The Phoenix Network:
The Phoenix
Boston
|
Portland
|
Providence
Stuff@Night
WFNX
Live Radio
|
On Demand
Adult
About
|
Advertise
Moonsigns
|
Band Guide
|
Blogs
|
In Pictures
Music
CD Reviews
|
Classical
|
Download
|
Live Reviews
|
Music Features
|
New England Music News
--> -->
See all in CD Reviews
The Color Fred
CD Reviews
Big + Rich
Between Raising Hell and Amazing Grace | Warner Bros.
By
WERNER TRIESCHMANN
|
July 30, 2007
BIG & RICH, BETWEEN RAISING HELL AND AMAZING GRACE
" alt="photo of 'BIG & RICH, BETWEEN RAISING HELL AND AMAZING GRACE'">
2.0
Stars
John Rich and “Big” Kenny Alphin turned Nashville upside-down with their 2004 debut,
Horse of a Different Color
. Mixing rap and hard-rock guitars in standard country songs, Big & Rich came across as gleeful court jesters — and the out-of-left-field approach moved units. Now comes the third release, and the duo have capitulated to Music Row’s deadening formula. Although
Between Raising Hell and Amazing Grace
is a concept album (one half reverential ballads and the other half energized rockers) and Wyclef Jean and John Legend make guest appearances, the fun and the surprise have been leached out — a number of these songs wouldn’t sound out of place on a Rascal Flatts album. Like most country-music pros, Big & Rich are talented enough to make a clichéd, string-heavy song like “Lost in the Moment” enjoyable. But they once seemed capable of much more.
Related
:
Backwoods Barbie
Dolly Parton rolls out the big guns
Rebel Belles
The Dixie Chicks hold their ground and then some
Family affair
Linda Thompson’s Versatile Heart
More
Backwoods Barbie
Dolly Parton rolls out the big guns
Rebel Belles
The Dixie Chicks hold their ground and then some
Family affair
Linda Thompson’s Versatile Heart
Missionary man
The country-rock gospel of Gram Parsons
Twang and burn
Sarah Borges lights a roots-rock fire
Keith Urban
Love, Pain and the Whole Crazy Thing | Capitol
Boxed and ready
The cream of the season’s CD/DVD crop
Citadel of sound
Nashville’s RCA Studio B celebrates its 50th
Kenny Chesney
Just Who I Am: Poets and Pirates | Sony
Please release me
The Big Hurt: The week in awful press releases
Less
Topics
:
CD Reviews
,
John Rich
,
Entertainment
,
Music
,
More
,
John Rich
,
Entertainment
,
Music
,
Country Music
,
Pop and Rock Music
,
Kenny Alphin
,
Wyclef Jean
,
John Legend
,
Rascal Flatts
,
Less
Share
:
Rss
Email
Print
Comments
Add a Comment
Today's Event Picks
[ART]
REMEMBER: MEDICINE WHEEL
Plus 4 more >>
ARTICLES BY WERNER TRIESCHMANN
THE WHIGS: MISSION CONTROL
| March 05, 2008
ATO
REBA MCENTIRE
| February 12, 2008
Reba Duets | MCA
SIDESHOW AND TELL
| January 28, 2008
The strange and wonderful world of Baby Dee
LITTLE BIG TOWN
| December 31, 2007
A Place To Land | Equity
KENNY CHESNEY
| December 03, 2007
Just Who I Am: Poets and Pirates | Sony
See all articles by:
WERNER TRIESCHMANN
MOST POPULAR
Most Viewed
Most Emailed
VANISHING BOSTON
A field guide to Boston's 'lasting' treasures — to be enjoyed before they're razed in favor of chain stores
HOORAY FOR SPACE!
Big Fat Whale
MEDICINE MEN
Two Boston poets use their art for the good of the tribe
SCOTT WEILAND | “HAPPY” IN GALOSHES
Softdrive/New West (2008)
SLIDESHOW: VANISHING BOSTON
Classic locations threatened
MEDICINE MEN
Two Boston poets use their art for the good of the tribe
PRIMORDIAL STAGES
Boston's open mics: Launch pads or crash sites?
GONGS WITH ROBOT
Gamelan Galak Tika does crossover
WINSOR DIM SUM CAFÉ
Dim sum all day and night
VANISHING BOSTON
A field guide to Boston's 'lasting' treasures — to be enjoyed before they're razed in favor of chain stores
HOT TOPICS
Boston Symphony Orchestra
,
Kim Deal
,
Radiohead
,
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
,
Harvard University
,
Kurt Weill
,
James Levine
,
James Robinson
,
John Harbison
,
Brian Eno
More Topics
. . .
LATEST SLIDESHOWS
Photos: Peter Simon's new book
Slideshow: Vanishing Boston
All Slideshows
Explore your Fantasies
Featured Articles in Music Features
:
Fast-breaking music
The Big Hurt: The YouTube anime mystery
Upstate of mind
Photos: Peter Simon's new book
Guitar heroine
Monday, December 01, 2008
|
Sign In
|
Register
thePhoenix.com:
Home
Listings
Editor's Picks
News
Music
Film + TV
Food + Drink
Life
Arts
Rec Room
Video
Phoenix Media/Communications Group:
Boston Phoenix
Portland Phoenix
Providence Phoenix
StuffAtNight
People2People
MassWeb Printing
G8Wave
About Us
Contact Us
Advertise With Us
Work For Us
Sitemap
RSS
Mobile
TODAY'S FEATURED ADVERTISERS
Copyright © 2008 The Phoenix Media/Communications Group