Even as established as he’s become over the last three years, Dylan Marlowe is still very much an artist finding himself. After finding early success at country radio writing for Jon Pardi, and scoring a #1 hit of his own in “Boys Back Home,” the budding star got the itch to look beyond the usual conventions of commercial country music, drawing some inspiration from the formative pop punk projects of his younger days; these sounds inspired his debut LP Mid-Twenties Crisis and its subsequent singles, but still left Marlowe seeming a bit conflicted in his creative approach.
Now, under the name “80 ACRES,” Dylan Marlowe and his band have hit their stride with soaring, passionate country-rock; this past week, the Georgia native sat down with our team to discuss the project, his journey to conceptualizing it, his day-to-day balance, and much more.
Q: We’re here with Dylan Marlowe, just a couple of days away from the release of the 80 ACRES EP. How would you describe what 80 ACRES is and what this new project means to you?
Dylan Marlowe: I wanna say, like, freedom, but not from, like, I was trapped or jailed in, but from a creative standpoint. Just like no boundaries, no gates, nothing. Just creative freedom. That’s what it feels like.
Q: Where was your head at when this all clicked? How did you get to the point of even starting 80 ACRES?
Dylan Marlowe: Maybe just a little bit of, I feel like I’m pretty easy to get a chip on my shoulder, you know? There were just a few things last year that are just part of being in the music industry, and becoming victim to how things work, politically, not like government-wise, but music industry-wise. For those of you watching who don’t know, the music industry is very political sometimes. There are things that are out of your control that happen, and I think it may have come from me wanting to control what I can control, which was the music. Where it goes, you can’t really control, but I wanted to control something.
Q: What specifically happened? Was it around a particular song or moment?
Dylan Marlowe: I think around the time we were sending “Picture Perfect” to radio, there were just a few things internally that happened. It’s just tough. Some of those things were just completely happenstance that I don’t think are possible to fix, and some things just led me into this rabbit hole of like, I just wanna go write. I just wanna go write what comes to me when I’m by myself, sitting up here, without any influence of like, “OK, this song may or may not go to radio, so let’s shorten the bridge.” On “Picture Perfect,” we actually shortened the bridge because it would be a shorter time slot for radio, and that was one thing that was really frustrating. Like, man, we’re now affecting the art for that. I don’t think that’s how it needs to be done. I think you need to make it, and then where it goes from there is what happens. I think “Gates” is almost four or five minutes long, which is kind of cool.
Q: Having written a radio number one with “Last Night Lonely” and then your own “Boys Back Home,” how would you define the formula of a radio song, and how does that compare to the songs on the EP?
Dylan Marlowe: When you’re writing a radio song, you’re just like, how fast can we get to the chorus? The chorus needs to be super catchy, very understandable, very nursery-rhyme, very easy for everybody to get. And I think the difference with 80 ACRES is there was just no, it’s not that short verses are bad, it’s just that sometimes the monotony of trying to write a short verse for a super catchy chorus is a lot. A four-line second verse just to get back to the chorus, it’s a grind. With this, it took me a couple of days to write every song. I’d sit down, write a verse or a chorus, and just put it down whenever I hit a stopping point. No boundaries, no formula. On “Mess We Made,” I put the work tape from the day I wrote it right into the back of the song. No rules. Like when you’re bowling and the guardrails are up, there are no guardrails here.
Q: You mentioned before that sometimes, especially a couple years ago, going into the studio felt like a checklist, but recording songs for this project, you had days, sometimes weeks, to work. How does that feel, being able to work on your own creative time?
Dylan Marlowe: That’s just the nature of the beast in Nashville. When you get a record deal, it gets extreme immediately, way more expensive to record a song just because you have a record deal. So the basis of going in becomes: how many songs can we record in six hours? Which is usually three or four. No knock on anything I’ve done before or who I’ve done it with, you just don’t know any different. But with this, we spent a whole day on each song. Usually on that six-hour push, you get a scratch vocal, the band records around it, and you try to get through as many as you can. Here, we started from scratch, sat together and figured out what we needed. If something didn’t work, we’d try something else. Each song got the right amount of time to form. And honestly, we’re rolling that forward, the next time we go record Dylan Marlowe stuff, we’re trying to replicate and extend that process. Doing this showed me that’s the process that works best for me.
Q: Do you think operating under the name 80 ACRES gave you more creative freedom than operating under Dylan Marlowe?
Dylan Marlowe: I think so, dude. It was this weird thing, at first I didn’t even think 80 ACRES was going to be a real thing. We recorded “Least You Could Let Me Do” and it was kind of just to get some inside frustration out. That’s where some of the angst you hear in the project came from, kind of by accident. I was just like, I’m going to go do this, I’m going to pay for it myself, I’m going to go in and just, I don’t care, this might not ever see the light of day. It definitely gave me that freedom. It showed me there’s another way to do this, and this is how fun making music should be. It shouldn’t feel like a job. And it wasn’t anybody’s fault, that’s just how you’re taught to do it when you move here. That’s how everybody does it.
Q: You mentioned the angst, I could hear it listening on the way here. Did your writing or vocal approach change at all to match the heavier sound on this album?
Dylan Marlowe: Vocally, I think it was just a little more free, not like I was burning it down, but just freer. And with the writing, yeah, it probably did change, because there were a couple of these ideas I had brought to people in town who weren’t necessarily stoked about them, maybe because the verse was too long, or the chorus was too long, or it wasn’t a radio hit. A little bit of that resentment poured into this for sure.
Q: Do you have any specific stories, life experiences, or influences from other artists that led to specific songs on the EP?
Dylan Marlowe: As far as influence, definitely the stuff I grew up on, which I feel like has always had an influence on my Dylan Marlowe stuff, but only to an extent. Like, oh, we can’t go that far. When we recorded Mid-Twenties Crisis, which I’m so proud of, it’s so sick to me, there was a lot of, “We don’t know what song could be the single,” because nowadays picking a single for radio is like just seeing what song raises its hand. So on every song it was like, well, in case this one could be the single, let’s not go too crazy. But on this project, it was like, I don’t care where this goes, who hears it, what happens. This is kind of for me.
Q: There’s almost a split personality here, and obviously a separate Spotify page and new followers. How do you balance maintaining your core fanbase while also bringing them along for this new ride?
Dylan Marlowe: I don’t think it’s as major as the Garth Brooks and Chris Gaines thing, you know? I think there are a lot of similarities, it’s almost just less perfect than Dylan Marlowe. There might be some vocal spots that aren’t perfect, some spots in the music that aren’t exactly polished. But there’s something to that. People just want to hear something authentic nowadays. You might not be able to pinpoint on the record exactly where it’s imperfect, because we’re usually used to making everything timed perfectly, vocals perfect, everything perfect. Here, it’s not as perfect. And I think that’s going to land. You can feel it. The bands I grew up listening to, that stuff wasn’t perfect either. They went in, made it loud, did the best they could.
Q: If someone came to you and you could only give them one song from this EP, which would you recommend and why?
Dylan Marlowe: I think “Least You Could Let Me Do,” just because that was the first one, and that was like the eye of it. When I got the rough mix back, I really wasn’t expecting it to be that good. I don’t know why, maybe because it was so different from what I normally do. I was like, oh, this is taking a risk, it’s probably not that cool. But when I heard it for the first time, I was in another room, I stepped out and listened to it four times. It’s just the most all-encompassing song. And the more I listen to it, the more I think it has a deeper meaning than just a relationship thing. I think it’s deeper for me, which is kind of cool.
Q: What song are you most excited to play live off the EP?
Dylan Marlowe: Probably “Mess We Made,” just because of how rocking it is. I actually wrote that song on a train, we did a train show in December, not the band Train, but on a literal train, and we were pretty bored, so that’s kind of how that one came together. It’s really rock, and I’m excited to play it.
Q: I also wanted to talk about the one feature on the EP, which is Treaty Oak Revival, specifically Sam Canty. They’re at the top of their game right now, a very coveted band to work with. How did that collaboration come together?
Dylan Marlowe: Honestly? The good Lord, that’s the only way that happened, because it’s just so insane. Their team has been just the absolute coolest, treated us so well. The help we’ve had from them already, and the song isn’t even out yet, it’s just stacking up. I don’t even know how to repay them.
A couple months back, I think when “Picture Perfect” came out, I still had a flip phone for a little bit, I just wanted to try it out, and I saw a comment from Sam on “Picture Perfect.” I made sure it was really him because I was like, I don’t think you would actually like this. And dude, he’s just been the absolute coolest. He was like, “Yo, text me, let’s get on a song.” We almost had a feature on a song I put out before, but I was like, I don’t know if that’s the right one. Let’s keep figuring it out.
Then I sent him “Least You Could Let Me Do” and my exact words were like, “Check this crap out.” And Sam was like, “Yo, this ain’t crap, dude. This is really, really good.” I think that was the first time I was like, oh, I might be onto something, because I respect his opinion so much. I love their music, and I think their music is a prime example of just not giving a crap and having no guidelines and being free.
We just kept talking, he’d hit me up like, “You got any more 80 ACRES stuff?” Then when I sent him the full project, he was like, “Man, don’t take this the wrong way, but I think this needs to be like the thing. Your other music’s great, but this, I can feel something different.” Having somebody of that notoriety really love on you like that, it’s like, man, maybe I don’t even want to shelve this. And then I sent him the “Mess We Made” work tape from the train and was like, “Would you be down?” This is not even an established band, I’m going out on a limb doing this. And he was like, “I’d be honored.” It’s actually both Sam and Lance from Treaty Oak singing on it. So thankful to those guys.
Q: Given the connection to Treaty Oak Revival, their most recent album moved 50,000 units in its first week, how do you think this project fits into where country music is heading right now?
Dylan Marlowe: I think it has a spot just because it’s authentic and raw and real. I’ve noticed a shift, and that’s always been in the back of my mind, where I’ve wanted to kind of go with my stuff. It’s always had this rock influence. But I think just the way I’m seeing fans take on things that aren’t necessarily perfect, or aren’t necessarily put together and framed up on a silver platter, I think it has a spot. I saw one of your polls: “Should Dylan Marlowe lean more into the punk side?” and it was like 60-something percent yes, and I was like, man, alright, let’s do it. I don’t know exactly what subgenre to call it, but I definitely think it has a space. And the love we’ve already seen, just from teasing a couple things before it’s even out, it’s blown me away.
Q: With this new chapter in your music, and also recently welcoming twin boys into the world, how does becoming a father factor into all of this, especially while leaning into a heavier, more rock-driven sound?
Dylan Marlowe: It’s definitely really eye-opening. On one hand, I had something that most would say is really successful, a number one at country radio, something really working. And to just pivot while something’s working is a little risky. But hopefully the boys see it one day and are like, “Damn, Dad just went out on a limb and sent it.” That’s kind of everything I do, I try to go full-hearted at everything. And it’s definitely risky, especially walking IN, I don’t know what could happen. But the Dylan Marlowe side isn’t going away. We’re still going to record a record in a couple of weeks and have a really cool thing lined up in the fall. It’s exciting on both fronts.
Q: Now that you’re a new father, do you have any tips for someone who is one month into being a new dad?
Dylan Marlowe: For somebody already in it, just pray about it. We’ve had so much grace, me and my wife. I don’t think we’ve argued or bickered one time, which is pretty unheard of. Just pray for a lot of grace for each other because it’s a hard time, especially at 3 AM when you’ve got two kids screaming. Being able to look at each other and just laugh about it, it’s been pretty fun.
Q: How do you balance being a new father and working as a touring and recording musician?
Dylan Marlowe: Caffeine, and just having a great team. They’ve picked up so much weight because I haven’t been able to be on my phone every second of the day like I could before. Before, I was probably two hands on everything. I’m trying to be better about being a little more hands-off and letting them really help. Having them set everything up, the content, all the back-end stuff, I’m able to just be a dad during the day and kind of approve or disapprove things. That’s been a huge factor.
Q: Who’s on your radar in country music or music in general right now, anyone catching your eye, up-and-coming or otherwise?
Dylan Marlowe: I’ll always brag on Austin Snell, his voice is insane and he’s doing the right things, which is super cool. I’ve also been listening to a lot of Owen Riegling. There’s so much music out there that something has to really stand out for me to be like, oh, that’s genuinely cool, and I actually listen to those guys’ music. I factor that in when I think about who I want to bring out on tour. And obviously Joshua Slone is insane, he covered “Record High” like a year ago and it sounded like a whole different song in the coolest way. He’s already selling out Red Rocks. His first tour. Insane. I dig his stuff a lot.
Q: You mentioned in our 2022 interview that you actually listen to your own music in the gym sometimes. Are you still doing that?
Dylan Marlowe: I don’t do it as much anymore, but that was really just a thing of, does this hype me up? Not the whole time in the gym, but sometimes I’ll give demos a couple of passes to see. I like to listen on headphones, listen in my truck going down the road, listen on bad speakers and good speakers. I’ve got studio speakers, JBL, Turtle Boxes, everything. I literally listen to every song on every single speaker because there are some things on a little JBL that you don’t catch when it’s being mixed on crystal-clear thousand-dollar monitors that nobody else has.
Q: What’s the best speaker to listen to 80 ACRES on?
Dylan Marlowe: Honestly, they all sound great. But I love the Turtle Boxes just because they’re so loud. They’re not going to pick up all the ear candy, but it’s like, yeah, it passed the test. Every speaker.
Q: I think what’s interesting is it all stems from this mixture of radio success while wishing you could be more creatively free, leading into this maturity cycle, new faith, fatherhood. It kind of mirrors everything you’ve been building toward with 80 ACRES.
Dylan Marlowe: I agree. Maybe there was a little voice in the back of my head through all of that, like, man, maybe that’s kind of what I needed to do, just go outside the lines and do something really cool. I feel like everything that led up to this, the Lord kind of let it happen for a reason, to put me in a spot of complete vulnerability and write this stuff. And I hope none of this comes across as a knock on my other work, because I wouldn’t put out a song if I didn’t love it. I’m probably the most defensive person in any room when we’re picking songs for a record. Every song I cut is because it made me feel something. This is not me saying I hate what I used to do, I still love it. But this has made me feel like an artist for the first time. If that makes sense. A friend asked me the other day, “When somebody compliments you on this, do you actually believe it?” And I was like, yeah, I believe it. Versus some other stuff where it’s like, oh, you like that? Cool, maybe I’ll put that out. This stuff, I would still love it even if nobody else did.
Q: Last question: if you had a one-sentence elevator pitch for 80 ACRES, what would it be?
Dylan Marlowe: OK, if I saw you in an elevator I would say: this project is something that I wrote every song on by myself, except “Mess We Made” which was with David, my guitar player; we went into a studio with just my guys, nobody else; just me and my band; I played acoustics on it; all three of us sang; it is insanely sick; and it is the product of what happens with only the influence I carried in, and no outside influence that wasn’t mine… Whatever happens, whoever likes it, whoever doesn’t; this music is for me. It’s not for anybody else.
