Monday Mixtape, Vol. 223

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Over the many years since I met my wife, I have slowly warmed up to country music. It’s the genre du jour at her family’s house. I got introduced to legends like Waylon Jennings and Garth Brooks and newcomers like Midland. Not to mention Kacey Musgraves, who I was following by the time the classic, Golden Hour, came out and was my #1 Album of 2018.

Welp, I there’s another classic album to add to the repertoire: Morgan Wallen’s One Thing At A Time.

My first few thoughts when I heard this album:

  • There are like 8-12 legit hit songs on this album.

  • I’ve never heard an album that’s 36 tracks long I can play all the way through.

  • He’s very clever with words and melodies.

  • He’s a musical shapeshifter, fitting into different molds of music like rap (“Sunrise” and “180 (Lifestyle)”), John Mayer pop rock (“One Thing At A Time” and “Me + All Your Reasons”), Kings of Leon (“Hope That’s True” and the general tone of a specific reverb-y electric guitar you’ll hear throughout), and of course, country, but in so many sub-genres.

  • This will have to be one of my top albums, if not my #1 album of the year.

I don’t care if you don’t like country, this album’s worth a try. And it’s really lame if you were like me and have ever said, “I like everything but country.” No, you don’t. You just haven’t found your country.

I added some other great tracks to round out Mr. Wallen, including the powerful “Never Learned To Dance” by Medium Build, a new artist I just discovered. There’s something so emotionally bare about this song, and it’s chrous. Some great lines in the song, none more powerful, “The things that I don’t know could build a million fucking houses.” I feel ya, man.

Have a good week!

Monday Mixtape, Vol. 207

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It’s been a long time. Months. It’s felt like years. I’ve been through some crazy shit. It’s been a journey I will never forget, and I have the scars to prove it. But I made it, and I’m so happy to be back, writing, listening, and loving life.

There’s so much new music, new artists, new playlists, and more to share. I can’t wait to get back into it, refreshed and ready to rock.

Thanks for staying with me!