Tyler Hubbard is not a human being. He is an enigma, a brand, a perfect representation of what “having fun down in the country” is supposed to look and sound like. Attend a Tyler Hubbard concert, and you’ll stomp your boots and sing along to the words he sings. You will likely have one too many Bud Lights.
This, dear reader, is the conceptual culmination of Hubbard’s sophomore solo album, Strong. It is a product, a mere collection of songs that speaks for you when you say, “Hey, we wanna have fun this weekend.”
Do you plan to pay attention to the words sung, whether you resonate with the themes presented or not? If you answered “yes” to this question, Strong is likely not for you.
This record is a byproduct of Hubbard’s desire for success in his solo career and his decade-plus affiliation with one of the most popular country music duos ever to grace the planet. He cannot escape the man he is; he tried to do so with his debut solo album, venturing off into a few different sounds and touching on more personal themes. But not this time.
Now, he hath become T-Hubb, the destroyer of genuine authenticity.
To be fair, his music doesn’t lack authenticity. It’s easy to believe that he means every word he says, whether he’s singing about his desire to “park” with his girlfriend or his idea of a spontaneous wedding in “Vegas.” These are all things you could see our boy Tyler Hubbard doing. He’s a crazy guy, right? With that long, flowing hair, the Rolex Oyster Perpetual strapped to his wrist. He’s nuts, and he likes to have fun.
You’ll have even more fun tuning into “Night Like This,” a song designed (not written) for stadiums and ballparks nationwide. Tune into “Summer Talkin'” next time you have a barbeque, and it’ll set the vibe just right. Do you miss your hometown? Like, how much? Because if you miss it enough, you may start crying when you play “Take Me Back.” Or, at the very least, our homie T-Hubb wants you to.
Spanning 13 tracks in total, Strong feels like the kind of album only Hubbard could produce and get away with. It’s remarkable how Hubbard-y the whole thing is. There is zero ambition to venture into more traditional instrumentals, challenging themes, or unique storytelling. In “’73 Beetle,” Hubbard tells a heartfelt story about running out of time with his dad to restore a car. It’s a lovely tribute, but that’s as human as the album gets. The rest may as well have been the product of a ChatGPT prompt: “Write me a bro-country album that sounds exactly like Florida Georgia Line if they came out in 2024.’
It’s tough to call this album complete garbage with no redeeming qualities, even though that’s generally been the consensus among country purists and mainstream fans. Many of these songs are wildly catchy, with melodies and hooks that are hard not to bob your head to. After a few listens, you could find yourself humming to almost every track. This is the T-Hubb effect; a song of his might suck, but you’ll likely get used to it anyway.
With production from Jordan Schmidt, Hubbard’s writing credits on eight of the 13 tracks, and the most simple, surface-level words you could write, this album was built for the masses. That CD you have in your garage stereo is a lot of fun to passively listen to without feeling anything. You won’t be anxious, upset, or disturbed. You won’t question your life, reflecting on your regrets. You’ll simply jam out to some T-Hubb over a cold one.
Hubbard is no stranger when it comes to producing hits. He knows how to play the industry game. He’s not afraid to sacrifice originality in his music if it means appealing to as many people as possible. Plus, his voice is strikingly familiar to anyone who’s listened to country music in the last ten years. This, in and of itself, is his biggest selling point in 2024.
No one can beat T-Hubb, not even Hubbard himself. He’s “ya boi” for a reason. This album is not good. There’s nothing to sink your teeth into, and it doesn’t matter. T-Hubb will always be T-Hubb, and Strong is the perfect example.
5.9/10
