Music Review: Zac Brown Band, You get what you give

I want to preface this with the fact that I love Zac Brown Band. I think they have such a unique/fun sound that is distinct to them. They combine traditional country with southern rock and a bit of the island fever. With that being said here we go: I was not disappointed but not too impressed either. On a scale of 1-10 I'd give it a 6.5 - 7. It's always hard for Sophmore albums to achieve the same accolades as the hit album. Some songs score higher and some lower. The overall feel that I got was that there are two or three good songs that catch you (like like Toes, or Chicken Fried) and make you want more. Others were just fillers. There is a distinct gospel feel to it which is fine, I enjoy it. You have to consider the band's Georgia roots and the fact that the majority of country listeners are Christians and it's fine. Thank goodness the band hasn't gone off the deep end like what seems like the majority of entertainers now days. Overall I will keep listening to it and hope that it grows on me more. If it does I'll come back and update my score. I've listened to the whole album 3x's through... maybe it's not enough.

Update: I have listened to the album a few more times and with like every good artist, the more you listen to them the better they get. ZBB has done a good job really embedding all of the songs with well thought out layers of composition. I have to say that I'm enjoying the music more and more. I'm going to give it an upgrade: 7.5-8/10.

Ahhh music...

So while I have my preferences in music I like to delve out into some other types of music. My brother in law is in love with The Sounds and I thought I'd give it a listen to see what it was all about. So the sound of the music is fine, the band is Swedish and their accent is a little visible. My first exposure to the sounds was with the Geico commercial when the two cavemen pull up on bullet bikes and "Don't wanna hurt you" is playing in the background. Good song, good sound... why not I thought. So I bought the album "Crossing the Rubicon". On a side note, a Rubicon is a journey with no end... there is your word of the day. Back to the subject, so I'm listening to the words of the song which are all in English and I cannot make sense of them! They sound like a foreigner has taken all the English they know and put the words together without any particular order! Crazy! I kept asking myself how this stuff sells? Here is an example of the words from the song Crossing the Rubicon:


There's a hole in the ground,
Where a key can be found.

To a place where they hide,
All their secrets inside.

There's a room with no sound,
There's a force all around.

There's no time,
And no space,
No mistakes,
To erase.

Honestly? It doesn't make sense at all! Then you listen to a country song and there is a story, a plot and it's about something real. I have to say, I like all kinds of music but I really like a song that makes sense and that I can relate to. Thank goodness for country and ballads... at least they make sense.