In January 2022, country artist Cole Phillips released his debut single Drinking Alone. The song was a huge success with some 18 million streams on Spotify and 3.6m ones on YouTube. Finally, the US-American released his eight track debut album No Town, Oklahoma on 16th August 2024. Here is my review.
Cole Phillips – About The Artist
The young US-American artist Cole Phillips is originally from Oklahoma. He has seven siblings. As stated above, his debut single Drinking Alone was a huge success and has been stream since then 18 million times on Spotify only. He has about one million likes on his TikTok channel.
Cole Phillips – No Town, Oklahoma – Track by Track
The eight song album lasts 26 minutes.
1. Good Guy
Four songs of the No Town, Oklahoma album have already been published before the album. It opens and closes with two of them. The opener is Good Guy, which has been the most successful so far, apart from the overwhelming closer Drinking Alone. The song is a mid-tempo country track with a rather traditional set-up, without feeling very traditional. Phillips’ voice is the striking element of this one, which comes with a nice storytelling as well.
2. Midnight Train
The second song of the album, Midnight Train, is a quite rhythmic country track with nice vibes. The electric guitar is driving the song together with steel guitar elements. Nice one.
3. Hurt
The block of new songs is opened with Hurt. This one is a treat for rather traditional country music listeners. The song comes with a nice country music groove. Phillips states I got a long trail of hurt behind. The song does not hurt at all – it is a really nice one, indeed.
4. I Don’t Lie
With the fourth track I Don’t Lie, the album No Town, Oklahoma is slowing down significantly. This leads to a more intimate, personal touch, which nicely suits to the warm, emotional vocal style.
5. River Red
Just South of Atoka, that red river runs
That yellow moon hanging in the sky
Them stars started falling when I looked into her eyes
And that night, we said forever and forever ’til we die
Whistles and bass sounds open River Red together with a stomping rhythm. The very groovy song has a nice Western touch. Again, Cole Phillips is beautiful in his storytelling as well.
6. Bottom of the Bottle
Bottom of the Bottle is a rather slow song. Especially the present steel guitar adds a strong typical country music touch. A song, which surely works out on smaller as well as on larger stages.
And I keep wondering
And I keep hoping
Those headlights through the window
Are her headlights down my street
But it’s just another passing car
Running down the two-lane
God, I hate that open highway
It took my baby from me
7. No Town
The seventh song No Town was the last single release before the album. The 19th July 2024 publication spreads its spirits in a beautifully unagitated style. There ain’t no place home, this home town ain’t no town at all – these lines of the chorus beautifully describe the mood and topic of the whole short album.
8. Drinking Alone
The chucker-out is likely the song I don’t need to say too much about. The song is beautifully intense listen. Despite the wistful mood at the end of No Town, Okalhoma, the song is definitely an enjoyable listen.
Cole Phillips – No Town, Oklahoma – Spotify
Here is the album on Spotify:
Cole Phillips – No Town, Oklahoma – My View
Cole Phillips underlines with No Town, Oklahoma that he might be one of the big upcoming country music artists. It is hard to believe that Drinking Alone will be his only successful track. These eight songs underline his great talent – and the touch of traditional country music works very well in it. Bad luck that the album just covers eight tracks – I would love to hear more from this 18 year old guy already.
Favorite Song: River Red
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Food I Had Onboard
My bites and drinks on flights and trains are shown in Food I Had Onboard: