Sam Hunt - Southside | Album Review 

Well. Let's open the floodgates.

Biggest shock of this video is hearing Grady drop the f bomb

I love “real” country and I love the Sam Hunt style pop-country. They fill different needs for me.

If Drake and Dan + Shay somehow had a kid together, I imagine this is what it would sound like

Grady, the label probably included “Body Like A Back Road” to increase album sales. All the streams it received go towards this album once they included it. It’s something hip hop has been doing for a while now. Just a matter of time before it creeped into Country.

I just like music, I get why people like their genre to stay pure. But I just like what I like, if I like a song I siren to it I don’t really care if it’s real country or not. I find I gravitate to real country but don’t always.

One of my favorite things about Grady's channel is that he can touch on music he's not necessarily a fan of, but in a polite fashion. He can review something critically and honestly without being rude about it and I have mad respect for that.

"Hard To Forget" is my current favorite song, absolutely love it and excited to hear your take!

He wanted to focus on his wife after they got married and decided not to focus on a album. I don’t remember what interview it’s from but he said it.

New Grady videos getting me through quarantine💪

Bold move playing a clip from Taylor Swift 😂

Legend has it Grady has never worn a pair of pants while recording these videos

If there’s one thing Sam Hunt is, he’s INTERESTING

I put Sam Hunt in the same box as Maren Morris. The voice and songwriting talent is so obviously there, but most of the music just doesn't live up to it.

I don’t care what anybody labels his music. I love his voice great songs and great in concert

That opener 2016 was exactly what I needed from him to open up to the whole pop record following that. Ultimately if an artist is lumped in the country genre I want to know they CAN actually write and or sing country songs. He sold me on that one and instantly made the lead into "Hard to Forget" feel so much better and more open to how pop it is. Overall I actually do really like this record...as a pop record with 1 good country song. Great open minded review from you sir. Awesome work.

He does it in his own way. Mixing his musical influences from what he grew up on. If people tune in to the album expecting classical country then you're doing yourself a disservice.

I think the way the album has a “focus” on her is what makes Sam so unique. Montevallo was the same for the most part. Goes back to that interview where he’s uncomfortable with fame. He doesn’t make music to be famous or sell records, his music reflects his life and his music tells his story

I think Kinfolks’ chorus is really underrated.

I listen to all kinds of music. I know Sam Hunt isn't purely country, but I think he does a great job at fusing country with pop/EDM/R&B. It's such a unique sound that is pleasing.

Not going to lie, Young Once is a JAM and exactly what I want to hear from Sam.

I think it’s honestly hilarious how much controversy surrounds Sam Hunt. Some people love him, some people hate him, some don’t care. Yet I feel like Hunt himself doesn’t really care that much and just makes music because he enjoys it. It’s almost as if the people care more than he does. I like him 💁🏼‍♂️

Imagine being a huge fan of his and only getting like 6 or 7 new songs after 6 years... mannn that must suck. And I thought 3 years felt like a long wait for Jon Pardi’s newest album. At least I wasn’t disappointed. 🤔 *edit* (some people took this the wrong way. I was being sarcastic and I am not a fan)🤣

Grady, you absolutely have to do a review of Ingrid Andress's short album "Lady Like." It definitely isn't proper country, but it's an amazing album!

People hate him, and I get it...but I cant help but listen. I do get frustrated bc songs like 2016 and Break up in the 90s are are glimpses of what he can be.

I think one thing to note is that Sam Hunt doesn’t really argue by any stretch that his music thus far has been pure country by any stretch. He actually has talked quite a bit about how he’s very much so influenced by R&B. Also, he said his next album will be a shift to Tyler Childers type country, which I think will be an interesting change.

Can’t wait for Zach Bryan to drop his new album and hear you talk ab it

I don't really think about music genres. I just like music, if a song gives me the feels I just enjoy it. I love Sam's music, his lyrics speak to me.

I like to call this genre Bachelorette Country because every song could be played during a scene on the Bachelorette to increase the emotional tension.

Kinfolks, hard to forget, body like a backroad, and downtown’s dead are my favorite songs on the album

You NEED to review The Way It Feels, Maddie and Tae’s new album. It comes out on April 10. I am so excited.

You captured the feeling of sadness in the songs so well! I hadn't thought about it that way. I LOVE listening to most of the songs but I don't feel joyful after listening. The best way for me to describe why I like his music is because we are around the same age and I feel hugely reminiscent when I listen to his music. He does a great job of making me feel those feelings of being in high school/college and all the feelings of being in love and the pain associated with it. It's like, it just brings me right back and it feels good to remember. His songs are sad but sexy in a way. Just like young love is.

Having some what just discovered Sam Hunt as a musician. I have to say the fact that he puts it all out there like his pain and self reflections makes him more human to me. I personally thoroughly enjoyed this album. The man just speaks his truths. As for the genre argument, I've been listening to country music for the last 40 yrs. And while some can say its not country I've discovered in my experience that country is more of a state of mind rather than any particular genre. But hey that's just me. I will also say the man knows how to write a damm song that pulls at you. Several songs on both albums I just cant get out of my head. Breaking up was easy...whew that song just hit me. With lyrics like girl you are everywhere. Everywhere but behind me. Man it got me right in the feels. But thanks for reviewing. I know I am a little late to the game but thought I would add my 2 cents for what its worth.

A year later.. It is brilliant. I think he went past Montevallo with Southside. He grew as a person and a musician in those 6 years, and you can hear it with every record. It’s one of my favorites in my vinyl collection, next to Blond by Frank Ocean and Purgatory by Tyler Childers.

I’m not kidding, an ad for “Southside” played before I watched this.

This album reminds me of Lacy Cavaliers EP "K, Im done" which is actually about her past relationship with Sam's younger brother. I would really enjoy seeing your thoughts on that and Lacy in general.

I’m not sure if I’ll ever know what to think about this album

Grady: Hello country fans, who think pop music is ruining country music, and really dislike Sam Hunt, welcome to the channel. Me: Sup Grady. Glad to be back!

Just like Kelsea Ballerini, I don't know if it's country, but I dig it.

Wow. I just heard "23" for the first time on the radio tonight and it blew me away.

Im just gonna say it I enjoy Sam Hunt's songs like "Drinkin' Too Much" and even "Break Up in a Small Town" I like the storytelling. I enjoy the little details. I hate his "pop-ish" stuff. I like his acoustic album and I only really listen to that. He tells stories that make you wanna live them and you really feel those moments and hurt from it.

I agree more with Spectrum Pulse's review in that it's a bad album but I can see certain bright spots like you mentioned. In the end though I probably won't be touching this album in a matter of weeks. There's better and more interesting stuff out there.

Do a video on our neighbors to the north CANADA!!!! About artist like Tim Hicks, James Backer Band, The Reklaws, and that's just a the big ones. Man I can jam out to some Canadian Country!!!

Grady...why do we all hate on the country singers that talk in their songs...JOHNNY CASH was the king of talking in songs?

In my opinion, When I saw that Body Like A Back Road on here, I was like yep this album sucks. I with Spectrum Pulse, this album is garbage.

Breaking Up was Easy in the 90’s is the best song on the album!

Guys I really can’t decide who’s hotter: Sam or Grady?!?

People who warm to this genre are generally confused about what country is all about. Put this album in quarantine with the other pretenders. Not hatin’ on it, just tired of having to tolerate this stuff in my music landscape. They show up at festivals and stuff and quite frankly just bring the mood down. I’m an old rock dude who got seduced to country because of Garth B&D Toby AJ Joe Diffie and the list goes on. Cheers to the artists who are honouring what made country cool in the 90s.

2016 is definitely my favorite track off the album. Young Once and Hard To Forget are fun as well

@Grady Smith please don't worry about people worrying about what your reviewing or how you do it. You're good at what you do. Just do it.

I like sam hunt, I do see him as country pop, he makes me smile and I like how he is a fusion of several genres. I do like him. Even though he uses too much snap track. Also I never thought I would hear Grady drop the F bomb...I dont think I like it lol. Love ya grady.🤎 Also I hope sam finds Jesus, he would be so much happier.

Let it down is a jam

This a great album. It’s true to who he is and his influences and everything he writes and sings is just from his heart and his personal experiences. And I don’t think he’s disinterested and he disappeared because he wanted to focus on his wife and he was also on tour so much as well. He wanted to make the music personal that’s why it took soo long idk how it would be seen as fuckboyish. 9/10

To me it seems like everything he wrote about for this album is seen through a lens of clinical depression. The joyless feeling that he wants to be happy with his life and relationship, that he’s empty and lost without that focusing point, the overall nostalgia of what could be/could have been. And it’s all been intensified in the past few years since he gained fame. I agree with the overall assessment would score it a 6-7/10. In general, I enjoy Sam Hunt’s music!

Before I started watching I wasn’t sure what to call this kind of music! I made a playlist called “Country kinda sorta ?” and it has a few Sam Hunt songs in it, I love older country, 90s, 80s, anything that I grew up listening to because of my father. Kinda sorta Country music obviously has a demand, and I even enjoy it every now and then. Though I do have to say, I love that Country Radio is beginning to play more “classic” sounding country (not a lot, but some!!) hope to see much more of this🤠

He did the same thing with Montevallo - half the songs were available ahead of the record coming out.

i like that it’s different, no doubt sam hunt isn’t a true country artist but he’s open minded with how to say what he wants to say , although i do agree is more mellow songs were better

IT WAS 🔥🔥🔥🔥 Sam Hunt can’t make a bad song !!!! Grew up to old and new country Jackson strait haggard but I love Sam Hunts work !!

Thank you for reviewing this Grady, but I haven't listened to it at all. Hearing "Hard to Forget" made my stomach turn. Genre & distinction may not mean much to others, but it does to me. I'll go listen to Ashley McBryde's "Never Will" instead.

This won’t make any old time country folks happy but regardless of country/not country it’s good music. The dude is a great writer. He’s very clever with his words. Also lots of his stuff does remind me of my hometown. He may not have the twang the oldies had but he clearly gets what it’s like to grown up in a small town.

Drinkin’ Too Much is my favorite for sure on the album along with 2016. I find value in admitting his mistakes and pouring his heart out, because not many have the “balls” to do it.

First time commenting here! Anyways,I plan on binging Sam's music and see if anything changed! Some of his music I like so let's see if it holds up! To more comments in this section! Cheers! 🍻

Wow this disappointing. Sams Hunt album is great. Body like a backroad rocks. Most of his songs are great. People need to stop hating on him for no good reason

After watching this I decided that I love your channel

The production is pretty random and inconsistent. But he’s a random and inconsistent guy, so it kind of works for him.

It’s almost been a full year since it’s dropped and had to come back to this video. Album has grown on me a lot very messy too many singles but the more somber songs really flash when you’re in that headspace.

This was Spectrum Pulse's second ever 1/10.

I will say, that song take your time is pretty good, but besides that he should go to the pop radio

I loved Sam Hunt. Montavallo is one of my favorite country albums and I’ve been to a Sam Hunt concert. I know he is poppy but I still love the voice but the vibe he gave with this album is so different than Montavallo. But the Drinkin too much 8pm version is my favorite Sam Hunt song. It makes Drinkin too much into country instead of pop.

I just kinda came away from the album really confused. Montevallo was one of the first true pop country albums because it sounded so different than the bro country that was being produced at the time. But then he went away for six years and returned to a world where everyone was doing that. His style was not only not unique anymore, but was now the norm. Because of that I was expecting the album to be more along the lines of a former pop-country king returning to reclaim his spot on top of the charts, with a long album full of "body like a back road" style songs that would flood the radio until mid fall. Instead we got the opposite of that: a short album of low key songs that, sad to sad, probably wont be around long. Even "Young Ones", the song that's supposed to be a summer radio hit (and my favorite) doesn't feel like it will last until then. Listening to it, you get the feeling that hes just bored, and only made the album because he felt socially obligated to. A combination of his long hiatus, his limited social media presence, and the sound of this album just gives me the feel that he doesn't care about making music anymore. Maybe he doesn't enjoy the limelight, or maybe he feels like he's not needed since almost every artist on the country radio sounds like him. Whatever the reason, I left the album confused. The songwriting and content is fine but i'm just left thinking "Is that really the album that Sam Hunt just released?"

I couldn’t agree more with your review. You nailed this one. Thank you for your honestly and this review felt just right! You’re 100%. Def a challenging task to review this album

This just shows the outcome and emptiness many people feel when they put their hope in a someone who isn’t Jesus. People will always fail you but God will never leave you and you can always be content in Him!

This is absolute favourite album lately. 1st album I have listened to album cover to cover on repeat, forced me to listen his 1st album again. Sam Hunt is a fresh take on country scene with just enough country flavour ❤

Stopped working on my AP Bio to watch this

I waited 6 years for this album. 6 YEARS!!!!!

really don’t know how to feel about this album because i’ve listened to john denver, cash, willie, waylon all quarantine

I do actually really like the album as a whole no matter the genre debate! But I love to watch your reviews as I think you always put together a good video, and I was looking forward to hearing your opinions on Southside and I was not disappointed by this video!!!

You read my mind with this. I 100% agree with everything you said

Anyone saying this isn't country is out of their minds. Sure maybe its not your style of country, thats fine, but we're always saying all you need is "three chords and the truth." If there's one thing this album has its honesty. Every single song on here (yes, even body like a back road) is distinctly and uniquely Sam Hunt's voice. 6 years ago i said I thought we'd look back on Montevallo as one of the most "important" country music albums of the era. Southside just makes me believe that all the more. Sam Hunt has found a way to infuse country with pop/r&b without losing authenticity that noone else has.

The one thing I hate whenever Sam Hunt is brought up is NOBODY talks about his acoustic album ever. Like if you're so against him as a country singer and think he can only play pop, please listen to Between the Pines. So many good acoustic songs on there that would please this audience

I'm interested in listening to this now that I've seen this review.

Hi Grady, LOVE your channel, interested in this album. I was most drawn to "Breakin' Up Was in the 90's" when I saw the track listing; was hoping for something a la "Ladies in the 90's" by Lauren Alaina; I thought the last minute, which is mostly instrumental, would have been a great time to sample some hooks of major 90's breakup country songs but I could not discern anything. I did like the slinky steel guitar at 3:15. Totally agree with you on the review, great video!

"This album feels like a great soundtrack for end-of-reality-show montages, with hot, sad models in LA who are all breaking up with each other and smoking on their balconies." Great way to summarize modern pop music.

Awesome video Grady!!

I know I'm late to the party, but I actually like this album. I like Sam Hunt. Slightly shocked I'm saying this, and maybe its because I've been quarantined too long. But I actually appreciate the fact that its different. I don't necessarily think its country. But I appreciate the artistry if we look outside of genre. Coming from somebody who was raised on the Eric Church, George Strait and Craig Morgan types this is a far leap. But let me tell you I can totally get behind it. Also, your channel is fantastic. It was an exciting discovery on a quarantine deep dive on youtube 👍

8:41 Lmao same brother, same

I think Sam Hunt is a complicated and an interesting artist. His production is god awful bad but he is a good songwriter. In interviews he come across as smart and reflective. He just needs to change the production. I remember watching or reading an interview with him where he said he likes the more traditional side of country. I think perhaps he is nervous to go down that route since this pop stuff has been very successful for him. However, Sam does have a lot of potential and has something to say even if he buries it in his songs. He's also really hot!

You’re so well spoken with these reviews and your whole channel!

Absolutely hit the nail on the head here

As someone who listens to a huge variety of music, from heavy metal to pop punk to rap to country, I love the fusion of everything. I think that can be hard to love if you don’t have a large variety in genre taste, as you don’t appreciate certain aspects that other genres really teach you to appreciate, and for that reason I can definitely understand why people who are big fans of more traditional country do not like Sam Hunt as much.

The traditional-country genre snobbery is getting old. Other genres are allowed to develop in as unique of directions as they want to, and I don't get why country fans can't grasp that. I personally like Sam Hunt a lot. I don't listen to country music based on how "country" it sounds, I listen based on the unique talents and sounds that belong to different artists in their right. I don't see why it matters whether or not it borrows from other genres, but whatever. As someone who listens to everything, I love when everything crosses over. Whatever, like what you like. Excited the album is here.

I don’t wanna argue whether this is country or not. I just appreciate Sam Hunt’s unique style in this album. I think it’s fun to listen to for the most part. I still think his best album is the acoustic mixtape “Between the Pines” but I thunk the album is good if you come at it from the perspective that it’s supposed to be it’s own thing and not really fit in with a genre

Sam Hunt isn’t for me. I’m a bigger fan of traditional sound. However I concede in terms of pop country, he is the best of the best. Dustin Lynch and others come across as dull, trying to play both camps. Sam Hunt goes all the way, so you’ve got interesting pop soundscapes created. So I respect him a lot for taking that leap like Taylor Swift. It’s still good music, even if it’s not exactly “Country” music.

So I’m going to admit it: I loved Montevallo. For some reason, though, I was very disappointed when I first heard “Downtown’s Dead”, for sounding exactly how I expected it to 😂 I guess I was just wanting or expecting a different sound from him? If that makes sense. I honestly haven’t listened to the whole album after hearing that and Kinfolks for that reason.

Was interested in your opinion on this. Listened to this and as a Country fan, still like him but not a country album as I know a country album to be. Still great artist though.

Listen. Hunt and Luke need to follow Tay Tay over to the pop world and leave country behind.

Haha, you reminded me of the Randy Travis song "1982" by mentioning the retrospective mood of the album.

Great review. Some really interesting points. Particularly the “all roads lead to her”. The ending of the album is the “her” (his wife) playing piano at the end of drinking too much. So I guess, starting off with an apology (2016) and all roads leading to her in the end.

I really like this album I don’t consider it country but I really enjoy it

I feel like the f*ckboy energy you talk about is the opposite of the Keith Urban/Dan+Shay boyfriend country and I respect that he's willing to open himself up to that personal criticism to paint a more accurate picture of a real, messy relationship