#hey driver

[littleseger]

i loved him like the sad tunes made by calloused fingers on the guitar of a boy with nothing left to live for.

[ultrakeencollectionbreadfan]

So, I only just found out about Netflix and Warner Animation's upcoming version of Green Eggs and Ham. Based on the teaser and the synopsis, it sounds like it's going to be absolutely insane. It seems it'll be a combination road comedy/secret agent series, sort of like Looney Tunes: Back in Action, only with more whimsy and couplets. My feelings for this are complicated, so instead of telling you about them, I will play this song:

[bran-ridire]

Comes the morning and the headlights fade away Hundred thousand people, I'm the one they blame I've been waiting long for one of us to say "Save the darkness, let it never fade away"

[poetrywithapurpose]

[clementinatehasperdido]

Hey Driver (feat. The War and Treaty)

Zach Bryan, The War and Treaty · Song · 2023

Hey, driver, I'm so tired Of the ways of this old world Just drive until the tires melt We'll come back when it's healed

[falloutbradreviews]

Zach Bryan - S/T

Country music (and to some extent, folk and Americana music) is a style of music that I’ve had a complicated relationship with over the years. My parents listened to it exclusively growing up, so I knew a lot of 90s and 00s artists, but I got into alternative music because I wanted something that was “mine.” As a child, especially a teenager, you want something that’s yours. You want to feel like you have your own identity, but I just didn’t like country at the time. For many years later, I still didn’t like it, at least to the point where I’d call myself a fan. I’ve reviewed plenty of country albums over the years, but I don’t have many country albums that I’d consider to be my all time favorites. That’s been starting to change, though, because one artist that has risen up the ranks of my favorites is Oklahoma native Zach Bryan.

I could write a whole piece on his seemingly strange and interesting rise to fame, but long story short, Bryan was in the Navy and started posting videos on Tik Tok during 2019, and that led to him self-releasing two albums before landing a record deal with Warner Nashville in 2020. Last year saw him get his first charting single, “Something In The Orange,” and release a 34-song triple album entitled American Heartbreak, as well as a surprise EP a few months later in the form of Summertime Blues with songs that didn’t fit the narrative or themes of American Heartbreak. It was already a lot to release a 34-song triple album that clocked in at 2 hours, but to release another EP and a few one-off singles? That’s insane, but Bryan has amassed a diehard following, and you can all myself one of those diehards.

I’ve been a huge fan of his work for the last few years, especially since 2020’s Quiet Heavy Dreams EP, where I personally feel as though he found his voice, but American Heartbreak and Summertime Blues cemented how much I love his music and resonate with it. His newly released self-titled album only began being talked about a couple of weeks ago, if that, so it was a great surprise that we got a new record from him in such a short amount of time. The record is also interesting because it has a handful of guest spots on it, including Sierra Ferrell, The War & Treaty, and Kacey Musgraves, of all people, but the song she does with Bryan, “I Remember Everything,” is certainly a highlight. It might even be my favorite song, but this is one of those albums where my favorite song constantly changes. Every time I listen to the record, my favorite tends to change. I find something new to enjoy about a song with each subsequent listen, so my favorites reflect that, but that’s a good sign when an album can have so many potential favorites.

The thing about Zach Bryan’s self-titled album is that you can make the argument that the album is too long, the production is very inconsistent, and some songs are definitely better than others, but when it comes to Zach Bryan, it doesn’t matter. People are going to love this album regardless, myself included, warts and all. Bryan said he self-titled this album because it was his most personal batch of songs to date and you can hear it. Part of what makes this album so magical for me are the vocals and lyrics. Bryan has always been a storyteller, starting off with himself and then branching out to other characters, but this album goes back to his roots and talks about himself. It feels very raw, stripped back, and personal, especially when the production reflects that. A lot of fans have said that this album feels like demos stitched together, but that’s part of its charm for me. That’s not a bad thing.

Sure, this album is 54 minutes long, and the album is top heavy, but a lot of great songs are at the end. Hell, Bryan’s worst songs are what would be considered other artists’ best songs, and that should say a lot about him. There are a lot of highlights here, such as “I Remember Everything,” “Hey Driver,” “Ticking,” “Smaller Acts,” “East Side Of Sorrow,” “Overtime,” “Fear and Friday’s” (both the poem that opens the album and the song), and “Holy Roller,” but there are tracks that sort of pale in comparison. I wouldn’t get rid of anything on this album, though. Everything feels necessary, and cutting anything would just feel wrong.

Zach Bryan is about to have a great week on the Billboard charts this week. It seems like the whole album charted, and good for him, but it’s unfortunate that he released his new record at the same time that Jason Aldean and Oliver Anthony are conservative heroes, for the lack of a better, so country music doesn’t have the best look, especially with Morgan Wallen being the face of the genre, too. Those artists shouldn’t be in the same conversation as Bryan, but there is an argument that can be made about whether those songs helped this album to be as popular as it is, since country music is having a good year (even if what’s popular isn’t good). Bryan has been on the rise for the last few years, however, so the reason is irrelevant, but what matters is that this might be his superstar moment, and this record is deserving of that. It might be his best album to date, but something in the orange tells me he’s not done.

[lx4l]

[beyondthemic]

Lucky Boys Confusion - Hey Driver

I just learned a few minutes ago that one of my favorite HS childhood bands, Lucky Boys Confusion (IL represent!) is still making music! As recently as a few months ago they were confirming a new album is in the works.. 

When I first learned guitar back in the day and it was considered ‘kewl’ to be bands, one of the first tabs I was ever handed was Bossman, posted below. I remember trying to match my fingers to the tab and couldn’t get anywhere near as fast as how they were playing in the song.. clearly, I wasn’t invited to be in that band! Still fun memories, and I even got to see them before once before they went on hiatus for a while. Fun, easy, pop-punk band; great memory of that time.