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Although Zach Bryan has been making music since 2019, he skyrocketed onto the country music scene in 2022 with his first big-studio album, “American Heartbreak.” The Oklahoma native was named one of Billboard’s Top New Country Artists of 2022 and American Country Music’s Male Artist of the Year in 2023. To top it off, the singer-songwriter will be departing on a massive 10-month tour in March of next year.

Bryan is every coastal cowgirl’s dream artist. His moody discography mixed with political activism make him the perfect country package for younger fans of the genre.

In his self-titled album, “Zach Bryan,” he delves into the truths of life and imperfection. Bryan describes his perception of wanting to be “a cowboy from a cutthroat town,” but in reality he’s a loyal hard-worker not without his fair share of flaws.

Bryan begins the album with a spoken word poem, “Fear and Fridays (Poem),” about his life experiences, his true personality and how fear is overrated. He speaks of both beautiful and fearful moments, always coming back around to the coast. Bryan tops the track off with “I think Fear and Fridays got an awful lot in common, they’re overdone and glorified and always leave you wantin’.’”

The album then transitions into the chords of “The Star-Spangled Banner,” leading into a more fast-paced track in comparison to his typical style. The second track, “Overtime,” touches on his hard-earned success while commenting on his small-town roots and quoting negative comments about his work.

“No matter who you are, no matter what you do, I’ll become what I deserve when it’s all through, and you’ll be asking yourself why,” Bryan sings, “So hold on tight, I’ll be working overtime.”

Self-criticism is a strong tenant throughout the album. Bryan speaks of perceptions surrounding him in the opener, “Fear and Friday’s (Poem),” and alongside The Lumineers, Bryan notes his imperfection in “Spotless”: “If you want spotless I always lose.”

Throughout the album, Bryan follows themes of family, self-hatred and love in a folksy, yet somber light. With features from both folk and country artists like Kacey Musgraves, The Lumineers, Sierra Ferrell as well as The War and Treaty, Bryan combines genres to create a smoky, more fast-paced album than his previous releases.

Byran comes in with “I Remember Everything,” a love song filled with regret. The song features a back-and-forth between Bryan and Musgraves, scoring the pair their first No. 1 song on Billboard’s Hot 100. The song sweeps through poetic memories of a couple that is no longer together and reflects on all the times they’d spent together. Musgraves encapsulated the pair’s connection with “It burns like hell when two souls meet.”

Closing out the album, Bryan returns to his roots and hometown with “Oklahoman Son,” walking through his connection to his home and his experiences through the perspective of a tour through town. He sings somberly, “I can drive you by where I learned to curse,” and he ends the album parallel to where he started it — with internal rather than external criticism.

“Zach Bryan” is simultaneously self-reflective and defensive. Fighting the common battle of feeling illegitimate, Bryan overcomes the challenge with a pounding hometown album, reminiscent of rural America.

Published on September 5, 2023 at 10:48 pm