by Jody Mason
High Country Boy
All-American songwriter Keith Anderson has been writing music since his boyhood in Oklahoma and has finally released “C’MON!”, an album that rallies the American spirit and taps into his romantic side at the same time.
The title track “C’MON!” is enough to get a party started, or maybe just enough to drive really fast down the highway. Its purpose is to raise a ruckus, maybe with the boys, but the rest of the album caters to a slightly more feminine audience. Perhaps a certain female specifically.
“Somebody Needs a Hug” is particularly sexy, sung by a strikingly handsome Anderson, with an easy two-stepping rhythm soliciting obviously more than just a hug. You get to feeling like Anderson is onto something pretty good, until…
“She Could’ve Been Mine.” Anderson is good at songwriting. He is not good at singing high-pitched notes. In fact, I hope he avoids it at all costs in the future. This track haunted me through the rest of the album, the way Pierce Brosnan’s painful singing did after I watched Mama Mia. It should never be done again.
Otherwise, the album is still good, including his single, “I Still Miss You,” and a great duet with Foster & Lloyd on “Crazy Over You.”
I wasn’t aware that Anderson co-wrote “Lost in this Moment”, most recognizable by Big ‘N Rich. It’s great to see Anderson using his writing ability towards his own project, as long as he stays on key and knows his limitations as a singer.