2023 was a jam-packed year for country music with so many big names extending their legacies by releasing new music, mostly through full-length albums. In a year that featured so many major releases from the likes of Zach Bryan, Morgan Wallen, and Luke Combs, midwestern upstart Wyatt Flores also managed to put himself on the map. The Okie native had some traction going into the year, especially with the single “Please Don’t Go,” and with a growing grassroots following born on social media and a bold identity as a self-styled singer-songwriting, he’s arrived as one of country music’s most interesting up-and-comers today. From his bevy of intelligent singles and touring with artists like Charles Wesley Godwin, Flores is crafting a promising future for himself right before our eyes. Wyatt Flores’s new project Life Lessons was the perfect opportunity to make a statement, and on just seven tracks, the budding artist did just that.
It’s overwhelmingly evident that every track tells its own concise story, each one holding an important message that Flores needs to convey to his fans. From start to finish, you can feel the emotion and the constant inner struggles he wrestles with as a young man trying to find himself; on “West of Tulsa,” for instance, he laments the way he feels used by his romantic partners, known only by his reputation as the “guy on the stage.” The catchy soliloquy is every bit as sad as it is real.
Although the overarching narrative is sorrowful, the songs are presented in a fun, catchy way, something Wyatt has perfected throughout his recent efforts. The upbeat and fun songs still don’t distract the listener from the deeper meaning that Flores is singing about; every track is musically fresh and interesting, but it never stops being personal.
As its title implies, this record has a strong narrative thread of growing up and learning from one’s choices; the previously released “Holes” continues to stick to this theme. This is a whole-hearted song that looks into the journey of making a dream come true and the dark times that go with it. It’s one of the softer, moodier moments on the record, as Wyatt fears being brought down by grim circumstances, wondering what life could look like on the other side. Indeed, recurring themes of self-doubt and worry for the future seem on-brand for Wyatt as someone who’s still trying to find his path. The life of a professional singer-songwriter is a turbulent one, and the way he embraces that winding story arch makes for some very compelling ballads.
“Orange Bottles” is undoubtedly the most poignant and vulnerable cut in the collection, digging a little deeper into his inner battles and tapping into more explicitly dark themes like addiction and eroding mental health. The song demonstrates a feeling of being lost and not seeing a way out of a dark place. Lyrics like “What am I chasin’, who have I become?” articulate how easy it is to lose yourself in your mind and start to spiral down a sad and dark path. Flores takes a brave, innovative approach with this song, commendable indeed for a new artist. In the end, he even executes a triumphantly sunny finale for this story that doesn’t undercut the message of the song.
As good as the storytelling is on Life Lessons, Wyatt’s gutsy delivery is not to be overlooked. He simply has one of the most unique voices in all of country music today, and it continues to show. He has a sharp rasp he isn’t afraid to use, but it never sounds obnoxious or over-the-top. In fact, part of what makes Life Lessons so meaningful is the inflection in his voice; you can hear the pain, passion, triumph and so many other emotions that illustrate how Flores felt while writing and recording these songs. At just 22 years old, he guides the listener through his journey of self-discovery in a remarkably authentic heart-on-sleeve kind of way.
If there was a negative to this project, it’s that it doesn’t feel long enough; in a day in music where jam-packed, oversaturated projects have become the norm, Wyatt leaves listeners wishing for more than just seven songs. You get the feeling that the full story is yet left untold and that there wasn’t enough material for Wyatt to say all he had to say. It leaves his dedicated fan base wanting more to complete this complicated arc of emotions. Even so, the Oklahoman artist deserves a ton of credit for this well-written, well-executed collection. From these seven songs, listeners can’t ask for much more.
9.4/10
