Josh Turner – “Everything is Fine”

I think he has a remarkable voice, but I dont think (with few exceptions) that his song choice comes anywhere near matching or showcasing his vocals. I think “Long Black Train”, “Me and God” and “Your Man” were three that did, but this one (Fine) is just ‘trite’ and drags him down far below what he is capable of. I think “Firecracker” was a good fun song that showed a different side from the three aforementioned songs and showed off his vocals, but most of what he has done is just bland in spite of his great voice.

After a fine tune like ‘Another Try’, I must say I am a bit disappointed in this one as as single release also.

personally, i find more substance in chop suey with fried rice than in this ditty.

I wish Turner would follow Jamey Johnson’s lead, not in tone necessarily, but in honesty. They both have authentic country voices, but only Johnson an authentic presentation. Turner is content to be seen through the Nashville view of what is acceptable, and that’s boring… though for the record, I think his latest album is head and shoulders above anything he released before.

*again

I think Josh Turner is better than this song.

I have to say that somewhere in Josh Turner is a great country voice full of great waves of emotions. Every song he has put out as single has hinted at a deep well of truth. This one is the same. Imagine if you will if he was being cynical. That the feeling on the outside was fake,and his feelings really had a darker undercurrent. He could do that with his voice if he really wanted to. He has a sound vocal gift- and he is very easy on the eyes .But time and again he is afraid of going a little darker like Randy Travis use to do, Willie does, and Cash was proud of.

What holds him back? His faith? Maybe he is afraid that his fans might leave if he over turns too many rocks. I have to say I always want to believe him but his faith always gets in the way. He is like a failed Christian singer-and I mean that in the best way. He can now sing without being limited to a smaller group. He just seems to not want to jump too far, to make his music more raw. Within his faith and his feelings there must be a darker force. Maybe he feels trapped too. His voice hints at that too. I hope he finds a strong place soon because his songs are starting to sound as though he is bored.

Um, it bugs me that you guys here at the 9513 always make “Is” lower case in titles. Only articles (a, an, the), prepositions (at, on, to, of, by, over, etc.) and conjunctions (and, but, or, etc.) are supposed to be lowercase in titles. “Is” is a verb, so it’s suppsed be capitalized. Sorry to be a grammar Nazi, but it really bugs me.

Anyway, this song is exactly what its title says. Everything is fine; nothing terribly special, but Josh’s voice and the solid instrumentation really bring it up two notches.

What struck me about Turner from the beginning is the mismatch between his vocal gift and his image. At first, I just felt a dissonance listening to this deep, rumbling, mature man’s voice coming from someone who looks so young and earnestly boyish.

Then it became a disconnect between what that voice seems made to sing and Turner’s image. Josh Turner’s a handsome guy, but he is no where near as sexy to look at as he is to listen to. That voice is… something, all right. It’s a pleasure to hear him use it to sing something sensual like “Your Man” and something playful and slighty dirty like “Firecracker,” but then I remember that he’s this ultimate squeaky clean Baptist boy and it intrudes a bit.

I’d love to hear him take on darker material, but I do appreciate his faith. I’m always slighty suspicious these days of religiously themed country songs, because they can be so manipulative; designed by a commercial, corporate business to appeal to what is seen as country’s core audience. It took me a few listens, but I eventually allowed my self to love “Long Black Train” (which I wanted to, because it’s such a great sounding traditional song) because I believed in Josh Turner’s sincerity. Meanwhile, I hate “Jesus Take The Wheel” because it’s a badly written mess and because I’m cynical, not necessarily of Carrie’s feelings and performance, but of how the song was selected for her and marketed and pushed. I don’t trust the AI machine to have any respect for country fans.

Brady: It’s okay. I just hadn’t noticed a case where “is” was properly capitalized in a title, so I mistakenly assumed you always did it. I knew you were joking with me.

I love all his music and my heart receives all of it as genuine and an honest expression of who he truly is. I feel totally blessed that it is enhanced by his God given gift; that deep beautiful voice! I believe that true music is self-expression, not people pleasing pieces. I pray he stays true to his self–aka–his faith; for you cannot separate the two and remain true to yourself. I pray he does not compromise his faith for the sake of the music industry.