.

Brad Paisley

"Southern Comfort Zone"

Rolling Stone: star rating
Community: star rating
5 3.5 0
September 21, 2012

The title track from Paisley's forthcoming LP shows Nashville’s great ambassador affirming his roots while courting the planet. Where 2010's "This Is Country Music" seemed a little defensive, this big-tent cultural fete namechecks NASCAR, Billy Graham and "Ring Of Fire" over arena-rock with steel-guitar detailing. The gist is that home is great, but sometimes a brother needs to get out of his "Southern comfort zone." The allusion to "I Still Haven't Found What I’m Looking For" in the second verse is sly. And the choir singing "Dixie" while he plays guitar god is brilliant. A bit like "Niggas In Paris" for good ol’ boys.

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