Upon releasing his debut single, “Take It Slow,” Hudson Westbrook has been picking up steam as a sort of “savior” of the Texas red dirt scene. As acts like Parker McCollum and Turnpike Troubadours fade out of the spotlight, Westbrook’s rise shows potential to lead a new generation of artists in the Texas country realm. On November 15th, he released his first EP, which included five of his previously released singles, along with two new unheard songs, “Take Your Time” and “Pray Your Name.” With a sound often compared to Parker McCollum’s earlier releases, he uses this project to set himself apart while bringing in a little nostalgia.
Right out of the gate, on “Pray Your Name,” there’s a clear, classic Texas flavor in the instrumentation, and when he begins singing the first verse, his vocal tone and delivery just hit the spot. Lyrically, this song mostly serves as a recollection of all the various places where he’s prayed, either about or for the person he’s missing. There are some killer lines here, like “Is that a sunrise or a sunset? Is it a place I’m heading to, or a place I never left?”. Like the rest of the songs on the EP, the production, melodies, and instrumentation are incredible, with a consistent, authentic country sound.
The other new track on this record, “Take Your Time,” feels sort of like Riley Green’s “Worst Way” or Cody Johnson’s “Nothin’ On You” as one of the steamier slow songs here. In the first verse, Hudson explains how driving three hours from Austin to Houston is no big deal if it means the girl he wrote the song about might “take her time taking his time.” As many of the songs on this EP are higher in energy, this gives a nice change in dynamics.
“House Again” shows Hudson’s excellent execution of a slower, emotional songwriting style. This was Westbrook’s last single release before the EP and is currently one of his highest-streaming songs on Spotify. Strategically, “House Again” holds the power to compel fans to listen to Hudson’s EP in its entirety, so it was a good move for Hudson to release it before his debut self-titled project.
After a good listen, the catchiest song on this EP is probably “Dopamine;” he sings lines like “I ain’t felt like smoking, I ain’t been going out these days.” A lyric like that ties in well with the story, but it’s just such an earworm because of how it lands in the chorus. With the song’s theme being something like “Now that I have you, I don’t need to chase alcohol, drugs, and partying,” Hudson does a good job of making it his own, as that’s a familiar story in a modern country.
In all the songs on the EP, the production, musicality, and vocal delivery maintain a high standard and set Hudson Westbrook up for continual growth in the country. The only highly improvable factors in the EP lie in the writing and placement of lyrics. Rhythmically, words often seem like they don’t fit perfectly into a bar or phrase. One example is on “Two Way Drive,” when part of the verse lands on “Sixth Street.” The way he ends the phrase feels unnatural and would’ve flowed better if the emphasis on the syllables matched the natural rhythm of a normal sentence. It doesn’t seem to fit the meter set by earlier verses, while other parts of the verses don’t keep the rhyme scheme that was also previously set. To be fair, songwriting has no rules, and people love Hudson’s music anyway. Though minor, adjustments in lyrical phrasing could enhance the overall rhythm and flow.
Ultimately, this is an incredibly strong first project for Hudson Westbrook. It’s full of innovative lyricism, showcasing Hudson’s voice over some smooth production. By putting his name on this debut project, Westbrook sets a high bar for himself, and this self-titled EP is a musical statement he can proudly stand behind. With its strong foundation, fans can look forward to more high-quality, Texas red dirt country music as Hudson continues to expand his discography in the years ahead.
