Week of 9/8/2023
Killed The Cowboy – Dustin Lynch Written By Brandon Iozzo
Ahead of his upcoming sixth studio album, Dustin Lynch joins a growing cast of radio-bros in reinventing himself as a dyed-in-the-wool traditionalist. ‘Killed The Cowboy’ is a lukewarm attempt to shift his musical direction towards an ill-fitting outlaw vibe. Written about a typical bombshell girl who destroyed his cowboy cred, the Zach Crowell-produced song feels extremely redundant in this gimmicky era of trying to recreate “real” country music. Complete with the usual robotic, layered backing vocals courtesy of Crowell, this one is far more akin to an R&B foray from Jason Aldean than outlaw country. Where the track title and black-and-white artwork had us believing that this single would carry more meaning, we’re farther from a return to form for Lynch than ever
4.7
Single At The Same Time – Ashley McBryde Written By Brandon Iozzo
In one of her saddest cuts to date, Ashley McBryde wonders if a romantic relationship would have ever come out of a friendship with another man in ‘Single At The Same Time.’ Written by Andy Albert, Benjy Davis, and Ashley herself, it’s a compelling concept that more likely than not, has crossed a lot of listeners’ minds in day-to-day life. The song embodies what we know that she does best: telling relatable stories with toughness and candor. Despite her grit, Ashley has a remarkable gift for showing her sensitive side in a way that feels both honest and believable, and this song totally nails each.
8.8
For The Both of Us – Dan + Shay Written By Cam Greene
A new era from Dan + Shay has been on the horizon for some time now. They’ve slowly but surely inched away from their adult contemporary overtones of old. This new song delivers a more down-home look into the pair’s love lives. With their new song ‘For The Both of Us,’ our narrator is laying it all on the line to gain a father’s blessing to marry his daughter. It’s cute and easy on the ears, but it kind of takes us back to the same problem that’s plagued Dan and Shay since the early days: it’s just another wedding song. This year, the pair has shown more creativity than ever, but lyrically, this song doesn’t quite measure up to the smooth, undeniably country production. Looking past the storyline, Shay Mooney’s vocals are as great as ever, and although they might not be for everyone, they didn’t miss the mark here on this one. Dan and Shay are starting to realize their full potential in the “Bigger Houses” era. While some might write songs like this off as sappy, empty-calorie love tunes, there’s a lot to be excited about for the duo’s future.
7.6
Heart On Ice – Jon Langston Written By Cam Greene
After a full decade of releasing music, the poster boy for Luke Bryan’s record label finally dropped his debut album. The title track is a rock-infused bro-country fare with loud vocals and an even louder snap track. The premise is pretty easy to guess: Our narrator is giving up trying to resolve his heartbreak with whiskey on ice, so by golly, he’s putting his heart on ice. It’s not a bad song by any means, but for an artist as long-tenured as Langston, we should be expecting more. This has strong, guilty-pleasure potential, but in the end, it’s just another dumb break-up song.
6.2
Driving Back There In My Mind – Miranda Lambert Written By Creed Miller
Miranda Lambert is the latest artist to team up with Apple Music’s new “Lost & Found” series to release the new song ‘Driving Back There In My Mind.’ Written by the sublime songwriting trio The Love Junkies (Hillary Lindsey, Lori McKenna, and Liz Rose) this slower-paced, reminiscent song leaves our narrator looking back on their small-town memories and the life they left behind. She is forced to confront the reality that the town she wants new is just not the same, and she can’t stop going back there in her mind. Miranda was the perfect person to record this song with her old-school sensibilities and sentimental aire. The production is polished and fits her style perfectly. Throughout her career, Miranda’s music hasn’t been a crazy range of styles outside, but she’s always been able to wear different hats well.
8.9
Back Then Right Now – Tyler Hubbard Written By Creed Miller
Tyler Hubbard gets nostalgic with his new track and shocker… It’s another song that could’ve been written by ChatGPT. The feel-good tune looks back on things from our narrator’s past like the ‘‘98 Chevy with the tailgate down’ and the rowdy nights he used to have with his friends. In his short solo career, Tyler Hubbard is doing his damnedest to show Florida Georgia Line fans his flattest and most placid self possible. He may have escaped being known as “the guy from Florida Georgia Line,” but when the song is this corporately inoffensive, you almost miss that weird dude with affliction T-shirts and ripped-up jeans. Tyler Hubbard has seen some solo success, and ‘Back Then Right Now’ has real potential to be another hit in Nashville, but it’s pretty much another dull miss.
4.2
I Think I’m In Love With You – Chris Stapleton Written By Christina Bosch
Ahead of his forthcoming studio album “Higher,” Chris Stapleton is back with another bluesy tune. This solo-write highlights Stapleton’s remarkable ability to restrain and flex his vocal delivery at will. The groovy, R&B-inspired love song debuts a fresh new sound for the country mainstay. His signature rasp pairs perfectly with the blues guitar licks and lush strings that accompany his passionate declaration of admiration. While traditional country fans who are used to Chris Stapleton’s outlaw tendencies might be turned off, it’s cool to hear Chris Stapleton channel some new influences alongside his wife Morgane, and their producer Dave Cobb. It’s a smart choice to add depth and funk to keep listeners guessing ahead of this new project.
9.2
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