Garth Brooks

Scarecrow

Same Old Garth

Review Score:

(6/10)
Let's see... Average-quality barnstormer? It's here in the form of "Beer Run". What about the slushy, over-produced piano-driven ballad? Oh yeah. It's here too ("The Storm"). And the now standard duet with a certain over-rated former background singer? Unfortunately, yes. Is there anything missing? Yes. The pioneering sense of originality that's been missing in his work since 1995.

As far as modern so-called country music goes, this isn't a bad album. Unfortunately, that's not really saying a whole lot. What once set Garth apart from the rest of the pack was his ability to sing AND WRITE memorable songs. With each new album, he relies more and more on Nashville hacks. It's reached the point now where he is virtually indistinguishable from the slew of annoyingly untalented hat acts that have crept out of the woodwork in the last ten years.

Again, let me point out that this is NOT a bad album. It's just not up to the high standard that he set back in the early '90s. Believe it or not, I am also a big Garth fan. But I will not automatically give every one of his new releases 5 stars like so many of the other reviewers. Maybe he has another groundbreaking album in him, maybe he doesn't. _Scarecrow_ is definitely not one. I expected more from him after a four-year absence (not counting the Chris Gaines fiasco).

Oh, and haven't we heard this "I'm retiring after my next album" stuff before. I think so...

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