Although he’s been doing well for himself on the country music scene for about 12 years, Blake Shelton only really shifted into the focus of the pop culture masses after becoming one of the celebrity judges on NBC’s popular contribution to the endless TV talent shows, “The Voice.” Thanks to his no-holds-barred attitude and the promotion of the hit program, Shelton’s star has risen prominently recently, and he’s obviously trying his hardest to profit from this ascent; see the three albums released in the past two years (one of them holiday-themed). While “Based on a True Story…” isn’t a completely dismissible pop country offering, it simply isn’t as solid as 2011’s “Red River Blue” and suffers perhaps from Shelton’s overcommitment.

Shelton’s lackadaisical personality and mischievous streak have contributed to his idiosyncratically easygoing and often laughably shallow lyrics (see previous single “Honey Bee”), and this feature shines on songs “Sure Be Cool If You Did” and “Boys ’Round Here.” Shelton certainly isn’t pushing any boundaries musically or lyrically here, but sometimes he is all the more charming for it. Where the album really suffers, however, is a lack of excitement. Notorious for his laid-back disposition, Shelton displays this proudly on a album on which no song really stretches above mid-tempo (with the possible exception of “Small Town Big Time,” which pokes fun at life in Los Angeles). Songs blend together into a seamless background hum of pleasant and slightly different blends of banjos, guitars and backing vocals, making it an album fit for a relaxed summer road trip, maybe, but not one with any strong singles.

In the song “Country on the Radio,” Shelton asks us if we’ve “ever wondered why country songs say the same old thing.” However, we shouldn’t mistake this as him attempting to break any molds with this album. In fact, the song is one of the most formulaic on the album—he insists on the permanence of country in small-town America—and hints to listeners that the record will probably be much of the same. The fact that he recorded this album while working on “The Voice” also shows. Most of the songs are stretched thin and take the artists’ relaxed style too far into bland territory. While it’s hard to actively dislike the record, I’m certainly not jumping out of my chair.