Album Review: See You Tonight by Scotty McCreery

Much of Scotty McCreery's appeal on American Idol relied on his old-fashioned charm, how he seemed like a nice, everyday guy who just happened to be a deep-voiced crooner of classic country. Of course, in the early days of the 21st century, old-fashioned country doesn't sell the way it used to. McCreery's 2011 debut Clear as Day performed well right out of the gate -- it debuted at the top of the Billboard 200 and the country charts, and his post-coronation single "I Love You This Big" wound up charting higher on the Hot 100 than it did on the country charts, all on its way to a platinum certification -- but if his 2013 sequel See You Tonight is any indication, there clearly was some worry in Scotty's camp that he couldn't perform the same trick twice.

Full Review >>

The 2011 debut from American Idol champ Scotty McCreery was a bumpy pickup-truck ride through generic country tropes, but two years later, the baritone has cranked out brighter tunes about a topic more befitting a 19-year-old star: getting some. The title track — one of five co-written by McCreery — describes a cheery booty call, and on "Blue Jean Baby," he can't peel his eyes off a girl in a pair of Levi's "showin' off a little skin." But amid the tailgates and stolen kisses, McCreery drops "Something More," a midtempo tear-jerker that'll strike a chord on either side of the Mason-Dixon. .

Full Review >>

In 2011, Scotty McCreery was fresh off a win on "American Idol" and eager to ingratiate himself with the moms and daughters who presumably propelled him to victory. The result, as heard on "Clear as Day," was a comically innocent vision of teenage courtship in America: "We shared a Coca-Cola," he sang, "Sittin' on a log. " Two years later, McCreery, now 20, is a bona-fide country star, which means freedom — or enough of it anyway to choose one constituency or the other.

Full Review >>