Easton Corbin, ‘Clockwork’ – ToC Critic’s Pick [Listen]
Easton Corbin’s new single ‘Clockwork’ takes a unique approach to a one-night stand story. Corbin is the guy left with regrets after a familiar woman dials him up for a play date. The soft-spoken singer plays the role well, delivering another warm, sincere vocal performance.
Carson Chamberlain, Wade Kirby and Ashley Gorley have penned another sharp lyric for Corbin. The same trio wrote ‘All Over the Road,’ his Top 5 hit from 2013. Corbin plays a similar character in this song — he’s an ordinary guy as haunted by bad decisions as much as any female artist.
“Might as well have my alarm set on my phone girl / It's like you got a camera, don't know how you know, I’m home alone girl / Come around 10:47 every Friday night / Might as well leave the light on, cause you're always right on time,” he sings to begin the song.
It’s always a pleasure to listen to a traditional country vocalist with real chops. Like Joe Nichols, Corbin rarely sounds out of place. He's good at choosing tracks that fit his style and personality.
“You call, I say hello / You knock, I'm lettin' you in / You say, you've missed / My lips, we kiss / Here we go again,” he sings to begin the chorus. The song’s best lines come next, but a dagger awaits listeners during the bridge:
“It's like a movie I’ve seen a thousand times, I hate the end / But I still hit rewind.”
Corbin’s backing vocalists are distracting at times, but not so much that one will reach for the radio dial. ‘Clockwork’ is the first taste of the singer’s third studio album and proof that the 31-year-old is committed to traditional country music. His adjustments are subtle -- as they should be -- as his approach is timeless.
Key Lyrics: "Your dress, my shirt / We love, I live and never learn / I crash, I burn / You leave, I hurt / Like clockwork"
Did You Know?: Easton grew up idolizing his grandparents and calls his grandfather one of his heroes. Grandpa helped raise Easton, and the singer remembers never wanting for anything, even though Grandpa never made more that $8.50 and hour during a 30-year career at the sawmill.
Listen to Easton Corbin, ‘Clockwork’