20. May 2025
Home » Music & Media » Media Review » Blake Shelton – For Recreational Use Only
Media Review

Blake Shelton – For Recreational Use Only

Florian Buechtingby Florian Buechting

Blake Shelton - For Recreational Use Only

Blake Shelton - For Recreational Use Only
4.9

Rating

 4.9/5

Flyctory.com Pros

  • Lovely set of country music songs
  • Energetic and emotional songs
  • Lovely songwriting

Wow, is it really that long ago? When I prepared for the review of Blake Shelton’s 2025 album release, I saw that his most recent long play, Body Language, is almost exactly four years old. In my review, the album got a Top Pick! rating. Let’s have a listen together into For Recreational Use Only, which has been released on 9th May 2025.

Blake Shelton – About The Artist

Blake Tollison Shelton was born on 18th June 1976 in Ada in Oklahoma. Even though he started singing in early teenage years, it took a while to kick off his musical career. He moved to Nashville at the age of 17 and released his first single Austin in 2021. The song was a huge success, topping the US Country Charts and receiving two platinum records. His self-titled debut album, released in the same year, was another platinum release. Since then any, Blake Shelton album apart from the 2008 Startin’ Fires made it to the Top 3 of the US Country Album Charts. During the 2010’s, he grew his career internationally and had chart placements in markets like Australia, New Zealand or the United Kingdom. For Recreational Use Only is his thirteenth studio album.

 

Blake Shelton – For Recreational Use Only – Track by Track

The twelve song album lasts 40 minutes.

1. Stay Country or Die Tryin’

The album kicks off with the last feature single of For Recreational Use Only, Stay Country or Die Tryin’. In Blake Shelton dimensions, the April 2025 release did not perform that well. I don’t understand it – the song is a nice country rocker with a slightly dark mood.

2. Texas

The second track of Blake’s 2025 album is another single release, Texas. I just cannot state the same about the success of the release of the song as before. The groovy song was a comparably big one and strikes with its unique style. I really like that one.

3. Hangin’ On (feat. Gwen Stefani)

Haning’ On is a Shelton family project. Blake’s wife Gwen Stefani is collaborating in this song. The emotional duet works out really fine. Gwen’s characteristic voice strikes in her solo parts as well. Country music in a heartwarming style.

4. Strangers

The first encounter between Blake and Gwen is the topic of the fourth song of the album. I remember asking, “Do you like my dance moves?”
That made you laugh, That’s how one of the most well-known marriages in the music industry kicked off. Listening to a song about it sung by one of the protagonists is definitely a treat as well. Thanks for sharing!

Than strangers
Two faces in the bar
Pickup lines, twist of lime, chasing first-time feelings in the dark
It’s crazy
Shouldn’t feel this right
This far, this fast, can’t believe last night we were strangers
Didn’t even know your name, we were strangers
Now I’ll never be the same

5. Let Him In Anyway

Let Him In Anyway is already the last song of the album, which fans know from single releases. The gentle country ballad feels being the perfect successor of the love story we heard before.

6. Heaven Sweet Home (feat. Craig Morgan)

Heaven Sweet Home comes with another guest musician. However, this time it is not a family affair, but Shelton worked with Craig Morgan for that song. The song starts a bit of slow, but more and more, it turns out becoming a catching highlight of For Recreational Use Only.

Someday, I’ll be free
Of all the struggles and the troubles that burden me
Someday, I’ll be good and gone
Washed in the blood, smooth and clean as a river stone
I’ll have a pair of unbroken wings of my own
Someday, I’ll finally be Heaven sweet home

7. Life’s Been Comin’ Too Fast

After a couple of emotional tracks, Life’s Been Comin’ Too Fast is a zesty, rhythmic country rocker. A nice one to sing along with Blake or drive your country music party in summer 2025. Love it!

8. Don’t Mississippi

You don’t have to pace yourself
It’s probably better if you don’t
There’s plenty up on that shelf
To take you anywhere you want

Don’t Mississippi is rather slow, but its clapping rhythm and the present groove from the bass definitely causes the urge to dance with Blake. The more I listen to this one, the more I like it.

9. All of My Love

The title All of My Love already suggests a love song – and indeed, this one is a bloody ballad. Blake states Wish I could’ve met you younger or I know it might sound crazy but we’re never gonna say goodbye. A really nice one – I’m sure not only Gwen Stefani likes that listen. Maybe Miranda is less happy, though.

10. Cold Can

Do you want to party hard with Blake? These are the three minutes where the US country artist is giving you the right soundtrack for. Again, the song has a bit of a slow start, but with the chorus, he gives the audience all they need for a country summer night. And he sings about a Cold Can – what could warm a country music lover’s heart better than this?

11. The Keys

This song is about a ring that holds the keys that unlock me. The song comes with a nice flow and beautiful storytelling. Even though it is not that present and catching on the melodic song, I thus enjoy listening to it.

12. Years (feat. John Anderson)

Orlando-origin country singer John Anderson joins Blake Shelton to close his 2025 album. The song starts slowly with a piano melody, before Blake joins in. Especially the duet parts of this song as well as the guitar solo work out nicely and create a lot of atmosphere.

 

Blake Shelton – For Recreational Use Only – Spotify

Here is the album on Spotfiy:

 

Blake Shelton – For Recreational Use Only – My View

Wow, that’s a really good one. It might be a bit too emotional for some listeners, but he just does these songs so good. There is also quite some stuff made to party and to have fun with the country music star as well. I absolutely loved listening to this release.

Favorite Song: Heaven Sweet Home

 

My 32 Best-rated Country Music Releases

Here are the 32 best Media Reviews related to country music in descending order:

 

Musical History

These are all articles, in which I dealt with events and places influencing musical history:

You might also like

Paradise Lost – Obsidian

Vic Allen – Enough EP

Brent Moyer – Song Rider

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *