After releasing six albums independently and now his third on a major label, some were asking what else Cody Johnson had left to say. For Johnson, his notion of wanting each album to surpass the next comes with different challenges each time. Human The Double Album was trying to tell a story about life and carry one theme across an 18-track project, which raised very real questions about “quality over quantity.”
This 12-track album, while may not revolve around one central theme, contains songs that stand out more uniquely in their own right. This project covers a wide range of topics such as religion, appreciation for his fans, and family, and the classic Texan pride anthems. As a project, Leather doesn’t say anything groundbreaking, but it’s the tracks within that speak a profound truth rather than as a collective album. It feels more like a playlist of classic Cody Johnson songs than a cohesive LP.
Since 2009, Johnson hasn’t skipped a beat in keeping rich country music sounds in his music. Teaming up with producer Trent Willmon once again, the pair have been able to keep a pretty consistent sound since first working together more than a decade ago on A Different Day. It’s fair to point out the lack of flow in some spots, where Cody would turn on a dime between the rollicking “That’s Texas” to the somber “Dirt Cheap,” underscoring this album’s overall feeling as a playlist of good songs rather than a concept record of any kind. Nonetheless, every song has a fresh, Texas country spark and commands the same gravitas of Cody’s independent work.
Johnson has always had a very commanding voice, but it feels totally balanced in the mix here. He shares the spotlight with Brooks and Dunn on “Long Live Country Music;” and their harmonies are as sharp as you’d expect. On Johnson’s other collaboration of the album, Jelly Roll is invited to lend his vocals. This partnership is an oddity no doubt, but it doesn’t sound like a poor effort from either artist. It is, however, another entry to a catalog of unnecessary and confusing Jelly Roll collaborations that have dropped in the Year of our Lord 2023. Since Cody Johnson guested on Brooks and Dunn’s album Reboot and cites them as a major influence, it seems like a favor returned, whereas the Jelly Roll duet comes off as a rare cash-grab in Johnson’s career.
One interesting point is that Johnson is only credited with two co-writes on this album; as he continues to establish himself as an A-lister in country music, he’s followed in the tradition of artists like George Strait, Tim McGraw, and Kenny Chesney who just have a knack for choosing good songs. Right in the middle of the track list, “Jesus Loves You” stands out, penned by Mark Holman, Chase McGill, and Michael Hardy. This song combines themes of forgiveness and reckoning with tragedy. Telling a clear story, the narrator describes a confrontation with someone who did his family wrong and hopes that the criminal meets Jesus on his terms before our protagonist has the chance to end his life himself.
CoJo’s seventh album should leave fans very content with the songs he decided to cut. Songs like “Jesus Loves You” make a compelling argument for song of the year though tunes like “That’s Texas” may fade off into the distance of his discography. This deep into his career, many may be curious what’s left to be said. Fans have seen his music evolve as he’s matured and his family has grown. Leather was a nice collection of songs, but it’s hard to call this project an “album” as it doesn’t flow very well. Going forward, it would be nice to see Johnson get more involved as a writer and maybe lend some more personal storytelling, but until then, he’s definitely good at choosing songs that suit him. Cody Johnson is one of the most consistent acts in country music these days, and as we all await the day he finally records “Travelling Soldier,” he leaves little to be desired from his fans.
8.6
