
Chris Young
by Thom JurekHere it is: the debut album by the winner of 2005's Nashville Star competition. His prize was a contract with RCA Nashville. Given the music biz hype surrounding the show, it's no secret that his first single "Drinkin' Me Lonely," was a hit and garnered lots of interest at radio. But there's another reason for that, too: it's a great tune -- and it was self-penned. But that's really just the beginning. Chris Young has one of those classic country voices that is memorable after one hears it the first time, like Keith Whitley, George Strait, Clint Black, and Ronnie Milsap. The record opens with "Beer or Gasoline," a loud country rocker, and slips effortlessly into "You're Gonna Love Me," a straightforward up-tempo country love song. By the time "Drinkin' Me Lonely'" comes up on the player, the album is in full swing. It's a song Merle Haggard would have been proud to write. Other notable cuts here include the rollicking wildness of...