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Riley Green – Different ‘Round here

Florian Buechting Media Review No Comments

Riley Green - Different 'Round Here

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Riley Green - Different 'Round Here
4.2

Rating

 4.2/5

Flyctory.com Pros

  • Very nice stories and lyrics
  • Promising debut album

At the very latest when I decided to select two songs in parallel for my current edition of the latest country music picks, I was looking forward to the debut album of Riley Green, Different ‘Round Here. On 20th September 2019, he relased the record. Here is my view on it.

 

Riley Green – About The Artist

Riley Green is an Alabama-born artist, who is currently 30 years old. His first media appearance was at the CMT reality show Redneck Island. There he already published four EPs, before signing at Big Machine. Apart from the self-titled 2018 one, the other ones placed in the Top 10 of the US Heat charts – however, the number of sales necessary to reach these positions is comparably low. 2018, he had his first hit: There was This Girl topped the Canadian charts. The peak position in the US Country Charts was 11 – however, it was a Top 3 in the US airplay charts as well. Two singles released thereafter, In Love by Now and I Wish Grandpas Never Died, both tracks on Different ‘Round Here, could not keep up with that chart placement.

 

R. Green – Different ‘Round Here – Track by Track

The album contains 14 songs. It roughly lasts 49 minutes.

1. There Was This Girl

The album starts with Green’s so-far most successful track. You likely know it anyway, so not too many comments – surely a good one!

2. Different ‘Round Here

This song is an ode to traditional life. To me, the lyrics are to pathetic, but the Riley Green sound stays nice to listen

3. Same Old Song

Well I’d fish this same ol’ hole, hunt these same ol’ woods
Wouldn’t change one thing even if I could
Drink these same ol’ Coors, wear these same ol’ boots
Be the same ol’ me lovin’ the same ol’ you
Be the same road, same truck, same town
Singin’ the same old song

The Same Old Song somehow feels like the same old sound again. Very characteristic melodies and a very characteristic voice.

4. In a Truck Right Now

This track is about a boy always dreaming to become a truck driver – and finally doing this job, following his father.

5. Hard to Leave

I felt this song was somehow “refreshing” after all the “good old traditions” songs before. A lovely ballad to a girl, praising that every second with her is just worth so much. Nice lyrics, nice song!

6. I Wish Grandpa’s Never Died

Yeah, this is a “good old traditions” song again. On the one hand, it feels too much to me on this album. On the hand, it was in my country music picks, it is currently on the playlists – just because it is a good one.

7. Bettin’ Man

Interesting how versatile love songs can be… I like the song, though the lyrics confused me at the very beginning:

But if I was a bettin’ man
I’d say she’s halfway to Birmingham
On the phone with her mama n’em
Cussing me to hell an back again
I bet she’s got a radio on
Singing something ’bout movin’ on
I’d put a 100 on her never coming back again
If I was a bettin’ man

8. Numbers on the Cars

Goose bumps guarantee! To me, the best song of the album so far and one of the most impressive lyrics I listened to this year. It is hard to pick out single lines of this epic one – it features Green’s grandfatther, who is suffering dementia. He forgot that his wife is dead – but there are some things he still knows well.

9. My First Everything

Hard to find good words for this nice slow love song, still flashed by Numbers On The Cars.

10. In Love by Now

Good to have a good mood song now – In Love by Now is definitely a nice uptempo song:

And she might be dancin’
To a long-haired cover band on the coast
But if I know her
She ain’t dancin’ alone

11. Get That Man a Beer

The second song I selected for the country music picks in August. Just like it – though I would not even see at as one of the best songs of the album now.

12. Break Up More Often

Break Up More Often is a slow and thoughtful ballad. Loved to listen to it!

13. Running With an Angel

A song that you do not get closer to your dream girl by doing bad things – ‘Cause the truth is that the devil had no business runnin’ with an angel. Nice song!

14. Outlaws Like Us

Outlaws like us
Yeah, we’re still around
We spit, fight and cuss and run one stop light towns
We ain’t got much
It’s more than enough to make a girl fall in love
With outlaws like us

A bit of a love song, a bit of “good old times” – a nice song to finish this album.

 

R. Green – Different ‘Round Here – Spotify Link

You may listen to the album via Spotify on Flyctory.com directly

 

R. Green – Different ‘Round Here – My View

At the beginning, the album was “too heavy” to me. Too much US traditional country life. Everything is great as it has been since whatever number of generations. I know that many country music people love that, but I cannot stand that much of it. However, after the first four tracks, there is a really fantastic debut album with some very sophisticated and impressive pieces of songwriting, leading to a nice mixture of topics and “heaviness” in 14 songs. Numbers On The Cars is the outstanding masterpiece of the album to me. Close to a Top Pick, definitely.

 

Flyctory.com Country Music Reviews

Here are reviews of all country music albums and EPs I reviewed earlier on the website:

 

USA – All Postings

Here are all postings which deal with the USA:

 

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