“George Strait is one of music’s most consistent hitmakers for a reason—he knows a hit song when he hears one and he only sings it if it fits him. “Troubadour” is chock-full of classic Strait. “I Saw God Today” is a perfect example of a track that speaks to the country core, while the title cut finds the singer reconciling his age with how old he feels. “When You’re in Love” cleverly equates romance with a vacation destination (“There’s so much to see and do when you’re in love”), and “River of Love” will have women swooning at King George’s invitation to a “stream of kissin’ about 10 miles long.” “House of Cash,” with Patty Loveless, is a powerful tribute to the loss of the Cash family home to fire a year ago. —Ken Tucker”
