Hell yeah. Eric Church’s current single once again kicks harder than just about anything else on country radio right now and doesn’t sound like anything else out right now, either.
And I love how that statement could apply to several of his singles. I liked his recent triple album better than most within the country blogosphere, and this may be its best moment next to “Crazyland.” It’s just good old driving music that’s perfect for these final days of summer.
If anything, its only fault is that it’s a predictable song for Eric Church. Of course the bright, jaunty keys and propulsive groove are going to sound right within his wheelhouse, and the song doesn’t extend much beyond a reflection of a past teenage romance. But there’s no regret or hard feelings on display – just reliving a memory and relishing in every second of it. Church has always been a quirky little performer, and he can sell that “freedom of you dancing on the bow of your daddy’s old boat” with real passion and, ahem, heart to it. Joanna Cotten really is an underrated asset as well, especially when her backing vocals can just as easily represent the counterpart of this old fling.
It’s been a bad year for top-tier radio singles – possibly the worst one on record – and this certainly ain’t gonna make ol’ Hank proud. But in 2021, I’ll take it, because this rocks.
Grade: A
Written by Eric Church
The Musical Divide 