Customer Reviews

Honkytonk University

5 star:		(38)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(9)

 

 

While Toby Keith's recent cds have been his most successful sales-wise, in truth, many of the singles from his last couple of albums were starting to sound the same. Thankfully, Honkytonk University offers a return to the well constructed, melodic material that Keith was known for during his Mercury days and his first two DreamWorks albums (How Do You Like Me Now, Pull My Chain).


The leadoff single "Honkytonk U" is an autobiographical look at Keith's life in music placed in a southern rock setting, then Keith's attitude shines through on "As Good As I Once Was." Later, Keith's sarcastic wit makes a welcome appearance on the swing flavored "You Ain't Leavin' (Thank God Are Ya)." There's also more ballads found here than we have seen in awhile on a Keith release, with the sparse "You Caught Me At A Bad Time" and "Your Smile" both making a strong, poignant impression. Best of all is the harmonic heaven that Keith and Haggard create on "She Ain't Hooked On Me No More," an even more effective pairing than Keith's prior chart-topper with Willie Nelson.

Whether you've been a Toby Keith fan from the early "Shoulda Been A Cowboy" days, jumped on board on when his career moved into the stratosphere with "How Do You Like Me Now," and/or recently felt a bit disappointed by the lack of spark in his recent hits, you will find this album quite pleasing. It will probably garner some new converts as well.

I am a die-hard Toby Keith fan! I love this album because it is reminiscent of some of his earlier music. Although I love all of Toby's music, I really enjoy his ballads. Most people don't realize how great his vocal range is. This album is AWESOME--every song is great!

This is the album I've been waiting for: Toby Keith returning to his traditional country roots. The traditional sound this album takes may be a surprise to fans who've just recently jumped aboard the Toby Keith bandwagon (and those who've been criticizing Keith these past few albums), but long-time fans will rejoice.

The songwriting on this album is, as always, up to par. In fact, these are some of Keith's best songs to date (most co-written with collaborater--and stellar singer/guitarist--Scotty Emerick). It's hard not to get lost in the Waylon-esque rhythms of "Honkytonk U." And you can't help but grin as Keith sings of giving in to his pride on "As Good As I Once Was" (Keith, too, has a big grin on his face as he sings these lines). "I Got It Bad" hails back to the days of Keith's best ballads. And "You Caught Me At A Bad Time" is one of the deepest, most moving songs he's ever written.

Okay, if I haven't gotten the point across yet, here it is: this is, by far, Toby Keith's best album to date. A lot of people say that; in fact, they say it about every album an artist releases. I don't. When I say this is the best album Toby Keith has made, trust me folks, it's the BEST ALBUM TOBY KEITH HAS MADE! This is traditional country music with grit--humor, heartbreak, drinking, love gone bad, hope, and twang. Lots of twang, steel, and lyrics that will strike straight to your soul...plus a duet with the Hag himself. HONKYTONK UNIVERSITY is one of the best albums that's come out lately, and it's a personal highlite for Toby Keith. Grab it...if you aren't already a Toby Keith fan, this one'll convert you, I guarantee it.

I had not decided to purchase this CD and was reading some reviews. All the usual music industry suspects - Rolling Stone, etc - hated it. They are all especially lathered up by Toby Keith referring to "his boys in Afghanistan and Baghdad City..." (If you, too, understand why they are upset, stop reading this review and try a different style of music.)

I came out to these forums, kids hated it. People who listen to country casually hated it.

I knew I had to get it.

I have not been disappointed. This is a return to more traditional country while not slipping into the twangy sound of the 70s none of us want to go back to.

This is a very good CD. You may not like it a lot on the first listen. Stick with it. It really grows on you.

I am going back to school. , July 11, 2005
Reviewer: Audra & Misti "Crazy Ladies Bookshop" (Norman, Oklahoma!) - See all my reviews

If this is what they are teaching these days and Toby is the Dean... sign me up! I'm in and under and around and all over!

I love this album!
Toby takes these sayings/Euphemisms...
"Do blondes really have more fun or are they just easier to spot in the dark?" probably things his Daddy told him when he was growing up and turns them into great songs. And he just writes what he knows. That's what your supposed to do.
We have a lot of sayings in Oklahoma... a lot of euphoniums.... and its great to see Toby embracing that and using it.

Toby always pokes the bear. Always. But I get the feeling from this album that he wanted to romance us a bit. Meow!

Big Blue Note, She Left me and Just the guy to do it are wink, wink songs in traditional Toby humor following the greats like How do you like me now.

I Got It Bad, Your Smile, Where You Gonna Go You caught Me At A Bad Time tug at you... the notes he hits! Especially I Got it Bad.... that baritone just goes to climbing up and down and up and down....

Knock Yourself Out is probably the song I waited for on this album. It is the song for me. Like Whiskey girl... I just feel like he wrote it with me in mind.
Although... we all know that cannot be true.
Especially since I would not be here writing a review about the album if it were. I'd be deep into the OU hot tub.

But alas the only thing that Toby teamed up with on this album was Merle. And it was worth it. She Ain't hooked on me no more is great, its hard to tell which is Toby and which is Merle.
For me, Toby is still the best in the business.
I count the days anticipating the next album.
HTU was well, well worth the wait.

"Honkytonk University" is a fantastic country set. The thing that strikes me most is that Keith is hilarious. His sense of humor is so dry but so clear that even when he's sad, he puts a smile on my face. "Take your frown, turn it upside down, Oh you never know who might be fallin' in love with your smile," he sings on the weeper "Your Smile." "Where You Gonna Go" is a great ballad with Paul Franklin's steel guitar, "June fell for Johnny on the 4th of July as the fireworks popped in the summer sky." "As Good As I Once Was" shows his self-deprecating sense of humor that is charmingly modest, "I used to be hell on wheels back when I was a younger man, Now my body says, 'You can't do this, boy,' but my pride says, 'Oh yes you can!'" His duet with Merle Haggard on "She Ain't Hooked On Me No More" is an ideal tune for the last call @ the honkytonk. I like "Big Blue Note" because it shows his sense of humor in the middle of a heartache, "No, no, no, no don't throw it away 'cause tonight I might need it; It gets real lonely around here at night sometimes & I have to read it." "Just the Guy to Do It" is a catchy tune about a knucklehead who flirts with a redhead in front of his girl. "She Left Me" is a full-throttle rocker with the wry lyric flouting the obvious, "We'd still be together but she left me." Perhaps my favorite track is the lovely "Knock Yourself Out" with its gorgeous melody and Keith's powerful vocal, "If you wanna go back to him, baby, git up & go; I'm tired of being a clown caught up in your sideshow." "You Ain't Leavin'" is another heartbreak song with Keith's great dry sense of humor coming through in the lyric, "'Til death do us part is what she told that preacher man; Now she says this ain't worth dyin' for; She's had all she can stand; She's boxed up momma's china, it's loaded on the truck; She just got started packing & I'm thinkin' this could suck." "Honkytonk University" is an excellent set combining witty intelligent lyrics, a good mix of ballads & toe tappers, and Keith's expressive vocals surrounded by crackerjack musicians. Enjoy!

For a long time Toby Keith has enjoyed a reputation of being one of Country Music's "Bad Boys" or a slam-bam Country Rocker. Some of his earlier offerings such as "Who's Your Daddy," "How Do You Like Me Now?" and "Beer for My Horses" are indicative of this reputation.

But with HONKYTONK UNIVERSITY we see a whole new Toby. Yes there are the signature songs here like "Honky Tonk U" and, to a degree, "As Good As I Once Was." But then the album shines with several of the most beautiful, heartfelt Western ballads that I have ever heard. Keith offers a mature, mellow side with "Your Smile," "Where You Gonna Go?" and, my album favorite, "I Got It Bad." But then every track on this one will have you enjoying the sound and recognizing Toby Keith's versatility as one of the best Country Stars extant. This one's definitely a keeper.

THE HORSEMAN

I've been a Toby fan for a long time. In fact, my first country albums I ever bought was Boomtown. To this day this remains my favorite Toby album and this new one reminds me of that. Toby puts a lot of heart and feeling into this one. Vocally this is his best one too. You Caught me at a Bad Time and Your Smile gave me chills. I love everything that Toby does but this one is something special. It is really something different from his last couple albums but I don't think you'll be disapointed.

Side note - Is it just me or is Toby looking better and better as time goes on? He is Hot! :)

I loved this CD. I could not wait to buy it...popped it into the cd player on the way home and smiled all the way home. The lyrics are great, his voice is great....2 thumbs up!!

I am not a big Toby Keith fan. I like some of his songs but I have never been compelled to actually go out and buy one of his CDs. I do respect his talent and I really respect how he goes out of his way to entertain our men & women in the military. So, after hearing "As Good As I Once Was", I thought it was a strong song. I had heard some very good reviews about this CD, so I thought I'd take a chance and buy it. This is a very good CD, and it has several strong songs-"Honkytonk U", "As Good As I Once Was", the duet with Merle Haggard "She Ain't Hooked On Me No More", "Where You Gonna Go", and "You Caught Me At A Bad Time." There are a few weak songs on the CD, but none that I'd really call fillers or "Stinkers." One of the other reviews here said that maybe Mr. Keith has matured a bit, so that could account for the material on this CD being better than the stuff I had heard from him in the recent past. I have heard he is mad that DreamWorks has folded and he's now back on Mercury, and he's threatening to start his own label after he fulfills his contract. I hope Toby Keith is able to release new music like the material on "Honkytonk U" in the future-he'd have a loyal fan if he did.