Style: Mainstream country; compare to Dierks Bentley, Josh Turner, Blake Shelton
Top tracks: “Out of Summertime,” “Clear as Day,” “That Old King James”
Still in high school, American Idol‘s latest winner debuts twelve country songs patterned after McCreery’s famous aw-shucks demeanor and affirmed by downhome musical pledges of moms (“Back on the Ground”), girls (“Write My Number on Your Hand”), and small towns (“Water Tower Town”). But the 17-year old singer also tackles heavier perspectives like death (“Clear as Day”) and humble gratitude (“Dirty Dishes”), hinting at his outspoken Christian conviction and proving Clear is more than a breezy tracklist of radio hooks. And though every song is mainstream accessible, western banjo, pedal steel, and fiddlin’ keep this record pure golden country.
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