Brantley Gilbert ‘So Help Me God’ – Album Review

Brantley Gilbert’s new album, So Help Me God is out now, November 10th on all streaming platforms. Take a listen and read our full review below.

Over three years since the release of his Fire and Brimstone album, Brantley Gilbert is back with his sixth studio album, So Help Me God. On the ten-track collection, Gilbert co-wrote each song, enlisting some of Nashville’s biggest names and fellow artists including Jason Aldean, HARDY, Randy Montana, Toby Keith, Michael Ray, and Jelly Roll.

For the Georgia native, the time between albums was intentional, allowing him to release a project he’s happy with. “I’ve always taken a little longer than most artists, especially in this genre, to put an album out and that’s partly to do with me being a perfectionist,” Gilbert reveals. “But we’ve been looking forward to getting this album out for a long time. I’ve been blessed to sit down with some of the best writers in the country, and I feel like we’ve written some wonderful stuff.”

One of the album’s immediate standouts is its first track, “Heaven By Then,” which was born from a writer’s retreat and features special appearances by Blake Shelton and Vince Gill. On the incredibly poignant track, they sing of hoping they’re in heaven by the time the best things in life no longer exist. “No, I don’t wanna go today, but I don’t wanna live down here at a place that thinks that that place don’t exist,” They sing. “If there comes a day this country’s somewhere country don’t fit in // Hell, I hope I’m in Heaven by then.”

“It came out of a conversation,” Gilbert reveals of the track. “A guitar ended up in HARDY’s lap, which is usually a good sign that it’s about to turn into something special. I think we all knew that as it was being written. It came to life that night. To have Blake Shelton and Vince Gill on the song meant so much to me. Those two brought so much to the table and gave it a voice I didn’t have. We were all in separate places when we recorded, but it was a cool way for everyone to put their spin on it. They just did what felt natural and sonically you hear that.”

The Valory Music artist shines brightest when he slows things down, with his gruff growl emotive and powerful on songs like “Miles Of Memories” and “She’s the One.” On the incredible “How To Talk To Girls,” Gilbert grapples with being a ‘Girl Dad’, wondering how to broach hard subjects with his little girl. “’Cause this angel hangs on every word I say // She’s gettin’ so much more from me than my last name,” He sings. “Everything just like her momma // She’s got me at a loss for words // I guess I’m still learnin’ // How to talk to girls.”

The brooding “Rolex on a Redneck” enlists Jason Aldean as they celebrate all the good things that money can buy. Jelly Roll joins Gilbert on the driving, genre-bending “Son of the Dirty South,” while “The Worst Country Song of All Time” is a tongue-in-cheek romp featuring HARDY and Toby Keith. On the latter, the trio muse about all of the things that would make a country song terrible, including a chorus that goes, “I love cities and traffic jams // I don’t want a house or a piece of land // I deserve a bunch of money and a minivan // I don’t wanna earn a dime // Old Yeller didn’t make me sad // I think we should change the American flag // This is the worst country song of all time.”

 

The album ends with a one-two punch of poignancy. There’s the powerful “Gone But Not Forgotten,” a song of remembrance for those who died too young, followed by the album’s titular track. On “So Help Me God,” Gilbert is at his lowest and most vulnerable, seeking help from God to deal with his vices and not lose the woman he loves.

“So help me God, I’m gonna change // I’ll pour this bottle down the drain // Send that devil’s water to Hell where it belongs // So help me God, I’ll change her mind // I’ll walk by faith, I’ll walk that line // Lord, I’ll show hеr I can do this on my own // So help me God.”

On So Help Me God, Brantley Gilbert crafted an album that is both cohesive yet features ten standout tracks. “We wanted to put songs that sounded good together, but also songs that covered a wide variety of genre influences,” Gilbert reveals. “There’s a lot of different songwriting styles on the album. We’re super excited about it, and I can’t wait for BG Nation to hear what we’ve been working on.”

Brantley Gilbert – So Help Me God Track List: