Released August 11, 2009 Genre Country Label The Valory Music Co. | Recorded 2008–09 Length 31:20 Producer Jeremy Stover | |
Justin Moore is the self-titled debut album of country music artist Justin Moore. It was released on August 11, 2009 by Valory Music Group, a subsidiary of Big Machine Records. The singles released from it are "Back That Thing Up", "Small Town USA", "Backwoods" and "How I Got to Be This Way". "Small Town USA" became Moore's first Number One hit on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Songs chart in September 2009. Moore co-wrote all the songs all the album except for "Back That Thing Up".
Contents
History
This album was part of a special promotion called "So You Want to Be a Record Label Executive." This promotion placed Moore's music on social networking sites such as MySpace and iLike, where fans could make playlists consisting of ten songs, and the top ten songs that are picked were included on Moore's album.
Critical reception
The album has received mixed reviews from music critics. Karlie Justus of Engine 145 gave it three stars out of five, saying that Moore "pull[s] off his[...]influences with a country authenticity more capably than any other country up-and-comer at the moment;" she added that many of the other songs seemed to repeat the theme of "Small Town USA," but that "Grandpa", "Like There's No Tomorrow" and "Hank It" "rely on important details that obviously matter." Matt Bjorke of Roughstock gave a favorable review, saying that "Moore isn't making a record to not be on the radio, that is his goal, and he wants to bring a heavy dose of southern, country charm and twang back to it." It received a two-and-a-half star rating from Allmusic critic Stephen Thomas Erlewine, who said that Moore "sees no shame in pandering" and called the album "anonymous country-rock."