5th Gear

Brad Paisley | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (April 8, 2008)
• Original Release Date: 2007
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Sony Legacy
• ASIN: B0017IKR7K
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (120 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #981 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #13 in Music > Country > Neotraditional
  • #88 in Music > Country > Today's Country

Track Listings

1. All I Wanted Was a Car

2. Ticks

3. Online

4. Letter to Me

5. I'm Still a Guy

6. Some Mistakes

7. It Did

8. Mr. Policeman

9. If Love Was a Plane

10. Oh Love

11. Better Than This

12. With You, Without You

13. Previously...

14. Bigger Fish to Fry

15. When We All Get to Heaven

16. Throttleneck [Instrumental]

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Like his friend Vince Gill, Brad Paisley has achieved the often-difficult feat of reconciling being an entertainer and world-class guitarist. He's proven that on four admirable albums, and 5th Gear follows in that vein. Certainly "Ticks," an airy, radio-friendly ditty, is not the true substance here. That comes with such superior fare as the insightful "All I Wanted Was a Car" and "Online," a sly satire of people's Web facades. While his duet with Carrie Underwood ("Oh Love") is a bit cut and dried, Paisley ably handles "Letter to Me," "It Did," and "Mr. Policeman," a 21st-century outrun-the-law tune. The closing hymn, "When We All Get to Heaven," and ripping instrumental "Throttleneck" are Paisley at his best. It's admirable that he invites his venerable buddies, Little Jimmy Dickens, George Jones, Vince Gill, and Bill Anderson, along with Dolly Parton, to join in, but the obligatory "Kung Pao Buckaroos" skit is wearing a bit thin. Better to feature them musically, the way he includes Dickens, Gill, and Anderson on "Bigger Fish to Fry." In a time where lines between county and pop are blurring far too much, it's comforting to know Paisley still realizes and respects the differences. --Rich Kienzle --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Description

Like his friend Vince Gill, Brad Paisley has achieved the often-difficult feat of reconciling being an entertainer and world-class guitarist. He's proven that on four admirable albums, and 5th Gear follows in that vein. Certainly "Ticks," an airy, radio-friendly ditty, is not the true substance here. That comes with such superior fare as the insightful "All I Wanted Was a Car" and "Online," a sly satire of people's Web facades. While his duet with Carrie Underwood ("Oh Love") is a bit cut and dried, Paisley ably handles "Letter to Me," "It Did," and "Mr. Policeman," a 21st-century outrun-the-law tune. The closing hymn, "When We All Get to Heaven," and ripping instrumental "Throttleneck" are Paisley at his best. It's admirable that he invites his venerable buddies, Little Jimmy Dickens, George Jones, Vince Gill, and Bill Anderson, along with Dolly Parton, to join in, but the obligatory "Kung Pao Buckaroos" skit is wearing a bit thin. Better to feature them musically, the way he includes Dickens, Gill, and Anderson on "Bigger Fish to Fry." In a time where lines between county and pop are blurring far too much, it's comforting to know Paisley still realizes and respects the differences. --Rich Kienzle --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Brad kicks into full gear with 5th Gear, June 19, 2007

By 

Allen Chapman (STAFFORD SPRINGS, CT USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: 5th Gear (Audio CD)

"5th Gear" marks Brad's fifth album (sixth if you count the Christmas album) and he continues the approach that pretty much started with "Mud On The Tires". The album includes the single "Ticks", probably the only song written on the subject, that song follows the trend of his older songs "Celebrity" or "Alcohol". The newest single "Online" is something of clunker to me only because it's a very "current events" kind of song and in time can become dated. Brad's sense of humor comes thru on "I'm Still A Guy" a song along the lines of "I'm Gonna Miss Her". The duet with Carrie Underwood, "Oh Love" is a standout. These two voices sound really great together. The album ends with the instrumental track "Throttleneck" where Brad tears it up. The Kung Pao Buckaroos return once again as well (with Vince Gill filling in for George Jones) and sing on the track "Bigger Fish To Fry". You'll also hear Dolly Parton in a brief clip from the "Time Well Wasted" album. Little Jimmy Dickens' jokes are once again really funny in the outtakes.
A great album and Brad shows why he's the top male in country music today.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Another stellar record from one of country's best, October 2, 2007

By 

DanD - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: 5th Gear (Audio CD)

Brad Paisley has quickly proven himself to be one of country's most talented artists. A true singer/songwriter/musician, he routinely crafts some of the catchiest, wittiest, countriest music gracing radio today. His voice is smooth and melodical, yet he never hesitates to spoil his nice-guy image by dropping a dirty joke or two ("I don't highlight my hair/I've still got a pair/Yeah honey, I'm still a guy" he deadpans).

5TH GEAR is easily one of Paisley's finest records. There's not a song on here that doesn't shine in some way. Even the cliched tunes sparkle; The Trent Willmon/David Lee Murphy tune "Better Than This," while a hick anthem, does bring something new to the table ("If a bus load of women, really good lookin' women, just suddenly pulled in here" Paisley cheers). And even on "It Did," Paisley's performance soars (although, let's face it, soon or later the narrator has got to realize that things really will get better, even if he thinks they can't). Even the Carrie Underwood duet "Oh Love" is enjoyable, even if too many frequent listenings will leave you going "oh God."

The true highlights of the album, though, are some classic moments. "All I Wanted Was a Car" is a hilarious forray into adolescent longing, as is the whistful and stellar "Letter To Me," and the hysterical "Online." "Some mistakes are too much fun to make only once," Paisley boldly declares, then goes into a modern-day outlaw tale of a man on the run for the law ("Hey hey, Mr. Policeman/Bet you I can run faster than you can"). The gospel number at the end will leave you crooning, and the closing instrumental will leave your heart racing. Even "Ticks" is enjoyable...and halfway clever, actually.

Paisley's talent is this: he makes traditional country music, but polishes some of it up just enough so that it gets played on contemporary radio. He's already a member of the Grand Old Opry, he's known as one of country's true traditionalists, and he's made fans of country fans new and old. 5TH GEAR isn't really anything new--but it's nothing short of absolutely great country music, from one of country's true (and far too few) musicians.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars So good I'm (almost) speechless......., June 20, 2007

By 

Elisa M. Richardson "scrapcat" (Ferndale, MI) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: 5th Gear (Audio CD)

Ok, Brad Paisley has a new CD out so, without reading any reviews, I naturally just buy it. He's been a pleasure to listen to in the past- he's consistently enjoyable and I feel well-deserving of his recent CMA win.

Then I listened to it...... best country CD I've bought this year and I can't get enough of it!!! Can I pick a favorite? NO! I think he's a genius the way his CDs are a mixture of:

*down-home fun (Ticks & Mr. Policeman)
*a brilliant look at life (Online - LOVE the Tuba and marching band!)
*beautiful ballads (Letter To Me)
*spirituals (When We All Get To Heaven)
*instrumentals (Throttleneck),
*and my beloveds: the Kung Pao Buckaroos (Bigger Fish to Fry - Brad, if you or your people read this, keep the Grand Ole Opry Theater coming! LOVE THEM!)

My only disappointment was the duet with Carrie Underwood. Bummer.

Thanks, Brad, for another joyous ride in Musicland!