MINDFUL MELODY
  • Home
  • About
  • Contact
  • The Magazine
  • The Articles
  • Home
  • About
  • Contact
  • The Magazine
  • The Articles
Search

LATEST POSTS

A selection of articles from all our issues - go to 'The Magazine' to read them all, including exclusive interviews from Aston Barrett Jr., Niko Moon, Serena Ryder, Canaan Smith and many more...

Zac Brown Band - 'The Comeback' In Name and Nature

1/19/2022

0 Comments

 

Maxim Mower and David Dawson

Picture
Zac Brown Band is like gateway country. They're the ones that pull you in and turn you into a fan, selling you on that country dream – the sunsets and the sweet life. It’s safe to say, therefore, that expectations were high for their new record, especially as the majority of it had already come out on the brilliant ‘Fun Havin Fun’ and ‘Slow Burn’ EPs. Both EPs had offered slightly different takes and emotions so I was interested to see how the album would come together. Their previous offering The Owl was actually a strong showing, despite it being much maligned for its pop and EDM influences, but even so, it’s exciting to see Zac’s group returning to their Country roots on The Comeback.

The album opens on a high with a series of stadium-rock tinged tracks. ‘Slow Burn’ launches straight into what sounds like the climax of a Coldplay song before peeling back again for the verse. In typical Zac Brown style it’s an anthem of reminiscing; summer, the radio and young love are all at the centre of this emotive opening. The song is about how great memories don’t fade. It somehow manages to be happy and sad at the same time - I’m not sure how they achieved it but nevertheless, a fantastic song.

‘Out in the Middle’ is a more rugged stand-out, and Luke Combs’ co-writing influence is evident throughout. The song again focuses on the idealised country lifestyle with an emphasis on cutting loose, suggesting that the week is for hard work but when Friday evening comes things really do get out of hand. The song also has an underlying pride and what feels like a defence of the country life, with references to city folk and people having dreams of a concrete world, before Zac proudly bellows, “Out in the middle of nowhere, that’s where I want to be”. It’s a solid start, without yet reaching the sonic heights that ZBB fans had grown accustomed to before they began experimenting with their sound.

‘Same Boat’ is a great song. It’s ZBB at their playful, sun-soaked best, and runs more in the vein of the band’s light-hearted hits like ‘Toes’ and ‘Chicken Fried’. It also carries a great message through some great lyrics. A short description doesn’t do it much justice, but essentially the song suggests that really we aren’t too different. We all get heartbroken, lose money, grow old and have been hurt from time to time. It’s a call for empathy, with lines about walking a mile in other people’s shoes and respectfully agreeing to disagree on certain things. This is just one of those classic country songs that makes you dream of a simpler world and it’s no surprise that this has been the most successful single from the record, with its ‘come together’ message and addictive, uplifting hook.

‘Fun Having Fun’ is incredible. A song with two ‘funs’ in the title gives itself a lot to live up to but it has to be one of the best songs of 2021, let alone the album. The track moves into a distinctively bluegrass style with a beat that seems to move at a million miles an hour accompanied by a banjo and fiddle. The song contains stories about a young Zac getting into all sorts of trouble by driving and crashing his grandad’s truck when he was just eight - yes, eight - and inadvertently setting fire to the hayloft. It’s a great listen with wacky sound effects and a whimsical delivery, which involves Zac impersonating various characters in the stories and a carefree guitar that races away - quite literally, during the chase scene - and takes on a life of its own. The chorus and the message of the song are what I love the most. When confronted at the end of his mischiefs, Zac proclaims, “It’s fun having fun, there’s only so many trips around the sun”. The song takes an almost nihilistic stance that we are only here for a short time and a life without mistakes is boring. The title couldn’t be more appropriate, because this is Fun with a capital ‘F’, and Zac presents a convincing case in favour of this song’s cri-de-coeur that “the worst decisions make the best stories”. The song beautifully portrays the idea that we should stop worrying so much about the future and just enjoy the time we have, or you might miss the fun of blowing stuff up! If you want an easy laugh, a song to tap your foot too and a reason to adopt a more laissez-faire attitude to life make sure you give this track a listen.

BB’s jovial, carpe-diem songs often gain the most attention, and arguably rightly so, because few other artists can match their strength in this department. But never underestimate a classic ZBB sad song - the likes of ‘Highway 20 Ride’, ‘Colder Weather’ and ‘My Old Man’ are, in my opinion, some of the most moving and beautiful Country songs out there. The bluer side of The Comeback is found in tracks such as ‘Wild Palomino’, the sparse production of which really allows Zac’s vocals to shine - the second verse is virtually a cappella, making it all the more touching - and ‘Any Day Now’, which finds Zac in a familiar role as the ramblin’ man trying to make amends with a lost love. The title track also fits the bill. The song opens by focusing on a world stricken by the pandemic before hanging hopes on a positive future, with a ‘making lemonade from lemons’ sort of feel. The gospel choir really makes it for me and you can’t help but feel positive as they accompany Zac singing about making a better world for the next generations. I have to admit though, putting my negativity hat on, that this song was sort of unwelcome for me on the album. As great of a listen as it was, we’ve all spent the best part of two years hearing nothing but talk of the pandemic. I use music to escape and although the song was generally upbeat about the situation, I listen to Zac Brown to dream of wild horses, whiskey, barbecues and the simple life – I don’t really want to be reminded of Covid. I think it doesn’t help that it follows straight on from ‘Fun Having Fun’, which is just all about fun and letting go, to then suddenly get serious and start talking about Covid just brought me straight back down from my high when I was listening to the album all the way through.

‘Paradise Lost on Me’ follows on and takes us back to that classic Zac Brown brand of escapism. This time, instead of the country lifestyle, we go for the holiday vibe. Margaritas and sandy beaches make up some of the idyllic holiday descriptions, before Zac gets all gushy and says that without the woman he loves it’s just ‘Paradise Lost on Me’. I like this song a lot. It’s chilled out, easy going, sweet and fun.

​
For some time now, it’s felt as though Zac has been at odds with his original fanbase, receiving flack for straying away from Country into other genres, such as on his EDM Sir Rosevelt project and his solo album. In turn, he has criticised those who try and pin him down into that ever-present ‘box’ that artists always seem to be trying to escape from. I think ZBB have covered so much musical ground since the ‘pure Country’ of The Foundation and You Get What You Give, that it would almost feel forced and superficial to try and return entirely to this when the group clearly have a different vision. The Comeback presents a perfect compromise, not ‘coming back’ wholeheartedly to their original sound, but giving us a good portion of that classic ZBB we all crave. Either way, it certainly returns them to their rightful pedestal at the top of Country music. The only issue is now I don’t know whether to book a holiday, hug my loved ones or set a haybarn on fire!!
0 Comments

    Buy print editions of Mindful Melody Issue 11 below!

    Buy now

      Subscribe below to get each issue straight to your inbox!

    Subscribe to Mindful Melody

    Articles List

    All
    Adam Douglas On His 'middle-aged Mental Health Awakening'
    Adele & Andy Find Perfect Harmony On 'Where I Belong' EP
    Ajeet: Review And Interview
    Album Review: Mac McAnally’s ‘Once In A Lifetime’ Is Both A Soundtrack And An Antidote For Our Times
    Am I Right To Be Optimistic About 2021?
    And A Little Help From The Forest
    And Being Born For The Stage
    And No Shoes Nation: How Fan Clubs Are Easing Lockdown Loneliness
    Andy Franks Interview - Music Support: Meet The Music Industry Veteran Working For Change
    A New Way Forward For Musical Theatre?
    An Interview With: Mesita
    An Interview With Thomas Corneill From Young Martyrs - Navigating Life As A Full-time Musician
    An Interview With Ziggy Alberts: Bringing Unity Through Music
    Are Biopics Good For Fans?
    A Review Of: Petrichor – Jon Reynolds & The Aches Something For Everyone
    A Talk With The Lead Wailer: Aston Barrett Jr
    Bo Burnham's 'INSIDE' - Dark Comedy And Music Combine
    Bootleggers
    Breaking The Boundaries Of Genre And Mood An Interview With Jon Reynolds
    But I Think We Will Find A Common Ground": Finn Matthews Interview
    Can Music Be Your Coping Mechanism?
    Carl Falk Interview: The Avicii Hitmaker On Friendship
    Channel Your Negativity Into Creativity
    Charlotte Young: Tackling Positivity And Negativity (Sometimes Simultaneously!)
    Christmas Music: The Marmite Of The Charts
    'Chris Tomlin & Friends': Joy That Transcends Religion
    Clipping. – Visions Of Bodies Being Burned Review
    Directioners
    Does Listening To Music Help Us Study?
    Don't Have Time To Create A Vision-board? Try This 'audio-board' Alternative
    “Don’t You Know That You’re Toxic?”: Why The Music Industry Really Is A 'poisoned Paradise' (Yingmin Khoo Guest Post)
    Emma Moore Interview Finding Self-Love In Music And Society - Interview
    Escaping The Shuffle Society - How To Improve Mindfulness Through Music
    Faith
    Find Your Own Therapy
    From Bullied Teen To Chart-topper: Kelsey Bovey
    George Strait
    Gloria Anderson Interview: Cars
    Greetings From...The Marfa Tapes: Let Miranda Lambert
    Grief And The Songwriting Process
    Hardy On His Hopes For Hixtape Vol 2 And Being Country As Hell!
    "Hate Has Become The Default
    Headphone Holiday: Kenny Chesney
    How Can Music Affect Our Emotions
    Humility And Heart
    Interview: Andreas Moe
    Interview: CalledOut Music
    Interview: Canaan Smith - How He Found Himself Through Fatherhood
    Interview: Essie Jain - Creating Healing Music For All Ages
    Interview: Haley & Michaels
    Interview: Kieran Lancini
    Interview: Kylie Morgan
    Interview: Morgan Wade
    Interview: Music Therapy With Tiziana Pozzo
    Interview: Tyler Braden On Small Towns
    Is The Music Industry Turning A New Leaf With Its Support Of Mental Health?
    "It's Time To Stop Living In My Head": Interview With Nashville's Olivia Lane
    Jack Ingram And Jon Randall Be Your Tour Guides On This Sonic Retreat
    Jhené Aiko's Chilombo: A Perfect Blend Of Peace And Passion
    Jhené Aiko's Chilombo: A Perfect Blend Of Peace And Passion
    Kenny Chesney
    Kristi Hoopes - Engagement
    Lathan Warlick Interview: How A Brush With Death Inspired His Music's Message Of 'God
    Love And Unity'
    Low-Strung And Amped-Down: Unplug Your Mind By Going Acoustic
    Lyrical Life Lessons #2: 'Don't Blink'
    Lyrical Life Lessons #3 - 'Give Me More Time'
    Machine Gun Kelly Has Gifted Us The Realest Album Of 2020
    MAJE On Motivation
    Make Yourself A Musical Photo Album
    Man On The Moon III: Kid Cudi Finds Dawn After Years Of Darkness In This Modern Epic
    Meet The Man Determined To Bring More Positivity Into Country Music - An Interview With: Kyle Elliott
    Memories And Music
    Mental Health And Me #10-David: My Dream Band Line-Up
    Mental Health And Me #2: Maxim
    Mental Health And Me #3: David Why 'How Are You?' Is My 2020 Kryptonite
    Mental Health And Me #3: Maxim - How Sad Songs Showed Me The Value Of Wholeness Over Happiness
    Mental Health And Me #4: Maxim - 'Pitch Perfectionism'
    Mental Health And Me #5: David
    Mental Health And Me #5: Maxim - Can You Dance Away The Lockdown Blues?
    Mental Health And Me #6: David - Meditation Memoirs
    Mental Health And Me #6: Maxim - How Country Music Showed Me The Power Of Gratitude
    Mental Health And Me #7: David - Was I Right To Be Optimistic About 2021? The Follow Up
    Mental Health And Me #7: Maxim - Can ‘mindful Listening' Help Ease Productivity-guilt?
    Mental Health And Me #8: David - Enjoying The Ride
    Mental Health And Me #9: David Was I Right To Be Optimistic About 2021 - The Trilogy
    Mental Health And Me: David
    Mental Health And Me: David - How Running Made Me A Better Person
    Mental Health And Me: Maxim
    Mind Over Matter - Why Everything's Going To Be Alright (Even If It Isn't)
    Mitchell Kersley Challenges Toxic Masculinity On New Single
    Mod Sun's 'Internet Killed The Rockstar' - A Familiar Story
    More Than A Musician: Meet The Artist Making A Real Difference In The World Of Mental Health - An Interview With Serena Ryder
    Music
    Music And Memory: The Healing Power Of Music (Yingmin Khoo Guest Post)
    My New 'Malibu Theory'
    Nihilism In Rap Music: Misunderstood
    'Oh Man
    Our Top 10 Songs For...Peaceful Melancholy
    Our Top 10 Songs To Make You Laugh
    Our Top 10 Songs...to Relax To
    Our Top Ten...Slow Down And Simplify Songs
    Our Top Ten Songs...about Self-Love
    Our Top Ten Songs For...Peaceful Melancholy
    Our Top Ten Songs Of Nature
    Performance Anxiety: Friend Or Foe?
    Ray Fulcher Interview - "I Want People To Think
    Sampling - Creative Genius Or Cutting Corners?
    Sarah Louise: The UK Country Singer-songwriter That Just Wants You To Believe In Yourself
    Seafret Slow Down And Simplify With New Piano Sessions EP - Interview
    Self-Improvement And New 'Fly On The Wall' Project
    Should Your New Self-love Mantra Be A Rap Lyric?
    Songs That Get Me Through Lockdown - David
    Songs That Get Me Through Lockdown - Maxim
    Sounds That Heal And Relax: The Music Of Mindfulness
    Sound Therapy: A Vibe-check
    Spotify Recommended: Help Or Hindrance?
    Starz In Their Eyes – The Music Industry According To Just Jack
    Starz In Their Eyes – The Music Industry According To Just Jack
    Stereotypes And Saving Lives
    Sublime Simplicity - Quadeca's Atmospheric 'From Me To You' Album Reviewed
    Tamar Haviv: The Singer-songwriter Who's Making The World A Better Place
    Tebey Interview
    The 90’s Country Comeback: Why Cowboy Hats And Honky-tonks Are Striking A Chord With Gen-Z
    The 90’s Country Comeback: Why Cowboy Hats And Honky-tonks Are Striking A Chord With Gen-Z
    The Artist Making Iconic Songs Her Own - An Interview With: Lissie
    Then It's Okay If I Do Too.'"
    The Safety Of Familiarity
    The Sonic Ranch: Midland's Origin-story Digs Up Their Roots And Strikes Gold
    The Voice
    Thomas Rhett Finds Happiness At Home On Country Again (Side A)
    Tick
    Tick… Boom! The Musical Of Honesty
    Tim Prottey-Jones - From Western To West End - And Back!
    Tom Cary - New Single 'Something In The Whiskey' Breaks Country Music's Heartbreak Streak
    Top 10 Motivational Masterpieces
    Top 10 Songs For Concentration
    Top 10 Songs For...Overcoming Heartbreak
    Toxic Or Positive?
    Vinyl Therapy
    Well If Ray's Got His Own Struggles
    Why 'Lonely' Confirms Justin Bieber's Move From Guilty Pleasure To Admirable Star
    Wren Kelly Tackling Society And Mental Health In New Single 'Game Over'
    Zac Brown Band - 'The Comeback' In Name And Nature
    Zane Williams Interview

Proudly powered by Weebly
  • Home
  • About
  • Contact
  • The Magazine
  • The Articles