Photo courtesy of Country Weekly
There is a
saying that “nothing good ever happens after midnight”, but that was before
Chris Young’s latest album. Young’s A.M.
is all about the things that happen in the wee hours of the morning. Whether
it’s staying for one more drink that turned into one too many, or feeling
lonely and needing love, Young’s songs touch upon the parts of our lives that
never see the daylight. With a sound much more mature than previous Neon and The Man I Want To Be; Young’s fourth album is his best by far. He
has expanded his range from twangy country ballads to a much stronger country
rock sound. Even with this growth, Young has stayed true to his roots. He still
sounds like the Chris Young that fans have come to love but he has developed
his craft to become a better version of himself.
Previously known for his slower
songs, Young picks up the tempo on this record with infectious tracks that you
can groove to all night long and into the morning. Young is the perfect balance
between Luke Bryan or Billy Currington and Jason Aldean. He is unique in the
fact that his voice has a sweet richness to it, like Bryan’s or Currington’s. But
it also has a gritty soulfulness that is much more similar to Aldean’s
voice. For those outside of the country
music realm, Chris Young is the country version of Adam Levine. Levine is one
of those artists who can sing a sweet pop song one minute and then rock a
stadium the next. Throw a little country flavor into that mix and you’ll have
what Chris Young has done with his latest album. The following is a
song-by-song deconstruction of Young’s latest album A.M.:
1)
Aw
Naw
“Aw naw, it would be so wrong if we
didn’t dance one more song, show off those jeans you painted on.” The first song on the album is a fun,
rocking, party song. It is what a Saturday night with your best friends would
sound like: an effortlessly good time. Young’s deep voice draws you in and
makes you want to dance along with him. “Aw
Naw” demonstrates Young’s growth as an artist perfectly. It is up-tempo with
rock influence that even those who do not like country music would enjoy
listening to. It is the perfect opening song and sets the tone for the rest of
the album.
2)
Hold
You To It
“I love the way you're movin', feel the
backbeat groovin', I'm gonna hold you to it.” “Hold You To It” is the typical country
play on words, and you can almost tell where the story of the song is going
before it even begins. This song is closer to Young’s older music. It is
extremely reminiscent of “Getting’ You Home”, but Young still maintains the fun
and up-tempo theme of A.M.
3)
Lonely
Eyes
“Look at me, and I think you'll see those
lonely eyes don't have to be alone tonight” The relatable nature of country music is extremely present
in this song. Everyone has been lonely at one point or another, and it’s always
that much worse to be lonely and “looking for something” (as Young puts it)
late at night. “Lonely Eyes” is a slower tempo than the previous songs but it
is still not a ballad. The guitar and drums keep the song from moving too slow.
4)
Goodbye
“So whatever you do don't let us die. The
love of a lifetime is worth at least a million tries. Baby what we got is too
good for goodbye.” “Goodbye”
is by far the best track on the album. It is a heartbreakingly beautiful
ballad. Anyone who has gone through a break up can relate to this song in one
way or another. Despite it being a ballad, Young manages to keep this song
relatively up beat with the guitars and drums in the background. His dynamic
voice reaches through the speakers and tears at your heart with every hushed
verse and powerful chorus.
5)
A.M.
“Spendin' what you spent the week makin',
ask a little hottie what her name is. The whole world's asleep, but we're wide
awake in the A.M.” This
is another great song for those people who may not be the biggest fans of
country music. It is similar to some Jason Aldean songs, particularly with the
strong electric guitar presence. “A.M.” is simply a toe-tappin’ head-noddin’
good time.
6)
Nothing
But the Cooler Left
“Y'all sing along, this night ain't over
yet. We're gonna stay right here til there's nothing but the cooler left.” With this song, Young gets back to a more
typical country music feel. It manages not to be too twangy, but there is not
nearly as much of a rock influence as the other songs on the album. It
maintains the “good times” theme that is present throughout all of A.M. and is the perfect soundtrack to
summertime tailgating.
Photo courtesy of KORA 98.3 FM
7)
Who
I Am With You
“And when I'm holdin' you, it feels like
I've got the world in my hands. Yeah, a better man is who I am with you.” This song is an outright power ballad,
and is closer to Young’s older music. For a man who has made most of his music
career singing these types of songs, it should come as no surprise that he
would excel at them. But it is still remarkable to hear the way his voice
shines throughout the music with a touching mixture of strength and
vulnerability that few musicians can master. True to country music, this song
is an extremely beautiful sentiment and fills the listener with all sorts of
warm and fuzzy feelings.
8)
Text
Me Texas
“Gotta feelin' that you're not alone.
It's breakin' my heart and I'm startin' get the message. Come on and text me,
Texas.” In an otherwise
tight album, this song is the obvious odd man out. While the title and wording
of the song is clever, it just doesn’t fit into the album. The rest of the
songs are either power party songs or power ballads, but this song totally
deviates from that musical theme. It has a Kenny Chesney or Jack Johnson feel
to it with its laid-back music and drawn out lyrics. “Text Me Texas” sounds as
if it should be listened to while sitting underneath a palm tree rather than
sitting at a barstool. The song is not terrible, but it is too slow moving for
this specific record and it disrupts the flow.
9)
We’re
Gonna Find It Tonight
“This ain't any candlelight, warm glass
of wine night it's more a whiskey water drink that's on the rocks kind.” Young gets back to what this album is all
about with “We’re Gonna Find It Tonight”. The story of the song is similar to
“I Don’t Want This Night To End” by Luke Bryan, as are the instrumentals.
However, where Bryan’s song is on the soft, sweeter side of country, Young’s is
faster paced with subtle rock influence. With this being his third infectious
party song in this album, Young really establishes himself as a force to be
reckoned with in this country/rock genre. Despite the fact that he is new to
this style, it’s as if he has been playing this type of music all his life. His
voice is a natural fit with the powerful electric guitar and drums.
10) Forgiveness
“And one sleepless night it dawned on me.
The piece I need so desperately is buried in the one place I can't get to.
Girl, it's gotta come from you.” This
is a beautiful song about the difficulties of finding peace of mind and what is
really important in life. The highs and lows fit Chris’ voice perfectly and
show off his impeccable range. However, this song is not for non-country
people. There is very little rock influence and it has a slight twang to it.
11) Lighters In the Air
“Just one night to hold you, no, that
ain't what I call fair. But the memories burn in my mind like those lighters in
the air.” Conceptually
similar to “Springsteen” by Eric Church, “Lighters” paints a vivid picture that
can bring anyone back to their first concert. It tells the story of that
quintessential summer night which changes everything. The lyrics and music are
so artfully put together that you feel as though you have lived this moment
yourself. If you close your eyes you can almost feel the breeze on your face
and smell the smoke in the air. By closing the album with “Lighters” it
is as if Young were closing out a concert and asking all his fans to put their
lighters in the air. It is the perfect conclusion to an excellent album, and
ties everything together nicely.
Young’s
talent really shines in this album. He has a rich, soulful tone unlike any
other voice on country radio today. The songs on A.M. show this off perfectly, with a dynamic combination of low
dips and growls matched with soaring high notes. A.M. is powerful and irresistible. Between his rock-infused
up-tempo songs and his classic country ballads, Young mixes it up and keeps
things interesting throughout the entirety of the album. Young has done what is
difficult for so many other artists: he has managed to mature and upgrade his
music without changing himself completely. There is not one song on this record
that could not be a hit single on the radio.
Photo courtesy of Taste of Country
Awesome review!
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