Chuck Wicks - Turning Point (2016)

Like most country artists, Chuck Wicks was brought up on the music of his parents, which was a blend of ’80s pop and ’90s country. Fittingly, the accomplished songwriter found a way to meld both of those influences into a completely cohesive project with his new album, Turning Point. Most of that continuity comes from Chuck’s velvety vocals. One of the finest singers in the format, it’s about more than range, pitch and tone with Chuck. His tender tenor is emotive, whether in the soaring single, “She’s Gone,” the pleading “Us Again” or the waltzy standout track “Whole Damn Thing.”

He even makes his interpretation of dirt road, truck driving, chill-out songs sound incredibly fresh and groovy on “Saturday Afternoon.” And while Jason Aldean did a fine job on “I Don’t Do Lonely Well” from his 2012 Night Train album, Chuck’s version (he co-wrote the song) is achingly hypnotic. Whether fast or slow, happy or heartbroken, Chuck does love well. Really well. Better than most fellas in the format. That makes it even more puzzling that there are weird studio effects applied to a voice that is about as close to perfection as you can get on “Whatcha Got Girl,” but, in his defense, it’s also the most sonically and lyrically connected to what’s happening on country radio today . . . be that for better or worse.

TRACKLIST

01. She's Gone
02. Fix Me
03. Us Again
04. Whole Damn Thing
05. Tell Me
06. Saturday Afternoon
07. I Don't Do Lonely Well
08. Salt Life
09. Always
10. Watcha Got Girl
11. Over You Gettin' Over Me