Review Summary: Proof that modern country music doesn't have to be bait for a hook.
Modern country music has made a serious, sincere comeback since the abysmal dreck released during the mid-2010s. With chart-toppers like The Brothers Osbourne, Dierks Bentley, Luke Combs and Jon Pardi among the scene to add a bit of class back to the genre, Justin Moore tips his hat and makes a valiant effort with this fifth LP. Even though "fiddle and steel ain't cool no more", as stated during the album closer, Moore loads the album up with these delightful instrumentals, which are most prevalent on "Small Town Street Cred" and "Never Gonna Drink Again" (as they both feature minute-long solos during each respective climax). While Late Nights and Longnecks doesn't aim to break new ground with the subject-matter depicted, largely pertaining to drinking heavily (which is, obviously, not new territory for the genre itself), Justin Moore injects every-single-track here with drunken swagger and uplifting grace in equal measure.
"Why We Drink" opens the album up in solid, albeit typical, country-style. It's a rollicking way of kicking things off that brings to mind Toby Keith's "As Good As I Once Was" with a strikingly-similar guitar melody. This opener was the record's second single, as the first was "The Ones That Didn't Make It Back Home" which honors our fallen heroes in a personal, deeply-affecting fashion. Some listeners may immediately write it off as pandering, but there is a descriptive layer to the writing during these verses that ignite the feeling of truly being there; from lines like "yellow ribbon 'round an oak tree blowin' in the breeze" and "watched a slideshow of his twenty-two years / there was laughs and there was tears". A truly remarkable song that doesn't get bogged down in sappiness, instead angling for a far more triumphant approach that may just bring you a smile (along with a tear).
Following up this patriotic lead-single, "Jesus and Jack Daniels" feels like the title of any milquetoast country B-side, and there have been a plethora of tracks with almost the exact same name previously, but this one benefits from feeling the most nostalgic of Moore's discography thanks to the laid-back instrumentals as well as a nuanced vocal performance from Moore that (shockingly) brings to mind a classic that Merle Haggard would have sung in his time. "Airport Bar" and "Good Times Don't" are the shortest tracks here, respectively clocking-in at just under 3 minutes, and they are both sheer delights, especially the latter (which drops the obligatory reference to Hank Williams during the chorus). Strangely enough, "On the Rocks" brought to mind Brad Paisley's "I'm Gonna Miss Her"; even though it lacks the comedic-edge of that Paisley classic, it has a similarly light opening rhythm and is (unintentionally) funny in the delivery of lines like "before I slam the door I said go to hell" and "same ole back-againer on a bender". "Someday I Gotta Quit" should find audiences relating to the feeling of wanting to give something up, only to time-and-time again return to that same position; this song is a definite standout. Overall, as alluded to beforehand, this won't win any awards for originality, though it will win over country music fans with its refreshingly compact duration and charming demeanor throughout.
