In which Taylor Swift is a hook singer and Keith Urban is a session guitarist…
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[5.29]
Patrick St. Michel: As a meeting between two of country music’s biggest stars — and a pair with an interesting history, given Swift’s first single — “Highway Don’t Care” comes off like a bit of a letdown. She’s in the “ft.” spot, sure, but I still expected Swift to get a little more of the spotlight (even if what she has here sounds nice). McGraw is fine if nothing special, and Keith Urban shows up to lay down a silly guitar solo. I do really like the chorus though, especially the urgent “I do, I do” parts.
[6]
Crystal Leww: Country musicians spend a lot of time singing about the open country roads. They are a symbol of freedom, a place of reflection and quiet for these brooding musicians and they’re often romanticized. Tim McGraw turns that idea onto its head by reminding you that while the country road is open and free, it can get awful lonely. Sometimes the warmest thing on the quiet country road is the sound of the voice on the radio, played perfectly by always present Taylor Swift. That voice reminds you that what makes the distance worth it is the person waiting on the other side, the person who inspires you to sing along to the sappy love songs.
[7]
Brad Shoup: Tim made a fine turn toward the adult-alternative format on Emotional Traffic, and Two Lanes of Freedom largely keeps both the L.A.-pro vibe and vehicular themes (“Truck Yeah” is one concession to modern country play, but “Mexicoma” is the country song Ben Folds forgot to write). “Highway Don’t Care” feels rushed; the handoff from Tim (whose verses are a stuffy combo of mansplaining and omniscient narration, spiced with pop lilt) to Taylor and back would make Yohan & Usain jealous. Two Schonesque solos from Urban pad the proceedings. Maybe this plays better on I-95, I dunno.
[3]
Anthony Easton: I am not sure why Keith Urban is on this, and Swift is capable of so much more than just singing the line, “I can’t live without you, baby.” The guitars are a little too manic for a song that might work better in rueful mode, but the slick gleam of professionalism here makes all of it just a bit better
[5]
Alfred Soto: I can believe that hearing Taylor Swift on the radio would bring McGraw up short, and McGraw is up to playing the Old Guy sharing wisdom about the limits of songcraft when we ask it to make sense of our lives, but Urbanized solo notwithstanding, the chorus plods and the arrangement reduces Swift to supporting, nurturing female without hope of an Oscar nod for supporting actress.
[4]
Jonathan Bogart: It’s structured like an R&B song, heavy on repeating phrases and interlocked parts — it even has a hook singer in T. Swift — even if the content is pure country, anthropomorphizing the open road in order to make a nakedly emotional plea. More cross-pollination, less mulleted guitar heroics, please.
[6]
Scott Mildenhall: Maybe they are trying to take their mind off him, attempting to find solace in some romanticised notion of “hitting the road,” deep down aware that the road could never offer them the love that he so desperately wants to; maybe his presumptuousness does have grounds. Or maybe they’re quite happy alone, who can say. Either way, songs-within-songs are always welcome, and the actual one itself is pleasant, though does go on a bit.
[6]