Review: Brantley Gilbert’s “Halfway to Heaven”
Posted by Big Papa | Posted in Brantley Gilbert | Posted on 19-03-2010
Brantley Gilbert’s latest album, “Halfway to Heaven” hit stores this past Tuesday. Gilbert adds multiple dimensions to his album by co-writing all twelve tracks with the help of writers such as Colt Ford and Rhett Akins (That Ain’t My Truck). Overall, the album has some great qualities and signature songs that could move on up the country music charts. Gilbert’s softer vocals are very appealing and songs help the listener to reminisce about the past and feel strong emotion. The more raspy vocals with heavy instrumentals have significantly less appeal. Some songs have more of a rock than country feel, but every song is certainly within the boundaries of today’s country music genre.
The first song of Brantley Gilbert’s new album, “Halfway to Heaven” sends the listener in the other direction with “Hell on Wheels”. The first track uses heavy instruments and raspy vocals to tell the story of whiskey runners getting away from the cops and heading towards the state lines. As an opening song, “Hell on Wheels” tricks you into thinking that Gilbert is heading in a certain direction with his music. However if you keep listening, you will be pleasantly surprised at the depth of the album.
One of the first themes you will encounter has a hardcore, tough guy, country living vibe to it. Brantley’s first single off the album, “Kick It in the Sticks”, falls neatly into this category. After surveying the entire album, I do not think this was the best choice for the first released song off the album. The song is too similar in many ways to Justin Moore’s “Backwoods” and Craig Morgan’s “Bonfire”. These songs are by no means original either, but with two other recent songs out there, it will be difficult for Gilbert to chart much success with this song. But the song is likeable . Another song from this theme is “Country Must Be Country Wide”. The song has one of the best concepts on the album, but really lacks the lyrics to back it up. “Country Must Be Country Wide” praises the diverse appeal that has made country music become music for all people regardless of age, money, location, or race. I love the concept, but the lyrics falls short in the second verse. “Take It Outside” is another hardcore country song and the least likeable song on the album. Call me a lover and not a fighter, but I don’t think a song about fighting appeals to many people. The song glorifies the way they handled things back in the good old days by taking it outside. The final track on the album, featuring Colt Ford is “Dirt Road Anthem”. The content of the song is exactly what the title says. Half rhythm and blues, half country rap, the song talks about the wisdom and values of living off the country dirt road. The song actually reminded me of a Bone Thugs n’ Harmony type song. Worth a listen.
The second theme looks back on all the crazy memories of being an adolescent. The second track on the album, “Bendin’ the Rules and Breakin’ the Law” has a softer vocal sound than the aforementioned songs. This song actually reminded me of a Keith Urban song. My favorite line on the entire album is in this song where the boy admits that he is, “The closest thing to hell she’s (momma) ever raised.” The song also mentions a former pastime of my youth, mailbox baseball. “Back in the Day”, is the third track and is less focused on breaking laws and more focused on remembering a high school love. The memories of homecoming, football games, and a senior trip are still clear, but he wonders if she ever thinks of him. Moving to the second half of the album, “Them Boys” remembers the invincibility of teen aged boys. This one reminds me of Kenny Chesney’s “Young”, while the boys smoke their cigarettes and “treatin’ little girls like hearts don’t break”. All three of these songs are very good. Nothing too original, but you will catch yourself wrapped up in the songs, as you think back to those carefree days when you were just trying not to get caught.
The last set of songs center around the emotions of love and heart break. On the lighter side of this emotional grouping of songs is “My Kinda Crazy”. This is a love song, where the guy just shrugs his shoulder because he knows no matter what she does he wouldn’t want her any other way. It’s the kind of crazy that brings you in and only makes you love her more. Towards the end of the album, “Fall Into Me” is a great love song about giving a woman all the love a man can, but giving her the time and space to let her fall into love with him. The last two songs are the two best songs on the album for me. “Halfway to Heaven” is the story of a car crash, that left a man seeing the white light. It scared him straight and he is now ready to be a better man and make sure not to waste a single moment. My guess is that the pictures of a busted up truck inside the cover have a personal connection for Brantley. Finally, “Savin’ Amy” is the song about the guy who didn’t walk away from the crash. Amy is the fiancé left with a ring on her finger and a world of hurt and pain at the loss of her love. The song is sung from the departed’s perspective, as he is watching over her just like he always said he would do. At the end he thanks God for helping her move on with her life, even though he will always be there to see how she is doing. Smack dab in the middle of this album, “Halfway to Heaven” and “Savin’ Amy” are definitely the climax of Gilbert’s album.
The key to Gilbert’s success will be in the release of his second single. He and his label need to make a good decision, if Brantley is going to have this album take off. I think the title track “Halfway to Heaven” is my first pick followed by “Savin’ Amy” and “My Kinda Crazy”. It will be interesting to see how Brantley Gilbert’s “Halfway to Heaven” is received by Country Music fans.
Related posts:
[...] It In The Sticks”, as well as the “Dirt Road Anthem” with Colt Ford. Check out OCR’s review to read more about Gilbert’s new [...]