The Album Part II by Chase Rice is maybe the perfect illustration for the situation in the North American music markets: as albums do just play an extremely subordinate role and the whole industry runs on singles sales and streams, Rice just “split” his album into two parts. He already released the seven track EP The Album Pt. I in January 2020 (I did not review it). The second part or reprise has been served on 15th March 2020.
Chase Rice – About The Artist
Chase Rice was born on 19th September 1985 in Ormond Beach, Florida, close to Daytona. However, he grew up in Asheville, North Carolina, where he also went to High School and played as an American Football Linebacker in the team of the University of North Carolina. An injury forced him to deviate from NFL career plans. He first stayed in sports, though, and had some pit crew jobs in motor sports.
Rice made his initial TV appearance on the entertainment side in a reality TV show, Survivor: Nicaragua. Pursuing musical career thoughts started quite late in his life, though, as he began playing the guitar in college years. At the age of 25, he released his debut album, Friday Nights and Sunday Mornings, which even included his very first song ever written, Larger Than Life. His second album release, which he again did as an independent artist two years later, Dirt Road Communication, already had some success and placed 48th in the US Country Charts and 15th in the US Heat. Fired by his first successful single, Ready Set Roll, his third album Ignite The Night topped the US Country Charts and also had success in Canada and Australia. In 2017, Rice released Lambs & Lions, which was not that successful, but still worked out quite well. The key single of the album was Eyes on You, which especially made it to the top of the Airplays. The first part and EP of this 2020 The Album made it to the 6th spot in the US Country Charts.
Chase Rice – The Album Part II – Track by Track
The second part of The Album contains four songs and lasts 13 minutes.
1. You
The EP starts with a typical Chase Rice song. Modern country tunes, a good listen. Nice one. But somehow not more.
2. Break. Up. Drunk.
I definitely like Break. Up. Drunk. more than the first track. I got a touch for it from the very beginning, I love the rhythmic summer vibe in it as well.
3. Down Home Runs Deep
Can’t take the good out of the good ol’ boys
Can’t fake a slow steady heavy drawl
Don’t know a day without breaking out
Some hell yeah, some yes ma’am, some hey y’all
Good Lord’s the first one you thank
When your ride or die’s beside you with gas in the tank
You might not stay, but you don’t ever leave
When your down home runs deep
Baseball at first sight, but a lovely country home anthem. My favorite track of this EP, another nice piece of Chase Rice songwriting.
4. Belong
Belong is a slower track with quite significant background rhythm. Nice atmosphere, not a bad track at all – but also not one of the artist’s masterpieces.
Chase Rice – The Album Part II – Spotify
Here is the Spotify widget for the EP:
Chase Rice – The Album Part II – My View
Oh Mr Rice… I really like your music, but I definitely should have rather reviewed the first part of The Album. First of all, just four tracks on this EP compared to the seven ones in January feels a bit like a rip-off. Two good ones, two which are somehow average is not what I expect of an excellent artist like this. I loved his show in Cologne last year, but this one cannot exceed average ratings. You can do better!
EP Reviews on Flyctory.com
Here are media reviews on Extended Plays:
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