Single Reviews – Week of 11/13/2023
Strong Enough – Jonas Brothers, Bailey Zimmerman Written By Brandon Iozzo
The unlikely collaboration between the Jonas Brothers and Bailey Zimmerman was initially billed as a pop-country crossover anthem, but the sample of the Rolling Stones’s “Start Me Up” creates a void of originality in this already uninspired track. The song starts relatively strong with relaxed, carefree lyrics about kicking back and having a good time with friends. Once the chorus hits, things fall apart in a cheesy, shallow mess. Upon closer listening, there are also uncredited hints of Jackson Browne’s “Somebody’s Baby” sprinkled throughout the track. As chill and breezy as “Strong Enough” feels, the forced interpolations pretty much ruin it, and this is one that was probably better left on the cutting room floor.
4.8
Hey, Jack – Priscilla Block Written By Brandon Iozzo
Marking the beginning of a new musical era, Priscilla Block leans on Jack Daniels to get through the sorrowful feelings of missing a past love. Co-written by Randy Montana, Jeremy Stover, Dave Cohen, and Block herself, the track offers some fresh maturity for the Nashville newcomer as she juvenile relationships. With an electric hook and plenty of heart, this track is one of Block’s best to date. A writing credit from Stover (Justin Moore) shows shades of her collaboration “You, Me, & Whiskey,” but in doing so, allows Block to stand out as a soloist with the independence of “Just About Over You.” “Hey, Jack” is sure to be a fan favorite and shows strong radio potential.
8.0
Pickup Man – Joe Diffie & Post Malone Written By Ryan Lippe
Post Malone’s long-awaited arrival in country music is heralded with plenty of hype but also raises a series of question marks. Posthumously joined by Joe Diffie, the pairing is an oddity no doubt. Each of them sounds strong in their own right, but together, knowing the circumstances of this record being made, listeners can’t help but cringe. There’s a certain weirdness to a face-tattooed pop star whom Diffie likely never met being shoe-horned onto this classic track with the late-great country singer. That said, after debuting the song with a questionable performance on the CMA stage, this fully mastered version sounds much cleaner and pays a nice homage to Diffie and his hit song. As one of the first tracks of the upcoming HIXTAPE, this lackluster opening leaves fans of the collaborative project in doubt about what’s to come ahead of its third installment.
7.3
Take Her Home – Kenny Chesney Written By Cam Greene
Written by an all-star cast of Nashville staples, Kenny Chesney’s newest single “Take Her Home” is a solid outing for one of country music’s most consistent artists over the past three decades. Briefly put, it’s a good story about taking a girl home and falling in love. This is one of the most basic stories you can find in country music, but the production and lyrical and instrumental pieces create a quality framework for Kenny’s signature charm. His timelessly warm, storytelling voice knocks it out of the park every time turning pretty mediocre love stories into exceptional ballads that tug at the heartstrings. With “Take Her Home,” you get exactly that, It may not be anything particularly fantastic, but for Kenny Chesney alone, it’s a song worth checking out.
7.4
John Deere Green (ft. Morgan Wallen & HARDY) – HIXTAPE & Joe Diffie Written By Cam Greene
Arguably the better of the two new singles heralding the latest HIXTAPE, the new “John Deere Green” is not nearly as good as the original, but it’s delightfully fun nonetheless. Morgan Wallen steals the show on the remake; his vocals sound fantastic, and match the flow of the track in ways that HARDY and even Diffie himself struggle with. In fact, this is the glaring issue with this song: it teeters out when Wallen isn’t singing. Diffie’s posthumously added vocals are tremendous but blend poorly with the energetic tempo of the song’s modern production. HARDY’s vocals leave a bit to be desired as well. It’s still a fine track but would’ve been better served as a cover by just one artist. The star of the track is undoubtedly Wallen, and at times, when he isn’t singing, you’re left wishing he was.
7.5
South Dakota – Chris Stapleton Written By Cam Greene
Bluesy and methodical, “South Dakota” has the potential to be one of Stapleton’s best hits off of Higher. This song tells the story of a man trying to escape from himself, but he’s stuck in South Dakota, and his obsession with trouble keeps him there. Written with J.T. Cure, Derek Mixon, and Dave Cobb, “South Dakota” has that signature X-factor that most Stapleton songs do: it makes you feel a certain type of way. The outlaw themes mixed with classic Memphis blues and piping hot guitar licks pop through the speakers, leaving you with a dynamic listening experience that sounds even better over a glass of whiskey. It may not be the best song off of Stapleton’s soon-to-be #1 album, but it sticks out in its impressively unique way. With some addicting instrumental pieces that make up a majority of the song, it’s sure to be one of the most memorable tracks Higher has to offer.
9.0
Northern Attitude – Noah Kahan & Hozier Written By Creed Miller
The era of the Stick Season continues, and Noah Kahan comes out swinging alongside his latest duet partner, Irish rocker Hozier. This is Kahan’s fourth re-recorded collab from Stick Season, and it very well may be the best one yet. Kahan and Hozier trade verses throughout the song before coming together for the final chorus. The chemistry between the two is incredible and sounds like they have been singing together for years with Hozier’s earthy growl and Kahan’s winsome whine. By the time the second chorus rolls around, it feels downright spiritual. The triumphant punch of the chorus makes “Northern Attitude” sound like a real “moment song” for Noah Kahan. It was always a fan-favorite on his breakout record, but Hozier’s addition makes it sound satisfyingly complete.
9.4
LAND – Logan Crosby Written By Creed Miller
Cousin of Jason Aldean, Logan Crosby is beginning to make a bit of a name for himself. Continuing a steady stream of singles, Crosby is back with “LAND,” an affirmation from one lover to another that he’ll always be with her no matter what. Crosby penned the single alongside Ben Williams, Micah Carpenter, and Billy Dawson. The main issue with this song is the intensely noisy production that drowns Crosby’s voice in a mess of blurry sound. The beginning of the song building into the chorus is nice, but when the hook hits, the payoff just isn’t very satisfying. This track is right on the cusp of being good but in the end, doesn’t have any special. Logan Crosby is still very new to the scene and shows promise for a brighter future, but “LAND” isn’t going to be the song to put him on the map by any means.
5.3
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