Week of 03/08/2024
Kiss My Boots – Brian Kelley Written By Creed Miller
Brian Kelley has had a rather questionable start to his solo career and he raises even more eyebrows with his confusing new single. Kelley used this track to call out his former FGL bandmate Tyler Hubbard; if there was one word to describe this song it would be ‘tacky.’ From start to finish, “Kiss My Boots” feels extremely surface-level and edgeless. The lyrics are incredibly corny as he plays the victim in the duo’s fallout without sharing any real context. Worse still, the song’s hook is as trite and cliche as it gets, with Kelley singing, “I’m crankin’ Hank, drinkin’ Jack” over and over, and it’s only downhill from there. The song’s unimaginativeness makes it nearly impossible to sympathize with him, and it’s difficult to even listen without cringing. Kelley hasn’t been able to grow with country music and remains infatuated with the dated, corny sounds of 2015. Considering this half-hearted attempt at airing dirty laundry and the lack of creativity in its songwriting, it is hard to imagine how Kelley and his camp thought that sending this single to country radio was a good idea. “Kiss My Boots” isn’t going to have people flooding his corner to defend him; overall, it’s a very questionable release and a definite miss at cultivating compassion.
2.8
What She Sees In Me – Chris Young Written By Brandon Iozzo
In what feels like a flashback to his earlier records with down-tempo tracks and deep baritone moments, Chris Young taps into feelings for his girlfriend in “What She Sees In Me.” Co-written and co-produced by Young, the song covers some strong story beats about the couple’s lengthy relationship while hinting that Young still remains grounded by her, as he is unsure of what she sees in him. With silky, country production reminiscent of Brad Paisley’s “She’s Everything,” the quality of this ballad certainly trumps the singles Chris released thus far to support his upcoming release, Young Love & Saturday Nights. Even with its warm message, there are pieces of the chorus where Young seems vocally strained, but nevertheless, “What She Sees In Me” is a classic track for a slow dance or even a first dance.
8.0
Off The Rails – Brantley Gilbert Written By Brandon Iozzo
Leave it to Brantley Gilbert to keep on cranking out all-nighter, tear-up-the-town records about letting loose and rowdy. A far departure from 2022’s So Help Me God, the country-rock volume is amplified with slick guitar solos and gritty vocals, a signature style of Brantley’s over a decade in the making. Though stitched together by an eyebrow-raising total of eight songwriters, the concept and lyrics aren’t complex by any means, but would still make an electric intro for live shows. “Off The Rails” is explosive and much in your face, but the unsurprising track doesn’t mark an impactful return for the veteran artist; rather, it’s a decent preview for fans to see the musical direction Gilbert seems to be returning to.
7.1
Damn Near Normal – Koe Wetzel Written By Adam Delahoussaye
For guys like Koe Wetzel, the road and all that comes with it doesn’t look as glamorous as his country contemporaries make it out to be. Now 31, there’s a lot of life that Wetzel feels he still hasn’t lived, and it’s evident in the writing on “Damn Near Normal.” While he knows that his lifestyle is pretty atypical, it doesn’t seem like the Texan is in any hurry to trade his tour bus for a house with a white picket fence anytime soon. Written by Wetzel, Gabe Simon, Amy Allen, Carrie Karpinen, and Sam Harris, the lyrics are an abrupt return to the redneck’s lovable complacency with his own juvenility. Whatever our preconceived notions of “normal” are, Wetzel is doing what he does best, throwing them out the window for another joyride through his life and its gleeful uncertainty. We’re re-introduced to the carefree Wetzel of old while still dragging along some regretful thematics from his last LP “Hell Paso,” The road he rides seems to bend and break exactly how he wants it to. Why hold himself back?
8.0
Brother Joe – Ole 60 Written By Adam Delahoussaye
After their debut EP “three twenty-four” got a late start on the streaming charts, these Appalachian obscurities were bound to have some big shoes to fill after temporarily dethroning the genre’s biggest juggernauts. So young in their careers, it’s almost unfair to hold them or “Brother Joe,” to the same standard as their more storied peers on that leaderboard. Luckily for us and them, it doesn’t seem like they’re trying to fit into the Appalachian singer-songwriter crowd here. Penned by frontman Jacob Young, the single orates a love story between a preacher and the woman who first showed him the grace he now sermonizes from the pulpit on Sundays. That grace is then tested when its backbone, his family, is found dead at the hands of some small-time criminal. While Ole 60’s previous efforts were shaded in lament, they don’t hold back here with brutal prose and an arrangement hellbent on emphasizing the grief and madness felt here. For a group still testing the genre waters, a murder ballad is an interesting first step into the mainstream; still, if the writing remains this good, they should be able to fit in anywhere.
7.2
Wake Up, Come Down – Evan Honer Written By Creed Miller
After getting a start on TikTok, Evan Honer is quickly proving that he’s much more than a “TikTok Artist.” His latest single has a punchy, punk-rock sound that demonstrates his versatility as an artist. His songwriting has always been incredibly impressive and it remains top-notch on this track. Evan takes a look at the dark escapism of substance abuse, and the reality that the high is temporary and the inevitable come-down hits hard. The chorus hits like a gut punch, very similar to the come-down that Honer sings about. His gutsy vocals are on full display in this hook, and it helps sell the emotional frustration of the song. He does a great job of making you understand the regret he experiences coming off a high, even if it’s not relatable to everyone. The chorus is wrapped with the line “How’d I let this happen again,” and you can hear how desperate a situation like this can make one feel. Evan Honer is just scratching the surface of showing off his artistry, and “Wake Up, Come Down” might be his best single to date.
9.3
Past Actions – Gavin Adcock Written By Creed Miller
Gavin Adcock has become quite the name to watch in the past few months. His careless attitude has quickly made him a fan favorite, and his latest single is another one that’s easy to connect with. In “Past Actions,” our main character wants his ex-lover to forget about the mistakes he made, as he now recognizes he’s been living wrong. As he stares at the bottom of his glass, she won’t even look him in the eye. Uniquely enough, the song opens with a double chorus; the first one is all acoustic to ease you into the track before the full band joins on the second one, ushering in that signature Adcock, country-rock sound. As a listener, it’s easy to nod your head along. All that said, while it’s a good track, and it will find its way on many playlists, it won’t usually be the first song you choose to play. Adcock has had a very busy past few months with multiple releases, and “Past Actions” is another quality single to add to his collection.
6.8
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