I picked up the SACD version locally at a Sam Goody, otherwise I doubt I'd ever have bought this disc. I mean, hey, I've always liked Toby Keith more as a celebrity than as a musician. (I really love my Ford truck!) And this isn't because he isn't talented, because I'm know he is one of the best in Nashville. Rather, I just don't particularly get into country music. Sure, I like bluegrass acts such as Alison Kraus & Union Station---or even occassional classic late-1970s rough and rowdy stuff from Waylon Jennins and the like. But I've never really gotten into the new style of country that has proliferated since the introduction of Garth Brooks and Shania Twain. So I didn't (and still don't) consider Toby Keith's "Shock 'N Y'all" to be essential, but there are a couple of nice surprises. For instance, songs such as "I Love This Bar", "Sweet", and maybe one or two others have all the attitude of butt-kicking and whiskey drinkin' that I've come to like about the 1970s stuff---though, it comes wrapped in a more modern sound. Want more rowdy country songs? There is even a bonus live track entitled "Weed With Willie" of which the topic is centered around the smoking adventures of Wille Nelson, the "herbal American", as Keith has called him. Now as for the multi-channel surround mix, it seems to be fairly well done. The surrounds are more than reverberated sound as they often contain background vocals or other instrumentation; yet the balance between the front and rear seems pretty decent. I'm leaning toward putting this album into the "4" Kazaamies classification. Or maybe a 3-1/2? It seems pretty solid, so I would think fans of Toby Keith's music would be pleased with this hybrid Super Audio CD (or DualDisc).
