After all kinds of promotions, Cadillac Sessions have finally dropped. The project serves as the first official release under ERNEST’s new label, Deville Records, and it faces some questions about the folks Ern has signed on thus far. It’s the first time these artists have found themselves as vocalists on an album of this caliber, and a smooth ride through all 16 tracks is the goal. As it turns out, though, there are a lot of bumps in the road.
Ern is, of course, the premier name on this project, while the young guns he’s taken under his wing take a bit of a backseat. Rhys Rutherford, Cody Lohden, and Chandler Walters are the other headliners looking to make a big statement about Cadillac Sessions. The format is a very clever way to bring attention to young artists; many country music fans would be intrigued by an ERNEST release (especially with the major collabs included), and there’s a good chance people will stick around for the rest of the record to listen to the newbies to see what they’ve got.
It’s a great idea in theory, but it’s not totally foolproof, as it also leads to their being overshadowed. Yes, the group is getting much more attention than if they had released individual projects. However, an element takes the youngsters away from a major moment in their careers. Lohden, Rutherford, and Walters are forced to share this with each other, and it could easily result in the trio getting grouped together (with Ern) for the foreseeable future.
That’s not the worst thing in the world; the three sound different enough in their own right, which could help them stand out in the future. But something about their performances on this record feels undercooked. Being so new, it’s understandable that these artists aren’t quite there yet; this is the first real music they have released (except for a few Lohden songs). But on Cadillac Sessions, they appear alongside idols like Miranda Lambert, not to mention the legendary artists they cover in the latter half of the record, which translates to a lot of pressure to deliver strong performances throughout
Rhys Rutherford stands out as the most boring artist on the album. There’s nothing to latch onto between the lack of detail or grit in his voice and the monotone progressions in his delivery. If anything, he sounds like a less interesting Josh Turner, minus the baritone. Across the four tracks he’s featured on, Rutherford remains as monotonous to listen to as he was before.
Chandler Walters faces a similar issue on the record. While he isn’t as monotone as Rutherford, Walters’s tone and accent are a bit too Nashville-stereotypical. He’s reminiscent of an over-produced version of Vincent Mason with enough charm to carry him through a song, but instantly forgettable when it ends.
As for Cody Lohden, his grainier aesthetic doesn’t line up with the rest of the album. Rutherford and Walters play nicely with the twangy ‘90s vibe of Cadillac Sessions, but Lodhen’s voice, while perhaps the most interesting of the three, doesn’t mesh well with the overall vibe. He delivers solid vocals on the project, but needs his own EP to roam around and explore more depth and grit. Twangy ‘90s country might not be for him, but perhaps a more bluegrass-leaning aesthetic could do him well.
As is the case with many an ERNEST project, Cadillac Sessions has a strong traditional country influence throughout. The assists from Miranda Lambert and Jake Worthington are a great example of this. These Texas natives home in on their roots with the steel-heavy sound beautifully accented by the smooth fiddle. Lambert and Ern collaborated on an original titled “Another Thing To Love.” Unshockingly, their voices mesh beautifully together as they dial in on that Texas-infused sound. With effortless smoothness, it’s easily one of the best tracks on the record.
Worthington joined ERNEST for an impressive cover of “Yesterday’s Wine,” originally sung by the legends George Jones and Merle Haggard. Covering a song by two of the best is difficult because outdoing the original just doesn’t happen. At that point, the focus turns to not butchering a historic tune. Worthington and Ern did a great job honoring the legendary track without doing anything outlandish to try and make it their own. That’s about all you can ask for. Neither takes unnecessary risks, which works in the song’s favor. As such, it’s a nice addition to the record and helps solidify the sound and inspiration of the project.
While “Yesterday’s Wine” wasn’t butchered, not all covers were safe. There were eight covers on Cadillac Sessions, and while a neat way to introduce new voices to the genre, it may have been better to steer clear of some of them. These are some of the most iconic songs country music has ever seen, and any cover less than impressive or honorable will leave a bad taste in your mouth.
Chandler Walters’s cover of “One More Last Chance, Cody Lohden’s take on “Two Dozen Roses,” and the group effort of “Song Of The South” were all massive let downs. There’s no topping Jones and Haggard, so it’s virtually impossible for any artist to top the originals They also don’t make any major changes to “make it their own.”. Even still, the boys just aren’t there. Vocal performances fall noticeably short, making each cover forgettable to varying degrees. Again, they never expected to be as good, but it becomes a huge miss when it’s so far off.
The main issue with “Song Of The South” was that all four artists were on it. While it’s a wholesome way to wrap up a career milestone for this group, it exposes just how different their sounds are. It’s okay that they have different strengths, weaknesses, and styles, but the reason you feel you can never settle into the album is confirmed on its final track. There is no possibility of relaxing as the different vocal styles don’t allow you to immerse yourself in the track entirely.
The redeeming qualities of Cadillac Sessions lie in two areas: songwriting and ERNEST. Each original track from the three newbies is a decent listen. There’s a certain catchiness to “Southern Belle,” while “Worth the Trouble” is enough fun to stomp your boot to. Even “Tail Light, Porch Light, “Miller Lite” can be a fun addition to a summer playlist.
Meanwhile, ERNEST is having fun with the entire project. The kick-off track “Gettin’ Gone” is a groovy, stoner-friendly anthem worthy of rolling up with rolled-down windows at the function, which helps Snoop Dogg feel perfectly at home. “Did It Anyway” and “Turn Me Up” are quintessential ERNEST songs, and his effortless vocal delivery on songs like “Help Me Make It Through The Night” further proves his veteran status in the game.
As a concept, Cadillac Sessions is a unique way to launch a record label and introduce its talent. ERNEST’s creativity and the signees of Deville Records have kicked out a decent project with good songs and a fun, old-school vibe. But as an introduction to Rutherford, Walters, and Lohden, it fails to give them a chance to shine. Between a few rough vocal performances and ERNEST’s distracting presence, perhaps it’s best if these guys develop their sounds independently outside the “Flower Shops” singer’s shadow.
