Morgan Wallen has grown during the last years and established as a well-reputed country music artist. He also feels to be a very courageous artist – while Nashville is very often nowadays going for EPs or comparably short albums, Morgan Wallen’s second long play release (apart from EPs) is already a double album featuring thirty songs. Quite much work lying ahead of me giving you my view of Dangerous.

 

Morgan Wallen – About The Artist

Morgan Cole Wallen grew up in Sneedville in very Northern Tennessee, where he also has been born on 13th May 1993. He was a good baseball player in school years, but an injury stopped that career. His first nationwide appearance was on The Voice in 2014, where he was eliminated in the playoffs, initially being part of Usher’s team and later singing for Adam Levine. The contacts he made there lead to his first record deal, so that he released the EP Stand Alone in August 2015. A second EP, The Way I Talk followed some one year later, the title track made it to the Top 50 in the US Country, US Country Airplay and Canadian Country Charts. This paved the route to his debut album If I Know Me, which has been released in 2018 and topped the US Country Charts and even made it up to the 13th spot in the US overall charts. The album featured three US Airplay Chart Toppers, Up Down (with Florida Georgia Line), Whiskey Glasses and Chasing You (which have been released as a single in three consecutive years). More Tan My Hometown, the first single taken from Dangerous topped the US Country Airplay again. All four songs mentioned also went up to the top spot on the Canadian Country Charts.

 

Morgan Wallen – Dangerous – Track by Track

The double contains two CDs with fifteen songs each. The total playtime is 1:37 hours. Seven songs of Dangerous have been released before the album already.

CD 1

1. Sand In My Boots

The double album starts with an already published track – the rather intimate and thoughtful Stand In My Boots. I definitely enjoy to listen to Wallen’s voice, the chorus is catchy. A nice start to Dangerous.

2. Wasted On You

Looks like I’m learnin’ the hard way again
It’s all my fault
Yeah, I dropped the ball
You’re gone and I’ve gone three sheets to the wind
Just thinking ’bout all I’ve wasted on you

The song is using electronic drum sounds, which gives it a somehow catching character. Indeed a good listen.

3. Somebody’s Problem

Morgan Wallen is able to add catching, special elements to his songs, They stay in your mind and they also give a characteristic touch. At Somebody’s Problem, it is the accentuated way the chorus is presented. Morgan Wallen makes me move to his music – in the rhythm he is defining.

 

4. More Surprised Than Me

With a couple of songs at this part of the CD are shorter than three minutes, Dangerous feels like a very fast, versatile collection of New Country tracks in here. More Surprised Than Me is a track, which even comes with a touch of summer to me – even though the song itself is a love song.

5. 865

I wonder how many people will try to call 865-409-1021, the number stated in this song about Jack Daniels. While I am thinking about it, the song is already over. Cheers!

6. Warning

Should’ve come with a warnin’
Don’t sit right there, don’t sip on what they’re pouring
Her kiss is gonna kill you in the morning
Nah, it ain’t gonna end too good
Everything about that night I thought I wanted
Should’ve come with a warning

Warning is surprisingly pop-ish. Even though I would not list is as one of my favorite songs so far, it is just a nice distraction, a nice alternative. There are so many (other) tracks on the album as well, it’s good not too have it to monotonous.

7. Neon Eyes

Neon eyes, dollar in a jukebox heartache
Drinking off a dive bar highway
Thick smoke soaked up in tequila
Told you I’d leave ya with neon eyes
Dancing with a ghost on the dance floor
Never really getting what you came for
Lonely lips sipping on a margarita
Girl, I’d hate to see ya with neon eyes

Nice story telling, catching melodies and good vocals. This one is the first real blast on the album to me (at least, it is even stronger than the good songs before…). Need to listen to it.

8. Outlaw (feat. Ben Burgess)

The list of songwriting credits of the album is quite long (and full of big names of the business) – but Ben Burgess is also making it to the album as a vocal guest to Dangerous. The dark Outlaw is lovely – Bang, bang, baby, them blue eyes got me like!

9. Whiskey’d My Way

After the album came with a whiskey reference already (and I still think about calling the Knoxville phone number), Whiskey’d My Way is another alcoholic reference – he just did not have any other chance, as the chorus tells

Tequila made me crazy
Cold beer wouldn’t do
So I whiskey’d my way over you

Cheers! It’s a cool song.

10. Wonderin‘ Bout The Wind

Dangerous and me had a rather slow start, I must say. I saw some reviews of the album before the album started and did not fully get the good reviews in the first tracks. The more Morgan Wallen takes me on this thirty track trip, the more I enjoy to travel with him. Wonderin’ Bout The Wind is a perfect example for the reason: each song has its own character – and it’s simply well done (not too surprising if you keep the credits list in memory). Let’s move on!

11. Your Bartender

If I was your bartender
I’d mix ’em up strong in a tall blender
Till the last one’s gone
Yeah, I’d play every heart break song
On the jukebox till your tear drops
They fell on that bar top
Keep you drinking, get you thinking
I’m right where you need to be
If I was your bartender
I’d talk you out of leaving me

Your Bartender is (another) lovely example of the great songwriting skills of Morgan Wallen. Ain’t these lyrics a great way to tell your stories? Don’t need to mention that he is also putting the right music and good vocals in place to turn a good story into a good song. Well done!

12. Only Thing That’s Gone (feat. Chris Stapleton)

Another strong indication that you made it: having Chris Stapleton as a guest artist on your second album is not too bad at all. To me, this duet is one of the best tracks of the first CD, indeed.

13. Cover Me Up

Jason Isbell is referenced in this track, Cover Me Up. The song is, by the way, also the longest track on the whole album – there is no other song which is even close to its almost five minutes. Wallen’s energetic and powerful voice just makes me close my eyes and enjoy for the duration of the track. It’s a beauty.

14. 7 Summers

There is also a short movie music video of this song, in case you are interested in it. Feels like a classic Texas country track – on the slower side. Nice one.

 

15. More Than My Hometown

More Than My Hometown is a song you likely already know. Ain’t there a better way to finish the first part of the album than with that hit song? Time to change the CD now in case you consume Dangerous physically.

 

CD 2

1. Still Goin Down

Morgan Wallen 2021, part 2: like the first CD, the second record starts with a track which is already known as a single release. Still Goin Down was likely my most favorite song of the ones published before the album – so I it is definitely a promising first step into the second half of Dangerous to me.

2. Rednecks, Red Letters, Red Dirt

Rednecks, red letters, red dirt
One light, one bar, one church
Where the Lord gets thanked and the shine gets drank
While an out back brush pile burns
Yeah, I’ve been away way too long
But tonight I’m headed back home
‘Cause when I need to find me
There’s only three things that’ll work
Rednecks, red letters, red dirt

A classic “praising country life” song which have quite often in that genre. The song is staying in your head quite quickly – even though I typically don’t like these ones too much.

3. Dangerous

Song #18 – I really tended to forget that this double album also might have a title track. Here we go. The song is one of the rather pop-ish tracks, especially the verses have a bit of that hip-hop touch, which Nashville (too) often prefers nowadays. Thus, Dangerous is not really characteristic for Dangerous – but as the pop attitude is still on a bearable level, the song is not too bad at all.

4. Beer Don’t

Beer don’t start nothing, but the party
Beer don’t taste half as good in the city
Beer don’t buzz with that hip hop, cuz
But it damn sure does with a little nitty gritty
Beer don’t bust its ass Monday to Friday
Beer don’t wanna sit in a glass, so slide it my way
We might drink way too many of ’em at the bar
People got their own opinion about how redneck we are
But beer don’t

There is still a bit of that pop touch in Beer Don’t. 30 country songs just need some drinking attitude. The song is overall one of the weakest tracks of the album, which sometimes reminds me a bit of Ten Little Injuns and its German version. This also means it has quite some potential to boost some country music parties.

5. Blame It On Me

If you roll your eyes when them other guys try to take you out on the city
If you quit sippin’ wine and you start liking shooting whiskey
If you start talking with a drawl and feeling all kinds of pretty
If you’re up to see the sun before you fall asleep
Baby, blame it on me

This song is heading back to “purer” country music style – and Blame It On Me is just again one of these catching Morgan Wallen tracks. Good mood, good listen – no need to blame somebody.

6. Somethin‘ Country

Are we there yet? No, ten more to go on this enjoyable honky tonk trip. Somethin’ Country comes with a lot of power and partially even feels kind of angry. Cool one – even though though I am not too much fond of the verses again.

7. This Bar

This Bar is very melodic – after the a bit of party and pop-alike tracks before, I just enjoy these three minutes of laying back and relaxing a bit. Just listening to a good song, good lyrics. Life’s good if you listen to Dangerous.

8. Country A$$ Shit

I don’t wanna go to work
I don’t wanna see my ex-girl
I don’t wanna worry ’bout finding me my next girlfriend
At the bar where they charge your right arm for a cold can of PBR
Yeah, I don’t wanna watch the news
I don’t wanna pick the phone up
Don’t wanna sit in traffic with an empty can of long cut
I’ve been doin’ what I should be doin’, and I’m losin’ my Dodge Ram mind
‘Cause I just wanna do country ass shit
With my country ass friends
With my country ass band
Havin’ to make them dollar bills y’all

Okay, these kind of songs come with the Explicit banner on Spotify. The song feels like a Southern rock track – it’s for sure a lot of fun. One of the best songs of the album – sorry kids, that you should not listen to these naughty words 🙂

9. Whatcha Think Of Country Now

The style of Whatcha Think Of Country Now has a Southern Rock touch as well – a good track, but I am mentally still in the song before… The one with the naughty lyrics, you know. But if you like it more nice, you will rock to this one as well with a lot of fun.

10. Me On Whiskey

Alcohol again? This one is about a cozy Tennessee party night. Comparably slow, but a really lovely melody with some nice accents given by the electric guitars.

11. Need A Boat

Nashville really seems to be requesting cruising on Cumberland River. After Chris Janson asked to buy him a boat, Morgan Wallen needs one as well. I like his purchase request more – it has a slight touch of rock’n’roll to me and is thus quite an entertaining song.

12. Silverado For Sale

In favor for the boat, there is a Chevy pick-up available. And if you do a car sale like that, I am sure you will get a good price:

This truck will get the prettiest girl in town
Sittin’ right beside you when you’re ridin’ around
It’s got a pretty good radio
If you wanna get her dancin’ down an old dirt road
Spent a lot of Friday nights up under the stars
Get you where you need to go and it’ll go too far
God knows all the stories it can tell
I got a Silverado for sale

13. Heartless (Wallen Album Mix)

Heartless in the album mix version is one of the lowest ranked songs of the album to me. Too pop-ish. But hey, this album is really good, so even weaker tracks are not too bad. There are just quite a bunch of songs I prefer more.

14. Livin‘ The Dream

The 29th song of Dangerous is the last one, which you could listen to before the double album has been released. I am not too much into this song, I have to say.

15. Quittin‘ Time

If Quittin’ Time was a person, I would say it is an honor for him / her to finish the majestic work. Indeed a lovely, country-style get-out dance. Thanks Morgan!

 

Morgan Wallen – Dangerous – Spotify

Here is the Spotify widget to Dangerous:

 

Morgan Wallen – Dangerous – My View

First of all, a special thanks to Morgan Wallen to deliver a double album. In the previous months, I really struggled with all these short releases from Tennessee. The pure mass of tracks (and even of new songs) makes Dangerous special already. But it’s not all: he is really doing 30 differently charactered songs. You feel that 30 songs in a row by the same artist written in the same period of his life just have to become boring at a certain point in time. This just does not happen – for a very straight and easy reason: Dangerous is too good. And Morgan Wallen is too talented. This talent and the quality of songs, paired with the sheer mass of material, make this album very, very special.

 

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