American Saturday Night

Performer: Brad Paisley
Artist: Robben Ford
Engineer: Tyler Moles; Rick Ramsey; Jason Lehning; Neal Cappellino; Richard Barrow; Brady Barnett; Steve Beers; Brian David Willis
Producer: Chris DeBois; Frank Rogers
Distributor: Sony Music Distribution (

Notes: Audio Remasterer: Hank Williams. An American saturday night is not an unusual topic for a country song but Brad Paisley's celebration is. Paisley sees a typical weekend night as a cultural collision of French kisses, Italian Ices, Canadian bacon and margaritas, a place where Mexican and Dutch beers chill side by side in a bucket of ice. If he leans too heavily on labels, referring to those beers by brand name, it's merely a reflection of Paisley's uncanny knack for capturing the casual contemporary details of American life at the tail end of the 2000s. It's not just the pile up of iPhones and international video chats on "Welcome to the Future," the first country anthem of the Obama era, it's how he'll pick up prescription for his girl and flips macho stereotypes on their head on "The Pants." He's a thoroughly modern man and that attitude helps invigorate his traditional country, a sensibility that's welcome on AMERICAN SATURDAY NIGHT. The album veers toward the mellow despite its rollicking title track, the breakneck "Catch all the Fish" and the odd burst incongruous gurgling synth. On the whole, the disc is one of his dreamier albums, filled with swaying slow dances, sweet love tunes and the occasional brokenhearted blues, all delivered with a worn-in ease. Paisley prevents things from getting too relaxed by juxtaposing his every-guy vocals with spitfire guitar, something that gooses even the sleepiest tempos, just like how he spikes his party tunes with sly humor. He never lets things get too serious or too maudlin, he cracks jokes at himself and his friends, he lets everybody into his Saturday night party, because he knows that what makes an American party - and what makes America - is how all the best things wash up on the US shores. An American Saturday Night is not an unusual topic for a country song, but Brad Paisley's celebration is. Paisley sees a typical weekend night as a cultural collision of French kisses, Italian Ices, Canadian bacon, and margaritas, a place where Mexican and Dutch beers chill side by side in a bucket of ice. If he leans too heavily on labels, referring to those beers by brand name, it's merely a reflection of Paisley's uncanny knack for capturing the casual contemporary details of American life at the tail-end of the 2000s. It's not just the pile up of iPhones and international video chats on "Welcome to the Future," the first country anthem of the Obama era, it's how he'll pick up prescription for his girl and flips macho stereotypes on their head on "The Pants." He's a thoroughly modern man and that attitude helps invigorate his traditional country, a sensibility that's welcome on American Saturday Night, which veers toward the mellow despite its rollicking title track or the breakneck "Catch all the Fish" and the odd burst incongruous gurgling synth. On the whole, American Saturday Night is one of his dreamier albums, filled with swaying slow dances, sweet love tunes, and the occasional brokenhearted blues, all delivered with a worn-in ease. Paisley prevents things from getting too relaxed by juxtaposing his every-guy vocals with spitfire guitar, something that gooses even the sleepiest tempos, just like how he spikes his party tunes with sly humor. He never lets things get too serious or too maudlin, he cracks jokes at himself and his friends, he lets everybody into his Saturday night party, because he knows that what makes an American party -- and what makes America -- is how all the best things wash up on the U.S. shores. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Spin (p.91) - "Paisley extends a hot streak...singing about regular life in the USA with a wit and charm that make the suburbs sound like heaven on earth." Billboard (p.34) - "Paisley hits all the right notes....The soulful 'Oh Yeah, You're Gone, which features blues rocker Robben Ford, is the album's pearl and shows a side of Paisley he's rarely revealed..."

West Virginia country singer/songwriter Brad Paisley gained renown almost immediately with his 1999 debut album, WHO NEEDS PICTURES. He was distinguished from many of his peers by his expert guitar technique (his second and third albums included Western swing-influenced instrumentals that earned him Grammy nominations) and a sly sense of humor deeply embedded in his songwriting. Paisley's profile was raised even higher when he wed actress Kimberly Williams, but his was already a career that required little boosting.

Click Here for Shipping Options and Policies

Shipping or Dimension weight in pounds: 0.5