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.
A few months before he released his seventh album, Based on a True Story..., Blake Shelton weathered a minor storm over comments he made to GAC's Backstory, where he claimed "nobody wants to listen to their grandpa's music." Shelton further explained "old farts" "don't buy records anymore...the kids do, and they don't want to buy the music that you were buying." At 36 years old, Shelton isn't exactly a kid but he sure has his finger on the pulse of what America is all about in 2013, a perspective that informs every cut on Based on a True Story.... Not so coincidentally in terms of attitude, this is the first album Shelton has made since turning into a genuine crossover star thanks to his role on the televised competition The Voice -- Red River Blue, his last album, appeared just a month after the first season of The Voice wrapped -- and it reflects his newfound popularity via its reliance on rocking rhythms, woolly mammoth hooks, red state swagger, and pristine power ballads, all protected in a high-gloss coat of studio varnish. Some of that varnish includes a dose of heavy Auto-Tune on Blake's voice, a bit of trickery he doesn't need -- there's a reason why he's a judge on a singing competition; he has an easy, natural grace to his delivery -- but its artificially correct sound is simply another indication of the thoroughly modern Shelton: few other country albums of 2012-2013 are as unabashedly of the moment as this, celebrating all the tacky oversized glory of the U.S.A. from the fame-hungry Sunset Strip to parties in the boondocks. By playing to both the high and low brow, Shelton consolidates the entire spectrum of his audience, from the country to the coasts. Both audiences buy into his increasingly macho strut, where he tosses out casual profanities, brags that he's "Still Got a Finger" (to flip you the bird, of course), and salutes his redneck brothers via the vaguely embarrassing rapped "chew tobacco/chew tobacco/chew tobacco/spit" chorus of "Boys 'Round Here." That Shelton can pull off this big, swinging bravado isn't much of a surprise -- when his voice trills electronically on "Small Town Big Time" he makes it sound like a joke -- but there's just a little bit too much of the schtick; individually the cuts work fine but they overwhelm not only the gentler moments ("Sure Be Cool If You Did," "Do You Remember") but cancel each other out over the long run. Still, the very sense that more is more is essential to the appeal of Based on a True Story...: every song is bigger, brighter, bolder than the next, super-sized country for a super-sized time.
© Stephen Thomas Erlewine /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 $17.49/month
Miranda Lambert, Backing Vocals - Craig Wiseman, Writer - Rodney Clawson, Backing Vocals - Chris Tompkins, Programmer - Rhett Akins, Backing Vocals, Writer - Troy Lancaster, Electric Guitar - Ashley Monroe, Backing Vocals - Blake Shelton, Lead Vocals, MainArtist - Jimmie Lee Sloas, Bass Guitar - Hank Williams, MasteringEngineer - Paul Franklin, Pedal Steel Guitar - Aubrey Haynie, Fiddle - Bryan Sutton, Acoustic Guitar, Slide Guitar, 12 String Guitar - Tom Bukovac, Electric Guitar - Ben Phillips, Percussion, Digital Editor - JUstin Niebank, MasteringEngineer, MixingEngineer - Scott Johnson, Production - Drew Bollman, Engineer, Assistant Mixing Engineer, AssistantEngineer - John Willis, Banjo - SCOTT HENDRICKS, Producer, Engineer, Backing Vocals, Digital Editor - Gordon Mote, Organ, Piano - Greg Morrow, Drums, Percussion - Joe Martino, Engineer - Tommy Harden, Drum Programmer - Adam Shoenfeld, Electric Guitar - Dallas Davidson, Backing Vocals, Writer - Perry Coleman, Backing Vocals - Russ Pahl, Guitar, Pedal Steel Guitar - Allen Parker, AssistantEngineer - Charlie Judge, Organ, Synthesizer - Danny Parks, Banjo, Acoustic Guitar - Brian David Willis, Digital Editor - Brady Barnett, Digital Editor - Angaleena Presley, Backing Vocals - Mike Stankiewicz, Engineer - Brad Winters, Engineer - Gwen Sebastian, Backing Vocals - Jimmy Robbins, Programmer - Pistol Annies & Friends, FeaturedArtist - RaeLynn Rhett, Backing Vocals
© 2013 Ten Point Productions, Inc. under exclusive license to Warner Records Inc. ℗ 2013 Ten Point Productions, Inc. under exclusive license to Warner Records Inc.
Miranda Lambert, Backing Vocals - Rodney Clawson, Backing Vocals, Writer - Chris Tompkins, Programmer, Writer - Rhett Akins, Backing Vocals - Troy Lancaster, Electric Guitar - Ashley Monroe, Backing Vocals - Blake Shelton, MainArtist - Jimmie Lee Sloas, Bass Guitar - Hank Williams, MasteringEngineer - Paul Franklin, Pedal Steel Guitar - Aubrey Haynie, Fiddle - Bryan Sutton, Acoustic Guitar, Slide Guitar, 12 String Guitar - Tom Bukovac, Electric Guitar - Ben Phillips, Percussion, Digital Editor - JUstin Niebank, MasteringEngineer, MixingEngineer - Scott Johnson, Production - Drew Bollman, Engineer, Assistant Mixing Engineer, AssistantEngineer - John Willis, Banjo - SCOTT HENDRICKS, Producer, Engineer, Backing Vocals, Digital Editor - Gordon Mote, Organ, Piano - Greg Morrow, Drums, Percussion - Joe Martino, Engineer - Tommy Harden, Drum Programmer - Adam Shoenfeld, Electric Guitar - Dallas Davidson, Backing Vocals - Perry Coleman, Backing Vocals - Russ Pahl, Guitar, Pedal Steel Guitar - Allen Parker, AssistantEngineer - Charlie Judge, Organ, Synthesizer - Danny Parks, Banjo, Acoustic Guitar - Brian David Willis, Digital Editor - Brady Barnett, Digital Editor - Angaleena Presley, Backing Vocals - Mike Stankiewicz, Engineer - Brad Winters, Engineer - Gwen Sebastian, Backing Vocals - Jimmy Robbins, Programmer, Writer - RaeLynn Rhett, Backing Vocals
© 2013 Ten Point Productions, Inc. under exclusive license to Warner Records Inc. ℗ 2013 Ten Point Productions, Inc. under exclusive license to Warner Records Inc.
Miranda Lambert, Backing Vocals - Michael Dulaney, Writer - Rodney Clawson, Backing Vocals - Chris Tompkins, Programmer - Rhett Akins, Backing Vocals - Troy Lancaster, Electric Guitar - Ashley Monroe, Backing Vocals - Blake Shelton, MainArtist - Jimmie Lee Sloas, Bass Guitar - Hank Williams, MasteringEngineer - Paul Franklin, Pedal Steel Guitar - Aubrey Haynie, Fiddle - Bryan Sutton, Acoustic Guitar, Slide Guitar, 12 String Guitar - Tom Bukovac, Electric Guitar - Ben Phillips, Percussion, Digital Editor - Ian Kirkpatrick, Writer - JUstin Niebank, MasteringEngineer, MixingEngineer - Scott Johnson, Production - Drew Bollman, Engineer, Assistant Mixing Engineer, AssistantEngineer - John Willis, Banjo - SCOTT HENDRICKS, Producer, Engineer, Backing Vocals, Digital Editor - Gordon Mote, Organ, Piano - Greg Morrow, Drums, Percussion - Joe Martino, Engineer - Tommy Harden, Drum Programmer - Adam Shoenfeld, Electric Guitar - Dallas Davidson, Backing Vocals - Perry Coleman, Backing Vocals - Russ Pahl, Guitar, Pedal Steel Guitar - Allen Parker, AssistantEngineer - Charlie Judge, Organ, Synthesizer - Danny Parks, Banjo, Acoustic Guitar - Brian David Willis, Digital Editor - Brady Barnett, Digital Editor - Angaleena Presley, Backing Vocals - Mike Stankiewicz, Engineer - Brad Winters, Engineer - Gwen Sebastian, Backing Vocals - Jimmy Robbins, Programmer - William Gray, Writer - RaeLynn Rhett, Backing Vocals
© 2013 Ten Point Productions, Inc. under exclusive license to Warner Records Inc. ℗ 2013 Ten Point Productions, Inc. under exclusive license to Warner Records Inc.
Miranda Lambert, Backing Vocals - Craig Wiseman, Writer - Rodney Clawson, Backing Vocals - Chris Tompkins, Programmer - Rhett Akins, Backing Vocals - Troy Lancaster, Electric Guitar - Ashley Monroe, Backing Vocals - Blake Shelton, MainArtist - Clint Lagerberg, Writer - Jimmie Lee Sloas, Bass Guitar - Hank Williams, MasteringEngineer - Paul Franklin, Pedal Steel Guitar - Aubrey Haynie, Fiddle - Bryan Sutton, Acoustic Guitar, Slide Guitar, 12 String Guitar - Tom Bukovac, Electric Guitar - Ben Phillips, Percussion, Digital Editor - JUstin Niebank, MasteringEngineer, MixingEngineer - Scott Johnson, Production - Drew Bollman, Engineer, Assistant Mixing Engineer, AssistantEngineer - John Willis, Banjo - SCOTT HENDRICKS, Producer, Engineer, Backing Vocals, Digital Editor - Gordon Mote, Organ, Piano - Greg Morrow, Drums, Percussion - Joe Martino, Engineer - Tommy Harden, Drum Programmer - Adam Shoenfeld, Electric Guitar - Dallas Davidson, Backing Vocals - Perry Coleman, Backing Vocals - Russ Pahl, Guitar, Pedal Steel Guitar - Allen Parker, AssistantEngineer - Charlie Judge, Organ, Synthesizer - Danny Parks, Banjo, Acoustic Guitar - Brian David Willis, Digital Editor - Brady Barnett, Digital Editor - Angaleena Presley, Backing Vocals - Mike Stankiewicz, Engineer - Brad Winters, Engineer - Gwen Sebastian, Backing Vocals - Jimmy Robbins, Programmer - RaeLynn Rhett, Backing Vocals
© 2013 Ten Point Productions, Inc. under exclusive license to Warner Records Inc. ℗ 2013 Ten Point Productions, Inc. under exclusive license to Warner Records Inc.
Miranda Lambert, Backing Vocals - Craig Wiseman, Writer - Rodney Clawson, Backing Vocals, Writer - Chris Tompkins, Programmer, Writer - Rhett Akins, Backing Vocals - Troy Lancaster, Electric Guitar - Ashley Monroe, Backing Vocals - Blake Shelton, MainArtist - Jimmie Lee Sloas, Bass Guitar - Hank Williams, MasteringEngineer - Paul Franklin, Pedal Steel Guitar - Aubrey Haynie, Fiddle - Bryan Sutton, Acoustic Guitar, Slide Guitar, 12 String Guitar - Tom Bukovac, Electric Guitar - Ben Phillips, Percussion, Digital Editor - JUstin Niebank, MasteringEngineer, MixingEngineer - Scott Johnson, Production - Drew Bollman, Engineer, Assistant Mixing Engineer, AssistantEngineer - John Willis, Banjo - SCOTT HENDRICKS, Producer, Engineer, Backing Vocals, Digital Editor - Gordon Mote, Organ, Piano - Greg Morrow, Drums, Percussion - Joe Martino, Engineer - Tommy Harden, Drum Programmer - Adam Shoenfeld, Electric Guitar - Dallas Davidson, Backing Vocals - Perry Coleman, Backing Vocals - Russ Pahl, Guitar, Pedal Steel Guitar - Allen Parker, AssistantEngineer - Charlie Judge, Organ, Synthesizer - Danny Parks, Banjo, Acoustic Guitar - Brian David Willis, Digital Editor - Brady Barnett, Digital Editor - Angaleena Presley, Backing Vocals - Mike Stankiewicz, Engineer - Brad Winters, Engineer - Gwen Sebastian, Backing Vocals - Jimmy Robbins, Programmer - RaeLynn Rhett, Backing Vocals
© 2013 Ten Point Productions, Inc. under exclusive license to Warner Records Inc. ℗ 2013 Ten Point Productions, Inc. under exclusive license to Warner Records Inc.
Miranda Lambert, Backing Vocals - Tommy Lee James, Writer - Rodney Clawson, Backing Vocals - Andrew Dorff, Writer - Chris Tompkins, Programmer - Rhett Akins, Backing Vocals - Troy Lancaster, Electric Guitar - Ashley Monroe, Backing Vocals - Blake Shelton, Lead Vocals, MainArtist - Jimmie Lee Sloas, Bass Guitar - Hank Williams, MasteringEngineer - Paul Franklin, Pedal Steel Guitar - Aubrey Haynie, Fiddle - Bryan Sutton, Acoustic Guitar, Slide Guitar, 12 String Guitar - Tom Bukovac, Electric Guitar - Ben Phillips, Percussion, Digital Editor - JUstin Niebank, MasteringEngineer, MixingEngineer - Scott Johnson, Production - Drew Bollman, Engineer, Assistant Mixing Engineer, AssistantEngineer - John Willis, Banjo - SCOTT HENDRICKS, Producer, Engineer, Backing Vocals, Digital Editor - Gordon Mote, Organ, Piano - Greg Morrow, Drums, Percussion - Joe Martino, Engineer - Tommy Harden, Drum Programmer - Adam Shoenfeld, Electric Guitar - Dallas Davidson, Backing Vocals - Perry Coleman, Backing Vocals - Russ Pahl, Guitar, Pedal Steel Guitar - Allen Parker, AssistantEngineer - Charlie Judge, Organ, Synthesizer - Danny Parks, Banjo, Acoustic Guitar - Brian David Willis, Digital Editor - Brady Barnett, Digital Editor - Angaleena Presley, Backing Vocals - Josh Osborne, Writer - Mike Stankiewicz, Engineer - Brad Winters, Engineer - Gwen Sebastian, FeaturedArtist - Jimmy Robbins, Programmer - RaeLynn Rhett, Backing Vocals
© 2013 Ten Point Productions, Inc. under exclusive license to Warner Records Inc. ℗ 2013 Ten Point Productions, Inc. under exclusive license to Warner Records Inc.
Miranda Lambert, Backing Vocals - Rodney Clawson, Backing Vocals - Chris Tompkins, Programmer - Rhett Akins, Backing Vocals - Wade Kirby, Writer - Troy Lancaster, Electric Guitar - Phil O'Donnell, Writer - Ashley Monroe, Backing Vocals - Blake Shelton, MainArtist - Jimmie Lee Sloas, Bass Guitar - Hank Williams, MasteringEngineer - Paul Franklin, Pedal Steel Guitar - Aubrey Haynie, Fiddle - Bryan Sutton, Acoustic Guitar, Slide Guitar, 12 String Guitar - Tom Bukovac, Electric Guitar - Ben Phillips, Percussion, Digital Editor - JUstin Niebank, MasteringEngineer, MixingEngineer - Scott Johnson, Production - Drew Bollman, Engineer, Assistant Mixing Engineer, AssistantEngineer - John Willis, Banjo - SCOTT HENDRICKS, Producer, Engineer, Backing Vocals, Digital Editor - Gordon Mote, Organ, Piano - Greg Morrow, Drums, Percussion - Joe Martino, Engineer - Tommy Harden, Drum Programmer - Adam Shoenfeld, Electric Guitar - Dallas Davidson, Backing Vocals - Perry Coleman, Backing Vocals - Russ Pahl, Guitar, Pedal Steel Guitar - Allen Parker, AssistantEngineer - Charlie Judge, Organ, Synthesizer - Danny Parks, Banjo, Acoustic Guitar - Brian David Willis, Digital Editor - Brady Barnett, Digital Editor - Angaleena Presley, Backing Vocals - Mike Stankiewicz, Engineer - Brad Winters, Engineer - Gwen Sebastian, Backing Vocals - Jimmy Robbins, Programmer - RaeLynn Rhett, Backing Vocals
© 2013 Ten Point Productions, Inc. under exclusive license to Warner Records Inc. ℗ 2013 Ten Point Productions, Inc. under exclusive license to Warner Records Inc.
Miranda Lambert, Backing Vocals - Craig Wiseman, Writer - Rodney Clawson, Backing Vocals - Chris Tompkins, Programmer - Rhett Akins, Backing Vocals - Troy Lancaster, Electric Guitar - Gary Hannan, Writer - Ashley Monroe, Backing Vocals - Blake Shelton, MainArtist - Jimmie Lee Sloas, Bass Guitar - Hank Williams, MasteringEngineer - Paul Franklin, Pedal Steel Guitar - Aubrey Haynie, Fiddle - Bryan Sutton, Acoustic Guitar, Slide Guitar, 12 String Guitar - Tom Bukovac, Electric Guitar - Ben Phillips, Percussion, Digital Editor - JUstin Niebank, MasteringEngineer, MixingEngineer - Scott Johnson, Production - Drew Bollman, Engineer, Assistant Mixing Engineer, AssistantEngineer - John Willis, Banjo - SCOTT HENDRICKS, Producer, Engineer, Backing Vocals, Digital Editor - Gordon Mote, Organ, Piano - Greg Morrow, Drums, Percussion - Joe Martino, Engineer - Tommy Harden, Drum Programmer - Adam Shoenfeld, Electric Guitar - Dallas Davidson, Backing Vocals - Perry Coleman, Backing Vocals - Russ Pahl, Guitar, Pedal Steel Guitar - Allen Parker, AssistantEngineer - Charlie Judge, Organ, Synthesizer - Danny Parks, Banjo, Acoustic Guitar - Brian David Willis, Digital Editor - Brady Barnett, Digital Editor - Angaleena Presley, Backing Vocals - Mike Stankiewicz, Engineer - Brad Winters, Engineer - Gwen Sebastian, Backing Vocals - Jimmy Robbins, Programmer - RaeLynn Rhett, Backing Vocals
© 2013 Ten Point Productions, Inc. under exclusive license to Warner Records Inc. ℗ 2013 Ten Point Productions, Inc. under exclusive license to Warner Records Inc.
Miranda Lambert, Backing Vocals - Rodney Clawson, Backing Vocals - Chris Tompkins, Programmer - Rhett Akins, Backing Vocals - Connie Harrington, Writer - Troy Lancaster, Electric Guitar - Ashley Monroe, Backing Vocals - Blake Shelton, MainArtist - Jimmie Lee Sloas, Bass Guitar - Hank Williams, MasteringEngineer - Paul Franklin, Pedal Steel Guitar - Aubrey Haynie, Fiddle - Bryan Sutton, Acoustic Guitar, Slide Guitar, 12 String Guitar - Tom Bukovac, Electric Guitar - Ben Phillips, Percussion, Digital Editor - JUstin Niebank, MasteringEngineer, MixingEngineer - Scott Johnson, Production - Drew Bollman, Engineer, Assistant Mixing Engineer, AssistantEngineer - Jessi Alexander, Writer - John Willis, Banjo - SCOTT HENDRICKS, Producer, Engineer, Backing Vocals, Digital Editor - Gordon Mote, Organ, Piano - Greg Morrow, Drums, Percussion - Joe Martino, Engineer - Tommy Harden, Drum Programmer - Adam Shoenfeld, Electric Guitar - Dallas Davidson, Backing Vocals - Perry Coleman, Backing Vocals - Russ Pahl, Guitar, Pedal Steel Guitar - Allen Parker, AssistantEngineer - Charlie Judge, Organ, Synthesizer - Danny Parks, Banjo, Acoustic Guitar - Brian David Willis, Digital Editor - Brady Barnett, Digital Editor - Deric Ruttan, Writer - Angaleena Presley, Backing Vocals - Mike Stankiewicz, Engineer - Brad Winters, Engineer - Gwen Sebastian, Backing Vocals - Jimmy Robbins, Programmer - RaeLynn Rhett, Backing Vocals
© 2013 Ten Point Productions, Inc. under exclusive license to Warner Records Inc. ℗ 2013 Ten Point Productions, Inc. under exclusive license to Warner Records Inc.
Miranda Lambert, Backing Vocals - Tim Nichols, Writer - Rodney Clawson, Backing Vocals - Chris Tompkins, Programmer - Rhett Akins, Backing Vocals - Troy Lancaster, Electric Guitar - Ashley Monroe, Backing Vocals - Blake Shelton, MainArtist - Dave Turnbull, Writer - Jimmie Lee Sloas, Bass Guitar - Hank Williams, MasteringEngineer - Paul Franklin, Pedal Steel Guitar - Aubrey Haynie, Fiddle - Bryan Sutton, Acoustic Guitar, Slide Guitar, 12 String Guitar - Tom Bukovac, Electric Guitar - Ben Phillips, Percussion, Digital Editor - JUstin Niebank, MasteringEngineer, MixingEngineer - Scott Johnson, Production - Drew Bollman, Engineer, Assistant Mixing Engineer, AssistantEngineer - John Willis, Banjo - SCOTT HENDRICKS, Producer, Engineer, Backing Vocals, Digital Editor - Gordon Mote, Organ, Piano - Greg Morrow, Drums, Percussion - Joe Martino, Engineer - Tommy Harden, Drum Programmer - Adam Shoenfeld, Electric Guitar - Dallas Davidson, Backing Vocals - Perry Coleman, Backing Vocals - DEAN DILLON, Writer - Russ Pahl, Guitar, Pedal Steel Guitar - Allen Parker, AssistantEngineer - Charlie Judge, Organ, Synthesizer - Danny Parks, Banjo, Acoustic Guitar - Brian David Willis, Digital Editor - Brady Barnett, Digital Editor - Angaleena Presley, Backing Vocals - Mike Stankiewicz, Engineer - Brad Winters, Engineer - Gwen Sebastian, Backing Vocals - Jimmy Robbins, Programmer - RaeLynn Rhett, Backing Vocals
© 2013 Ten Point Productions, Inc. under exclusive license to Warner Records Inc. ℗ 2013 Ten Point Productions, Inc. under exclusive license to Warner Records Inc.
Miranda Lambert, Backing Vocals - Marv Green, Writer - Rodney Clawson, Backing Vocals - Chris Tompkins, Programmer - Rhett Akins, Backing Vocals, Writer - Ben Hayslip, Writer - Troy Lancaster, Electric Guitar - Ashley Monroe, Backing Vocals - Blake Shelton, MainArtist - Jimmie Lee Sloas, Bass Guitar - Hank Williams, MasteringEngineer - Paul Franklin, Pedal Steel Guitar - Aubrey Haynie, Fiddle - Bryan Sutton, Acoustic Guitar, Slide Guitar, 12 String Guitar - Tom Bukovac, Electric Guitar - Ben Phillips, Percussion, Digital Editor - JUstin Niebank, MasteringEngineer, MixingEngineer - Scott Johnson, Production - Drew Bollman, Engineer, Assistant Mixing Engineer, AssistantEngineer - John Willis, Banjo - SCOTT HENDRICKS, Producer, Engineer, Backing Vocals, Digital Editor - Gordon Mote, Organ, Piano - Greg Morrow, Drums, Percussion - Joe Martino, Engineer - Tommy Harden, Drum Programmer - Adam Shoenfeld, Electric Guitar - Dallas Davidson, Backing Vocals - Perry Coleman, Backing Vocals - Russ Pahl, Guitar, Pedal Steel Guitar - Allen Parker, AssistantEngineer - Charlie Judge, Organ, Synthesizer - Danny Parks, Banjo, Acoustic Guitar - Brian David Willis, Digital Editor - Brady Barnett, Digital Editor - Angaleena Presley, Backing Vocals - Mike Stankiewicz, Engineer - Brad Winters, Engineer - Gwen Sebastian, Backing Vocals - Jimmy Robbins, Programmer - RaeLynn Rhett, Backing Vocals
© 2013 Ten Point Productions, Inc. under exclusive license to Warner Records Inc. ℗ 2013 Ten Point Productions, Inc. under exclusive license to Warner Records Inc.
Miranda Lambert, Backing Vocals - Rodney Clawson, Backing Vocals - Bobby Pinson, Writer - Chris Tompkins, Programmer - Rhett Akins, Backing Vocals, Writer - Troy Lancaster, Electric Guitar - Ashley Monroe, Backing Vocals - Blake Shelton, MainArtist - Jimmie Lee Sloas, Bass Guitar - Hank Williams, MasteringEngineer - Paul Franklin, Pedal Steel Guitar - Aubrey Haynie, Fiddle - Bryan Sutton, Acoustic Guitar, Slide Guitar, 12 String Guitar - Tom Bukovac, Electric Guitar - Ben Phillips, Percussion, Digital Editor - JUstin Niebank, MasteringEngineer, MixingEngineer - Scott Johnson, Production - Drew Bollman, Engineer, Assistant Mixing Engineer, AssistantEngineer - John Willis, Banjo - SCOTT HENDRICKS, Producer, Engineer, Backing Vocals, Digital Editor - Gordon Mote, Organ, Piano - Greg Morrow, Drums, Percussion - Joe Martino, Engineer - Tommy Harden, Drum Programmer - Adam Shoenfeld, Electric Guitar - Dallas Davidson, Backing Vocals, Writer - Perry Coleman, Backing Vocals - Russ Pahl, Guitar, Pedal Steel Guitar - Allen Parker, AssistantEngineer - Charlie Judge, Organ, Synthesizer - Danny Parks, Banjo, Acoustic Guitar - Brian David Willis, Digital Editor - Brady Barnett, Digital Editor - Angaleena Presley, Backing Vocals - Mike Stankiewicz, Engineer - Brad Winters, Engineer - Gwen Sebastian, Backing Vocals - Jimmy Robbins, Programmer - RaeLynn Rhett, Backing Vocals
© 2013 Ten Point Productions, Inc. under exclusive license to Warner Records Inc. ℗ 2013 Ten Point Productions, Inc. under exclusive license to Warner Records Inc.
Miranda Lambert, Backing Vocals - Rodney Clawson, Backing Vocals - Chris Tompkins, Programmer - Rhett Akins, Backing Vocals, Writer - Ben Hayslip, Writer - Troy Lancaster, Electric Guitar - Ashley Monroe, Backing Vocals - Blake Shelton, MainArtist - Jimmie Lee Sloas, Bass Guitar - Hank Williams, MasteringEngineer - Paul Franklin, Pedal Steel Guitar - Aubrey Haynie, Fiddle - Bryan Sutton, Acoustic Guitar, Slide Guitar, 12 String Guitar - Tom Bukovac, Electric Guitar - Ben Phillips, Percussion, Digital Editor - JUstin Niebank, MasteringEngineer, MixingEngineer - Scott Johnson, Production - Drew Bollman, Engineer, Assistant Mixing Engineer, AssistantEngineer - John Willis, Banjo - SCOTT HENDRICKS, Producer, Engineer, Backing Vocals, Digital Editor - Gordon Mote, Organ, Piano - Greg Morrow, Drums, Percussion - Joe Martino, Engineer - Tommy Harden, Drum Programmer - Adam Shoenfeld, Electric Guitar - Dallas Davidson, Backing Vocals - Perry Coleman, Backing Vocals - Russ Pahl, Guitar, Pedal Steel Guitar - Allen Parker, AssistantEngineer - Charlie Judge, Organ, Synthesizer - Danny Parks, Banjo, Acoustic Guitar - Brian David Willis, Digital Editor - Brady Barnett, Digital Editor - Angaleena Presley, Backing Vocals - Mike Stankiewicz, Engineer - Brad Winters, Engineer - Gwen Sebastian, Backing Vocals - Jimmy Robbins, Programmer - RaeLynn Rhett, Backing Vocals
© 2013 Ten Point Productions, Inc. under exclusive license to Warner Records Inc. ℗ 2013 Ten Point Productions, Inc. under exclusive license to Warner Records Inc.
Miranda Lambert, Backing Vocals - Charles Quillen, Writer - Rodney Clawson, Backing Vocals - Chris Tompkins, Programmer - Rhett Akins, Backing Vocals - Troy Lancaster, Electric Guitar - Ashley Monroe, Backing Vocals - Blake Shelton, Writer, MainArtist - Jimmie Lee Sloas, Bass Guitar - Hank Williams, MasteringEngineer - Paul Franklin, Pedal Steel Guitar - Aubrey Haynie, Fiddle - Bryan Sutton, Acoustic Guitar, Slide Guitar, 12 String Guitar - Tom Bukovac, Electric Guitar - Ben Phillips, Percussion, Digital Editor - JUstin Niebank, MasteringEngineer, MixingEngineer - Scott Johnson, Production - Drew Bollman, Engineer, Assistant Mixing Engineer, AssistantEngineer - John Willis, Banjo - SCOTT HENDRICKS, Producer, Engineer, Backing Vocals, Digital Editor - Gordon Mote, Organ, Piano - Greg Morrow, Drums, Percussion - Joe Martino, Engineer - Tommy Harden, Drum Programmer - Adam Shoenfeld, Electric Guitar - Dallas Davidson, Backing Vocals - Perry Coleman, Backing Vocals - Russ Pahl, Guitar, Pedal Steel Guitar - Allen Parker, AssistantEngineer - Charlie Judge, Organ, Synthesizer - Danny Parks, Banjo, Acoustic Guitar - Brian David Willis, Digital Editor - Brady Barnett, Digital Editor - Angaleena Presley, Backing Vocals - Mike Stankiewicz, Engineer - Brad Winters, Engineer - Gwen Sebastian, Backing Vocals - Jimmy Robbins, Programmer - RaeLynn Rhett, Backing Vocals
© 2013 Ten Point Productions, Inc. under exclusive license to Warner Records Inc. ℗ 2013 Ten Point Productions, Inc. under exclusive license to Warner Records Inc.
Album review
A few months before he released his seventh album, Based on a True Story..., Blake Shelton weathered a minor storm over comments he made to GAC's Backstory, where he claimed "nobody wants to listen to their grandpa's music." Shelton further explained "old farts" "don't buy records anymore...the kids do, and they don't want to buy the music that you were buying." At 36 years old, Shelton isn't exactly a kid but he sure has his finger on the pulse of what America is all about in 2013, a perspective that informs every cut on Based on a True Story.... Not so coincidentally in terms of attitude, this is the first album Shelton has made since turning into a genuine crossover star thanks to his role on the televised competition The Voice -- Red River Blue, his last album, appeared just a month after the first season of The Voice wrapped -- and it reflects his newfound popularity via its reliance on rocking rhythms, woolly mammoth hooks, red state swagger, and pristine power ballads, all protected in a high-gloss coat of studio varnish. Some of that varnish includes a dose of heavy Auto-Tune on Blake's voice, a bit of trickery he doesn't need -- there's a reason why he's a judge on a singing competition; he has an easy, natural grace to his delivery -- but its artificially correct sound is simply another indication of the thoroughly modern Shelton: few other country albums of 2012-2013 are as unabashedly of the moment as this, celebrating all the tacky oversized glory of the U.S.A. from the fame-hungry Sunset Strip to parties in the boondocks. By playing to both the high and low brow, Shelton consolidates the entire spectrum of his audience, from the country to the coasts. Both audiences buy into his increasingly macho strut, where he tosses out casual profanities, brags that he's "Still Got a Finger" (to flip you the bird, of course), and salutes his redneck brothers via the vaguely embarrassing rapped "chew tobacco/chew tobacco/chew tobacco/spit" chorus of "Boys 'Round Here." That Shelton can pull off this big, swinging bravado isn't much of a surprise -- when his voice trills electronically on "Small Town Big Time" he makes it sound like a joke -- but there's just a little bit too much of the schtick; individually the cuts work fine but they overwhelm not only the gentler moments ("Sure Be Cool If You Did," "Do You Remember") but cancel each other out over the long run. Still, the very sense that more is more is essential to the appeal of Based on a True Story...: every song is bigger, brighter, bolder than the next, super-sized country for a super-sized time.
© Stephen Thomas Erlewine /TiVo
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 14 track(s)
- Total length: 00:50:44
- 1 Digital booklet
- Main artists: Blake Shelton
- Label: Warner Records
- Genre: Country
© 2013 Ten Point Productions, Inc. under exclusive license to Warner Records Inc. ℗ 2013 Ten Point Productions, Inc. under exclusive license to Warner Records Inc.
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.