David Nail

David Nail
I’m About to Come Alive
Country (MCA Nashville)

By Whitney Pastorek

David Nail’s real debut happened back in 2002, when he dropped a single called “Memphis” but not an album, then dropped out of town for a while. The talent involved in debut two—Kenny Chesney, Miranda Lambert, the drippingly Southern keys of the great Chuck Leavell—would seem to indicate he’s finally found a foothold, and why not? He’s got a pleasant voice, and though his material is almost entirely the byproduct of multiple co-writers, the thoughtful track he penned alone (“Missouri”) demonstrates he could safely be permitted to do that sort of thing more often. The sad part comes when you realize that even though lead single “Red Light” is a hold-on-what’s-that­ storytelling standout in the list-making morass of today’s country radio, it’s unlikely to set him apart from the logjam of pleasant-voiced male singers already lying in the swamp. People will remember the song — just not necessarily which dude was singing it. And because this will get blamed on Nail instead of whoever decided to make everybody in Nashville sound like everybody else these days, he’s getting an extra plus here to make up for it. B+

Download This: “Red Light”