Drink To That All Night Long-Jerrod Niemann (Arista)

To me, the auto-tune is super-cool when it’s used right. And using it right has always been in the Pop venue. HipHop, too, of course, but I don’t listen to that stuff. Ever. Using it in Country continues to be a point of derision. But culture cross-breeds and the little computer thingie keeps trying to edge it’s way into our house. This record opens with it. It’s not used with a heavy hand, yet is front-and-center from the first words we hear. And I like it quite a bit. Not ready to give it a playlist nod just yet, but it’s got my attention.