Kid Rock
First Kiss
(Warner Bros)

Taking a page from Bob Seger’s songbook (and he’s played/sung with Seger for sure) and a little Bryan Adams, Kid Rock opens his new, 11-song album with the tight snare, organ push, big commercial chorus, looking-back lyric, basic rock title track of “First Kiss.”

As you’d expect from Rock, who once again is embarking on a tour where he’s keeping ticket prices ridiculously low, we got some nasty stuff here, with the anti-The Man vibe country-rock “Ain’t Enough Whiskey,” another big sing-along that shows off Rock’s growl. “Drinking Beer With Dad” begins slowly with way-back–in-the-mix player piano that soon snaps into a John Cougar-like upbeat stomper story-song with pedal steel and banjo. It’s a predictable lyric of simple things that carries a sweetness to it, especially as Rock sings directly to his son about how proud he is of him. If I have one criticism about Kid Rock, it is that vocally he is more a personality than a great singer, but for the most part that works, though he tries to get free of the snarl and growl on the electric piano, mid-tempo love song, “Best Of Me.” Smartly, Kid employs some great female vocalists here, as he does throughout, on this tune about what it’s like to live with a crazy music maker. “Jesus and Bocephus” is a deep, slow, gospel ballad with organ, fiddle, and backing vocals. It’s a little heavy handed, making one wonder, has Kid Rock found religion for real now? “FOAD” ends the album. It’s a great send-off with sweet piano and percussion… and a nasty title to tell off your lover.