14. October 2026
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Media Review

Wade Bowen – The Version of Me You Get

Florian Buechtingby Florian Buechting

Wade Bowen - The Version of Me You Get

Wade Bowen - The Version of Me You Get
4.8

Rating

 4.8/5

Flyctory.com Pros

  • Lovely storytelling
  • Very versatile record

Four album and EP releases and some concert coverages – Wade Bowen is definitely one of the country music artists in focus of my website. On 25th September 2026, he is releasing his ninth solo album. Here is my review of The Version of Me You Get.

 

Wade Bowen – About The Artist

Wade Bowen is a US American country music and red dirt artist from Waco in Texas. He was born there on 18th October 1978. He went for a professional career in 2000 and released his his debut album Try Not to Listen two years later. My most recent Wade Bowen album review I published was Flyin’ in 2024. Furthermore I reviwed Somewhere between The Secret and The Truth (2022) and Hold My Beer, Vol. 2 (2020), which he released with Randy Rogers. Additionally, I featured his 2021 EP Where Phones Don’t Work.

 

Wade Bowen – The Version of Me You Get – Track by Track

The ten track album lasts 37 minutes.

1. Rain

Four of the first five songs of the album hav ebeen released before the album. This also applies to the opener, Rain. Wade Bowen is presenting a very reflecting song, which is also having a lovely metaphoric component. The instruments are rather in the background, but get their presence in the bridge. You can feel the song and its story – a typical Wade Bowen recording.

2. Burned In The Fire

Burned In The Fire – the title already sounds like a more dramatic story. Indeed, the second track of The Version of Me You Get is more rocking, more dramatic. It has a touch of blues rock as well. I really like its style, the instrumental work is a lovely fit to the atmosphere of the track.

Yes, whatever helps you sleep at night
Claim your heart broke too
You can weep and you can cry
but we both know truth
You can say that you know my pain
But you would be a liar
‘Cause, you may have been licked by a flame
But baby, I burned in the fire

3. People Like Us

Mama never wanted a diamond ring
Hell, she never asked for anything
Maybe just a hug and to hear me sing
And all us kids round the table at the dinner bell ring

Sean McConnell, one of the musicians of the album, is having a busy time. In this song, for example, he played the drums, the bass, the guitars (acoustic and electric), percussion and did the harmonies. In more gentle songs like People Like Us, he is adding a lot of value to the narrations by Wade Bowen. People Like Us comes with a beautiful, harmonic melody, praising simple people’s life.

4. Weight On The Levee

The first so far unreleased track of the album, Weight On The Levee, tarts with a rather dark mood. The song is definitely one of the harder track of the album. However, lines like I’ve been drinking too much trying to wash the trouble down also lead to a very personal, vulnerable touch. Wade Bowen makes you feel the emotions of his story – that’s excellent songwriting.

5. Turpentine

Turpentine, the last already shared song of the album, feels very different to the predecessor. It solely starts with Wade Bowen’s voice and the acoustic guitar. Even though other instruments like the organ (by Ben Alleman) or the pedal steel (by Smith Curry) are joining later, the slow track keeps its singer-songwriter style. If you are feeling sad, you should maybe skip the melancholic listen, though.

6. Better Left Alone

Better Left Alone felt very surprising to me. The song is a slower, rhythmic song, which has a nicely meandering melodic flow. It is very difficult to describe its melody, which is contrasting to the songs before. The more I really like it.

7. One More One Last Time

One of the key strengths of The Version of Me You Get is that every song has some new elements in stock. One More One Last Time opens with some harder guitar riffs, which reduce to slower, rhythmically strumming ones for the first stanza. This leads to a marching, dramatic sound. Definitely, this one rather leans towards blues rock again.

8. The Garden

We were high on the mountain
We were king of the hill
Till it all came tumblin’ down like Jack and Jill
Used to be easy
Now it never will
My broken cup can’t keep up
I can’t get my fill

Just plant the seed, dance for rain, and pray the garden grows – that’s how the chorus of The Garden is closing. The song does not require electric guitars, but is rather driven by acoustic chords and a nice combination of a piano main melody, backed by the organ. Wade Bowen recorded a lovely ballad with this one.

9. Hard World

In the first stanza of Hard World, Wade Bowen is hardly missing any doubtful way how people try to reduce the struggle of life. Drugs, medicine, alcohol, working too much – all of that is in there. All that leads to the key statement of the chorus – It’s a hard world, a hard world to live in. Sounds like a serious, sad song – but Bowen gives it the right twist to make it an easy, fun, enjoyable one.

10. The Version Of Me You Get

The album saves the title track for last. The Version of Me You Get is majorly just driven by the piano and Bowen’s voice. There are decent guitar and organ elements, which increase the intensity of this slow track. The song deals with how you change in different parts of your life. The song is the strongest and most intimate message of the whole album.

I’m the life of the party
I’m sad and I’m sorry
I’m here, then I’m up in my head
It all depends on the version of me you get

 

Wade Bowen – The Version of Me You Get – Spotify

Here is the album on Spotify:

 

Wade Bowen – The Version of Me You Get – My View

Wade Bowen combines the uncertainty of a lucky bag with the confidence you have into a long-term friend. Maybe you don’t know what is in stock next. But you don’t need to worry – you know it will be good. That’s exactly how I felt while listening to The Version of Me You Get. There are surprising songs like Better Left Alone. But if you trust in Bowen’s music and just give it a chance, you get a lovely experience, good storytelling and intense atmosphere. My level of trust increased during these ten songs even more.

Favorite Song: The Version of Me You Get

 

Wade Bowen on Flyctory.com

Here are all postings related to country artist Wade Bowen:

 

Postings with Gallery 2026

Here are postings coming with a major size photo gallery published in 2026:

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