Amazon.com: He sings straight, writes songs without a half dozen Music Row hacks pitching in their two cents, and keeps the music basic. On Drive, Jackson mixes wistful visions with satire, sorrow, and eloquence, using old cars--"Drive (For Daddy Gene)"--to explore growing up and, on "Work in Progress," spoofing a woman obsessed with "improving" her man. As usual, he explores love's joy ("When Love Comes Around") and anguish ("The Sounds"). His flair for thoughtful, evocative expression reaches its zenith with his classic September 11 commentary "Where Were You (When the World Stopped Turning)," included in both the studio version and the song's live debut on the CMA Awards. Non-originals, including the Mark Irwin-Irene Kelley tune "A Little Bluer Than That," fit the album's tone. "Designated Drinker," a duet with George Strait, is a pleasant vocal event, though it's rendered mundane by the quality of the other material. Yet again, Jackson zaps Nashville's fallacy that any recipe for success requires generous helpings of dated pop and rock. --Rich Kienzle
Customer Reviews
Average Rating:
Rating: - Some people are fruit cakes.
Someone said Alan Jackson is a money grabbin' freak ya right. meet him in person and you'll have a totally different view of the man.
Anyway now on too my review. In my view this is alans best album. Everyone can almost connect to every song on this CD especially "Where Were You" and "Drive" Those too songs rocketed this album too the top of his list. You can say Alan jackson took a shot in the dark and hit a bullseye with this album. Two words too some up this album "Amazing Performance".
Rating: - Mostly in Fourth Gear
Alan Jackson is a great country singer, as well as a genuine, clever, and simple songwriter. He uses all of his best assets on 'Drive'. The familiar material is accomplished, but the less familiar is often even better. The title song, one of his most particular and personal since "Chatahoochee," weaves enough images to transport the listener through his memories. It is substantial in heart and melody. But newer memories come through on "Where Were You (When the World Stopped)". Here he evokes images tenderly, knowing he hardly needs to be "Shockin' us all" any further. He covers all of the ... Read More
Rating: - Ignore The NUTS & FRUIT LOOPS
"Money Grubbing Freak?" "Blood Money?" Wow, I didn't know it was wrong to pay tribute to the fallen after a significant human tragedy. Should I also be angry at all those who pay tribute to Martin Luther King, Jr. and John F. Kennedy? How about songs dedicated to soldiers lost in war? Elvis? Lennon? Princess Di?
Actually, many of us with human feelings remember exactly what we doing when JFK and Ronald Reagan were shot, when the space shuttle exploded, and when we first saw images of the WTC on fire. For many of us, Jackson's tribute expressed the feelings of loss and helplessness. ... Read More
Rating: - Great service, fast delivery. Thank you.
I was very pleased with this purchase. The seller provided fast service and my item was just as described.
Rating: - Alan Jackson at his best
This CD is truly Alan Jackson at his best. With the two best songs of his career, "Drive" and "Where were you (when the world stopped turning)", you will not be disappointed with this CD.
Every song on the CD, though, is very good. Alan Jackson sticks to the roots of country, and any country fan would appreciate this.
"Drive" is a song about his father, which Alan Jackson wrote after he died. It is about his father teaching Alan to drive, from a boat to a Ford pickup, to a Jeep. "Where were you" was written after 9/11 and is the song that made Alan famous. The CD has the studio ... Read More
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