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The very title Real Friends carries an air of bonhomie, suggesting Chris Janson's third album was designed as good music for good friends. Sure enough, Real Friends is a cheerful, breezy affair, filled with reassuring ballads and party tunes that mindfully avoid pressing the pedal to the metal. Janson's deliberately light touch helps disguise how he takes a few more musical risks this time than he did on his previous two records. While he doesn't abandon his lean, straight-ahead country wheelhouse, he accentuates his traditionalism with Mellencamp-styled heartland rock, punchy horns, glossy pop, soft R&B, and a bunch of slick electronic tricks. It's varied enough to justify his claim of "Rolling Stone called me the most open-minded redneck on the block" on "Say About Me," and even if that lyric is just Janson paraphrasing himself (the 2017 article contained the quote "I'm the most open redneck you'll ever meet" from the singer), there is a kernel of truth to the sentiment. Janson does seem eager to appeal to all audiences on Real Friends, making music that is big, bright, and welcoming, but underneath that chummy veneer, he's essentially a modern-day good ol' boy, celebrating the virtues of home, buddies, beer, and family. This sentimental streak does result in some cornball moments -- kids singing along on "Hawaii on Me," name-drops of Porter Wagoner and Johnny Paycheck on the fiercely anti-traditional "Check," a hammy duet with Blake Shelton on the title track -- but that old-fashioned cheer is also the thing that makes Real Friends a fun listen.
© Stephen Thomas Erlewine /TiVo
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Jerry Flowers, Bass - Ashley Gorley, Writer - Chris Janson, Lead Vocals, Writer, MainArtist, CoProducer - Andrew Mendelson, Masterer - Scott Johnson, Production - Aaron Sterling, Drums, Percussion - Jonathan Singleton, Background Vocals - Jim Cooley, Mixer - Devin Malone, Banjo, Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar, Dobro - Zach Crowell, Producer, Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, Keyboards, Programmer, Writer, Background Vocals, Recorded by - Tommy Cecil, Digital Editor
© 2019 Warner Music Nashville LLC ℗ 2019 Warner Music Nashville LLC
Chris Janson, Producer, Lead Vocals, MainArtist - Andrew Mendelson, Masterer - Jim Cooley, Mixer - Alex Wright, Organ, Piano, Synthesizer, Wurlitzer - Tim Galloway, Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar, Bass - Kam Luchterhand, Engineer - Justin Schipper, Banjo, Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar, Slide Guitar - Tommy Cecil, Producer, Percussion, Writer, Digital Editor, Recorded by, Programming - Matt Alderman, Background Vocals - James McNair, Writer, Background Vocals - Mitch Oglesby, Writer - Chris Jason, Writer - Isaac Senty, Drums - Greylan James, Electric Guitar, Writer, Bass
© 2019 Warner Music Nashville LLC ℗ 2019 Warner Music Nashville LLC
Chris Janson, Producer, Lead Vocals, Writer, MainArtist - Andrew Mendelson, Masterer - Jim Cooley, Mixer - Jamie Paulin, Writer - Alex Wright, Organ, Piano, Synthesizer, Wurlitzer - Brad Winters, Background Vocals, Digital Editor - Tim Galloway, Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar, Bass - Tommy Cecil, Producer, Percussion, Digital Editor, Recorded by, Programming - Matt Roy, Writer - Mitch Oglesby, Writer - Alyson McAnally, Coordinator - Isaac Senty, Drums - Robby Schneider, Coordinator
© 2019 Warner Music Nashville LLC ℗ 2019 Warner Music Nashville LLC
Jerry Flowers, Bass - Chris Janson, Lead Vocals, Writer, MainArtist, CoProducer - Andrew Mendelson, Masterer - Scott Johnson, Production - Aaron Sterling, Drums, Percussion, Piano, Additional Recording - Jonathan Singleton, Background Vocals - Jim Cooley, Mixer - Devin Malone, Banjo, Electric Guitar, Dobro - Zach Crowell, Producer, Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar, Keyboards, Organ, Background Vocals, Recorded by, Programming - Tommy Cecil, Writer - Zach Crowll, Writer
© 2019 Warner Music Nashville LLC ℗ 2019 Warner Music Nashville LLC
Chris Janson, Producer, Lead Vocals, Writer, MainArtist, Gang Vocals - Andrew Mendelson, Masterer - Jim Cooley, Mixer - Shy Carter, Writer, Gang Vocals - Alex Wright, Organ, Piano, Synthesizer, Wurlitzer - Tim Galloway, Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar, Bass - Ben Caver, Background Vocals - Tommy Cecil, Producer, Percussion, Writer, Digital Editor, Recorded by, Programming, Gang Vocals - Isaac Senty, Drums
© 2019 Warner Music Nashville LLC ℗ 2019 Warner Music Nashville LLC
Craig Wiseman, Writer - Chris Janson, Producer, Lead Vocals, Writer, MainArtist, Gang Vocals - Andrew Mendelson, Masterer - Jim Cooley, Mixer - Shy Carter, Writer - Alex Wright, Organ, Piano, Synthesizer, Wurlitzer - Tim Galloway, Electric Guitar, Bass - Kam Luchterhand, Engineer - Justin Schipper, Banjo, Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar, Slide Guitar - Tommy Cecil, Producer, Percussion, Writer, Digital Editor, Recorded by, Programming, Gang Vocals - Josh Dunne, Background Vocals - Isaac Senty, Drums
© 2019 Warner Music Nashville LLC ℗ 2019 Warner Music Nashville LLC
Will Nance, Writer - Chris Janson, Producer, Guitar, Lead Vocals, Writer, MainArtist - Andrew Mendelson, Masterer - Jim Cooley, Mixer - Alex Wright, Organ, Piano, Synthesizer - Tim Galloway, Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar, Bass, Ukulele - Ben Caver, Background Vocals - Tommy Cecil, Producer, Digital Editor, Recorded by, Programming - Evan Hutchings, Drums, Percussion - Kelly Roland, Writer - Alyson McAnally, Coordinator - Robby Schneider, Coordinator - Georgia Janson, Additional Vocals - Jesse Janson, Additional Vocals - Chel' Warren, Additional Vocals
© 2019 Warner Music Nashville LLC ℗ 2019 Warner Music Nashville LLC
Rhett Akins, Writer - Ben Hayslip, Writer - Chris Janson, Producer, Lead Vocals, Writer, MainArtist - Andrew Mendelson, Masterer - Jim Cooley, Mixer - Scotty Huff, Trumpet, Arrangement Horn - Alex Wright, Organ, Synthesizer, Wurlitzer - Tim Galloway, Electric Guitar, Bass - Ben Caver, Background Vocals - Justin Schipper, Guitar, Mandolin - Tommy Cecil, Producer, Digital Editor, Recorded by, Programming - Jovan Quallo, Tenor Saxophone, Baritone Saxophone - Josh Scalf, Trombone - Alyson McAnally, Coordinator - Isaac Senty, Bells, Drums, Percussion - Robby Schneider, Coordinator
© 2019 Warner Music Nashville LLC ℗ 2019 Warner Music Nashville LLC
Chris Janson, Producer, Lead Vocals, Writer, MainArtist - Brock Berryhill, Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar, Keyboards, Writer, Background Vocals, Digital Editor, Recorded by, Bass - Andrew Mendelson, Masterer - Jim Cooley, Mixer - Alex Wright, Organ, Synthesizer, Wurlitzer - Tim Galloway, Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar, Bass - Justin Schipper, Guitar - Tommy Cecil, Producer, Percussion, Digital Editor, Recorded by, Programming - Mitch Oglesby, Writer - Brad Clawson, Writer - Isaac Senty, Drums - Greylan James, Electric Guitar, Writer - Robby Schneider, Coordinator
© 2019 Warner Music Nashville LLC ℗ 2019 Warner Music Nashville LLC
Blake Shelton, Vocals, FeaturedArtist - Chris Janson, Producer, Lead Vocals, Writer, MainArtist - Andrew Mendelson, Masterer - SCOTT HENDRICKS, Additional Recording - Jim Cooley, Mixer - Alex Wright, Organ, Piano, Synthesizer, Clavinet - Brad Winters, Background Vocals, Digital Editor - Tim Galloway, Banjo, Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar, Bass - Tommy Cecil, Producer, Percussion, Digital Editor, Recorded by, Programming - Mitch Oglesby, Writer - Brad Clawson, Writer - Isaac Senty, Drums - Greylan James, Writer - Robby Schneider, Coordinator
© 2019 Warner Music Nashville LLC ℗ 2019 Warner Music Nashville LLC
Tom Douglas, Writer - Tony Lane, Writer - Chris Janson, Producer, Lead Vocals, Writer, MainArtist - Andrew Mendelson, Masterer - Aaron Sterling, Drums, Percussion - Jim Cooley, Mixer - Alex Wright, Organ, Piano, Synthesizer, Wurlitzer - Brad Winters, Background Vocals, Digital Editor - Tim Galloway, Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar, Bass - Justin Schipper, Banjo, Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar, Mandolin, Dobro - Tommy Cecil, Producer, Digital Editor, Recorded by, Programming - Alyson McAnally, Coordinator - Robby Schneider, Coordinator
© 2019 Warner Music Nashville LLC ℗ 2019 Warner Music Nashville LLC
Jay Brunswick, Writer - Chris Janson, Producer, Lead Vocals, Writer, MainArtist - Brock Berryhill, Producer, Electric Guitar, Writer, Background Vocals, Digital Editor, Recorded by, Bass, Programming - Andrew Mendelson, Masterer - Jim Cooley, Mixer - Jason Blaine, Electric Guitar, Writer - Mitch Oglesby, Writer
© 2019 Warner Music Nashville LLC ℗ 2019 Warner Music Nashville LLC
David Lee Murphy, Writer - Chris Janson, Producer, Lead Vocals, Writer, MainArtist - Andrew Mendelson, Masterer - Jim Cooley, Mixer - Brad Winters, Background Vocals, Digital Editor - Tim Galloway, Banjo, Bouzouki, Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar, Bass - Justin Schipper, Guitar - Tommy Cecil, Producer, Background Vocals, Digital Editor, Recorded by, Programming - Evan Hutchings, Drums, Percussion - Mitch Oglesby, Writer - Alyson McAnally, Coordinator - Robby Schneider, Coordinator
© 2019 Warner Music Nashville LLC ℗ 2019 Warner Music Nashville LLC
Chris Janson, Producer, Lead Vocals, Writer, MainArtist, Gang Vocals - Andrew Mendelson, Masterer - Jim Cooley, Mixer - Shy Carter, Writer, Gang Vocals - Alex Wright, Organ, Piano, Synthesizer, Wurlitzer - Tim Galloway, Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar, Bass - Offset, Vocals, FeaturedArtist - Ben Caver, Background Vocals - Tommy Cecil, Producer, Percussion, Writer, Digital Editor, Recorded by, Programming, Gang Vocals - Kiari Kendrell Cephus, Writer - Isaac Senty, Drums
© 2019 Warner Music Nashville LLC ℗ 2019 Warner Music Nashville LLC
Album review
The very title Real Friends carries an air of bonhomie, suggesting Chris Janson's third album was designed as good music for good friends. Sure enough, Real Friends is a cheerful, breezy affair, filled with reassuring ballads and party tunes that mindfully avoid pressing the pedal to the metal. Janson's deliberately light touch helps disguise how he takes a few more musical risks this time than he did on his previous two records. While he doesn't abandon his lean, straight-ahead country wheelhouse, he accentuates his traditionalism with Mellencamp-styled heartland rock, punchy horns, glossy pop, soft R&B, and a bunch of slick electronic tricks. It's varied enough to justify his claim of "Rolling Stone called me the most open-minded redneck on the block" on "Say About Me," and even if that lyric is just Janson paraphrasing himself (the 2017 article contained the quote "I'm the most open redneck you'll ever meet" from the singer), there is a kernel of truth to the sentiment. Janson does seem eager to appeal to all audiences on Real Friends, making music that is big, bright, and welcoming, but underneath that chummy veneer, he's essentially a modern-day good ol' boy, celebrating the virtues of home, buddies, beer, and family. This sentimental streak does result in some cornball moments -- kids singing along on "Hawaii on Me," name-drops of Porter Wagoner and Johnny Paycheck on the fiercely anti-traditional "Check," a hammy duet with Blake Shelton on the title track -- but that old-fashioned cheer is also the thing that makes Real Friends a fun listen.
© Stephen Thomas Erlewine /TiVo
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 14 track(s)
- Total length: 00:41:39
- Main artists: Chris Janson
- Label: Warner Music Nashville
- Genre: Blues/Country/Folk Country
© 2019 Warner Music Nashville LLC ℗ 2019 Warner Music Nashville LLC
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