Everywhere

by Stephen Thomas Erlewine & Thom JurekEverywhere, Tim McGraw's fourth album, finds the vocalist in a bit of a rut, following the same formula of slick ballads and measured rockers that made his second record, Not a Moment Too Soon, a blockbuster success. That's not necessarily a bad thing, since he remains an appealing singer when he has the right material, such as on the single "It's Your Love." In fact, it's the ballads that work better here; they prove truly outstanding and even moving: "You Just Get Better All the Time," the title track, and "I Do But I Don't." When he has a lesser tune, however, the results are bland and uneventful "Hard on the Ticker" is an example. Those songs don't prevent Everywhere from being a pleasant listen, and it satisfied his legions of fans well enough, but it did suggest that he should break free from these constraints and move toward the excellence he was capable of and eventually delivered.