Love Somebody – Morgan Wallen Written By Adam Delahoussaye
After months of dangling the carrot in front of fans live and online, country music’s wild child finally lets the reins go and has given the public full access to his premature hit, “Love Somebody.” The track is fun enough, evoking a quasi-80’s, halfway to the Top-Gun soundtrack feel. With a table of eleven writers, it’d be hard not to craft a single that dissects all the intricacies of Wallen’s personage and delivers it on a silver platter. Like anything he releases, there are no dull moments or kinks in the production armor to point out; everything sounds spick and span, almost to a point where it goes against the Wallen fans have come to know. Maybe he is cleaning up his act like the track would suggest, patiently waiting for the right one to come along, pushing him more onto the straight and narrow. On the other hand, maybe he’s reached a point where staying at the top of the mountain trumps any desire to play into the bad-boy persona he’s spent so long cultivating. With every move he makes now under a microscope, to say there’s a correct one would overestimate anyone in his position. Hopefully, it’s faithful to him and not the narrative he’s been burdened with.
7.6
Good Times – Koe Wetzel Written By Max Buondonno
Koe Wetzel can leave the party, but the party can’t leave him. As a result, the native Texan often struggles to balance having a good time and escaping when necessary, and in his latest song, “Good Times,” he acknowledges that the party will go on without him despite his absence. The track is vulnerable and reflective, like the rest of 9 Lives, but it’s still clear why it’s a bonus track. Lyrically, the song does little to expand upon Wetzel’s true feelings about his reveler attitude, only offering glimpses into thoughts about slowing down on booze and pills so as not to regret his choices down the road. Each verse feels shallow and predictable, and while the chorus is fun to jam out to, it’s by no means one of Koe’s catchier hooks. If anything, it feels like the one song Koe might’ve had sitting around for the record, but he realized it wasn’t as strong as everything else, so he kept it off the original album. It’s a decent song for fans who simply want more Koe Wetzel content, but there’s not much here for anyone else to get excited.
6.6
Reel Problems – Riley Green (feat. Luke Bryan) Written By Creed Miller
Riley Green and Luke Bryan teamed up for the sleepiest track of Green’s new album, “Reel Problems.” Penned by Riley Green, Erik Dylan, and Wyatt McCubbin, this song is filled with corny wordplay and boring cliches. The main character is going through hell as his boss is on his back, and he just got dumped, but his “real” problems are his reel (and rod) problems. It’s a ditsy track that had the potential to be fun but instead was filled with monotonous puns that make the song drag on. The lack of chemistry between Luke Bryan and Riley Green was a pivotal downfall; it seemed like the track wasn’t recorded together, but instead, each artist laid down their parts separately at different times. As AI-coded as the song is, Dann Huff’s productions keep it engaging. The guitar riffs would fit perfectly into any Riley Green song, which isn’t bad. Overall, “Reel Problems” isn’t the worst thing in the world but isn’t good. Simply put, it’s a shrug of a song.
5.0
Ends of the Earth – Ty Myers Written By Adam Delahoussaye
Ty Myers and his shockingly old soul never fails to surprise and impress. Only 17, he’s already making waves through college towns across the country, sporting a panache that would tell you he’s been doing this for decades. Raised on legends of soul and the blues like Stevie Ray Vaughan and Otis Redding, his newest single will have hearts racing as the dancing slows down. “Ends of the Earth” almost immediately belongs in the pantheon of country love ballads, with Myers further cementing himself as a force to be reckoned with in the realm of hillbilly heartthrobs. Guitar licks bend and break over his silky-smooth baritone with a confidence that tells you how comfortable Myers is in his newfound niche. Known for his sappy love songs, it was only a matter of time before he struck gold with one of them. Poised in stoicism yet still hitting a nerve with every new turn, there’s much to look forward to from this budding young star.
8.7
Ways to Go – The Castellows Written By Adam Delahoussaye
While the female trio from Georgia began turning heads and raising hair from cover videos on social media, the breadth of their skill set has extended well into original works that continue to speak on their roots and their dreams. In “Ways to Go,” we glimpse where they’re headed through their perspective, whose harmonies seem to live and breathe as a singular entity. The synergy between these three is unmistakable, made more effortless with the help of game legends like Chip Matthews, who’s helped solidify Luke Combs’ legacy. You can sense that the girls have pointed their wheels toward bigger and better things. There are still tinges of what raised them, which are found throughout this anthem of triumphant troubadours. The only real question lies in how if at all, this journey will be defined on a more personal level. They seem to read for now because of the women who paved the way for them, not yet in full control of the steering wheel.
7.4
