The Singles Jukebox

Meanwhile, Scotty McCreery is probably doing something…

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[5.50]

Crystal Leww: For a brief, shining moment in 2015, I thought that the young women of pop country music would take over the genre. 2016 has been dismaying in that regard, but it’s good to hear that not everyone has abandoned the sound. “Next Boyfriend” was so charming and fun, and while “Road Less Travelled” certainly takes itself a little more seriously, it’s still got its pop country bearings about it. The easy comparison is Kelsea Ballerini, a surprising breakout star of this style, but the more apt one here is Maren Morris. “Road Less Travelled” is produced by Morris’s collaborator busbee, who makes this fun while pulling out a great vocal from Alaina (check out that bridge!)
[7]

Alfred Soto: Less awful than a song named after M. Scott Peck’s dangerous book, but it still has the ringing, declamatory nothingness of a WB drama theme song.
[3]

Thomas Inskeep: Too often, inspirational country records tend to be slow ballads, so it’s refreshing to hear one like this which is defiantly uptempo and defiantly “DO IT!” in tenor and tone. “Don’t be afraid/Take the road less travelled” is the kind of refrain I’d expect to hear from Carrie Underwood, but instead it’s rising star Lauren Alaina who nails this one. She’s likely gonna become a star in the process, thanks to this strong song with superb production that nicely compliments her big voice. 
[7]

Katie Gill: This is every “be yourself and take risks!” platitude thrown into a blender, taken out, and painted over guitars. It’s great background music and great end-of-the-concert fare, complete with the obligatory moment where you know Alaina’s going to turn the microphone towards the audience. It’s not bad, it’s just a bit play by numbers. And maybe this is due to my Mississippi upbringing, but I’m always a bit wary when country music describes something as “rebel.”
[6]

Juana Giaimo: “Road Less Travelled” talks about a rebel heart, the crazy ones and not following the rules in order to become someone, but Lauren Alaina’s words are part of a country song that many have already travelled. I’m also beginning to distrust songs telling us to be unique. Rather than encouraging, they can be the opposite — they might raise doubts in you about how special you are. Maybe there is nothing wrong with the “simple” and “uninteresting” life of studying, going to work, hanging out with your friends and family or dating someone. Maybe there is nothing wrong with taking the road most travelled.
[5]

Edward Okulicz: Until the last minute when the power goes on in the arrangement and vocal this is brand new boots on a well worn path, and not really taking its own advice.
[5]