Record of the Week: Shaboozey’s ‘Where I’ve Been, Isn’t Where I’m Going’

Six years ago, an unknown black musician released a new album, titled “Lady Wrangler.” It was definitely a country record, but took a lot of production elements from SoundCloud-era rap — with some warbled sounds, many layers, and a plentiful supply of high-hats — particularly in the echoey, layered treatment of the title singer’s vocals.It did not quite work — it felt a little too forced — but it was bold, and at the time, I thought it was a pretty compelling sound and looked forward to where he would go from there. With his third album, “Where I’ve Been Isn’t Where I’m Going,” he has perfected his sound at the perfect moment.If you have not heard its swinging, drinking-song lead single, “A Bar Song (Tipsy),” then you have not only been missing out on a great song, but somehow avoided one of the most popular of the year. Released this April, it quickly knocked Beyonce from the top of the country charts, and soon topped pop charts too around the world. It deserves all the success it has got.Like many classic country hits, it is a fun party anthem with a melancholy core — about a man distracting himself from the stresses of life by drinking with friends — and it showcases Shaboozey’s unique, comfortable blend of country and hip-hop. For example, its numbered chorus could fit easily on a George Strait song, but is originally an interpolation of J-Kwon’s 2004 single, “Tipsy,” and it does not feel out of place at all.Though the rest of the record cannot live up to the heights of this song, “Where I’ve Been Isn’t Where I’m Going” is a great showcase for his story-telling prowess, and also his unique sonic blend. It is moody and nostalgic, uses lots of traditional country instrumentation — with fiddles dotted around the place — but injects enough hip-hop influence to make it feel really distinct. There are no songs as bold as “Faithfully” off his first album — the hip-hop production is toned way down since “Lady Wrangler” — and no hits as catchy as “Tipsy,” but at 12 tracks, it is lean, cohesive, and an all-around great listen.Particular highlights are the fun “Let It Burn,” “Annabelle,” and “Vegas” — which are of a kind with the country-pop-rap mix of “Tipsy” — and “Highway,” “Last of My Kind,” “Massanutten” and “Finally Over,” which see Shaboozey get reflective, in more classic country ballads, as he reflects on suicide, sincerity, and selling his soul to the music industry. His song “My Fault” with Noah Cyrus is basically a slow pop song, but it is a beautiful track nonetheless.Is it a flawless record? It is not. Though a more cohesive album than “Lady Wrangler” or his second album, “Cowboys Live Forever, Outlaws Never Die,” it is also less bold, and he reverts to a “boot stomp and clap” style of production that can seem a little old-hat in the era of new country stars like Noah Kahan and Zach Bryan. I want to hear Shaboozey continue to develop his style; to be more creative and confident in his production choices. But as it stands, “Where I’ve Been” is still one of the interesting, easily-listable pop-country albums of the year, and I am glad to have it on record.For those curious about buying a copy, the record is just your classic gatefold jacket, with a black vinyl, and no real special features; but it is also not a terribly expensive release, and it is the sort of album best enjoyed in vinyl.

Record of the Week: Shaboozey’s ‘Where I’ve Been, Isn’t Where I’m Going’

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