Curtis Grimes, ‘Smile’

It's been 15 months since Curtis Grimes was eliminated from 'The Voice.' The Team Cee Lo singer has been playing live around Texas and the southeast while honing his songwriting chops. Country music was something of a plan B for the Texan, and while he shows pure talent, his new single 'Smile' proves there is still work to be done.

A generic melody and unremarkable lyrics hold the song back. While Grimes has a pleasant voice, he doesn't own the song. It feels like he's singing someone else's story, which is fine. It happens all the time, but the trick is to personalize it.

"I've seen wildflowers off highways / Seen the sun rising over the pines / And with pride I can say I love this state of mind / I've walked the beaches of Corpus / I've breathed in the hill country air / But when her cheeks start to lift a little / Nothing else compares," Grimes says to begin the song. The lyric is aimed at Texans, and it's doubtful country music fans outside of the Lone Star State will attach themselves to the story.

The general idea -- singing about a pretty girl's smile -- is strong, but to separate himself from other singers, Grimes will need to dig deeper and paint a more vivid, emotional picture. "Cause I don't need to see anything else in this whole world / The only thing prettier than Texas is the smile of a Texas girl," he adds during the chorus. Quite honestly, we don't believe him.

Listen to Curtis Grimes, 'Smile'