Lee Brice‘s latest album, Hard 2 Love, solidifies his rank as one of the top song-writers and best up-and-coming artists in country music today. He co-wrote 8 of the 13 tracks on this album, with up to eight of them destined to be radio hits should he release them as singles to radio. I only found one dud on the entire CD, but with 13 tracks, it’s permissible. This qualifies this album as a rare home run in my eyes, one that you can play from beginning to end on repeat without getting tired of it. Below is a track-by-track list of observations I made as I listened to the album. The songs that stood out to me the most are “A Woman Like You,” “That’s When You Know It’s Over,” “I Drive Your Truck,” “Seven Days A Thousand Times,” and “That Way Again.”
Hard To Love – The album starts off with the title track and it’s mellow opening. It quickly picks up with a good beat and proves to be a catchy opening song. It will be a solid single as his second release off this album.
A Woman Like You – This song should be up for some Song and Single of the Year nominations in the next cycle of Award shows. This is one of the best songs to come out in years and a great choice as the first single off the album. If you’re a country music fan reading this, you know this song as the #1 song in the country just a week or two ago.
That’s When You Know It’s Over – Starts off with the sound of a heartbeat and a hospital heart monitor. It’s about when you know you’ve moved on from a lost love…this song is a future #1 smash that he co-wrote with his buddy Jerrod Niemann and Jon Stone. Gives “A Woman Like You” it’s run for my money as the best song on the album.
Parking Lot Party – A fun party song that would make a great theme song for any concert tailgate party. Lee co-wrote it with Rhett Akins, Thomas Rhett Akins, and Luke Laird. It would make for a fun summer release as a single.
Don’t Believe Everything You Think – Well-written song…not sure if it would fly as a radio single musically though, doesn’t stand out as much as I’d like it to.
I Drive Your Truck – This song has #1 written all over it. It’s a story about driving his brother’s truck after he has passed away. It’s a very poignant song that also has Song and/or Single of the Year potential.
See About a Girl -This song is more album filler than anything to me…it’s a mellow song about having to leave his buddies behind to go hang with his girl. I reckon a female perspective of this song would be much more positive calling it “sweet.” It’s a good song, but not radio material.
Friends We Won’t Forget – Will have you reminiscing of your college years…it’s another good song but borderline whether it’s radio material.
Life Off My Years -This Eric Church-penned song talks about the value of enjoying life while you can…quality over quantity. This is a good song, could be a single on radio with some success. Church co-wrote it with Michael P. Heeney and Jeff Hyde.
Seven Days a Thousand Times – Has a unique sound to it musically. It’s a story about a week spent with a girl that he can’t forget, wishing he could re-live the time spent with her. I could see this being a successful single as well.
Beer -The title of the song is great! The song itself, not so much. It’s a fun song to play to a drunk crowd in a bar, but it goes back and forth from being soft to loud, and just makes you want to reach for the Advil. Considering how great the rest of this album is, I’ll let it slide as the mulligan of the album.
That Way Again -Starts off with a solo acoustic guitar. The 2nd verse introduces what I believe is a fiddle and an organ. It leaves you hanging on the edge of your seat waiting for it to build into a crescendo as he tells the story of a woman wishing her man would be like he was in the early years of their relationship. I could see this song being a big hit if ever released to radio, despite it being so stripped down instrument-wise. Well written, great musical arrangement.
One More Day – You get a feel for what a grind the road can be, as he sings to his woman asking her to wait one more day. This is another stripped down song instrumentally. I like it, but I don’t think it’d be successful on the radio. The song, and album, ends with Lee talking to his son on the phone who asks “hey Daddy, where are you?” Very tender moment to close things outs.
Let us know what you think of this album once you listen to it by leaving your comments/review below!