21. February 2025
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Media Review

Granger Smith – Country Things, Vol. 1

Florian Buechtingby Florian Buechting

Granger Smith - Country Things, Vol. 1

Granger Smith - Country Things, Vol. 1
4.1

Rating

 4.1/5

Flyctory.com Pros

  • Really nice country sound variety
  • Very mature and well-produced songs
  • Already containing the summer party song 2021?

Flyctory.com Cons

  • Album split into two parts... This is just part 1

Six albums – no chart placement: when you think about Granger Smith today, you may majorly focus on his last albums, which have been quite successful. However, the artist had to invest massively into his musical career, before the effort paid out with good chart placements. The first part of his latest album, Country Things, Vol. 1, will be released on 25th September 2020. Here is a review.

 

Granger Smith – About The Artist

Granger Kelly Smith was born on 4th September 1979 in Dallas, Texas. He started learning to play the guitar and moved to Nashville at the age of 19, having signed a contract with EMI before.Even though his debut album, Waiting on Forever was already published in 1999, it took him seven albums and fourteen years of publishing music to seal a spot in the US Country Album Charts: Dirt Road Driveway, released in April 2013, finally made it to the fifteenth spot. On the singles charts side, it was even a track from the following album Remington  (2016), which made it to the charts: the success of the Backroad Song was quite overwhelming, however. making it to the fourth spot in the singles charts and even being the most successful track on the airplay side. The same album featured his second most successful song, If the Boot Fits.

His latest album release was When the Good Guys Win, which has been published in 2017, even peaked second in the US Country Album charts.

 

 

Granger Smith – Country Things, Vol. 1 – Track by Track

The eight track album lasts 27 minutes.

1. Country Things

The album (or the first subset of it) starts with classic country sound. With the chorus latest, the sound becomes a bit more modern. A lovely country lifestyle hymn without being too patriotic or corny. Really nice one!

2. Hate You Like I Love You

I’m just tryna hate you like I love you
Not want you like I need you
Forget you like I miss you
All of the time, I’m just tryna
Let go like I hold tight
Sell myself a bad lie
Whatever I gotta do
Girl, I’m just tryna hate you like I love you
Hate you like I love you, yeah

The second song is a lovely country love ballad. Slow, really beautiful sound. Really enjoy listening to it

3. I Kill Spiders

Whenever you’re lost in the dark // remember you got me right in your heart. The album continues with love stories. I do not favor killing animals of any kind, but I do love the way Granger Smith is doing this song, for sure.

4. That’s Why I Love Dirt Roads

That’s why I love dirt roads
Make the world turn real slow
Feel the gravel letting go
It’s stirring up my soul
That’s why I love running wild
Through country miles
They’re out of style
They take a while
But every winding ride’ll lead me home
That’s why I love dirt roads

A great song for the road or just to listen and enjoy – That’s Why I Love Dirt Roads is a quite modern track with some power. Makes this track a really nice listen – great 3:40 minutes.

5. Mexico

There is just a touch of tequila in this song, which is still more sounding like Tennessee whiskey (or Texas spirits)

6. Chevys, Hemis, Yotas & Fords

This song is a playground for the electric guitars, for sure. The chorus is intended to blast your hat off and to make you bang your head. As it is a country track, the verses are giving you some time to relax again. One of my favorites on the album.

7. Heroes

This rather slow, but very intense track is an homage on the everyday Heroes in life – naming people like fire fighters, nurses, teachers. Very catching song, which will likely even touch more people in the States than on this side of the big blue water. Great listen!

8. Country & Ya Know It feat. Earl Dibbles Jr.

Earl Dibbles Jr. is back! The character is the alter ego of Granger Smith and appears for the eighth track of the Country Things. Likely the track which made me smile most – it is simply a country music adoption of the well-known children tune If you happy and you know it clap your hands. The lyrics are slightly adopted: If you’re country an  ya know it raise a beer… This will be the top hit of the summer festivals in 2021 – and the refreshment booth’s best friend. Cheers!

 

Granger Smith – Country Things, Vol. 2 – Review

Two months after Country Things, Vol. 1, Granger Smith released the second half of the album – which I like slightly better. Here is my review:

Granger Smith – Country Things, Vol. 2

 

Granger Smith – Country Things, Vol. 1 – Spotify

Here is the Spotify version of Country Things, Vol. 1:

 

Granger Smith – Country Things, Vol. 1 – My View

Even though the cover strongly reminds me of the children printed in front of the German kinder chocolate bar boxes, the contents is definitely much more mature than kiddie stuff: eight really nice song, which are especially great in the second half of the eight episodes. I do though not like that splitting albums into sub-albums or EP thing too much – but that’s a very European perspective. I do appreciate that the current US music market situation simply suggests to act like that. Either wait for the full run or enjoy this appetizer. Nice one!

 

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