I listen to a lot of country music. A LOT of country music. And it takes a lot to impress me. Brantley Gilbert’s “Modern Day Prodigal Son” really, really impressed me. I haven’t been this touched by a vocal performance since I heard Blake Shelton sing “Home” for the first time. How often do you hear a song and have to stop everything and just say “Wow!”?
Well, in this case, it wasn’t a song, but an entire CD. Words like warm, sweet, earnest and sincere don’t quite do justice to this distinctive voice. Jason Aldean came to mind the first time I heard Gilbert’s ballads, not surprising since Aldean recorded Gilbert’s song “The Best of Me” for his “Wide Open” CD (iTunes only version, unfortunately). And both are Georgia boys, so the accent is similar. But the comparison really stops there. Gilbert is definitely his own artist, as a quick listen to the CD will show.
The CD offers a good mix of ballads and country rockers that emphasis partying – “My Kinda Party,” “Live it Up” and “Rock This Town” all must have served Brantley well as he did his time playing bars and frat parties on his way to Nashville.
If you listen to country music for tributes to Southern womanhood, broken heart drinking songs and tales of bad girls with hearts of gold, you’ll find all that on this CD, but you’ll stay for the wonderful vocal talents of a soon-to-be rising star.
The ballads are where he really shines. “Picture on the Dashboard” and “Play Me That Song” just about takes my breath away with their passion and earnestness. The simple arrangements balance perfectly with stunning yet understated vocals. Just lovely.
The sweet and gentle “What’s Left of a Small Town” is another standout track, and rises above the usual tribute to small town America that seems be to requisite on every country music CD lately.
Mark my words – Brantley Gilbert has a voice that just has to be heard, and once you hear it, you will be hooked.
Hear more at www.brantleygilbert.com.
Vicky Dobbin is a country music lover in Falls Church, VA. Read her country music blog at www.lovemycountrymusic.com and follow her at http://twitter.com/vdobbin.
Posted in 
Brantley is a great artist. He’s very talented and his music is very heart felt. Yall should check out his song Saving Amy. Im not sure if it was released on a cd, plug it into youtube and you’ll find him singing it live. Its a very emotional song and its one of my favorites by him!
Brantley is a great artist. I love his music,I can related to all of it. One of my favorite is Live It UP,you should check it out. He is awesome in concert! I’m sure there is going to be more good things to come from him.