Eric Paslay - Nice Guy - Flyctory.com

Eric Paslay - Nice Guy

Rating

4.0/5

Flyctory.com Pros

Eric Paslay is just a great storyteller an songwriter
Very intimate atmopshere in many songs
Especially the EP tracks are quite strong

Flyctory.com Cons

Not too much variety in the non-EP tracks
Too commercial release strategy

A perfect illustration how the Nashville country music cash machine nowadays is working: just six weeks after Eric Paslay released the (amazing) EP Heartbeat Higher, the four tracks of that one is merging into Nice Guy. The full album was released on 14th August 2020.

Eric Paslay – About The Artist

As the release of Heartbeat Higher is really just a few weeks old, I just refer to the review of the EP for some bio details of the amazing songwriter and artist.

Eric Paslay – Nice Guy – Track by Track

Nice guy has twelve tracks, 45 minutes.

1. Heartbeat Higher (feat. Sarah Buxton)

At least, Eric Paslay is not hiding his salami tactics and starts his 2020 album with the title track of his recent EP. I don’t add too many comments about this song any more – I liked that duet six weeks ago and so do I still do.

2. Boat In A Bottle

The first three tracks are all good old friends of the EP. Six weeks ago, I felt it could be a great song for your next party – and so I still do.

3. I Took A Pill In Ibiza

When I reviewed the EP, this cover version surprised me most – and it finally made it on my Country Music Playlists. That’s my favorite version of the Mike Posner track, definitely.

4. Off The Edge Of The Summer

Dancin’ off the edge of the summer
Watchin’ it float away
Didn’t know if we’d ever get another
So we couldn’t just let it fade
Didn’t know what it was
But it sure felt right
Back when we thought love
Was a party all night
We were holdin’ on to each other
Dancin’ off the edge of the summer
Of the summer
Of the summer

The slow Off The Edge Of The Summer was the final appetizer for the album – it has been released one week before the album. A really lovely, slower track.

5. Just Once

The album definitely started with four good songs – but still I felt a bit like rushing through them, as they were all known to me (and were likely known to you as well). I like the rhythmic combination of guitar and piano sounds. Paslay just does things right on stage and in the studio.

6. Nice Guy

Here we go, the title track of the album. There is no doubt that Paslay is indeed a Nice Guy, but the message of the song is quite different:

It don’t pay to be a nice guy in a bad guy world
It don’t pay to be a nice guy when the bad guy always gets the girl
You gotta be an a-hole if you wanna bank roll
Maybe that’s why I’m poor
What can I say it just don’t pay to be a nice guy anymore

The song connects a bit to the current Nashville mainstream country sound, Paslay (compared to most other songs by him) is almost speaking in the verses. The song itself is very compact, though, and thus a great listen – so I just cannot say anything against that setup.

7. Under Your Spell

I look in your eyes I’m under your spell
Your spell oh I
Leaned in for your kiss baby
I fell, I fell under your spell

No doubt, this song makes me smile. I love to listen to Eric Paslay stories. Well done!

8. Fingertips

Baby don’t be afraid to chase the great unknown
Between love and god and me you’ll never be out there alone
The greatest power that you hold is to not forget
You got the whole wide world there at your fingertips
Yeah you got the whole wide world there at your fingertips
Oh, keep believing, yeah, keep believing

So far, Eric Paslay just does not feel to disappoint me. Another slow, intense, lovely listen. Really love to enjoy this one.

9. Wild and Young

This album is having a lot of slow, intimate moments. Wild and Young is one of these songs, which make you feel being really close to Paslay and his stories. I would definitely love to enjoy this recording at one of his shows one day.

10. Endless Summer Dream

Endless Summer Dream is an acoustic guitar track. To me, a very nice song, I also enjoy that it is having a decent rhythm.

11. On This Side Of Heaven

The Heartbeat Higher EP has been outstanding – so it is not too surprising that I also loved the fourth track Paslay had released in that package. Still a great listen.

12. Woman Like Her

She ain’t a rebel she don’t even smoke
But she’s the real reason they made rock and roll
She’ll test your temper just cause she can
A woman like her is good for a man

If you hope for an uptempo finish of Nice Guy, I unfortunately have to disappoint you. The album stays slow and ballad-alike until the end. At least in a magical sense. And Women Like Her is having a lovely melody.

Eric Paslay – Nice Guy – Spotify

Here, you can pre-listen to Nice Guy via Spotify:

Eric Paslay – Nice Guy – My View

Also after listening to the EP, I have to say I expected something else. The four-out-of-twelve pre-selection has a very different character to me than the whole album. Nice Guy is much deeper, slower, more intimate. Sometimes, it even feels a bit boring, but overall, Eric Paslay’s songwriting skills are just too strong to really get a bad feeling while listening to his song.

Thus, the strongest point on the negative side is the ridiculous release strategy – do you really need to squeeze the very final penny out of an Eric Paslay fan by having the series of single and EP releases before the album? I doubt so….