The 16 track release pushes the creative envelope
Jason Aldean has followed his own time-tested formula for over a decade and heโs not one to second guess that as he reveals more details behind his next effort 9 (Macon Music/Broken Bow Records), to be released November 22nd. Aldean offers 16 interwoven tracks in an era of stand-alone singles and superstar EPs, holding his ground for the modern album with an old school soul. Itโs packed with the kind of blistering stadium anthems and cross-pollinated convention busters his audience has come to know and love, all rooted in the obvious traditional influence Aldean has carried throughout his career. Fans have access to another new track, โDirt We Were Raised On,โ along with the four previously released songs off the upcoming album, including its lead single โWe Back,” with all pre-orders.
โPeople buy albums with eight songs for ten bucks now, but with 9 itโs like youโre getting two whole albums at once,โ Aldean says in a press release. โI want fans to feel like theyโre getting more than they bargained for and I want it to be something they listen to from top to bottom, and never hit skipโฆor thumbs down or whatever.โ
For 9, Aldean’s ninth studio project, the multi-platinum artist’s drive to push his creative envelope is still there and his preference for long-playing albums leaves plenty of opportunity. The songs themselves lead the way as so much of 9‘s sound goes back to longtime songwriting contributors like Neil Thrasher, Josh Thompson, Brantley Gilbert and Florida Georgia Lineโs Tyler Hubbard, among others. The rest reveals itself in the studio, with Aldean directing traffic alongside producer Michael Knox โ Nashville outliers who insist on recording with his touring players.
Aldean taps the spirit of the classic country drinking song, infused as always with a not-so-classic splash of swagger. โCame Here to Drinkโ rolls in with the ease of a why-not weeknight buzz, while โI Donโt Drink Anymoreโ serves a 100-proof hook. โTattoos and Tequilaโ charges in like a shot in the dark, and โBlame It on Youโ sways with a half-drunk realization that we make our own problems.
โI donโt know. Maybe Iโm just drawn to drinking tunes,โ Aldean says of the boozy track ratio. โThey just go together with Country music and itโs hard to pass them up. But itโs not the โHicktownโ type stuff with keg stands, itโs more like sitting at the bar and doing some thinking. Itโs all coming from a more mature standpoint.โ
Even with the maturity, Aldeanโs penchant for risk taking remains. Steamy R&B standouts like โGot What I Gotโ build off the heat of platinum hits like โYou Make It Easy.โ The deadly electro-country ballad โCowboy Killerโ joins arm in arm with the brotherhood-building โThe Same Wayโ โ a chest-thumping reach across demographic divides ready to rock stadiums across the nation โ and โSome Things You Donโt Forgetโ sets its heart-pounding hooks free into the indie-pop stratosphere. But Aldeanโs careful not to trade timeless appeal โ or creative independence โ for a passing fad. Still, hard working heartland anthems have always been at the core of Aldeanโs story โ and he includes a few instant classics on 9. โCamouflage Hatโ feels as broken in as its title suggests, a slow-rolling tribute to so many rural romances. The quick talking โKeeping It Small Townโ reminds that well-lived lives donโt have to be complicated, while โDirt We Were Raised Onโ and โTalk About Georgiaโ show the deep well of pride Aldean still holds for his Macon roots.
CD
1. Tattoos and Tequila (Michael Dulaney, Neil Thrasher)
2. Blame It On You (Kurt Allison, John Edwards, Tully Kennedy, Michael Tyler, Brian White)
3. Champagne Town (Matt Dragstrem, Josh Thompson)
4. Some Things You Don’t Forget (Nick Brophy, Michael Dulaney, Jennifer Hanson, Neil Thrasher)
5. Got What I Got (Thomas Archer, Alex Palmer, Michael Tyler)
6. Keeping It Small Town (Jaron Boyer, Ben Hayslip, Morgan Wallen)
7. Camouflage Hat (Ben Hayslip, Jameson Rodgers, Josh Thompson)
8. Came Here to Drink (Jaron Boyer, Alex Palmer, Michael Tyler)
9. We Back (Tyler Hubbard, Jordan Schmidt, Brad Warren, Brett Warren)
10. Dirt We Were Raised On (Rhett Akins, Jaron Boyer, Josh Thompson)
11. I Don’t Drink Anymore (Kelly Lovelace, CJ Solar, Neil Thrasher)
12. Cowboy Killer (Jaron Boyer, Josh Hoge, Michael Tyler)
13. One for the Road (Lynn Hutton, Brandon Kinney, Josh Thompson)
14. Talk About Georgia (Kurt Allison, Tully Kennedy, Michael Tyler)
15. The Same Way (Brock Berryhill, Brantley Gilbert, Cole Taylor)
16. She Likes It (Jaron Boyer, Ben Stennis, Michael Tyler)