When the Sun Goes Down is the eighth album for Kenny Chesney (counting his Greatest Hits CD). Plus he had a Christmas album this past holiday season. He has been making music for over ten years now. His voice has matured and he is one of country music’s top performers. It’s been nearly two years since his last album was released. The Kenny Chesney fans have been looking forward to this album.

Tracks:

1. There Goes My Life
2. I Go Back
3. When the Sun Goes Down
4. The Woman With You
5. Some People Change
6. Anything But Mine
7. Keg in the Closet
8. When I Think About Leaving
9. Being Drunk’s A Lot Living Loving You
10. Outta Here
11. Old Blue Chair

Bonus Tracks:

12. Live Those Songs (Live)
13. What I Need to Do (Live)
14. Please Come to Boston (Live)

There Goes My Life is the first single from the album. The song has a beautiful piano introduction. People who have had children when they were young or before they planned to will relate to this song. It’s the story of a young man who finds out that he is going to be a father. He thinks his whole life is over. He realizes though that his little girl is something very special. It’s a really touching song. It’s on its 7th week at being #1 on the charts.

I Go Back was written by Kenny. It is about someone that hears a song that takes them back to things in the past. It makes you think back to your high school days when you were young and free. It is a fast, upbeat song. You can hear an electric guitar in the song that sounds great. When the Sun Goes Down is a duet with Uncle Kracker. This song takes you to a party on the beach. The music has a Jamaican sound to it. Uncle Kracker and Kenny sound awesome together. This is a really fun song.

The Woman With You is a song that women will relate to. It’s about a woman who set out with dreams to be an important executive. Life had other plans for her though when she fell in love and had kids. You can hear a lot of electric guitar in this song too, which sounds awesome. The drums give Some People Change a great beat. Some country fans will remember Jason Sellers, who co-wrote this song. It is about being brave enough to change even when it seems impossible. This song has nice background vocals. Anything But Mine takes you to a beach where a guy and a girl are spending some time together. In the morning they have to go their separate ways. It’s a fast paced song making you think of summer days. It has lots of drums and guitar with great background vocals.

Keg in the Closet has a piano and drums introduction. It was co-written by Kenny. This is a fast song. He is looking back on his younger days, partying and fun. ”Keg in the closet – pizza on the floor – left over from the night before”. When I Think About Leaving starts out with Kenny speaking the words and has spoken parts throughout the song. This song is really a powerful song and makes you think about the pain that people go through when a couple split up. Sometimes people think that being able to do what you want and being free is the greatest thing. They don’t think about what your life will be like seeing your kids every other weekend. The song talks about the pain that children suffer when their parents can’t work it out. It has a lot of great drums and piano in the song. ”When I think about leaving I think again”.

Being Drunk’s A Lot Like Loving You starts with a beautiful piano. Kenny co-wrote this song. It compares a bad hangover to loving the wrong person. It’s like how you swear off drinking again and then go back to it. A lot of times it’s the same way with loving the wrong person. Outta Here is about packing up and leaving to anywhere. ”Anywhere you want to go as long as it’s sunny weather”. The music gives you a feeling of being on an island somewhere in the summer. Old Blue Chair is a song that Kenny wrote relating to his own life. This song tells about his favorite place to sit in an “old blue chair” in the Caribbean. He says that every line in the song is true.

There are three bonus tracks on this album. They are live recordings. You can hear the screams of the crowd. Live Those Songs is from his last album, No Shirt, No Shoes, No Problem. It’s another one of those fun, feel good songs with a great beat. ” I'd be rollin' on a river with Credence -Stealin' kisses from Peggy Sue - I'd be knee-deep in sand on a Panama beach - In the spring of '72 - I'd be wastin' away on the dock of the bay - Watchin' the tide roll in - He said what I wouldn't give just to live those songs again”. What I Need To Do is from Kenny’s album, Everywhere We Go. The music introduction to this song is absolutely beautiful. This song is a ballad. ”What I need to do is turn this car around - Drive as fast as I can til I see the lights of our hometown - And run to her, take her in my arms - Make her see how sorry I am, well that shouldn't be so hard - But I drive on, and on, and on”. Many people will remember Please Come to Boston from when Reba McEntire recorded it. I have loved this song from the first time that I heard it. I think Kenny did a nice job with it, but I like Reba’s version better.

Kenny’s Thoughts on the Album:

* "This album, I hope moves me closer
to where I'd like to be -- someone who speaks honestly about the stuff these moments, these simple moments that define our lives, are made of. To me, that's important as a writer -- and an artist. 'No Shoes' was a picture of where I was in my life at that time…and there was wrenching stuff, but I'd like to think I'm pretty much an open, if emotional, book."

* When The Sun Goes Down in a lot of ways is the celebration of living life, seeking love and not being afraid to dream.

* from his website

My Thoughts:

While I like the songs on this album I have to admit that I like Kenny’s last album, No Shirt, No Shoes, No Problem, better. The songs on the previous album were more serious. It had more ballads. This album has some serious songs such as: There Goes My Life, Some People Change and When I Think About Leaving. However, the majority of this album makes you think of having fun, partying, drinking and looking back on your younger days. You can’t listen to it without reflecting on your wilder days.

When you listen to the album you can tell that Kenny loves summer and the beach. Many of his songs have references to both and have the music sounds you would hear on an island.
You can hear a lot of electric guitar, keyboards and drums in the songs. This album has gotten away from the country sound. I am a big fan of Kenny and love to listen to his voice. While I prefer the traditional country sound, I love this music as well.

I think this album will attract a more diverse set of fans. I think it will really appeal to the younger people as well. I think there are many teenagers and people in their early twenties that are going to love this album.



Recommended: Yes

Great Music to Play While: Hanging With Friends