Bailey Zimmerman is one of two things at any given time: a genuine, down-to-earth hearthrob with a Post Malone-esque vibrato to voice, or a reincarnated version of Florida Georgia Line trying to keep bro-country alive. After going viral on TikTok in 2020 with a cover of “Stay” by Black Stone Cherry, releasing his first single in 2021, and skyrocketing in the country genre, the 25-year-old from Illinois has launched a wildly successful career following this formula, and it presents itself on his sophomore album, Different Night Same Rodeo.
The 18-song LP interlaces more of Zimmerman’s eclectic, mainstream artistry and robust vocal abilities than most of his previous work. The album is backed up by production that sways in every direction that typical country-pop-rock can, diving into southern and soft rock while keeping everything pop-friendly (and somehow avoiding trap beats altogether). Between ballads about heartbreak, mid-tempo tracks about believing in yourself, and barn-burners with enough sauce to make any bro-country lover quiver, it covers the ground that Bailey wants to cover, which helps the project feel more intentional than the inconsistencies would allude to.
The scattered themes and instrumentals keep the album from feeling as cohesive as his first EP, Leave the Light On, while Zimmerman sounds more comfortable and at home than he did on his debut, Religiously. The Album. With enough catchy flows to keep you coming back and some tracks that are straight-up forgettable, Different Night Same Rodeo falls victim to the playlist mentality that many artists adopt when tracking their projects, yet somehow, it works.
Zimmerman has never shown an indication that he’s interested in a concept album or some singular project that’s meant to deliver a message you can market to the masses. It’s not about one particular theme; it’s about all the ones that Zimmerman wants to cover. “Different Night Same Rodeo” doesn’t represent each song; it’s just a cool string of words that look neat lit up in neon lights.
The lack of direction for the album leaves you wondering where he’ll go next when listening to it from start to finish. That’s not necessarily a good thing, but since almost every song can stand on its own, it doesn’t become a miserable listen. On the contrary, it’s Zimmerman seeming more comfortable than ever to make music he feels like.
Zimmerman’s biggest edge with Different Night Same Rodeo is his ability to sound authentic when singing about any of the themes he touches on, giving the impression he’s speaking from real-life experience each time. It’s not uncommon to hear artists preach inspirational messages in their songs. Yet, when Bailey does it in songs like “Backup Plan” (his massive duet with Luke Combs) and “Dare You to Try It,” the concept avoids feeling corny and conveys feelings of hope and motivation. Similarly, the party-ready anthems on this album, like “New to Country” and “Ashes” (a collaboration with Diplo), play well to his high-energy vocal abilities.
Perhaps the most infuriatingly enjoyable track is “Lost.” It sees Zimmerman tag-team with pop sensation The Kid LAROI, and annoyingly enough, it’s a bop. The sheer concept of a song of this nature almost forces an eye-roll due to its cash-grabby nature, but let the chorus run through once, and you’ll be bumping your head to the backbeat and singing along. It’s infectious without saying much of anything, playing well to Zimmerman’s ear for catchy melodies and hooks.
Being the publicly desperate bachelor he is, Zimmerman sets the stage for plenty of somber moments on this album as well. Songs like “At the Same Time” and “Yours For the Breaking” see Bailey pleading for resolution in despair, while sticking to cliche wordplay to keep things easy to digest and letting the instruments pluck at your heartstrings instead. At least he’s capable of conveying emotion in his voice, during which the vibrato makes itself known.
Then there’s the mish-mash of musical stylings that neither fit the themes he’s singing about nor the album altogether. “Everything But Up” is a plucky song about fighting for love, reminiscent of the saloon-friendly Morgan Wallen track “Everything I Love.” Next to soft-pop-rock entries like “When It Was” and anthemic boot-stompers like “Comin’ In Cold,” the difference is almost as stark as playing “All the Way” with BigXthaPlug right after slow-dancing to “Neon Moon.”
Of course, the album isn’t void of hits and stupendous deep cuts. You have the single that kicked off the entire rollout of the project, “Holy Smokes,” which holds up well against the other 17 songs. There’s also “These Nights,” a mid-tempo song about moving on from a break-up that could wind up being the most underrated song on the entire album. “Happy Ever After Me,” the closing track, offers a similar listening experience with an instrumental that’s worthy of an acoustic rendition on the Ryman stage.
Despite its shortcomings, there’s something easy to forgive about the album. Sure, it leaves you wishing there was a bit more to sink your teeth into, but it’s an enjoyable listen that doesn’t force you to think that much. You can ride the vibe of each track and pick your favorites, which seems to be Zimmerman’s favorite shtick: experimenting with piano-driven ballads, going full-on Nickelback when he feels like it, and resurrecting bro-country when the album needs an energy boost.
This isn’t the second coming of Keith Whitley, nor is it the album people will point to as the problem with country music. Bailey Zimmerman’s sophomore album offers enough flavors of country to remain true to his brand, playing to his strengths as a vocalist and further proving he has an ear for catchy tunes. Between the surface-level songwriting and somewhat tired attempts at carrying the FGL mantle, it’s hard to call this album great. But for Zimmerman, it’s the album that he felt like making. And you know what? It came out pretty good.
