A departure from southern style

Although Tim McGraw’s newest album, “Southern Voice,” seems to suggest that he has compiled an assortment of lyrical ballads that touch on his southern roots, this album focuses more on human identity than regional affiliation. 

The album, comprised of 12 tracks, features songs that call for an escape, like “Still,” and songs like “Good Girls” that detail with the tragic repercussions of attempting to drown pain in alcohol.

Songs like “You Had to Be There” and “Forever Seventeen” deal with individuals confronting their past and present head on, attempting to change who they are for the better.

The music, like much of Tim’s work, is lyrical; the smooth cadence of the rhythm and the delicate diction that accompany each song create a relaxed atmosphere, perhaps the kind of atmosphere emanated by those lazy summer days.

My only qualm with this album is that the song for which the album is named, “Southern Voice,” seems to be one of two songs that stick out and make the album a bit awkward. Otherwise, with “Southern Voice,” Tim McGraw has once again proven why so many love him.