| Zac Brown Band debuted on country radio across the country in 2008, and has earned five number one hit singles since: “Whatever It Is,” “Chicken Fried,” “Toes “Highway 20 Ride,” and “Free.” They seemed to climb to the top of the charts out of nowhere, quickly establishing a fan base of country music fans young and old. On September 21, Zac Brown Band released their second studio album, “You Get What You Give.” The new album echoes the themes from the band’s first studio released album, “The Foundation,” but also allows the audience to become more emotionally connected to the lyrics of the band’s music. The songs on the new album focus less on lazy beach days in the summer or the southern lifestyle, with the exception of a few songs, and focus more on the emotional experiences that the band has been through since coming to their success. With their new album, Zac Brown Band expands on their musical genre, shows off their band’s credibility as serious artists, and lends an opportunity to gain an even bigger fan base as their songs feature a more emotional tone than the songs off “The Foundation.” The album starts off in classic Zac Brown Band fashion, with “Let It Go,” a song that gets audiences into the tone of the rest of the album. The song contains lyrics that are much more profound than much of their old material, but it is still able to hook the audience with an underlying humorous tone. “Knee Deep,” features Jimmy Buffett—a musician familiar to the summer-like tones of the song—and picks up where “The Foundation’s” song “Toes” left off. The song has a playful tune and catchy lyrics that can attract any listener wishing for a taste of summer. Although catchy, the song is not as lyrically involved and tends to seem a level below where the band should be at this point in their career.
The next few songs on the album slow down the tempo, and show off the talent of the band in an unfamiliar way. The band explores new musical territory through “No Hurry,” “I Play the Road,” and “Cold Hearted.” The band expands on their musical genre through these songs, especially through “Cold Hearted,” which is an emotional ballad about a broken heart. The tempo picks up again with “Whiskey’s Gone,” which has been previously released on multiple live albums, and has been a crowd favorite for a few years. The tune is fun, and one of the more catchy tunes on the album. Audiences will be delighted to find that the playfulness of Zac’s lyrics have not been entirely removed from this album. “Colder Weather” is already a fan favorite, and it is one of the only songs on the album that Zac has written about his own emotional experiences with dealing with love while b being on the road and touring for most of the year. The lyrics are simple, yet meaningful, and really cause audiences to sympathize for the singer. Already a hit on country radio across the country, “As She’s Walking Away” may possibly be the highest point on the album. The song features country star Alan Jackson, whose voice counters Zac’s almost perfectly. The melody is soft, and the lyrics speak of love at first sight. The lyrics are subtle, but are so easily memorable that you will find yourself singing the song in your head all day. “Keep Me In Mind” is a song about losing someone you love, whether it is through a relationship, or even just a friend. The song is heartfelt and may as well be the best-written song on the album, lyrics-wise. The album hits a low point with “Who Knows” and “Martin.” Both songs have a slow tempo, but instead of catching the audiences’ attention through meaningful lyrics, these songs become a bore. The ample amount of slow tempo songs compared to the low amount of the classic Zac Brown fast paced songs grows tiring and seems repetitive, as if they are trying too hard to prove themselves serious artists. The album picks up a little with “Make This Day,” which gives the audience a tiny taste of the loved fast-pace, easy-going Zac Brown Band from “The Foundation.” The song is well-written about “making this day better than the last,” and there are points in the song where Zac inserts some of his humor, and his own life experiences, to make audiences fall in love with the song on a more relatable level. Zac Brown Band’s new album, “You Get What You Give,” is full of emotional, slow-tempo songs that enable audiences to connect with Zac’s lyrics and personal experiences. Although the band does prove to be on a much higher level than they once were through more meaningful lyrics, audiences may miss Zac’s playful tunes like “Chicken Fried,” and “Toes”. Zac Brown Band’s new album sets a more serious tone for their music, and also provides an opportunity for the band to gain a larger fan base. |
