We Should Get Married – Dan + Shay Written by Creed Miller
Dan + Shay continue their busy summer with ‘We Should Get Married,’ their fifth single of the summer. We’ve seen massive improvements from Dan + Shay this summer, though this cut is a little all over the place; it can’t decide what it wants to be. Telling the story of a drunken night and wanting to marry the girl from the bar on the spur of the moment, it is a fun listen that will certainly put a smile on your face. The song goes from 0-100 in the blink of an eye and rocks back and forth between a litany of different sounds and styles, from dance-hall ready 90s country to stomping country-rock. This song and its repetitive, sugary-sweet hook get old very quickly, even as catchy as it is. Dan + Shay have improved a lot from their last full-length effort, but the flirtatious pizzazz of this tune isn’t enough to view ‘We Should Get Married’ as much of a step-up from the sappy duo of years past.
6.2
Mad Man – Eddie Flint Written by Creed Miller
Eddie Flint is back with yet another single this summer, and ‘Mad Man’ might be his best one yet. Like most of his output, the song is built around some edgy production and equally edgy lyrics, giving it a strong, outlaw-country feel. ‘Mad Man’ puts Eddie’s storytelling skills on display as the song follows a desperate man living on the edge and constantly running away from his past mistakes. Flint does a really good job using wordplay to describe the beast that the man is battling inside him. The New Jersey native’s gutsy vocals have always been a strong suit for him and they continue to shine in this track; every lyric sounds like he’s on the verge of complete, emotional collapse. Eddie Flint is a unique, emerging artist, and it feels like he’s improving with every single.
8.7
Troy Cartwright – Unlove You (Sad Version) Written by Christina Bosch
This new version of Troy Cartwright’s “Unlove You” proves that the production and tempo can change everything when it comes to a song’s feeling and vibe. The original, released at the top of the year, was still a breakup song, but with some decidedly more upbeat, poppy production. There’s more anger and frustration on this version, like the original emotional intent is finally on center-stage. The subtly elegant strings ultimately add some gravitas to this song, making it feel like a really expensive, high-fidelity musical moment. Sonically, this track sounds so much better as a sad song. One thing is clear on both: Cartwright can absolutely sell a narrative.
8.2
Cowboy Don’t – BRELAND Written by Brandon Iozzo
Under the facade of a twangy, boot-scootin’ dancehall tune, ‘Cowboy Don’t’ sees BRELAND insisting that he can treat this girl better than the average bar-rat cowboy. While the lyrics come off as cheeky and innocent aside from a goofy reference to “knocking boots,” this campy song feels more like a bad Broadway number with its faux-country production and painfully breathy backing vocals that fade out until the track’s ending. There’s a real feeling of “country cosplay” here, and BRELAND’s sassy braggadocious attitude just doesn’t feel nature or fun to listen to. Coming off of 2022’s mediocre debut album, “Cross Country,” BRELAND’s artistic development seems to grow more and more in question.
4.8
