Scotty McCreery will perform ‘Water Tower Town’ on ‘American Idol’ Thursday night (March 29), just hours after the track from ‘Clear as Day’ becomes the North Carolina singer’s third single. Thus far, his radio catalog has behaved like Grandma’s famous green bean casserole — great on Sunday, pretty good the day after, but by the third helping you’re ready to try a new flavor.

The 18-year-old has struggled to land a big hit on country radio, although he’s sold an impressive number of digital singles by giving fans the same singer they voted for last May. It’s been almost a year though, and we’ve learned nothing new about the Garner, N.C. teenager. He’s shown one emotion: “Awww, shucks.”

In a water tower town, everybody waves / Church doors are the only thing thats open on Sundays,” McCreery sings to begin the song. Mandolin and a sneaky guitar riff drive an uptempo, catchy melody. Like his previous two singles, the production is still a bit heavy-handed, but it’s not nearly as distracting as it was on ‘The Trouble With Girls.’ “Word travels fast, wheels turn slow / Yeah workin’ hard and livin’ right is the only life we know.”

McCreery’s wholesome home life was a sweet dream for America when we met him, but now it’s more of a reminder that we don’t all live in a ‘Water Tower Town.’ The American country music fan has issues — real life problems — and even the occasional heartbreak. ‘Water Tower Town’ is the same flavor ice cream McCreery is used to slinging, only in a new dish.

Friday night football is king, sweet tea goes good with anything / And the girls come out, when the sun goes down / Nobody eats till you say Amen, and everybody knows your mom and them / You can see who loves who from miles around, in a water tower town,” McCreery sings during the chorus.

Those lines don’t accurately portray Garner, N.C. — a town of over 27K with all of the trappings of suburbia — but he didn’t write it, so we’ll allow him a liberal amount of artistic liberty. In a vacuum, ‘Water Tower Town’ is fun and nostalgic. But after the cheeky ‘The Trouble With Girls’ and the hokey-but-heartwarming ‘I Love You This Big,’ some were hoping for something with a little more depth.

2.5 Stars
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Listen to Scotty McCreery, ‘Water Tower Town’

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