Brad Paisley

Love And War (sony Music)

County music megastar delivers guitar-driven masterpiece Love And War has been a long time in the making: “I’ve never had anything more than 18 or 24 months between albums before, and it’s because I’m a year late!” Brad told Guitarist in last month’s issue. “It kept not being ready. It was a writing thing, but also a production thing... I’m not one of these people who tweaks to the detriment – the more time I have, the better it’ll get, so you have to have time. I think it’s my best album yet,” he enthused. And you know what? We’re inclined to agree…

He’s invited some heavyweight guest stars onto the album: Mick Jagger makes an appearance on the first single (the video of which is racking up astral levels of views on social media), plus John Fogerty, country superstar Bill Anderson, Timbaland, and a posthumous voice-over appearance from the legend Johnny Cash.

So what does it sound like? The first thing we settled on was the sound of Brad’s Telecaster, surely one of the best sounds out there. Listen to the very Police-like opening of Last Time For Everything or the gritty rhythm of Go To Bed Early – we rest our case. And the collaboration with Jagger on Drive Of Shame sounds like The Stones do country – it rocks!

The quality of the songwriting here is in evidence on every track, with Brad gripping the country genre by the scruff of the neck and giving it a shot of Telecaster-enriched adrenalin. It’s rough and ready, bluesy, ballsy and polished to a bright gleam all at once. Check out the runaway soloing on Contact High: sheer class.

Even if country music isn’t exactly your personal cup of tea, take it from us that there’s plenty here to enjoy. If you admire superbly well-produced, punchy rock ’n’ country and Telecaster mastery, we reckon you’ll be taking the pick-up downtown and buying yourself a Stetson before nightfall! [DM]

Standout track: Drive Of Shame For fans of: Keith Urban, Alan Jackson