Slowheart

by Kip Moore

Overview

"Practice makes perfect" is a cliche, but it suits Kip Moore. He first essayed his update of heartland rock in 2012, polishing it with a hefty dose of bro-country swagger that earned him a few big hits, including the number one "Somethin' 'Bout a Truck," but he didn't strike the right balance on Wild Ones, a 2015 sequel that found him striving to achieve the cavernous music of the '80s. Delivered just two years later, Slowheart is the record Moore has been attempting to make all along: a big-sounding, big-hearted album that's as much Midwestern rock as it is modern country. Moore made this progression by taking the reins into his own hands, seizing control of the production, and co-writing all but two of the record's 13 songs, with the remaining two brought to him by songwriter Luke Dick. All this means Slowheart is an auteurist album, one driven by Moore's sense of self, and he winds up precisely articulating his blend of arena country and AOR. Slowheart strips back some of the gloss of Wild Ones without renouncing the idea of studio polish. Indeed, Moore undergirds his soaring guitars with a brawny rhythm section, one that helps pound home the beats of "Plead the Fifth" and "Fast Women" but is limber enough to swing on "Just Another Girl." The latter is just one cut that showcases his playfulness, his good cheer reaching a pinnacle on "I've Been Around" -- the hookiest melody here serving a playful lyric -- but threaded throughout the album. Slowheart may sound tougher than either of its predecessors, but Moore also appears appealingly bruised, patching himself up after suffering a series of broken hearts and disappointments. He's not wallowing in his misery, he's brushing himself off and moving forward, and this weathered sensitivity when combined with the music's full-throated roar gives Slowheart a soul uncommon in contemporary country. Moore isn't a bro-country goofball or a dour revivalist: he's a passionate true believer in the redeeming power of loud guitars and sturdy songs, and Slowheart is proof he can deliver what he preaches. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Product Details

Release Date:	09/08/2017
Label:	Mca
UPC:	0602557825350
Rank:	47597

Tracks

1. Plead the Fifth
2. Just Another Girl
3. I've Been Around
4. Fast Women
5. Bittersweet Company
6. Sunburn
7. More Girls Like You
8. The Bull
9. Blonde
10. Good Thing
11. Last Shot
12. Try Again
13. Guitar Man

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Kip Moore   Primary Artist,Vocals,Guitar (Acoustic),Guitar (Electric),Vocals (Background)
Danny Rader   Guitar (Acoustic),Guitar (Electric)
Tom Bukovac   Guitar (Acoustic),Guitar (Electric)
Jimmie Lee Sloas   Bass
Josh Miller   Vocals (Background)
Rob McNelley   Guitar (Electric)
Luke Dick   Bass,Drums,Harmonica,Keyboards,Percussion,Guitar (Acoustic),Guitar (Electric),Vocals (Background)
Dave Cohen   Keyboards
Erich Wigdahl   Drums,Percussion
David Garcia   Bass,Drums,Keyboards,Guitar (Electric)
Dan Tyminski   Mandolin
Matt Bubel   Drums,Percussion

Technical Credits

Troy Verges   Composer
Blair Daly   Composer
David Garcia   Composer,Mixing,Composer,Engineer,Producer,Programming
David Lee Murphy   Composer
Jason Lehning   Mixing
Jon Randall   Composer
Josh Miller   Composer
Dave Salley   Mixing,Engineer
Josh Kear   Composer
Craig Allen   Package Design
Luke Dick   Composer,Engineer,Producer,Programming
Ben Helson   Composer
Joe LaPorta   Mastering
Steven Lee Olsen   Composer
Dan Couch   Composer
Bruce McPeters   Cover Design
Kip Moore   Composer,Producer,Art Direction
Westin Davis   Composer
Joshua Miller   Composer
Sarah Marie Burke   Production Coordination