Music review: Luke Bryan — 鈥楥rash My Party鈥�
Associated Press
This CD cover image released by Capitol Nashville shows 鈥淐rash My Party,鈥� by Luke Bryan.
Rhodes
For his fourth studio album, the reigning Academy of Country Music鈥檚 Entertainer of the Year聽takes a slight break from his earlier rowdy party nights to deliver a set of passionate and nostalgic arrangements that are sure to continue to fuel his status as country megastar.
Luke Bryan follows up 2011鈥檚 double-platinum release, 鈥淭ailgates and Tanlines,鈥� with a more adult-themed collection of songs about the ups and downs of love, living life to its fullest and remembering where you came from and knowing exactly where you are going in his 鈥淐rash My Party鈥� album.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 My Kind of Night鈥� opens the album in the typical good-time mode found on Bryan鈥檚 other 2013 release, 鈥淪pring Break 鈥� Here to Party,鈥� a collection of songs from a series of spring break-themed EPs he鈥檚 been releasing since 2009. Bryan shifts gears with the two romantic charmers 鈥淏eer in the Headlights鈥� and the title track.
The latter arrangement is a No. 1 single featuring the Georgia singer鈥檚 boy-next-door vocals as he delivers the mid-tempo ballad about extending an open invitation to the girl that has captured his heart. In case anyone was wondering who the gorgeous blonde is featured with the lucky Bryan at the end of the video, it鈥檚 his wife, Caroline.
Yeah, it certainly is good to be Bryan right now. The sentimental, guitar-driven 鈥淲e Run This Town鈥� harkens back to those glorious days growing up as teenagers feeling invincible and fearless, and is sure to become an anthem for boys from small towns everywhere.
鈥淏lood Brothers鈥� follows with the same theme of building on the strong friendships we develop when we were younger and how they play a determining role in how we foster our relationships in adulthood.
The mellow and reflective tone of 鈥淒rink a Beer鈥� is a pleasant surprise considering the title as it reminds me of the endearing 鈥淧eople are Crazy鈥� from Billy Currington鈥檚 鈥淟ittle Bit of Everything.鈥�
鈥淒irt Road Diary,鈥� an autobiographical track co-written by Bryan, closes the album with the singer looking back on his days growing up in rural Georgia. 鈥淲e鈥檇 drive for miles and miles and never once hit blacktop or change the dial,鈥� sings Bryan about the country landscape that influenced his musical style in the years to come.
The party may have slowed down just a touch, but it is certainly a party well worth crashing as Bryan stays within his comfort zone, making fans feel right at home.