Brett Young - Ticket to L.A.

3.8

Rating

3.8/5

Flyctory.com Pros

Pretty solid album

Flyctory.com Cons

Too few catching songs

Brett Young’s 2017 debut album Brett Young was a lovely piece of country music. I especially loved his successful single “In case you didn’t know”, which I also enjoyed live at the Country 2 Country 2018 in London and as Lady Antebellum support act. At December, 7th, Brett released his second album, Ticket to L.A.. After Catherine McGrath’s Talk of This Town, this is my second country music album review on Flyctory.com

Brett Young – About the Artist

In his early years, Brett Young rather felt to become a baseball than a country music star. The 1981 bord Californian was pre-drafted by two MLB teams as a pitcher, but his potential professional career was cut short by an injury. As a musical artists, he released a first independent EP in 2007, followed by a couple of other independent albums. By contracting to Big Machine Label Group, he boosted his career. His debut single, Sleep without you, alsready made it to US Country charts #3 and #2 in the airplay. The second single, In case you didn’t know, was the first one to top the airplay and was #2 on the Country Billboard and #1 in the Canadian Country Charts. The video has, at the time of writing, 213 million views on YouTube. Two more #1 Country Airplay singles followed, Like I loved you and Mercy.

Brett Young – Ticket to L.A. – Track by Track

Brett’s second album, Ticket to L.A., comes with 13 tracks. Here is a track by track review:

1. Ticket to L.A.

The first track of the album is its title track. A song, where the chorus starts with “It was midnight in the middle of JFK” and where the key words are “Now there ain’t a single thing I wouldn’t trade
for a ticket to L.A.” somehow has to be loved in a travel blog website. I absolutely enjoy the song. Here is the lyric video. To me, the best track on the album.

2. Here Tonight

Here Tonight was the first single of the album and just had quite moderate success on Billboard and airplay. Nevertheless, I like it. Nice pop-alike country music and a typical Brett Young song.

3. Catch

I cannot really tell the reason, but compared to the first two tracks, I felt that Catch is a bit weaker. It is another typical Brett Young melodic country track, but just not that catching like the first two ones or many of the songs on the first album.

4. 1, 2, 3 Mississippi

Feels a bit too simple, but this makes it a nice song. One has to say: Brett Young songs have a high recognition factor… Which also means that they sound a bit similar. Some are sounding similar better than other. 1, 2, 3, Mississippi is on the positive side.

5. Let It be mine

This one is starting – and finishing – a bit slower and overall feels to be a bit different from the first songs. I feels to me this could be a great song on tour – on the album, it feels a bit weaker than other tracks.

6. Where you want me

Modern country music sung by men is (too) often about cars, beer and girls. If you haven’t recognized yet: Brett Young loves to skip the first to topics and rather goes for the third one. Yeah, you got me where you want me – but baby, you don’t want me no more are two lines of the chorus. Poor guy! Average track.

7. Used to missin’ You

That is definitely a catchy track and a beautiful Brett Young country love song. I wouldn’t wonder if this track will be released as single later – it is just a too good one.

8. Change your Name

The track feels to hide in the album a bit, as it is more fragile than others on Ticket to L.A.– but to me, Change your Name is definitely one of the best tracks of this album. Somehow, the chorus also fits to this album, which is just a pretty good Brett Young one:

I don’t wanna change who you are
I don’t wanna mess with your dreams
Or get in the way of who you wanna be […]

9. Chapters

This song is featuring US rock artist Gavin DeGraw, who also has a decent popularity in Switzerland. I love the chorus with a very strong accent on the rhythm. The duet is definitely not a rock track.

10. The Ship and the Battle

If you feel Brett is doing some thesis on naval science here, you will have some disappointing time when you listen to the chorus:

You’re the ship, I’m the bottle
And I can’t do that to you

Just another love song – but a very nice one, definitely on the top half of songs on this album to me.

11. Reason to stay

Reason to stay has been one of four tracks, which you could listen to prior to the release of the album. I like the song from the very first moment – and it is still a highlight of the album to me.

12. Runnin’ away from Home

Walkin’ away from you was like runnin’, runnin’, runnin’
Runnin’ away from home

Hmm, Brett Young just keeps his way of writing songs on Tickets to L:A. – sometimes, I feel it is a bit too much Brett Young-alike to me. The hookline is quite nice, though

13. Don’t wanna write this Song

But how can I just move on?
I’ve loved you for way too long
I don’t want to admit that you’re gone
I don’t wanna write this song

Nobody forced you to write it! 🙂 No, this is definitely a nice finish of the album. Slow, but very intense, but still Brett Young. While during the album I sometimes felt that I heard the same track multiple times (felt a bit like what people said Modern Talking…), this one is definitely having its own style. Thank you Brett!

On Youtube, Brett also gives a one-minute Album overview:

Brett Young – Ticket to L.A. – Spotify

Here is the album on Spotify:

Brett Young – Ticket to L.A. – My View

Brett Young’s first album Brett Young was brilliant – to me, Ticket to L.A. is not. This does not mean it is a bad album. It is just very solid. There are too few songs which really catch you. Brett’s career might not stay as boosted as his last 18 months have been – but he does not need to become Luke Bryan in three years. He will stay in the success zone, also due to his very good live performances. You can’t write a song like In case you didn’t know on each and every album. No reason to be ashamed for that! Not a Top Pick five star album, but a good buy you won’t regret.