The Quiet Times of a Rock and Roll Farm Boy
Encyclopedia
The Quiet Times of a Rock and Roll Farm Boy is the second solo album by American
country music
artist Big Kenny, one-half of the duo Big & Rich
. It was released on November 10, 2009, via Big Kenny's own Love Everybody label. The lead-off single, "Long After I'm Gone
," has entered the Hot Country Songs
chart and has become his first solo Top 40 on that chart.
release is "Long After I'm Gone
," which Big Kenny wrote with Marc Beeson and Richie Supa. His first single release outside Big & Rich, this song has also become his first Top 40 country hit. Big Kenny wrote or co-wrote all ten tracks on the album.
magazine, the album was described as "a thoughtful, often profound sojourn into musical independence." In his review of the track "Share The Love", Bill Friskics-Warren of "The Washington Post
" said "As 'aw shucks' as some of it is, he's as sincere as he can be, and he imparts it all with such a pleasant, self-deprecating tenor that it's hard not to be warmed by the good vibes he's spreading." Bill Brotherton of Boston Herald gave the album a B+.
Stephen Thomas Erlewine of Allmusic gave the album one-and-a-half stars out of five, saying that it had "a stronger country bent" than his work in Big & Rich but adding that "it exists in a curious netherworld between genres, willfully eclectic without a unifying vision and lacking a focus given by hooks
[…]unless you're on his wavelength — and can stomach his exaggerated crooning — it's a pretty alienating ride." Jonathan Keefe of Slant Magazine
rated it three stars out of five, saying that it had "terrific, oddball flourishes" that "[mask] some of Kenny's more clichéd lyrical turns and thin vocals," but added that other songs showed stronger songwriting than Rich's Son of a Preacher Man
album. Bobby Peacock gave a more favorable review on Roughstock, saying "The lyrics are lean and, while not terribly original, are far from cliché, and the constantly changing musical terrain only makes the whole album all the more engaging."
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
country music
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
artist Big Kenny, one-half of the duo Big & Rich
Big & Rich
Big & Rich is an American country music duo composed of Big Kenny and John Rich. Both members alternate as lead vocalists and play rhythm guitar...
. It was released on November 10, 2009, via Big Kenny's own Love Everybody label. The lead-off single, "Long After I'm Gone
Long After I'm Gone
"Long After I'm Gone" is the title of a song co-written and recorded by American country music artist Big Kenny, one-half of the duo Big & Rich. The song was released to country radio on August 18, 2009 as his debut single as a solo artist, where it debuted at #57 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country...
," has entered the Hot Country Songs
Hot Country Songs
Hot Country Songs is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States.This 60-position chart lists the most popular country music songs, calculated weekly mostly by airplay and occasionally commercial sales...
chart and has become his first solo Top 40 on that chart.
Content
The album's first singleSingle (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
release is "Long After I'm Gone
Long After I'm Gone
"Long After I'm Gone" is the title of a song co-written and recorded by American country music artist Big Kenny, one-half of the duo Big & Rich. The song was released to country radio on August 18, 2009 as his debut single as a solo artist, where it debuted at #57 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country...
," which Big Kenny wrote with Marc Beeson and Richie Supa. His first single release outside Big & Rich, this song has also become his first Top 40 country hit. Big Kenny wrote or co-wrote all ten tracks on the album.
Critical reception
In BillboardBillboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
magazine, the album was described as "a thoughtful, often profound sojourn into musical independence." In his review of the track "Share The Love", Bill Friskics-Warren of "The Washington Post
The Washington Post
The Washington Post is Washington, D.C.'s largest newspaper and its oldest still-existing paper, founded in 1877. Located in the capital of the United States, The Post has a particular emphasis on national politics. D.C., Maryland, and Virginia editions are printed for daily circulation...
" said "As 'aw shucks' as some of it is, he's as sincere as he can be, and he imparts it all with such a pleasant, self-deprecating tenor that it's hard not to be warmed by the good vibes he's spreading." Bill Brotherton of Boston Herald gave the album a B+.
Stephen Thomas Erlewine of Allmusic gave the album one-and-a-half stars out of five, saying that it had "a stronger country bent" than his work in Big & Rich but adding that "it exists in a curious netherworld between genres, willfully eclectic without a unifying vision and lacking a focus given by hooks
Hook (music)
A hook is a musical idea, often a short riff, passage, or phrase, that is used in popular music to make a song appealing and to "catch the ear of the listener". The term generally applies to popular music, especially rock music, hip hop, dance music, and pop. In these genres, the hook is often...
[…]unless you're on his wavelength — and can stomach his exaggerated crooning — it's a pretty alienating ride." Jonathan Keefe of Slant Magazine
Slant Magazine
Slant Magazine is an online publication that features reviews of movies, music, TV, DVDs, theater, and video games, as well as interviews with actors, directors, and musicians. The site covers various film festivals like the New York Film Festival.- History :...
rated it three stars out of five, saying that it had "terrific, oddball flourishes" that "[mask] some of Kenny's more clichéd lyrical turns and thin vocals," but added that other songs showed stronger songwriting than Rich's Son of a Preacher Man
Son of a Preacher Man (album)
Son of a Preacher Man is the second solo studio album by American country music artist John Rich, one half of the duo Big & Rich. Rich wrote or co-wrote all of the songs on the album. Originally slated for a May 2009 release on Warner Bros...
album. Bobby Peacock gave a more favorable review on Roughstock, saying "The lyrics are lean and, while not terribly original, are far from cliché, and the constantly changing musical terrain only makes the whole album all the more engaging."
Track listing
- "Wake Up" (Big Kenny, Brad Arnold, Jon Nicholson) – 3:55
- "Long After I'm GoneLong After I'm Gone"Long After I'm Gone" is the title of a song co-written and recorded by American country music artist Big Kenny, one-half of the duo Big & Rich. The song was released to country radio on August 18, 2009 as his debut single as a solo artist, where it debuted at #57 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country...
" (Big Kenny, Marc BeesonMarc BeesonMarc Beeson is an American country music singer and songwriter. Beeson has co-written several singles which have reached the Hot Country Songs charts.Beeson moved to Nashville, Tennessee in 1990...
, Richie Supa) – 3:30 - "Be Back Home" (Big Kenny, Adam Shoenfeld, Judson SpenceJudson SpenceJudson Spence is an American pop music singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist based in Nashville, Tennessee. He originally gained fame when he released his eponymously titled debut solo effort on Atlantic Records in 1988...
) – 3:17 - "Less Than Whole" (Big Kenny, Eric PaslayEric PaslayEric Paslay is an American country music singer. In mid-2011, Paslay signed to EMI Records Nashville and released his debut single, "Never Really Wanted". He also co-wrote Jake Owen's number-one single "Barefoot Blue Jean Night", and album cuts for Lady Antebellum and Eli Young...
) – 4:23 - "Go Your Own Way" (Big Kenny, Ben MoodyBen MoodyBenjamin Robert Moody is a singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer, and actor. He is best known as co-founder, lead guitarist, and songwriter of Grammy Award-winning rock band Evanescence from 1995 to October 2003...
) – 3:44 - "To Find a Heart" (Big Kenny, Supa) – 3:37
- "Happy People" (Big Kenny, Nicholson) – 3:41
- "Drifter" (Big Kenny, Shawn CampShawn Camp (songwriter)Darrell DeShawn "Shawn" Camp is an American musician who performs country and Americana music. Originally signed to Reprise Records in 1993 as a recording artist, Camp charted two minor singles on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks charts that year...
) – 3:54 - "Free Like Me" (Big Kenny) – 4:45
- "Share the Love" (Big Kenny) – 2:54
- "The Whole Experience" - 39:24
Chart performance
| Chart (2009) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard 200 | 197 |
| U.S. Billboard Top Country Albums | 37 |