this album is what main stream country has been missing. the soul of country that the genre was formed on is starting to find its way into mainstream again, Zach did a great job
I read an article about half a year ago that went deep into what you’re saying. It touched on how you could get a pulse on the US/the economy based on how popular country music is in the mainstream/what type of country is popular. Pop song blue jean anthems vs songs about hardship like a lot of Zach or Tyler Childers. Wish I could find that article again.
@@decline1129country music will always be the heart of american music. to be fair, the hold it has on american society since the 50’s is hard to ignore, considering it’s the been the soundtrack for a lot of american culture for a while. so it would make sense that, the economy or certain products/companies, would have an economic rise with whatever song is popular in country music, take morgan wallen he had the billboard charts in a chokehold for half the year. I would love to see country take a turn for a more emotional and heartfelt place. would really start to see artists stretch their wings as an artist.
If you haven’t heard it check out his live album All My Homies Hate Ticketmaster, maybe my favorite live album of all time and a great way to get to know all of his best songs
never been a huge country fan but zach bryan has become one of my favorite artists of all time as I've delved into his discography. he always tugs at my heartstrings and i love it
Thank you thank you thank you Fantano for reviewing this. I gave you a break on his last one because it was 30+ songs, but I am so glad you gave this a shot because Zach is so amazing. Also Hey Driver favorite song of the year for me
Been a whole ass country hater but damn. This album is one of my favorites this year. Got put onto it by a friend and I just about laughed him off and then the EP dropped w/ a Noah Kahan ft and I decided to give the album a chance, very glad I did.
Your the best Fantano! I’ll listen to one song sort of like it and then your criticism of its ‘I’ll-defined’ repetitive instrumental reminds me I’m just hypnotized 😵💫
I was literally listening to this album 15 minutes ago and loved it and was wondering why you hadnt dropped a review yet... and then i go online and discover that you dropped one right after like wtf melon stop stalking me
Zach is such an awesome artist! Been listening to his stuff since the Elisabeth album. Loved this album, especially Hey Driver and Oklahoma Son. Would love to see you review the new Turnpike Troubadour album, "A Cat in the Rain", for some more country music reviews.
I second the comments saying you should review Gabe Lee. Also Paul Cauthen is putting out some crazy and experimental singles in the leadup to his new album that are mixing country, funk, and disco with a bit of Swordfish Trombones era Tom Waits in there. Would love to hear your review of him as well.
Very happy about the 8 here but once again his least favorite tracks are my absolute favorites… the production on Smaller Acts makes it sound like he’s playing a song for you by a campfire… it’s incredible.
Zach Bryan is absolutely brilliant. Through and through breath of fresh air in a genre I'd had my worries about. How in the hell you didnt mention the poem is beyond me though.
This was my first time ever listening to a country album in full, actually. And it was incredible. I adored Something in the Orange when I first heard it, so naturally I was inclined to hear more of what Zach Bryan brought to the table, but felt overwhelmed by the two hour long ask of American Heartbreak. And then this comes along, and it's insanely powerful and moving from start to finish. The fact that the opening poem alone is better than some entire albums I've heard speaks volumes, and most of the actual tracks like Overtime, East Side of Sorrow, Holy Roller, Jake's Piano - Long Island, El Dorado, and of course I Remember Everything push the boundaries in terms of songwriting and production. I'm so glad this album became a hit!
I feel like he’s more so the Nirvana of country music. Grady Smith said it in his video, but I feel like the bro country phase was the hair metal of country music, and the Indy country movement similar to grunge. If you haven’t seen it, go check it out, it’s pretty fascinating.
Perfect comparisons. I’ve been comparing him to Bruce for a while. And the fact you brought up bright eyes is wild but something I’ve thought about a lot. Great review
Personally, I love Zach but I really didn't expect such a high score from you. I'm really glad to hear it though. People like him are fixing country music
Amazing album. Has some awesome highlights. It's no American Heartbreak, but it's exactly what we needed from him right now. I do disagree with what you said about Torniquet, though. That was one of the best on the album.
Smaller Acts in the album is a voice memo from his iPhone. That is why you hear so much background noise (which can be a bit overwhelming at times). The song would be incredible properly recorded.
Imo I personally rate American Heartbreak higher than this current album. Alternatively, there are just so many songs on that album that it has a bit for everyone which is why I am probably that fond of it.
Second this! Imo Gabe Lee is the most exciting artist and one of the best songwriters in country at the moment. He's done many different types of country and Americana and does them all so well.
Please check out "Bewitched" by Laufey. She is an up-and-coming artist fusing jazz with classical music and is being credited with starting the modern revival of jazz. This album is enchanting.
I'm not a huge country fan, and the connections between rap and country are very similar to the contemporaries in the mainstream. Zach brought life and fire back into the country scene that mainstream artists wanted to steal from hip-hop. This record kicks ass, as American as it gets, and pays homage to the big boys like Cash, Denver, and HW. Excellent and one of my favorite country albums ever. It feels like I'm at my grandpa's listening to Johnny Cash on the deck and having a drink. Miss him every day
I sob almost everytime I listen to I remember everything, I first listened to it when I was having really similar insecurities about my own relationship to the issues the song talks about, and has been the source of a lot of personal self reflection and healing for me. Modern Country music has always felt foreign and alien to me, but good lord this album speaks to me
you can see undercurrents with indie folk hitting its stride like Hovvdy, more recent stuff by Toro y Moi, certain tracks by Slow Pulp, Toledo, Big Thief to name a few. Capturing a cultural sense of sincerity that probably marks a cultural shift into meta modernism .
I like Zach Bryan but I have a hard time classifying this album as “Country.” There are definitely country elements but it sounds more like an indie or folk album to me. It’s not a criticism at all, just don’t understand why people are saying this album is “saving country music” when it’s not really a country album
Are you gonna do a review on the new Peep and X? Also id love your take on how both of there camps are releasing music, especially now that peeps mom has all the rights to his music now
Tourniquet is critiqued? One of his better songs. It’s so raw and emotion evoking. That’s the point of having the an “ill defined melody” it helps with the evoking of emotion. A man struggling to control his emotions is not a sharp man.
Important update: Jack Bryan got arrested today in my home town of Tulsa, Oklahoma :) the story is that he got into an argument with the cop and their feefees were hurt so they threw him in the can
I do appreciate Fantanos review of this album and of course there is always a place for criticism, but I have to say, leave it to Fantano to critique the shit out of Tourniqet, one of the most emotional and beautiful songs on the entire album lmao
It’s interesting because I’ve only ever heard Zach Bryan and also Noah Kahan when someone else has played them. And neither has ever really moved me. Really confusing buzz around these two in particular.
He came out before the album released and said it was produced for/by himself not for anyone else, which is why I think it’s self titled. It’s supposed to be personal
