Release day review roundup: Bucky Covington's "Good Guys" is in stores now!

John Dixon captured this stunning image of Bucky Covington on stage in Castlewood, VA--many thanks to Mr. Dixon for his generosity!  You can enjoy lots of Mr. Dixon's beautiful photos in the gallery at Bucky's official site, and check back there often--more great shots are on the way...

Today, at long last, the wait is over--Bucky Covington's second album, Good Guys, is officially released, and the reviews and news stories are coming in at a lightning-fast pace!  We'll cut right to the chase and link to 'em now:

This long interview by Wendy Geller at Yahoo Music's Our Country gives a terrific inside look at all the elements that went into the making of Good Guys.  Bucky spoke candidly about the changes that took place between the closing of his old label (Lyric Street) and the new album's sessions:

"I found that I needed to learn the business," he continues. "So I did. I found out who these people were and what their jobs were. I got very hands-on with the music business part of it...then of course, all of that leads up to me getting very hands on with my recordings. I started producing myself, I started writing a lot more. So, I took the last two years, and I reckon you can say I just started being me. At one point or another I was going to have to, and well--I had to."

Be sure to check out the whole article--it's a must-read, and it's been popping up on radio station websites all evening.

Country Weekly had this to say about Bucky's second album in their four-star review:

As good as Bucky’s self-titled debut album was, the tracks that he sounded most comfortable on never saw the light of day. With Good Guys, he sounds so at ease on every track that it’s surprising to learn that he co-wrote just one song on the project: the raucous, fun Shooter Jennings duet "Drinking Side Of Country."

Yes, Bucky can definitely rock, but make no mistake, he is as adept at the beautifully written heartbreak ballad "I'm Alright" as he is on the rambunctious, tongue-in-cheek "Mama Must Be Prayin'." Meanwhile, the classic R&B groove of  "Hold a Woman" could become the biggest belly-bumpin' tune of Bucky’s career.

Entertainment Tonight's ETOnline.com featured Good Guys in their New Music Tuesday: This Week's Hottest Albums gallery, and says:

This album combines a mixture of '70s country combined with a contemporary radio pop vibe to give his fans a great balance and depth to his latest album. The country scene has been waiting for an album like this and Bucky Covington is the man who delivered. And if releasing a new album for his country loving fans wasn't enough, this charming young man has decided to donate a portion of his first week's sales of the album to Help the Good Guys and the International Association of Fire Fighters Charitable Foundation to support injured firefighters and burn victims.

This track-by-track review by Michael Rae at the All-American Country Music blog gives Bucky's current single some high praise:

If Waylon Jennings were around today, he would be singing this song! Drinking Side of Country is the raucous tale of traveling musicians and the trouble they get in with girls, the locals, and the law. Waylon’s son Shooter is a great fit to join Buck in this song. LOVE IT!

"Country" of the excellent Country's Chatter blog posted a detailed album review (illustrated with some great exclusive photos), and she had this to say about the "slow songs":

Bucky slows things down with the second one. "I’m Alright" is slow, and it’s good – it tells a story. And that’s what country music is supposed to do. It’s one of the songs that as soon as you hear it, you know that’s Bucky singing. There’s something so recognizable about his voice that you can’t imagine anyone else singing something he would have sung. That one is followed by "Hold a Woman." I’m not sure where that 'raspy' voice came from – but I think it’s sexy. Great song for Bucky. It’s a slow song, too.

We're keeping an eye out for more reviews as they become available--stay tuned!   In the meantime (if you haven't already gotten it in the mail today, and I bet you have!)  Good Guys is available at stores nationwide, and online at Amazon, iTunes, the HelpTheGoodGuys.com store and at Bucky's official site.  (The pre-order bundles are no longer for sale on Bucky's merch page, but there are cool new items you'll want to check out right away...)

Bucky's next schedule concert date at post time is happening on September 22nd at the Tallahatchie River Fest in New Albany, MS.  For a look at all of Bucky's tour dates, hop on over to his official site.

Now that Bucky's album is finally here, celebrate with a request at your local country radio station!  His video for "Drinking Side of Country"  is mega-hot, too--give Bucky and Shooter a round of applause at GAC's Top 20 Country Countdown, CMT Pure's Pure 12 Pack and CMT's Top 20 Countdown. 

As you might have guessed, we've got a lot more to say--look for a full track-by-track review of Good Guys by yours truly here very soon.   See you again ASAP!