As most of you know, Steven Tyler is an American singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, best known as the lead singer of the legendary rock band Aerosmith. He has been dubbed the “Demon of Screamin’” due to his high screams and wide vocal range. Tyler announced that he was working on his first solo country record on March 31, 2015, and in April, it was announced that he had signed a record deal with Dot Records. Tyler released his lead single, “Love Is Your Name” on May 13, 2015, from his upcoming debut album, due out this year.
Now, if you’re like me, you tend to cringe when you hear that a rocker is going to release a country album/single. It never seems to end well. I also tend to lean towards the belief that the last thing country music needs is a bunch of washed up rock stars attempting to “go country”. But admittedly, there have been those rare cases where it actually works. Don Henley is technically a rock star, and he ended up giving us one of the best records of 2015.
I reviewed Tyler’s lead single, “Love Is Your Name”, and I have to say, I actually really liked it. As a general rule, I tend to lean towards traditional/classic country and roots music, but that’s not to say I won’t give other sounds a chance. I happen to like quite a few country-pop artists/songs, including Shania Twain and Carrie Underwood. Ultimately, a good song is a good song, no matter the genre or sub-genre. But alas, Tyler’s latest single “Red, White, and You” isn’t a good song. Sadly, it’s actually quite awful.
In “Love Is Your Name”, Tyler managed to achieve a radio friendly, mainstream sound all the while staying within the genre’s borders. You can argue that “Red, White, and You” also adheres to the mainstream guidelines, but whereas “Love Is Your Name” was easier on the ears and a bit more substantial lyrically (compared to the new single), “Red, White, and You” is loud and lyrically atrocious. Seriously, that’s really the only word appropriate in describing this single, ATROCIOUS.
Tyler seems to be chasing the Bro Country trend, a trend that is currently in the process of dying out and being replaced with the Metro Bro sound (R&B infused “country”). The single features a loud production reminiscent of Bro Kings Florida Georgia Line and Luke Bryan, and a lyrical story that’s all about spending a hot summer getting it on with the girl you “love”. It throws in a bit of token patriotism, mentioning the Fourth of July, and a play on words involving our national colors. Instead of saying “red, white, and blue”, Tyler exclaims that “American girls making dreams come true” and that all he needs is “red, white, and you”.
The only awards this song will be winning are Worst Single of the Year and Most Atrocious lyric. Tyler definitely has the Most Atrocious Lyric of the Year in the bag, simply because it couldn’t possibly get any worse than “Free falling into your yum yum”, could it? I mean, somehow this song even manages to make Florida Georgia Line and Jason Aldean sound less sleazy… Take a moment and let that sink in.
I don’t see “Red, White, and You” succeeding at radio, even with the mainstream, ridiculously degrading and unimaginative lyrics, which seem to be the “in” thing at the moment. Tyler doesn’t have enough country credentials/fan base to pull off a radio hit with such horrible material, after all, he’s not Luke Bryan. The single might have done better if it had been released in the summer, with its summery imagery and loud production, it’d fit right in on a summer party playlist, but in January, it’s most definitely going to flop. But who knows? Radio is so unpredictable lately. Either way, I’d pass on this single; it’s just not worth the time.
Tyler’s debut country album is apparently due out this summer, and admittedly, I was actually very curious to hear what he had to offer. That curiosity only heightened when I heard “Love Is Your Name”, but now, after hearing “Red, White, and You”, I’m back to being really skeptical. Let’s hope Tyler leans more towards “Love Is Your Name” than “Red, White, and You” on the record.
Originally posted here.
