JOE NICHOLS - Critic's Pick

(Nashville Scene)

Nichols, a neo-traditionalist country singer from northwest Arkansas, will be releasing his fourth album later this summer. Nichols’ last album, 2005’s III, had the novelty hit “Tequila Makes Her Clothes Fall Off,” which could easily be the defining song of this crooner’s career. If that’s the case it would be a shame, as the singular burnished warmth of Nichols’ voice has wrapped itself around several far more notable candidates. Our vote would be for III’s “Talk Me Out of Tampa,” where Nichols communicates the kind of romantic ache that Glen Campbell once made so palpable and popular. In our country pop age, Nichols (who also gets a lot of mileage from his heartthrob looks) has to sell the funny tunes first. Maybe this new album will give people reason to talk about him other than as that guy with the tequila song.

Grand Ole Opry —WERNER TRIESCHMANN