Zach Bryan, the boy from Oklahoma, is back yet again and the “American Heartbreak” is not over — at least not yet. The small town, military-raised musician has once again brought his edge coupled with his intense serenity and heartbreak, bringing a refreshing sound to country music.
The musician’s fourth and most recent studio album, “Zach Bryan,” is a beacon of hope for the country genre where the seemingly ever more popular country-pop era continues to dominate through the likes of Morgan Wallen and Florida Georgia Line. Bryan’s latest work is another strong album reminiscent of the classic country sound of Johnny Cash and the classy punk emotionality of Tom Petty, moving him a rung above the current country music populism.
“Zach Bryan,” released Aug. 25, 2023, takes listeners on a tour of himself that is even more sincere than any of his previous efforts. His character development as a musician once again becomes more complex, despite his often stripped-down production and simple vocal delivery. He is often calm and collected but still emotional, which is a rare combination in music.
Zach Bryan himself is a paradox — a country-born, military-raised kid from Oklahoma who now lives in Philadelphia and dates Brianna LaPaglia of TikTok and Barstool. His character is a tough guy who shares his feelings. Bryan crosses boundaries in a polarized world. You’ll surely find him at the small town watering hole drinking strong whiskey, but you won’t ever catch him shooting up a 30 rack of Bud Light in his backyard — looking at you, Kid Rock. So without further ado, let’s dig into the review.
The project begins with a poem called “Fear and Fridays.” This poem is not to be confused with the song “Fear and Fridays” slightly farther down the tracklist, which stoically chronicles both events and wisdom from Bryan’s journey through life. The poem comes along with a few soft yet stark staccato guitar strums as he reads it out loud, helping to introduce the extremely personal project to his listeners — an album that, as the name suggests, digs deep into the more than just the character we see on stage.
Following the “Fear and Friday” poem is a project of heartbreak, dismay and dissatisfaction, but also hope. It contains the kind of songs you’d think you would hear proudly rolling out of the dash of a Ford F-150 rolling through the Texas countryside, dust in the air, and a cigarette in the hand of the driver, but this just isn’t the case. For example, “Overtime“ — a seemingly blue collar anthem about spending a whole life doing duty-oriented overtime work — finds its home in Fords and Subarus alike, from the north woods of Wisconsin to the porches of duplexes in Madison.
Something about Bryan’s simple yet unique genre of music connects geographies like few other musicians have, and this album is a microcosm of this. Bryan sings of a lifestyle many people have never lived, but his music often still resonates with them.
Maybe it’s the range of emotions, the wisdom with a foolish edge or the hopefulness that connects people to Bryan’s music. The country star takes listeners through a journey on “Zach Bryan,” from confusion on “East Side of Sorrow” to the longing, melancholy and pain of “Jake’s Piano” and the subdued hope of “Tradesman.”
Maybe it is just the sincerity he composes, giving us a new window into the world of current popular music, one that isn’t dominated by exaggeration, pomp and money. One instead devoted to the human condition. The down-to-earth album closer, “Oklahoma Son” is a prime example of this and an excellent cap to his self-titled album. “Oklahoma Son” ends the album’s narrative journey with one the only unmalleable parts of Bryan — his small-town Oklahoma upbringing. And obviously, few people can relate to an upbringing in the sticks of Oklahoma, but many people resonate with the pride for their hometowns and cities that Bryan illustrates in his music and personality.
Or maybe, what connects people is the mischievous edge he demonstrates on “Spotless,” featuring the Lumineers, bringing back a nostalgic era of bumming power from the neighbors on vacation.
Regardless of what that something is, Zach Bryan is a man who has crossed many boundaries — not necessarily stylistically, but in listenership, and this effort is no different in that regard. And in an increasingly divided world, the arts, and music specifically, is a draw for all. The Navy veteran’s latest album is no exception to this.
So maybe you’ve never heard of the guy, or maybe you have but you don’t listen to country music regularly. “Zach Bryan” will always have something for you. And while Bryan certainly has similarities in his style to Johnny Cash, this isn’t your grandfather’s album. But your grandfather might like it, and so will you.
