Despite it is rather the season for Christmas album and greatest hits, there were some really interesting studio album releases on 22nd November 2019. Jason Aldean put his ninth album in the rink battling for the consumer’s money under and around the Christmas tree. His album is simply called 9.
Jason Aldean – About The Artist
The 1977-born Jason Aldean, whose birth name is Jason Aldine Williams, is a living legend of the country music genre. He is recording since the age of 21, when he also moved to Nashville. While he initially struggled to find a record deal to publish music, he crushed into the US country charts once he took that milestone. His self-titled 2005 debut album already made it to the sixth place of the US country charts and sold 1.6 million units. His second album, the 2007 Relentless topped the country album business in the states already. The following albums all topped the charts or at least came very close to the leader position. He also developed a strong fan base in Canada and Australia, where his albums made significant volumes as well.
The Jason Aldean album also included his first No.1 single, Why. In 2008 and 2009, the songs She’s Country, Big Green Tractor and The Truth also made it to that position, the latter also was his first song to top the Canadian country charts. His music was that popular that Aldean also had some decent placements in the overall US Singles Charts. His Dirt Road Anthem even made it to No.7 in this ranking in 2011. Apart from that, he has a long list of won awards and nomiantions.
Jason Aldean – 9 – Track By Track
Not too surprising, 9 is Jason Aldean’s ninth album. The 16 tracks together take 52 minutes.
1. Tattoos and Tequila
There is no discussion on 9: Aldean sets his musical claim from the very first second of the album. Honest, straight, rocking country music – you just feel like a drink and some more ink after that song. Great starter.
2. Blame It on You
Second song and I am already in love with that album. This song also has its (short) quiet and calm moments, but apart from that, Blame It On You gives you another 3:35 minutes of catching powerhouse country.
3. Champagne Town
Champagne Town feels a bit more classic, more swinging – but another great song… And to be honest, we don’t have the bubbly one too often in country lyrics:
So I’m here drinking whiskey in a champagne town
While you’re trying not to miss me
Like I’m trying not to miss you now
Blaming you by two and me by three
It’s plain to see all I’ll ever be to you
Is what I am right now
Nothing but whiskey in a champagne town
4. Some Things You Don’t Forget
Is there something like country metal? I just love the guitars in this one.
5. Got What I Got
Yes, Got What I Got does come with some guitar solo, but this is the first really soft and gentle ballad of the long-player. Short track with an abrupt ending – but I like that kind of break.
6. Keeping It Small Town
It sometimes feels that this small town theme is some sort of must-do on country albums. Come on, you guys all live in Nashville anyway, it is not that tiny…). Just kidding! The power is gently increased again in this and it is a nice listen.
7. Camouflage Hat
If the Camouflage Hat was the first track of the album, I would likely write something like “Wow, nice starter”. The more you get into Aldean’s album, the more you feel like you have heard that one before already on the disc or stream. Of course, the stories are different, but the arrangement has similarities. Still good song, definitely!
8. Came Here to Drink
Came Here To Drink and Jason Aldean – that sounds like a perfect combo for a uptempo party song. The eighth track of the album is rather slow, though. The lyrics are also not too party alike:
I just wanna sit here and listen to the jukebox
Hear that song that puts me in a good spot
No, it ain’t like this every night
Oh, but this time
Sometimes you just need these moments of being lonely with some beer or whatever.
9. We Back
We Back is also a rather slow and quiet song with some guitars. The song was already released before the album and felt like a great track to me as a single. Now, with a couple of similar tracks and being positioned in the middle of the album, it just feels a bit less special to me.
10. Dirt We Were Raised On
Here we go! Dirt We Were Raised On is not only one of the singles of the album, but also the best out of the sixteen tracks to me. Lovely one!
11. I Don’t Drink Anymore
Another really good track. I Don’t Drink Anymore also comes with a comparably characteristic arrangement in my point of view, for example with a stronger presence of the steel guitar. If you feel there can be really a country song by Jason Aldean which is postulating a departure from the consumption of alcohol – be easy and wait for the end:
Well, I don’t drink any more
And I don’t drink any less
12. Cowboy Killer
I have to admit that I strongly thought about Luke Bryan songs when I listened to the Country Killer. Very similar way to arrange a song – however, this one is rather an average one to me.
13. One for the Road
I like that track more, though it does not add too many characteristic and unique elements to 9. Just a good listen.
14. Talk About Georgia
A 2:44 minute track, which has a 1:35 minute intro before the first chorus. Almost feels like the song has two parts. Not that bad, though.
15. The Same Way
It feels a bit as if the album is slowly coming to an end. A couple of tracks, which have not been released before the album – but none is really taking a chance to lead to a wow-effect. Finally, The Same Way feels like a weaker version of a song which I listened to earlier on 9. Maybe that is just the same was of Jason Aldean music.
16. She Likes It
The album concludes with its longest track, which gives some extra due to dominating riffs. This is definitely country rock – or is it rock country? Nice get-out-of-this-album song.
Jason Aldean – 9 – Spotify
Spotify gives you some tasting of Jason Aldean’s 2019 album:
Jason Aldean – 9 – My View
Jason Aldean is just a living guarantee for powerful modern country songs. 9 is a strong album without really weak songs. It is more than solid, it is rocking, it will give you good 52 minutes… Or 104… Or 156… Or … whatever, depending how often you listen to it. There is just one reason why I it is definitely not a Top Pick rating: the songs are just too similar. Half of the tracks would feel to lead to the same album. Dare to be different from time to time, Mr Aldean!
Album cover / title picture: artist material
Flyctory.com Country Music Reviews
Here are reviews of all country music albums and EPs I reviewed earlier on the website:

Dustin Lynch – Killed The Cowboy



Brent Cobb – Southern Star



Dan + Shay – Bigger Houses



Coffey Anderson – Tailgates and Heartbreaks


The Paper Kites – At The Roadhouse


Melanie Wiegmann & Carl Carlton – Glory of Love


Gregor McEwan – Going Solo


Adam Wendler – Living the Dream



Morgan Wade – Psychopath



Turnpike Troubadours – A Cat In The Rain



Tim McGraw – Standing Room Only


TracieLynn – More Than a Bad Habit EP



Ryan Bingham – Watch Out For The Wolf EP



Joe Lasher – Vol. 1 EP



Molly Tuttle and Golden Highway – City of Gold



Lori McKenna – 1988


Kezia Gill – Misfit


Tom Astor – Wieder da!



Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real – Sticks and Stones



Sean Patrick McGraw – Hillbilly Hippie


Sylvia Aimee – Identity EP



Lucinda Williams – Stories From A Rock N Roll Heart



Hannah Aldridge – Dream of America



Son Volt – Day of the Doug



Deer Tick – Emotional Contracts


Kimberly Perry – Bloom EP



Brittany Warthan – No Vacancy


Tanya Tucker – Sweet Western Sound



Brandy Clark – Brandy Clark



Daisy Briggs – Nice Knowing You EP


Anna Demetriou – More To This



Parker Millsap – Wilderness Within You



Rodney Crowell – The Chicago Sessions


Philip Bradatsch – Philip Bradatsch



Dave Hause – Drive It Like It’s Stolen



Esther Rose – Safe To Run



Texas Hippie Coalition – The Name Lives On



Brian Falduto – Gay Country



Drayton Farley- Twenty on High



Dierks Bentley – Gravel & Gold



Lucero – Should’ve Learned by Now



Cort Carpenter – All In



Chase Rice – I Hate Cowboys & All Dogs Go To Hell


Shania Twain – Queen of Me


Vic Allen – Some Place I’d Rather Be



Joe Henry – All The Eye Can See


Laura Cox – Head Above Water



Richard Lynch – Radio Friend



Margo Price – Strays



Adam Warner – What We’re Known For


Madeline Consoer – Little Miss EP


Poppy Fardell – Back On My Feet



Melissa Carper – Ramblin’ Soul



Billy Strings – Me/And/Dad



Live Forever: A Tribute To Billy Joe Shaver (Various Artists)



Stephanie Quayle – On The Edge



Tiffany Johnson – Over Emotional EP



Emily Nenni – On The Ranch



Russell Dickerson – Russell Dickerson



Trampled by Turtles – Alpenglow



Lainey Wilson – Bell Bottom Country



Kenny Foster – Somewhere in Middle America



Alex Williams – Waging Peace



Logan Mize – Prairie Tapes, Vol. 1 EP



Callista Clark – Real To Me: The Way I Feel



Avery Anna – Mood Swings EP



Ashley McBryde – Lindeville



Richard Marx – Songwriter



Dr. John – Things Happen That Way



Sunny Sweeney – Married Alone



Kelsea Ballerini – Subject To Change



Nikki Lane – Denim & Diamonds



Kane Brown – Different Man



Charley Crockett – The Man From Waco


Jolina Carl – Hallo, ich bin Jolina Carl



Jon Pardi – Mr. Saturday Night



Ingrid Andress – Good Person



Watkins Family Hour – Vol. 2


Sykamore – Pinto



Kelsey Waldon – No Regular Dog



Wade Bowen – Somewhere Between The Secret and The Truth


Pete Wolf Band – Crosswalk To Nowhere EP



Brooke Eden – Choosing You EP



Whiskey Myers – Tornillo



Kaylee Rose – Hot Minute EP



The Local Honeys – The Local Honeys


More Than Words – Today (Make Today Be the Best Day of Your Life)



Kimberly Kelly – I’ll Tell You What’s Gonna Happen



Jonny Houlihan – Coffee and Jesus



Kylie Morgan – P.S. EP


Chris Colter – Nice To Be Back To Be Back Nice



Luke Combs – Growin’ Up


The Cumberland River Project – A Smell of Gravy



Rachel LaRen – Cowboys Don’t Change EP



Brett Eldredge – Songs About You



Carrie Underwood – Denim & Rhinestones



Kyle Daniel – Following the Rain



Jillian Jacqueline – Honestly


Christa Fartek – Nashville and Me


Harper Grae – Confessions of a Good Southern Lady EP



49 Winchester – Fortune Favors The Bold



Aaron Raitiere – Single Wide Dreamer


Ryan Sheridan – Americana



Midland – The Last Resort: Greetings From


Tino Z – Highwayman



Charley Crockett – Lil’ G.L. Presents: Jukebox Charley


Tenille Townes – Masquerades EP



Old Crow Medicine Show – Paint This Town



Joshua Hedley – Neon Blue


Chayce Beckham – Doin’ It Right EP



Cole Swindell – Stereotype


Mrs. Greenbird – Love You To The Bone



Caitlyn Smith – High



Paul Cauthen – Country Coming Down


Ann Doka – House of Change



Ian Noe – River Fools & Mountain Saints



Maren Morris – Humble Quest



Tiffany Woys – All About Love EP



Doug Adkins – A Cowboys’ Life


The Shires – The 10 Year Plan



Dolly Parton – Run, Rose, Run


Jackie Bristow – Outsider


Danny McMahon – Senses EP


Jördis Tielsch – New Mornings


Klaus Lage – Je wahrer die Liebe



Sarah Shook & The Disarmers – Nightroamer



Priscilla Block – Welcome To The Block Party



Dustin Lynch – Blue In The Sky



Jeffrey Mitchell Ross – Waited A Long Time



Erin Rae – Lighten Up



Muscadine Bloodline – Dispatch to 16th Ave.



Brent Cobb – And Now, Let’s Turn The Page



Katie Henry – On My Way


Lata Gouveia – Stay The Same



Greensky Bluegrass – Stress Dreams


Kiefer Sutherland – Bloor Street



Conner Smith – Didn’t Go Too Far EP



Noah Guthrie – Blue Wall



Jamestown Revival – Young Man



Jacob Bryant – Bar Stool Preacher



Ryan Montgomery – Chasing Sunsets EP



Rachel Bradshaw – Rachel Bradshaw EP



Matt Moeller – Where We Used To Be EP


Rockmann – One Guitar Hit EP



Carolyn Miller – Thank You EP



Nick Walker – It’s All South From Here EP



Lucinda Williams – Have Yourself A Rockin’ Little Christmas (Lu’s Jukebox Vol. 5)



Wade Bowen – Where Phones Don’t Work EP


Alena Neubert – A Life That’s Good



Armanda Shires – For Christmas



Jason Aldean – Macon


Billy Bragg – The Million Things That Never Happened


Dennis Adamus – Right For You



Brett Eldredge – Mr. Christmas


Tenille Arts – Girl To Girl



SixForty1 – Started Right Here EP


Det Haggard – Teamwork 2.0



Ryan Hurd – Pelago



Cassadee Pope – Thrive



Toby Keith – Peso In My Pocket



Josh Turner – King Size Manger



Crystal Leigh – Trading Skylines EP


Jesse Cole – SAND (Some Are Never Done)


Miko Marks & The Resurrectors – Race Records EP


Brandi Carlile – In These Silent Days



Logan Mize – Welcome To Prairieville



Billy Strings – Renewal


Mickey Guyton – Remember Her Name



Taylor McCall – Black Powder Soul



Charley Crockett – Music City USA


Peter Maffay – So Weit



Mitchell Tenpenny – Midtown Diaries EP



Riddy Arman – Riddy Arman



Ashland Craft – Travelin’ Kind



King Calaway – Midnight EP



Ashley Cooke – Already Drank That Beer Side A


Kalie Shorr – I Got Here By Accident EP


Jayne Denham – Wanted



Dan + Shay – Good Things


Clare Dunn – In This Kind Of Light EP


Emily Rose – Wings EP



Chris Young – Famous Friends



Laci Kaye Booth – Laci Kaye Booth



Leah Blevins – First Time Feeling



Jim Lauderdale – Hope



Son Volt – Electro Melodier



Ryan Kinder – Room To Dream



Clay Walker – Texas To Tennessee



Los Lobos – Native Sons


Jolina Carl – Mexican Overdrive



Rodney Crowell – Triage



Charlie Worsham – Sugarcane EP


Alee – Feels Like This



Midland – The Last Resort EP



Lucinda Williams – Lu’s Jukebox Vol. 2 – Southern Soul: From Memphis To Muscle Shoals



Callie Twisselman – Closure EP


Tigirlily – Tigirlily EP



The Flatlanders – Treasure Of Love



Lauren Jenkins – Miles On Me, Part 1 EP



The Wallflowers – Exit Wounds


LANCO – Honky-Tonk Hippies EP



Riley Green – Behind The Bar EP



Brent Moyer – Song Rider


The Heels – I Am



Vincent Neil Emerson – Vincent Neil Emerson



Gary Allan – Ruthless


Meghan Patrick – Heart On My Glass



Amythyst Kiah – Wary + Strange


pez – All Lowercase EP


Richie Necker – New Songs and Untold Stories



Kylie Morgan – Love, Kylie EP



Lukas Nelson & Promise Of The Real – A Few Stars Apart



Walker Hayes – Country Stuff EP



Brett Young – Weekends Look A Little Different These Days



Andrew Jannakos – Gone Too Soon EP


Black River Delta – Shakin’



Brynn Cartelli – Based On A True Story EP



Southerland – Boot Up EP



Lori Rayne – 1926 EP



Blackberry Smoke – You Hear Georgia



John Hiatt With The Jerry Douglas Band – Leftover Feelings


Alexander Ludwig – Alexander Ludwig EP



Jordan Davis – Buy Dirt EP



Blake Shelton – Body Laguage



Oliver Wood – Always Smilin’



Jesse Keith Whitley – Breakin’ Ground



Dillon Carmichael – Hot Beer EP



Alan Jackson – Where Have You Gone



The Steel Woods – All Of Your Stones


Emma Moore – the table EP



Travis Tritt – Set In Stone



Matt Castillo – How The River Flows EP



Thomas Rhett – Country Again: Side A



Priscilla Block – Priscilla Block EP



Ronnie Milsap – A Better Word For Love



Todd Snider – First Agnostic Church of Hope And Wonder



Elvie Shane – County Roads EP



Adam Douglas – Better Angels



Justin Moore – Straight Outta The Country



Carver Louis – Take Off EP



Eric Church – Soul



Eric Church – &



Eric Church – Heart


Brett Kissel – What Is Life?


Charlotte Young – Coffee and Conversations EP



Fancy Hagood – Southern Curiosity



Rev. Peyton’s Big Damn Band – Dance Songs For The Hard Times


Jon Randall – Neon Texas EP



Canaan Smith – High Country Sound



Leslie Jordan – Company’s Comin’


Truck Stop – Liebe, Lust und Laster



Tyler Braden – What Do They Know EP



Carrie Underwood – My Savior



Esther Rose – How Many Times



Sara Watkins – Under The Pepper Tree


Timo Scharf – Everything Ever Always Is All Forgotten EP


Kora Naughton – Nineteen



Midland – The Sonic Ranch



Loretta Lynn – Still Woman Enough



Morgan Wade – Reckless



Joey Hendricks – Between The Clouds EP



Alyssa Trahan – Baby Blues & Stilettos


Christina Taylor – Covers Vol. 1 EP



Jimbo Mathus & Andrew Bird – These 13



Track 45 – Big Dreams EP



Adam Warner – Big Storm


Kaylee Bell – The Red EP (EP)



Hayden Joseph – Different



Willie Nelson – That’s Life



Adam Hambrick – The Flipsides EP


Jess Moskaluke – The Demos



Carly Pearce – 29 EP


Jack McBannon – True Stories



Lainey Wilson – Sayin’ What I’m Thinkin’


Callista Clark – Real To Me EP



Haley Mae Campbell – Growing Up EP



Tobacco Rd Band – Worth Fighting For



Florida Georgia Line – Life Rolls On


Dustin Bird – Unscripted



Colton Chapman – Can’t Hide The Truth EP



Alex Hall – Six Strings EP


Ben Ransom – Brave New World



Daniel Holmes – Dead End Town



Lucero – When You Found Me



Jake Hoot – Love Out Of Time EP



Langhorne Slim – Strawberry Mansion



Logan Mize – Still That Kid



Matt Wynn – Matt Wynn EP


Tebey – The Good Ones



Jimmy Weber – Black & Blue Heart



Willie Jones – Right Now


Chelsea Berman – Can You Just Not EP


Kerri Watt – Neptune’s Daughter


Petric – Flashbacks



Devin Dawson – The Pink Slip EP



Whitney Duncan – Heartbreaker EP



Morgan Wallen – Dangerous – The Double Album



Colby Keeling – Catch Me If You Can EP



Aaron Watson – American Soul


Barry Gibb & Friends – Greenfields – The Gibb Brothers’ Songbook Vol. 1



Tanner Sparks – Living A Nightmare



Steve Earle & The Dukes – J.T.



Bret Mullins – Kiss The Girl


Halle Kearns – Finally EP


Lexie Hayden – You Heard Right EP



Cody Weaver – Southern Noise EP



Russell Dickerson – Southern Symphony



Brian Callihan – Brian Callihan


The Highway Women – The Highway EP



Granger Smith – Country Things, Vol. 2



Garth Brooks – Fun


Clayton Smalley – Dirt Road Therapy EP



Ward Davis – Black Cats and Crows



Lee Brice – Hey World


Roman Alexander – Between You & Me



Shenandoah – Every Road



Kameron Marlowe – EP



Chris Stapleton – Starting Over



Easton Corbin – Didn’t Miss A Beat EP


Caitlyn Shadbolt – Stages


Eric Ethridge – Good With Me


Emily Rose: The Heart EP



Charlotte Ave – Women of Country



The Cadillac Three – Tabasco and Sweet Tea


DanaMaria – Desert Diamond



Runaway June – When I Think About Christmas



Matt Stell – Better Than That EP


Mira Goto – Nobody Warned Me EP



Trace Adkins – Ain’t That Kind Of Cowboy EP



Austin Michael – Austin Michael


Melinda Schneider – Be Gentle On Yourself EP


Ward Thomas – Invitation



Brothers Osborne – Skeletons



Drew Haley – Wildflower EP



Jordan Brooker – The Young Troubadour’s Almanac


Jason Nix – Money on You EP



Bon Jovi – Bon Jovi 2020



Dolly Parton – A Holly Dolly Christmas



Brent Cobb – Keep ’em on They Toes


Terri Clark – It’s Christmas … Cheers!



Carrie Underwood – My Gift



Diana DeMuth – Misadventure



Granger Smith – Country Things, Vol. 1


Yonder Boys – Acid Folk


Tommy Atkins – Kiss Me, Cowboy EP



Smith & Wesley – Greetings From The Land of Y’All


Tori Martin – Lucky


Keith Urban – The Speed of Now Part I



Elizabeth Cook – Aftermath



Mickey Guyton – Bridges EP


Van de Forst – Unconditional



Hardy – A Rock



Lauren Alaina – Getting Over Him EP



Tennessee Jet – The Country



The Tuten Brothers – Radio Plays EP



Ryan Griffin – Name On It EP



Tiffany Johnson – Tiffany Johnson EP



Molly Tuttle – … but I’d rather be with you



Ruston Kelly – Shape & Destroy



Courtney Cole – Earthquake EP



Tucker Beathard – King



Kree Harrison – Chosen Family Tree



Josh Turner – Country State of Mind



Tim McGraw – Here on Earth



Caylee Hammack – If It Wasn’t For You



Mo Pitney – Ain’t Lookin’ Back



Eric Paslay – Nice Guy



RaeLynn – Baytown EP


Lindsay Ell – Heart Theory



Mary Chapin Carpenter – The Dirt and The Stars


Cory Marks – Who I Am



Cassadee Pope – Rise and Shine



Luke Bryan – Born Here, Live Here, Die Here



Charley Crockett – Welcome To Hard Times



Chris Tomlin – Chris Tomlin & Friends



Rascal Flatts – How They Remember You EP


Lori McKenna – The Balladeer



Canaan Cox – Stilettos EP


Emilia Quinn – Firecracker EP


The Reklaws – Where I’m From (Deluxe) EP



Dixie Chicks / The Chicks – Gaslighter


Olivia Lane – “Living Instead” Podcast about Artists’ Life and More



Lakeview – She Drove Me To The Bar EP



Jimmie Allen – Bettie James EP



Brett Eldredge – Sunday Drive



Jonny Houlihan – Hey Girl EP


Jody Direen – Smokin’ Ashes



Willie Nelson – First Rose of Spring



Eric Paslay – Heartbeat Higher EP



Kyle Nix – Lightning On The Mountain & Other Little Stories


Tenille Townes – The Lemonade Stand


John Gurney – Remind You EP



Gabby Barrett – Goldmine



Gone West – Canyons


Hannah White and The Nordic Connections (Album)


Matt Lang – More



Tyler Farr – Only Truck in Town EP



Kip Moore – Wild World


Jaime Wyatt – Neon Cross


Chris Bandi – Chris Bandi EP



Craig Morgan – God, Family, Country


High Valley – Grew Up On That EP



Florida Georgia Line – 6-Pack EP



Steve Earle & The Dukes – Ghosts of West Virginia


Jordan Davis – Jordan Davis EP



Chase Rice – The Album Part II EP


Ilse DeLange – Changes



Travis Denning – Beer’s Better Cold EP



Sara Evans – Copy That



Randy Rogers & Wade Bowen – Hold My Beer, Vol. 2

