Kip Moore

Although his name may sound like a place in the Yorkshire Dales, Georgia singer Kip Moore is very much a country singer. There is the baseball cap for a start, plus song titles that reference beer and pretty girls. In 2015 it may seem that much of the genre's music is misogynistic and outdated, but that doesn't stop it from being increasingly popular in the States. Here in the UK the popularity has been highlighted by the immense success of the Country to Country festival. Moore will be playing the show in March and the album's been released here for the first time as a preview.

Country music is often most fun when the tongue is placed firmly in the cheek, but it is often hard to know whether people are taking themselves seriously or not. On Somethin' 'Bout A Truck the very worst of this is evidenced, with a song that seems to think women become more attractive if they can down a cold beer on the back of a truck. The feminists would have a field day. Hey Pretty Girl treads pretty close to that line too, while Beer Money juxtaposes the same joys of life; beer and a good woman.

It is a shame that those were the biggest hits off this album in the States, because when Moore steps away from the country cliche he is good, very good. Everything But You and Crazy One More Time are cracking radio songs that display his Eric Church-like vocal in fine style. Up All Night has the same anthemic feel, while Faith When I Fall is a terrific country ballad.

This Deluxe edition released for the UK has six bonus tracks, including some live performances from Nashville and is a good taster ahead of his appearance at C2C in Dublin and London.