Kip Moore: ‘Solitary Tracks’ Album Review

Kip Moore releases his new album, Solitary Tracks, officially out now, February 28th on all streaming platforms. Learn more and listen to the new album below.

With his soulful rasp and unique approach to music, Kip Moore has been a mainstay in country music for nearly fifteen years. Now, he’s releasing his most unique and ambitious project thus far, a 23-track collection that truly takes listeners on a journey. On Solitary Tracks, out now, the singer-songwriter offers a collection that finds him stepping outside any preconceived notions and embracing who he is as an artist.

“I’ve gotten to a place where I just don’t give a f**k about [the Nashville optics],” Moore revealed in a statement. “A lot of times I feel like I’m walking this plank. I’ve got people that believe in me and they’re really good to me – but at the end of the day, I know I’m going to walk out on that plank by myself.”

In taking that leap, the Georgia native wrote or co-wrote all but one of the album’s tracks, exploring various sides of his personality and experiences. He enlisted co-writers including Brett James, Nathan Chapman, Kristian Bush, Jaren Johnston, Casey Beathard, and others to craft a story of love, growth, ambition, and so much more.. 

“I’m never going to cheat by just trying to write what I think people want to hear, or hold onto a sound that worked for me,” shares Moore. “I’m going to always be authentic with myself, with every record, and all I ever hope is that people find a little solace. This project is a journey in itself, so I hope it helps people navigate their own life. There’s no pattern you have to follow, and sometimes you gotta gamble on yourself. You gotta be bold enough to trust your gut, and willing to roll those dice if you believe in something.”

The album opens with “High Hopes,” a fitting title for what kicks off an epic listening experience. With its lush guitars and Moore’s unmistakable voice, it builds to an anthemic chorus as he explores where he’s been, where he is, and where he’s going. “It’s me unpacking in real time where I’m at right now – and for the first time, saying goodbye to it,” he explains.

Although the album starts on an uptempo note, ballads definitely dominate the first half of the collection, ranging from the solo written “Solitary Tracks” to the stunning “Pretty Horses,” which allows Moore to show off his emotive uniqueness. Meanwhile, the album’s titular track builds up to a booming chorus about a pair of outsiders in love who just can’t seem to make it work. “Someday maybe we’ll recross paths…Ain’t never been the ones to run with the pack, just a couple lone wolves making solitary tracks,” he croons.

Two of the immediate standouts on the LP are “Around You” and “Bad Spot,” telling two very different stories. The former is a single-worthy and snappy earworm, dedicated to being unable to resist someone in all the best ways. Alternatively, “Bad Spot,” hits like a late night voice mail and is the only song not co-written by Moore. Written by Beathard, it’s a melodic midtempo that finds him admitting his mistakes and hoping to move on from them with the woman he loves.

“I hit a little rough patch, some rocky road // A stretch of life that took its toll // Next thing I know, you’re breakin’ up on me // But I guess it took some goin’ there to get me here // Some growin’ up to make it clear // That old me in my mirror, he ain’t the guy you need // I know I don’t deserve another shot // But I’m in a better place, kinda like a call drop // Yeah, I lost you in a bad spot, yeah”

“Livin’ Side,” “Learning As I Go,” and “Straight Line Boots” each continue the Georgia native’s reformation, celebrating the steps he’s made to be a good man and the woman who has helped him get there. “You got me closer to a got it all together man, walking these straight line boots,” He sings. “’I’m a better man, baby, when I’m with you.”

“Flowers in December” is another special moment, a booming ballad that also marks one of Moore’s all-time favorite recordings. “I’ve always struggled with some of these things that I’m talking about, and I’ve had a tendency to carry them with me – even when I’m writing about trying to let it go,” he reveals. “But for the first time in my life, I don’t feel like I’m looking as much in the rear view.”     

Some of the album’s tracks find him in a place of nostalgia, with “Half Full Cup” celebrating “small town dreamers,” while “Like Ya Stole It” takes him back to the poignant lessons he learned while riding shotgun in a car. Likewise, “Southern Son” finds Moore embracing his Southern upbringing, while “Burn” finds him longing for simpler times and global peace.

“Live Here to Work” is another immediate standout, grabbing your attention with a roaring proclamation of “F**k that, I don’t live here to work!” It’s a mix of alt rock and country in the best way possible, segueing into a blistering guitar solo as he shuns that 9 to 5 lifestyle.

“Love & War” is a driving and catchy uptempo that finds the singer-songwriter proclaiming that “All is fair in love and war,” while “Good Things Never Last” is a soulful and bluesy rompy that shows off a totally new and unexpected side to Moore’s voice.

The album wraps with the one-two punch of “Take What You Can Get,” a breezy and optimistic look ahead, and “Only Me,” a rootsy pop-country search for kindred spirits. It’s a fitting closing note for Solitary Tracks, finding Moore no longer a lone wolf,  but instead, in search of a new pack.

For Kip Moore, Solitary Tracks represents a transformation of both an artist and a man, and the result is a powerful and sometimes unexpected collection that is sure to delight old and new fans alike.

Country Swag Picks:

1. Around You
2. Live to Work
3. Bad Spot
4. Flowers in December
5. Learning As I Go

Solitary Tracks Track List:

1. High Hopes (Kip Moore/Dave Nassie/Zach Ziemer)
2. Solitary Tracks (Kip Moore/Dan Couch/Brett James)
3. Pretty Horses (Kip Moore/Nathan Chapman/Blair Daily)
4. Livin’ Side (Kip Moore/Dan Couch/Kristian Bush)
5. Around You (Kip Moore/Jaren Johnston/Casey Beathard)
6. Half Full Cup (Kip Moore/Jaren Johnston/Casey Beathard)
7. Bad Spot (Casey Beathard)
8. Straight Line Boots (Kip Moore/Jaren Johnston/Casey Beathard)
9. Rivers Don’t Run (Kip Moore/Jaren Johnston/Casey Beathard)
10. Burn (Kip Moore/Jaren Johnston/Casey Beathard)
11. Like Ya Stole It (Kip Moore/Jaren Johnston/Casey Beathard)
12. Southern Son (Kip Moore/Dan Couch/Will Lynde/Morgan Evans)
13. Learning As I Go (Kip Moore/Dan Couch/Luke Preston/Oscar Charles)
14. Alley Cat (Kip Moore/Dan Couch)
15. Live Here to Work (Kip Moore)
16. Love And War (Kip Moore/Erich Wigdahl/Manny Medina/Dave Nassie)
17. Flowers In December (Kip Moore/Erich Wigdahl)
18. Forever is a Lie (Kip Moore/Will Lynde/Erich Wigdahl)
19. Wildfire (Kip Moore/Dan Couch/Oscar Charles/Hank Born)
20. Tough Enough (Kip Moore/Brett James)
21. Good Things Never Last (Kip Moore/Casey Beathard)
22. Take What You Can Get (Kip Moore/Dan Couch/Luke Preston/Oscar Charles)
23. Only Me (Kip Moore/Oscar Charles/Luke Preston/Dan Couch)

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For tour dates and more, visit his website here. To keep up with Kip Moore, follow him on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook

Solitary Tracks is available everywhere you buy or stream music. Take a listen below and check out more new recently released music here on our ‘New Country Music’ playlist. Be sure to give the playlist a follow for your weekly new country music fix.