GEORGE STRAIT

Here for a Good Time

[MCA Nashville]

George Strait sings “I’m not here for a long time, I’m here for a good time” on the title cut of his 39th studio album, but the fact is that he has been here for a long time. That’s not a knock; Strait has made a towering virtue out of consistency. The big news here is Strait’s continuing late-career development as a songwriter after three decades barely ever picking up a pen: He co-wrote seven of the 11 tracks, including a bouquet to his fans that also serves as a summative look back on his career (“I’ll Always Remember You”). But with son George “Bubba” Strait Jr. (an emerging talent as a tunesmith), and longtime contributor Dean Dillon as his co-writers, Strait doesn’t offer anything too radical. As interesting as it might be to see him truly change up his game someday, he sounds perfectly happy having a familiar good time. –Stuart Munro