Brad Paisley - Time Well Wasted (2005) [Hi-Res]

Time Well Wasted reunites Brad with producer Frank Rogers for a 16-track collection sporting 10 selections from Paisley's pen, including first single, 'Alcohol', the fastest-rising chart single of his career. Look for multiple guest stars, including Dolly Parton (featured on 'When I Get Where I'm Going') and Paisley labelmate Alan Jackson, who duets on the Guy Clark/Darrell Scott gem, 'Out in the Parkin' Lot'.

Brad Paisley's music is an interesting amalgam of country sub-genres, a paradigm all its own. He melds straightforward, pop-friendly New Country with clever, somewhat Lyle Lovett-like songwriting and the occasional flutter of Joe Maphis/Jimmy Bryant-style guitar virtuosity. Surprisingly or not, this country combo platter made Paisley a star, and „Time Well Wasted“ continues in the aforementioned vein. While there are some fairly mainstream moments here that wouldn't ruffle the feathers of, say, the average Kenny Chesney fan, „Time Well Wasted“ boasts plenty of smart, sassy tunes brimming with lyrical witticisms worthy of Tom T. Hall or Shel Silverstein. 'Alcohol,' for example, is a first-person narrative from the beverage's point of view, and in retrospect it's shocking that it took this long to get written. Guest shots from both Dolly Parton and Alan Jackson show that Paisley's work has earned respect from disparate corners of the country scene, a respect that's amply justified by „Time Well Wasted“.

„Brad Paisley perfectly encapsulates the dichotomy of modern Nashville. Here's a man who's a consummate, clean cut professional - playing guitar since the age of 6 and playing major dates since he was 12 - and yet working within a genre that concerns itself with tales of drunkenness, divorce and disrepute.

Despite Mindy McCready's recent attempts to single-handedly resurrect the spirits of Hank and Patsy, long gone are the days when country stars were living embodiments of their songs; make no mistake, Music City is as corporate and slick as LA. So how does Brad get around this contradiction and keep flying the traditionalist flag? Easy; with well-crafted songs chock-full of his patent brand of humour and playing that simply beggars belief.

By now, if you're remotely familiar with Paisley, you'll know that he can strip paint with his Telecaster wrangling. Again he takes James Burton's Bakersfield template and makes it go stratospheric. And his band are no slouches either. Instrumental 'Time Warp' is a textbook demonstration of how these boys can handle anything from jazz to bluegrass without drawing breath.

But this isn't just an exercise in empty flash. Paisley's solos never overstay their welcome and as with all great Nashville artists, the song remains king. Sure, Brad's writing comes with the requisite dollop of country cheese (cf. 'When I Get Where I'm Going' with the ubiqituous Dolly Parton), but it's always leavened with a smile.

Unlike his last album, Mud On The Tires,the jokes are reined in a little which allows the laughs to come easier on tracks like 'Alcohol', 'Out In the Parking Lot' (with Alan Jackson - another polished new traditionalist) and 'You Need A Man Around Here'. But he can do serious well too, especially on the lovely tearjerker 'Rainin' You'. It's not a perfect mix (let's gloss over the dumb 'bonus' track with William Shatner) but as far as the cream of mainstream country goes, this is as good as it gets.“ (Chris Jones, BBC Review)

Brad Paisley, vocals, background vocals, guitars, mandolin
Jim 'Moose' Brown, piano, keyboards, Hammond organ, background vocals
Randel Currie, steel guitar
Eric Darken, percussion, vibraphone
Jerry Douglas, Dobro
Stuart Duncan, fiddle, mandolin
Kevin Grantt, bass, tic tac bass, upright bass, background vocals
Bernie Herms, piano
Gary Hooker, rhythm guitar, 12-string electric guitar, background vocals
Michael 'Mike Dee' Johnson, Dobro, steel guitar
Kenny Lewis, bass, background vocals
Kendal Marcy, banjo, background vocals
Ben Sesar, drums
Bryan Sutton, mandolin
Bobby Terry, bass guitar
Justin Williamson, fiddle
Wes Hightower, background vocals
Scott Hamilton, background vocals

Tracklist:
01. Brad Paisley - The World (4:02)
02. Brad Paisley - Alcohol (4:52)
03. Brad Paisley - Waitin' On a Woman (4:33)
04. Brad Paisley - I'll Take You Back (4:24)
05. Brad Paisley - She's Everything (4:27)
06. Brad Paisley - You Need a Man Around Here (3:33)
07. Brad Paisley - Out in the Parkin' Lot (With Alan Jackson) (4:44)
08. Brad Paisley - Rainin' You (4:16)
09. Brad Paisley - Flowers (3:50)
10. Brad Paisley - Love Is Never-Ending (3:59)
11. Brad Paisley - The Uncloudy Day (0:53)
12. Brad Paisley - When I Get Where I'm Going (Featuring Dolly Parton) (4:08)
13. Brad Paisley - Easy Money (4:15)
14. Brad Paisley - Time Warp (3:56)
15. Brad Paisley - Time Well Wasted (3:56)
16. Brad Paisley - Cornography (Featuring James Burton and The Kung Pao Buckaroos) (3:56)
17. Brad Paisley - Out Take 1 (0:16)
18. Brad Paisley - Out Take 2 (0:13)
19. Brad Paisley - Out Take 3 (0:36)
20. Brad Paisley - Out Take 4 (0:35)
21. Brad Paisley - Shatner Says Goodbye (0:27)