Chill of an Early Fall

George Strait’s 12th album aimed to reestablish its author as country’s reigning Renaissance man. The title track is a model for how to present a carefully crafted, adult-oriented country ballad, while “I’ve Convinced Everybody but Me” and “Her Only Bad Habit Is Me” would make Merle Haggard and George Jones proud. On an extended rendition of the age-old classic “Milk Cow Blues” Strait showcases the talents of his faithful backing group, the Ace in the Hole Band. Even as he remains loyal to his roots, “If I Know Me” and “You Know Me Better Than That” are a pair of songs that give Strait’s peers some competition for a stake in the pop country landscape. And to top it off, he throws in a cover of Hank Williams’ “Lovesick Blues.” Williams is sacred territory for country singers, and Strait delivers the song with heart and expertise, underscoring the proposition that he is the only contemporary country performer able to embody the genre’s past, present, and future.