Body Language

by Blake Shelton

Overview

Body Language is Blake Shelton's first album in nearly four years, but you'd be forgiven if you thought it followed directly on the heels of 2017's Texoma Shore. Shelton spent the time between records firmly within the spotlight, retaining his pivotal role on The Voice (his teams always do very well), releasing a hits compilation called Fully Loaded: God's Country in 2019, and staying on the airwaves through duets with Garth Brooks, Trace Adkins, and Gwen Stefani. "Happy Anywhere," his second single with fiancee and Voice co-star Stefani, hit number one on Billboard's Country Airplay charts at the end of 2020, setting up the summer 2021 release of Body Language. The album, Shelton's 12th, is a good candidate for lazy, sunny afternoons. It's cheerful, clean, and slick, relying on breezy midtempo trifles rather than rockers or ballads. Naturally, there are some slow tunes -- the album ends on the quiet, reflective note "Bible Verses" -- but they're overshadowed by airy love songs and subdued party tunes. The proceedings are so friendly, it can be easy to forgive its cheeseball sentiments, at least when "Monday Mornin' Missin' You" is humming along. Listen a little closer and seams begin to show. It's hard not to think that the cornball "Corn" seems designed to be an industrial farming advocacy spot, while the line "You can make a man feel rich on minimum wage" seems unctuous when delivered by a millionaire. These are mere speed bumps on an otherwise smooth ride, a record carefully calibrated to keep Shelton in the upper reaches of the charts while not alienating a single one of his fans. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Product Details

Release Date:	05/21/2021
Label:	Warner Music
UPC:	0093624881384

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Blake Shelton   Primary Artist,Vocals
Troy Lancaster   Guitar (Electric)
Paul Franklin   Dobro,Pedal Steel
Aubrey Haynie   Fiddle
Leroy Troy   Jug
Rob McNelley   Guitar (Electric)
Bryan Sutton   Banjo,Ukeke,Ukulele,Mandolin,Guitar (Acoustic)
Colton Swon   Vocals (Background)
Zach Swon   Keyboards,Guitar (Acoustic),Guitar (Electric),Vocals (Background)
Derrick Casteel   Vocals (Background)
Michael Hardy   Vocals,Featured Artist,Vocals (Background)
Nir Z   Drums,Percussion
Tom Bukovac   Guitar (Electric)
Russ Pahl   Pedal Steel
Perry Coleman   Vocals (Background)
Jimmie Lee Sloas   Bass,Guitar (Bass)
Brent Mason   Guitar (Baritone),Guitar (Electric)
Brooks & Dunn   Vocals,Featured Artist
Gwen Stefani   Vocals,Featured Artist
Glenn Worf   Bass,Guitar (Bass)
Jenee Fleenor   Fiddle
Kenny Greenberg   Guitar (Electric)
Gordon Mote   Piano,Synthesizer,Synthesizer Bass
Glenn Wort   Bass
The Swon Brothers   Featured Artist,Vocals (Background)
Kara Britz   Vocals (Background)
Gordon Mole   Piano,Synthesizer
Blake Bollinger   Synthesizer
Ilya Toshinskiy   Banjo,Dobro,Guitar (Acoustic)
Sam Bergeson   Banjo,Piano,Guitar,Mandolin,Synthesizer,Slide Guitar,Lap Steel Guitar,Synthesizer Bass,Guitar (Acoustic),Guitar (Electric),Vocals (Background)
HARDY   Vocals,Featured Artist,Vocals (Background)
Nicholas Baum   Guitar (Acoustic),Guitar (Electric)
Blaine Johnson   Vocals (Background)

Technical Credits

Blake Shelton   Composer
Clarke Schleicher   Digital Recording Engineer
Scott Hendricks   Engineer,Producer,Digital Editing,Digital Recording Engineer
Justin Neibank   Mixing,Programming
Ben West   Composer
Josh Osborne   Composer
Rodney Clawson   Composer
Bart Butler   Composer
Dallas Davidson   Composer
Colton Swon   Engineer,Composer
Zach Swon   Composer,Engineer
Andrew Peebles   Composer
Clark Tedesco   Artist Development
Michael Hardy   Composer
Nich Jones   Recording Assistant
Alysa Vanderheym   Composer,Engineer
Craig Wiseman   Composer
Joe Henderson   Digital Editing
Casey Beathard   Composer
Shane McAnally   Composer
Corey Crowder   Composer
Justin Niebank   Mixing,Engineer,Programming,Audio Engineer,Mixing Engineer,Digital Recording Engineer
Jessi Alexander   Composer
Ronn Chick   Digital Editing
Ron Treat   Assistant Engineer
Matt McGinn   Composer
Rhett Akins   Composer
Brian David Willis   Digital Editing
Bobby Pinson   Composer
Drew Bollman   Mixing,Engineer,Mixing Assistant,Assistant Engineer,Digital Recording Engineer
Andrew Mendelson   Mastering,Mastering Engineer,Assistant Mastering Engineer
Jordan Schmidt   Composer
Ben Hayslip   Composer
Deric Ruttan   Composer
Shane Tarleton   Creative Director,Artist Development
Matt Jenkins   Composer
Kyle Fishman   Composer
Michael Tyler   Composer
Scott Johnson   Assistant Producer,Production Manager,Production Assistant
Brad Tursi   Composer
Ross Copperman   Composer
Blake Bollinger   Programming
Matt Dragstrem   Composer
Ryan Beaver   Composer
Jesse Frasure   Composer
Paul Simmons   Assistant Engineer
Josh Thompson   Composer
Mark Holman   Composer
Jaron Boyer   Composer
Mike Moore   Design,Art Direction
Kam Luchterhand   Assistant Engineer,Recording Assistant
Ryan Lytle   Assistant Engineer
Chris Tompkins   Composer
Brian Kelley   Composer
Sean R. Badum   Engineer,Digital Recording Engineer
Robby Klein   Photography
Nicolle Galyon   Composer
Joe Fox   Composer
Josh Ditty   Assistant Engineer,Recording Assistant
Nir Z   Programming,Digital Editing
Sam Bergeson   Engineer,Programming
Tate McDowell   Assistant Engineer
Charlie Marshall   Assistant Engineer
Brett Sheroky   Composer
Nicholas Baum   Engineer
Garrett Starks   Assistant Engineer
Gianni Palanzo   Assistant Engineer