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1 of 1 found the following review helpful:
Joe's best studio album period Nov 02, 2004
I could write a bunch of worthless nonsense, but simply put: Joe Diffie's best studio album yet. The title tract hits home for those whose faith and family are of primary importance. The rest of the CD contains some of Joe's best ballads yet, especially the stirring "If I Could Only Bring You Back", which moves me to tears every time I hear it. Joe also includes some of his good time numbers, such as "What Would Waylon Do" and "The More You Drink, the Better I Look". My 3 year old and I start every day with the first two tracts, Tougher Than Nails and Nothing But the Radio. We sing at the top of our lungs while driving down an Oklahoma highway on our way to preschool and work. Great job, Joe.
1 of 1 found the following review helpful:
 "Tougher" Nails Diffie to Form Oct 01, 2004
Prime Cuts: If I Could Only Bring You Back, Something I Do For Me, This Time Last Year
The 90s saw an aggressive onslaught of neo-traditionalists trying to put a contemporary edge spin to traditional honky tonk. Joe Diffie, with his southern flavored baritone, has certainly left an indelible mark with novelties such as "Prop Me Up Beside the Jukebox," "Honky Tonk Attitude," "If the Devil Danced in Empty Pockets" as well as his more solemn "Home," "Ships That Don't Come Home" and "Is It Cold In Here." However, due to the copious release of tepid material, Diffie's popularity waned at the turn of the millennium. His last album, 2001's "In Another's World" was not acerbic enough to set this Okie apart from Nashville's saturated crooners.
After being released from his contractual agreements with Epic Records, Diffie returns three years later with his first independent effort "Tougher Than Nails." With drummer and Diffie's seasoned producer, Lonnie Wilson still on the helm, Diffie continues what he does best: honky tonk with an attitude. However, unlike his last couple Epic outings, this time the material is a tad stronger with entries from Diffie as well as some Nashville heavyweights such as Leslie Satcher, Frank Myers, Wynn Varble, Harley Allen, George Teren amongst others.
Sprightly, finger-picked acoustic guitar lines, insistent fiddle quotes, a taste of moaning pedal steel, constitute the mise en scène for the title cut and single "Tougher Than Nails," a moral tale of forgiveness crafted around the story of a father giving advice to a son to "do as Jesus would have." Diffie showcases his own gritty vocal prowess on "Nothin' On But the Radio," a catchy hard-rocking scorcher. Without any trace of slowing down, Diffie locks in high gear on his self-composed "Moving Train," a song describing the feelings of a man in love. Not a man to abandon his paternal upbringings, Diffie pays his tribute to his dad on the midtempo "Daddy's Home," a track reminisce of his earlier hit "Home" both in terms of lyrical content and melody.
However, the better moments of "Tougher Than Nails" are the ballads. A sonic cousin to Diffie's biggie "Is It Cold In Here," "This Time Last Year" finds a passion-packed performance by Diffie over a picturesque tune of heartbreak. Equally provocative, though a tad more cliché is "If I Could Bring You Back." With its wailing steel guitar forming the backdrop of the song, Diffie's plea for his lover's return is heartfelt. "Something I Do For Me" is another powerhouse ballad coming from the pens of Diffie and Harley Allen (writer of John Michael Montgomery's "Little Girl").
However, George Jones' presence as Diffie's duet partner on the Leslie Satcher/Wynn Varble composition "What Would Waylon Do" is predictable and tiresome. Though "What Would Waylon Do" is a 2004 copyright, but hasn't such a title and song idea been used before? "The More You Drink, the Better I Look," "My Neck of the Woods" and "Good News, Bad News" are obligatory uptempo numbers. They are by no means offensive, just humdrum.
A strong comeback for this faded '90s star Jul 23, 2004
A fairly rugged neotrad album, pretty much in keeping with Diffie's best old stuff. The title track is a Top Ten, religiously-themed hit song with a catchy hook... See, that Jesus guy, though all nonviolent and mild-mannered was actually pretty tough... tougher than nails... Get it? There's another religious tune later on in the album that is more subtle, "Something I Do For Me," with plenty of rowdier stuff in between... George Jones guests on "What Would Waylon Do," which has a nice feel, and "The More You Drink, The Better I Look," which is one of the kind of honkytonk no-brainers that put Diffie on the map, all those years ago. For me, the most solid song on here is probably "Am I," a weeper that holds up pretty well to repeat listens. All in all, a nice return to form for Diffie, who's been kind of up-and-down for the last few years... It's very commercial and formulaic, but better than average, I'd say.
So awesome I'd give it (10 stars) Jul 22, 2004
I've just heard the track "Tougher Than Nails", but thats all I need to hear from this album to want to buy it. It's one of few songs I could listen to hour after hour on the radio and not get bored. It's so beautiful and so inspirational. Awesome musical arrangements, vocals, songwriting...everything goes together to make one big WOW, and then add to it how meaningful it is.
My favorite part is when it breaks from the first part of the song and says..."well he dropped that bat like it weighed a ton," and then the lyrics that follow just make the tears fill in your eyes, as you feel the love of a father for his child...along with the love Jesus has for all of us. The lyrics just flow together so well. This song is material for a grammy...my opinion.
I'm buying two of these CD's, one for me and the other for my brother as a late b'day present. I'm sure he's going to love it! I wish you Joe Diffie, much continued success! God Bless You!
Best Diffie Allbum in Years! Jun 30, 2004
I first heard Joe sing "Tougher Than Nails" on the Grand Old Opry show, and was hooked---the Christian message appealed to me, and I was so glad to hear Joe again. I got the CD not knowing what to expect, except I had older Diffie CD's with country ballads on them that I loved. This CD is great! The heart-wrenching ballads like "Good News, Bad News", "Something I Do for Me" are outstanding. So glad to see Joe Diffie back with such great material---love every song on the CD.
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