Jackson does it right on 'What I Do'
Our critics were quite generous with their stars this week, granting favorable reviews to Alan Jackson, Anita Baker, Björk and a handful of other artists. Country: Alan Jackson, What I Do (* * *½ out of four) Future generations of country singers wanting a classic country template from these days will need look no further than the masterfully crafted What I Do. The liquid guitar intros, the bluegrass-inflected harmonies on the choruses, the fiddle and steel guitar licks that bounce off each other — they're all part of Jackson's ideal country sound. There's nothing here so obviously personal as Remember When or Where Were You (When the World Stopped Turning), but Monday Morning Church is a devastating depiction of shaken faith, and the humor of The Talkin' Song Repair Blues operates on multiple levels. And Jackson's subtle, understated delivery adds substance even to such apparent throwaways as USA Today and If French Fries Were Fat Free. —Brian Mansfield |