Finally decided to pick up Brad Paisley’s new album “5^th Gear.”  Paisley is an artist I’e always enjoyed, and one of the few country performers I want to see live, but have not yet had a chance. Paisley is one of the few country artists I consider “real;” he doesn’t seem to make songs in order to make hits, rather he makes songs about life and that are fun and they become hits. Most country artists today subscribe to the first theory, which is why country music is becoming crap again.

I have never picked up a Paisley album before, so I was not sure what to expect. I have enjoyed most of the songs that get radio play, but were those the only good songs on the album? After listening to it, I’ve determined it is the best country album since Big & Rich’s “Horse of a Different Color.”

Don’t even think about clicking “read the full story,” unless you want to miss one of the coolest music videos of all time.

The album starts off strong and hard with the song “All I Wanted was a Car,” which leads into the first single off the album, “Ticks.”  “Online” is the funniest song of the album with a great video (below). Mr. Policeman starts “Hey hey, Mr. Policeman, bet I can drive faster then you can,” while the song “I’m Still a Guy” is the new official theme song of MidwesternBoy.com.

The CD has some slow songs as well, but most are at least interesting and not the kind of song that is recorded so it will sell an album just to be played at a wedding.

Overall this is just a great album, that resurrects some of my faith in country music.