On his down-to-Earth debut, Clay Walker did his job well, singing his listeners through a serious romp in the neo-traditional hay, with his no-frills Texas twang. In the process, he gathered a series of #1 hit singles.
Never in better vocal form than on the fiddle-flavored sophomore album IF I COULD MAKE A LIVING, Walker belts, growls, and boogies through a set of love-won/love-lost songs. On the hooky "What Do You Want For Nothin'," the usually reserved Walker breaks into falsetto. With a wailing blues harp in the background, this is a moody standout performance for Walker.
As the #1 title track proves itself as a dance hall hit, Walker continues to rock out on the spicy Canjun "Boogie Till The Cows Come Home," his answer to Mary-Chapin Carpenter's "Down At The Twist And Shout." But the ballads are where Walker really shines. He has a marvelous catch in his voice on "This Woman And This Man" and as the album progresses the listener is drawn in by his vibrant, heartfelt vocals, sometimes reminscient of Clint Black's.
On IF I COULD MAKE A LIVING, Walker proves that he doesn't have to concern himself with his employment situation -- recording hit records is mighty fine work.