Rascal Flatts: Rascal Flatts
Rascal Flatts: shifted 5 million units, despite being bland
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Friday, 01, Feb 2008 04:24
Charisma, out February 4th.
In a nutshell.
Only in America....
What's it all about?
After notching up millions of sales State-side, Nashville's Rascal Flatts have decided now is the time to bring their countrified soft rock to the UK. Their eponymous European debut consists of both their recent chart-topping album Still Feels Good - described by the band as "the strongest album we've ever done" - alongside their version of the almost ubiquitous What Hurts the Most and Life is a Highway, both of which featured on the official Cars soundtrack.
Who's it by?
Though singer Gary LeVox and second cousin Jay DeMarcus tried their luck with various bands in their native Columbus, Ohio, it was only when they made the move to Nashville that the record labels sat up and took notice. Hooking up with guitarist Joe Don Rooney, the band's efficient blend of mid-West soft-rock and the country influences of their new home managed to win them a record deal with Lyric Street, a Disney imprint in 2000. To date, they have shifted five million records, broke audience numbers at Madison Square Gardens and picked up gongs galore. The world, as they say over in the US, is 'flatts'.
As an example.
"Life is a highway, I want to rise it all night long/ If you're going my way, I want to drive it all night long." - Life is a Highway
"Trying to make somebody care for you the way I do is like trying to catch the rain/ And if love is really forever, I'm a winner at a losing game." - Winner at a Losing Game
Likelihood of a trip to the Grammys
Almost a certainty. The group are the reigning group of the year at the Country Music Awards, while 2008 has already seen them pick up a pair of coveted People's Choice Awards. It would therefore be of little surprise should Rascal Flatts add to their impressive awards haul at next month's ceremony, particularly considering they took home a Grammy back in 2006 for Best Country Song for Bless the Broken Road. News that the group are to team up with Oscar winner Jamie Foxx for their new material won't harm their cause either.
What the others say
"These Buffett-style party boys know what makes them the biggest group alive: songs about trucks and songs about girls." - Rolling Stone
"LeVox's spiky blond hair and large frame meant he looked more like a stand-up comedian than a rock star.....This easygoing performance became tiresomely upbeat. 2/5." - London Evening Standard
So is it any good?
As with the case of Nickelback just a few years ago, it's almost certain that Europe will fail to see the attraction of Rascal Flatts. Despite hailing from Nashville and being dumped firmly in the 'country' music category, aside from a few contrived violin or mandolin parts, their music is solidly middle-of-the-road soft rock. To make matters worse, it's lyrically as well as musically predictable, ticking all the appropriate boxes of fast cars, girls and chasing dreams. Additionally, their decision to include their version of What Hurts the Most on their debut release is quite likely to backfire given that British listeners will already be accustomed to the superior dance version launched a few weeks
before. Paling into comparison to Cascada is quite an achievement.
That said, the Flatts can occasionally write a catchy tune, as is the case with Still Feels Good and even the cliche-driven Life is a Highway has a tendency to get stuck in the head.
Overall however, such catchiness will always be outweighed by the blandness and it's odds-on that Rascal Flatts' bid for European domination will be over before it's even got started.
3/10
David Hewitt