Off to Join the World  (Audio CD) 
by Blaine Larsen

For too long, superficiality has dominated Nashville's marketing of teen artists. Plans to turn "the kids" on to country usually involve offering young fashion-plate acts dishing out trite, superficial music cynically contrived by Music Row to appeal to the MTV crowd. It's an approach that rarely succeeds. To his credit, Blaine Larsen, an 18-year-old native of Buckley, Washington, has no truck with such nonsense. A longtime admirer of George Strait, his muscular, Strait-like traditionalism is long on honesty and heart, free of artifice. He applies an expressive voice, mature beyond its years, to pained love ballads ("The Man He'll Never Be"), thoughtful youth numbers ("In My High School"), homages ("If Merle Would Sing My Song") and affable country pride ("That's Just Me"). "The Best Man" salutes Larsen's stepdad. "How Do You Get That Lonely," a gripping tale of teen suicide, pulls no punches. By taking his music seriously and treating his audience with respect, Larsen's stunning, mature debut--one teenagers and parents alike can appreciate--bodes well for his future. --Rich Kienzle