Blake Shelton’s public persona — a mix of smart-aleck whimsy and thoughtful sensitivity — has made him country music’s most ubiquitous male star. A full-grown man with a boyish cheekiness, his easy likability has made him a consummate award-show host, a high-profile judge on The Voice and a constant presence in ads across print, the web and TV.
His recent albums draw on both sides of this personality — but it doesn’t always work as well on record. His new Bringing Back The Sunshine connects mostly when he sounds like a busy adult trying to balance love and career.
Lonely Tonight, an impassioned love song performed as a duet with the wonderful Ashley Monroe, shows off his vocal and emotional range. Other romantic cuts, like the fiery I Need My Girl and the wistful Just South Of Heaven, prove how well Shelton can deliver a well-written song.
The boyish side comes out when Shelton slips into a sweet, funky groove. The hit Neon Light is lighthearted fun, but on songs like Gonna and A Girl, where he assumes the role of a guy half his age, he stops being believable. And credibility is just as important in country music as it is when sitting in the judge’s chair.
