker, ComposerLyricist - Jon Nite, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2013 McGraw Music, LLC.
Tom Douglas, ComposerLyricist - James T. Slater, ComposerLyricist - Tim McGraw, MainArtist
℗ 2013 McGraw Music, LLC.
James T. Slater, ComposerLyricist - Brad Warren, ComposerLyricist - Brett Warren, ComposerLyricist - Tim McGraw, MainArtist
℗ 2013 McGraw Music, LLC.
Tom Douglas, ComposerLyricist - Tim McGraw, MainArtist - Troy Jones, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2013 McGraw Music, LLC.
Tim McGraw, MainArtist - Josh Osborne, ComposerLyricist - Shane McAnally, ComposerLyricist - Scott Stepakoff, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2013 McGraw Music, LLC.
Mark Irwin, ComposerLyricist - Andrew Dorff, ComposerLyricist - Josh Kear, ComposerLyricist - Tim McGraw, MainArtist
℗ 2013 McGraw Music, LLC.
Mark Irwin, ComposerLyricist - Josh Kear, ComposerLyricist - Brad Warren, ComposerLyricist - Brett Warren, ComposerLyricist - Tim McGraw, MainArtist - Keith Urban, FeaturedArtist - Taylor Swift, FeaturedArtist
℗ 2013 McGraw Music, LLC.
Tim McGraw, MainArtist - Chris Janson, ComposerLyricist - Danny Myrick, ComposerLyricist - Preston Brust, ComposerLyricist - Chris Lucas, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2013 McGraw Music, LLC.
Tim McGraw, MainArtist - Rachel Thibodeau, ComposerLyricist - David Tolliver, ComposerLyricist - Jason Sever, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2013 McGraw Music, LLC.
Album review
After years of the strain of legal battles to get out of his contract with Curb Records, Tim McGraw emerges, relaxed and refreshed with Two Lanes of Freedom, his debut recording for Big Machine, co-produced with longtime collaborator Byron Gallimore. McGraw may be celebrating his independence, but he still understands what he needs to get played on country radio as evidenced by the collision of neo-traditionalist melody and hard rock guitars on the pre-release single "Truck Yeah (there are two versions on this set; one is live). His finger popping meld of pop, Southern soul, and contemporary pop on "Southern Girl" uses Auto-Tune in the chorus, and it actually works (why this wasn't chosen as a single is a head scratcher). "Highway Don't Care" -- a duet with Taylor Swift (a thank you for namechecking him in her first big hit) with a killer guitar solo from Keith Urban -- borrows some production cues from Swift's playbook to excellent effect. The hook is irresistible and McGraw's vocal, paired with the young singer's, is a perfect match. This track is actually a real clue as to what McGraw's about these days, wanting to be the perfect combination of pop, country, and rock in one persona. "One of These Nights" is classic McGraw, a midtempo paean to his protagonists object of desire. It's a love song in a sense, but to the nostalgia of the future, not a woman. "Mexicoma" is a pre-hangover heartbreak tune combining a country two-step with a norteño polka; Mike Rojas' accordion is a nice touch, especially where it meets the distorted slide guitars, upright piano, and horns. "Friend of a Friend" is a "talking to you while you're not here" love song. McGraw's protagonist tenderly offers the lyrics as an incantation, straight into the ear of the absent, longed-for other. The title track is saturated with contemporary country tropes, with enough rock & roll riffing to make it a perfect second single. "It's Your World" is a rock & roll screamer, a guaranteed barroom dancefloor anthem. Despite its wide range of material and experimentation, this is the pop record McGraw has always wanted to make. He packs in a little of everything here, and some of it stumbles: "Annie I Owe You a Dance" has too many strings, and the poignant, "37405," a narrative about a country singer turned convict, could have been leaner. But these are small complaints on a solid and ambitious recording. On Two Lanes of Freedom, McGraw proves he is indeed the artist that Curb never let him be.
© Thom Jurek /TiVo
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 15 track(s)
- Total length: 01:03:22
- Main artists: Tim McGraw
- Composer: Various Composers
- Label: Universal Music
- Genre: Blues/Country/Folk Country
© 2013 McGraw Music, LLC. ℗ 2013 McGraw Music, LLC.
Improve album informationWhy buy on Qobuz...
-
Stream or download your music
Buy an album or an individual track. Or listen to our entire catalogue with our high-quality unlimited streaming subscriptions.
-
Zero DRM
The downloaded files belong to you, without any usage limit. You can download them as many times as you like.
-
Choose the format best suited for you
Download your purchases in a wide variety of formats (FLAC, ALAC, WAV, AIFF...) depending on your needs.
-
Listen to your purchases on our apps
Download the Qobuz apps for smartphones, tablets and computers, and listen to your purchases wherever you go.