Albums Rated, Zach Bryan
August 25th was a big day for all country fans with the long-awaited release of Zach Bryan to all listening platforms. So far, the album has done nothing but live up to expectations with 16 tracks that are sure to stir up all kinds of feelings you probably didn’t even know you had. Pitchfork, a website that reviews music went on record saying, “it’s clear why he’s thriving on country radio”. They went on to praise his ability to write hooks that keep people coming back. People much like you and me. The following 3 song list is my top picks from the album. When ranking the songs, I look for a few factors. Did the song convey a deeper message, perhaps a story? Did the song reach or relate to me? Was the song appealing to listen to? (did it sound good). Of course, your opinion is bound to be different than mine. Again, these are my top 3 songs from the album.
Tourniquet, Rated as an 9.0
For me, Tourniquet is the best song on the album by far. Zach is telling the story of someone who wants the best for their partner. They realize that their partner (most likely Zach) has been through a lot, people have hurt him, he’s hurt others, and he’s on the road for shows so he is hardly home. We see that this person has presumably been here with Zach for a while now because they talk of his story and his upbringing. Perhaps this upbringing is what separated them. The speaker talks of how all they want to do is take care of him and be their for him. They even mention how they heard he has messed it up with another girl. This suggests that this relationship has been gone for a while, but the speaker still thinks about being with her long-lost partner. Overall, this song gives the listener a look at the opposite end of a severed relationship. One person has lingering feelings but can only watch from afar and reminisce about being that person’s support system yet again. On top of this the song deals with the themes of loss, alcoholism, and love. The song utilizes a piano which seems to be a new common theme in this album. It adds another layer of depth to the songs that weren’t always present in prior songs. The song is very dramatic, and the melody alone conveys Zach’s feelings to the listener.
I Remember Everything (Ft, Kacey Musgraves), Rated as an 8.6
I Remember Everything is the story of another past relationship. Zach talks about how he remembers everything about his past love, speculated to be with his ex-wife Rose. The song is from the perspective of Zach and how when he drinks heavily his mind is put at ease. He remembers the good times with this partner. All the time they spent together. He talks of how he remembers eveything about her and wonders if she also remembers him as well as he does her. Kacey’s feature is a very important one in this track. She takes the place of the past partner. She talks about Zachs drinking and she wished he would ease her mind. This gives hints at what this relationship was like. It allows the listener to have a glimpse at Zach’s life. Like many of us, he cannot control himself or his emotions and perhaps this is what drives his partner away. The song makes the listener think of someone they have driven away or someone that they remember fondly. This track highlights what memories can do to a person. Mary Sikory from Consequence.net praises the melody saying “there’s a wistfulness to” this track. The song starts off slow and rather monotonously, foreshadowing the deeper meaning of the upcoming lyrics. Zach’s voice never disappoints, and Kacey does an outstanding job with her feature on this track. She really ties it up nicely, giving further meaning to the track.
Smaller Acts, Rated as an 8.5
Smaller Acts highlight the beauty in girls who like the little details. A lot of times women will get caught up in the big things that are harder for men to provide, and this is rather unattractive for men. Zach talks about a woman of interest who is into smaller acts. Simple acts that mean the world to her. The track serves as a reminder to men that these things may often seem unappreciated, but these are the acts that will win over women. The track was recorded outside, the listener can hear frogs croaking in the background. This is a detail that I really appreciated. It took me back to the days of Zach’s first album Quiet Heavy Dreams. Around this time in his career, Zach was recording a lot of his songs in crude and unorthodox areas. Fans loved this because it showed that Zach was different than other mainstream country artists. It added a layer of authenticity. To hear the frog in Smaller Acts was a great call back and shows that he hasn’t driven too far away from his roots.
