1.7 million people are following Brantley Gilbert on Instagram already. Will there soon be a bunch more? At least, a new album has always the potential to attract new fans. On 13th September 2024, Gilbert shared his new record Tattoos – and I had a listen.
Brantley Gilbert – About The Artist
Three ACMA and one CMA Award – Brantley (Keith) Gilbert is definitely one of the bigger names in country and Southern rock music. Born in Jefferson, Georgia, on 20th January 1985, the US-American artist.has released six albums so far. The last one has been the 2022 So Help Me God. I reviewed his fifth album, Fire & Brimstone in 2019. His debut album A Modern Day Prodigal Son was released in 2009, two years after he moved to Nashville. His breakthrough album has been his second one. Halfway to Heaven, released in 2010, featured the two US Country Charts-topping singles Country Must Be Country Wide and You Don’t Know Her Like I Do. Apart from So Helped Me God, all of his albums thereafter topped the US Country Charts. His biggest song is likely the 2013 Bottoms Up, which was a seven time platinum RIAA platinum release.
Brantley Gilbert – Tattoos – Track by Track
The ten track album lasts 33 minutes
1. Dirty Money (feat. Justin Moore)
The duet with Justin Moore has been the last most recent single release before Brantley Gilbert shared his 2024 album. I like the dramatic, rocking style with its stomping rhythm. There is a touch of hip hop groove in this rather slack sound of the song. I like it – other songs performed better in the Tattoo promotion period, though.
2. Over When We’re Sober (feat. Ashley Cooke)
The second song of the album is another already released duet. This time, Brantley Gilbert collaborates with a female country artist, Ashley Cooke, though. In the parallely sung parts, I feel that Ashley is a bit too much in the background. But she leaves an even stronger mark in her solo parts. Thus, I really like this song.
3. Tattoos
The first previously unreleased song of Tattoos is the album’s title track. The modern country track with cool vibes stays in your mind. A key factor for that is also the intense and characteristic voice of the artist.
4. Gone By Now
Gone By Now is the fourth track of the album. It’s instrumental main theme right at the beginning of the three minute song adds a very strong mainstream flavor. The chorus comes with a nice and harmonic melody. The song is good, but its predecessor had a stronger individual character.
5. Off The Rails
Regarding Spotify streams, Off The Rails was the most successful feature track for Brantley Gilbert’s 2024 album. Indeed, the rocking and rough style of this song almost burns into the ear of the listener. Partially, it rather feels like a country-flavored hard rock track than a country or Southern rocker. And when Gilbert is pushing like in this track, it also feels like a perfect harmony between guitars and the vocalist.
6. The Hell That Raised Us
Would you expect a fine country music ballad when you read the title? Brantley Gilbert surprised at least me before the very first listen of this song. But if you are good songwriter, there just does not feel to be a contrast between the title and song. Rock fans will still have some scattered riffs here and there.
7. Me And My House (feat. Struggle Jennings & Demun Jones)
For the seventh track, the US-American artist even asked two of his colleagues to join. While Demun Jones is known for being in similar musical spheres than Gilbert, Struggle Jennings does what he can do best – and adds rap parts to the song. Overall, this is another trak which is working out well.
8. God Isn’t Country (feat. Gary Levox)
For the last collaboration track of Tattoos, the Rascal Flatts borrowed their singer Gary Levox. I feel that the two voices create a nice harmony. A slower country track with scattered rock elements. The melody of the chorus is a beauty, indeed.
9. Out Here
With Out Here, Brantley Gilbert presents a present, rocking song which even comes with some concert performance. Nonetheless, the song feels a bit of shy and hidden between the stronger songs of Tattoo.
10. Miss These Towns
Gilbert closes his 2024 long-play with a very emotional ballad. This time, the guitar are not allowed to go for harder tunes – and the listener quits listening his song with a heartwarming feeling.
Brantley Gilbert – Tattoos – Spotify
Here is Tattoos on Spotify:
Brantley Gilbert – Tattoos – My View
I really like Tattoos. Gilbert has compiled a nice and wide range of songs. He presents emotional ballads as well as songs, which are close to hard rock. Thereby, his voice is working well in any of the different moods. Really good one.
Favorite Song: Tattoos
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