Playlist: Kenny Chesney, plus 10 more
The frequently nostalgic Chesney goes back again in American Kids, this time to a red-dirt town that could be anywhere during the heyday of MTV. If that era's down-home kids are "a little messed up, but we're all all right," as he suggests while singing against a shuffling acoustic-guitar beat, it's Quik Stops, trailer parks, living-room make-out sessions and songs like Born in the U.S.A. and Pink Houses that made them that way. — Brian Mansfield
THE PLAYLIST
Paste BN music critic Elysa Gardner highlights 10 intriguing tracks found in the week's listening.
Give It, Leela James
Had Barry White been a (gritty) soprano, he might have recorded something like this ecstatic track fromFall for You.
Lovin' the Night, Kindred the Family Soul
The husband-and-wife duo channel Ashford & Simpson over buoyant strings and horns on this lush, blithe number from A Couple Friends.
Song for You, Jonathan Butler
This sunny, reggae-laced track from Living My Dream is an unassuming and winning showcase for Butler's fluidity as a singer and guitarist.
So Now What, The Shins
Shins fan Zach Braff commissioned this chiming, dreamy number for the soundtrack to Braff's upcoming Wish I Was Here.
Grandma Loved That Old Man, Rodney Crowell
Crowell brings a bittersweet grace to this gently haunting elegy, featured on the veteran singer/songwriter's latest, Tarpaper Sky.
How Insensitive, Diane Schuur
On I Remember You, Schuur pays impassioned homage to Frank Sinatra and Stan Getz — and, on this plaintive track, Antonio Carlos Jobim.
O Que Tinha de Ser, Magos & Limón
Magos Herrera's breathy alto and Javier Limón's lyrical guitar prove an arresting combo on this haunting Jobim cover.
It Might As Well Be Spring, Jarrett/Haden
On Keith Jarrett and Charlie Haden's Last Dance, the jazz vets offer a sumptuous instrumental reading of Rodgers & Hammerstein.
Will You Love Me Tomorrow, The Shirelles
Gerry Goffin, who died last week at 75, achieved his purest poetry on this pop classic, composed by his ex, Carole King.