Album Rating: 5.0

good lord, 34 songs??? now I'm really hyped

Album Rating: 5.0

Take that Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe In You

Album Rating: 5.0

Zach Bryan gonna throw down AOTY

Album Rating: 4.0

New one is out and also 2 fucking hours

Album Rating: 5.0

and it’ll inevitably be a 5 from me

What kind of psycho spells Elizabeth with an s

Insta 1

Album Rating: 5.0

I only got 6 songs in so far, but every single track I heard was stellar. I doubt that level of greatness will hold up for 34 songs, but I'm going to put this on over the course of the whole weekend and see.

Album Rating: 3.5

There is no way that 34 songs in this style is not way too much. I’ll give it a try but there’s a very small chance I’ll listen to the full thing more than a couple times.

Album Rating: 5.0

Right, I just don't get the intent behind an album that long - especially lo-fi country-folk where most of the songs sound similar. Every artist has the freedom to choose how they present their work, so I'm keeping an open mind about it, but it just doesn't seem very practical.



That said, I've loved everything he's ever put out -- so we'll see!

Album Rating: 3.5

Honestly my best guess is that he's appealing to a kind of younger, more playlist-oriented audience rather than the traditional audience for this kind of stuff. It's an understandable decision and indeed it's his prerogative but not one I can say I agree with too much. It's not even so much the length as the sheer number of songs - part of the reason I don't mind the length of the Ethel Cain album for example is that there are only 13 songs so it doesn't feel like as much to process.

Album Rating: 3.5

I was wondering about the playlist aspect as well, especially since how he got his start was essentially as a viral YouTube star with specific songs. That’s the next logical route. However he’s also apparently releasing an EP of B-Sides later this year, which means he chose to cut some songs from this, so there must be some intent? I think dude is just extremely prolific and is doing things how he wants, but I think 34 songs might be a misstep. I’m sure the lyrics will be phenomenal across the board, but he isn’t exactly known for a sonically diverse pallet, so I could see it being a slog

Album Rating: 5.0

I'm big into his style of lyrics which is the main reason that Elisabeth's length didn't deter me, but I do think a lot of people won't bother with this simply because it's massive. Judging from some videos I've seen, what I've read about him online, and some specific lyrics on past songs, it wouldn't surprise me to learn that he's doing it specifically to alienate certain types of listeners. He seems very against recognition (especially of the commercial persuasion), and while I don't personally understand why you'd want to limit your audience, it's once again his prerogative. He gets something out of feeling like a small town boy, and he doesn't want to lose that feeling. If that's what drives his identity and his artistic vision, then more power to him I guess.

Album Rating: 4.0

Idk if I agree with the against recognition and limited audience much. His audience seems to be large and growing. I saw him at a fairly large sold out show in Chicago and he played played the festival circuit last year and is on it again this year slotted a bit higher and at bigger fests (as a chicago local, I will likely see him at Lollapalooza).

Album Rating: 5.0

Maybe not against recognition but I think he definitely wants to do things his own way. He specifically touches on it in 'Me and Mine':



"They tell me I can sell my soul for a dream and a couple shows / I don't think they understand how deep loyalty goes / For some boys I got in a barn we built out of pure Douglas fir / Badly written songs next to horses' shit is what an Okie boy prefers"



"The radio man came to fuck it up as he boasts about number ones / You can keep your name and burn the cash / Tell 'em I died singin' in these hills if they ask"



I'm not saying he wants to shut his fans out, but I think he wants to come by success...organically, if that makes sense?

Album Rating: 4.0

sure, I mean I don't hear him pushing for standard country radio singles so to speak. Regardless I love the tunes so am very happy with the long long albums



@Sowing I apologize for missing the context of what you were saying … the new album is 34 songs? That is absurdly unconventional and not very marketable. I get what you’re saying more.

Album Rating: 5.0

Ah, no worries! My main point was just that he's got a little bit of an anti-mainstream streak in him, and I kind of admire that.



I'm continuing my trek through this massive new album and Outskirts is just breathtaking.

Album Rating: 5.0

So I'm roughly 1/3 of the way through the new album (11 songs), and I have to say that there's clear measurable artistic growth occurring. Time will tell if it has the enduring soul and moving lyrics of Elisabeth (so far, my feeling on that is yes), but in terms of a surface level take of the first third of American Heartbreak, all I can say it that it certainly sounds incredible. I wasn't planning on reviewing it but I just might have to if it holds up across the last 20 or so (lol) tracks.

Album Rating: 2.5

“I just don’t get the intent behind an album that long”



He read your reviews and figured a 2+ hour runtime was the way to your heart

Album Rating: 5.0

That had to be it



=P

Album Rating: 3.5

No way am i listening to two hours of this