Music review: Luke Bryan – 鈥榃hat Makes You Country鈥�
With 鈥淲hat Makes You Country,鈥� Luke Bryan follows 2015鈥檚 鈥淜ill the Lights鈥� by covering familiar territory with another set of relatable songs about navigating relationships, indulging in a few cold ones and living life in a way that makes for a satisfying country song.
At a time when it鈥檚 hard to tell what truly is considered country, Bryan attempts to provide a broad-stroke answer on the title track and album opener. The guitar-driven number oozing of Southern rock finds Bryan singing, 鈥淵ou could be a cowboy on the Texas plain/Or a plowboy waitin鈥� on the rain/We鈥檙e all a little different, but we鈥檙e all the same/Everybody doin鈥� their own thing.鈥�
Bryan unleashes his boy-next-door charm designed to get the ladies all worked up on tracks like 鈥淥ut of Nowhere Girl,鈥� 鈥淏ad Lovers鈥� and 鈥淪he鈥檚 a Hot One.鈥�
Good times and adventures are highlighted on 鈥淪unrise, Sunburn, Sunset鈥� and 鈥淒riving This Thing,鈥� while Bryan uses any excuse to have another drink and keep the party going with the aptly titled 鈥淒rinking Again.鈥�
When the party never stops, 鈥淗ungover in a Hotel Room鈥� is what you get. This arrangement is probably a direct result of it being 5 o鈥檆lock somewhere and then having to call the front desk to request a late check out.
Bryan is at his sentimental best on 鈥淢ost People Are Good鈥� as he focuses on the value of kids actually playing outside, working hard for what you have, displaying forgiveness, doing anything for a friend and having faith no matter how dark it gets.
鈥淧ick It Up鈥� follows the same nostalgic lines with Bryan singing about a father doing his very best to show his young son how to be a gentleman by teaching him the value of hard work, being respectful and kind to others and being firmly rooted in faith.
鈥淲in Life鈥� closes things out with Bryan stressing the importance of taking the time to savor the simple things in life. For Bryan, winning at life is all about things like falling deeply in love, believing in miracles, providing for your children, enjoying the feel of the soft grass under your feet and having the good sense to learn from each mistake.
What makes Bryan totally country is knowing how to say the things that can spark an emotion, evoke a favorite memory or bring a smile to our face.
With his sixth release, Bryan certainly has another winner on his hands as he firmly secures his status as a country megastar.
Fans will have the opportunity to see Bryan critique upcoming artists as a judge on 鈥淎merican Idol鈥� in March 2018.
Clint Rhodes is the 缅北禁地 music reviewer. He can be reached at clinton43@me.com.