Lee Brice: ‘Hey World’ – Album Review

Country singer-songwriter, Lee Brice released his fifth studio album, Hey World today, November 20^th. The 15-song project touches on many themes from love, death, heartbreak, drinking, and the current state of the world. Keep reading below as we dig deeper into each track.

Lee Brice has been a powerhouse in country music since his 2010 debut album Love Like Crazy. In that time, he has had eleven top-10 hits, seven of which reaching the number one spot. His newest album, Hey World, out today, already has two number one songs in “One of Them Girls” and his collaboration with Carly Pearce, “I Hope You’re Happy Now.” The former of which is also his highest-charting song on the Billboard Hot 100, reaching the number 17 spot on a pop-dominated chart.

“Hey World is just my next step in life. Where I am, who I am, what I love, and what I feel,” Brice said in a recent press release. “From the songs to the production to the order they play in, I always have and still do make it my goal to get better and better at what I do. Short of my family, my wife, and friends, my music is the deepest part of me. So, I am overjoyed to say that I think I have made my best project to date.”

As stated before, there are a variety of different topics covered throughout the album, making each of the 15 tracks its own short story. This is noticeable right out of the gate within the first five songs. “Atta Boy” is sung for a father who raised his children the right way and for the friends who take other friends’ keys when they had too much to drink.

“One of Them Girls” is about a guy at the bar who is infatuated with this particular girl and he tries to gauge what she is all about. “More Beer” is a fun, drinking anthem that will bring listeners back to their college football tailgate days; comparable to previous Brice hits “Drinking Class” and “Parking Lot Party.” The singer in “Memory I Don’t Mess With” contradicts himself by saying he does not want to reminisce about a certain girl but then discusses very specific moments he has shared with her. This former love interest was clearly the one who got away from him. Rounding out the first five, “Save the Roses” is very similar to Chris Janson’s “Hawaii on Me,” as the recently deceased man in the song tells everyone at his funeral to stop wasting their time mourning him and get out there and go fishing or do something they love. “Take it from me in my brand new point of view, the biggest regret of your life won’t be what you did, but what you didn’t do.”

The next three songs, “Don’t Need No Reason,” “Do Not Disturb,” and “Soul” all touch on love, but different aspects of it. In “Don’t Need No Reason,” the singer shows his vulnerability towards a woman and admits he does not need it to be a special occasion as his love for her is year-round. As this song shows admiration for a woman’s heart, “Do Not Disturb” shows admiration for a woman’s body. In this R&B-inspired track, the singer tells his lover to meet him at a hotel for some “do not disturb time” as he needs an escape from the rest of the world for a little while. “Soul” is a combination of both. At the beginning of the song, he calls her “Mozart in the sheets” and says she makes a sinner out of him, but then in the next verse he says “You don’t need to be undressin’ to feel like you’re impressin’. Must’ve died and gone to heaven.”

This album can get very deep at times, touching on current world issues like tragedy, mental health, and prejudice. In “Sons and Daughters,” Brice states his displeasure with all the hate in the world. People are quick to judge the stereotypical southerner–who is just trying to grow crops to feed their family–or police officer–who puts their life on the line to protect his/her community. Brice reminds us that everyone’s life is bigger than their own. They are someone’s child, someone’s brother or sister, and maybe even someone’s mother or father; the hate you give to them impacts not only them but their friends and family’s lives as well.

“Lies” is a message for all those struggling with self-image who don’t think they are good enough or worth anything. Brice reminds them that “the cruelest lies of all the lies we tell are the ones we tell ourselves.” The title track serves as Brice’s letter to the universe, telling it to stop with all the tragedies. He can longer turn on the television without hearing bad news. Between COVID-19, racial discrimination, and political division, Brice’s heart has “had all it can take.” This track features former The Voice contestant, Blessing Offor, who takes the second verse and provides beautiful harmonies in the final chorus.

To contrast the social messages, there are several light-hearted, pure-country tracks sprinkled throughout the album. Along with “More Beer,” there’s “Good Ol’ Boys” and “If You.” “Good Ol’ Boys” is an ode to the southern man who works hard, closes a bar down, and finishes a good fight. “If You” is pretty much a big middle finger to everyone who disrespects the southern lifestyle. Brice expresses how he is accepting of everyone, but if they got a problem with him and his friends he “don’t give a f**k.”

We agree with Brice in that this may be his best project to date. This album has a little something for everyone: for those trying to get in their feels, those trying to seduce their lover, and for those just trying to have a good time. Whether you’re a Lee Brice fan or not, one has to commend his courage for tackling issues such as these. Brice says “I stand by everything I have ever done, but pull from it as well to help me exceed my own expectations. Because of my team, my co-producers, my engineers, my label, I was able to make what I hope will be my most successful album to date.”

NYCS Picks

1. Lies
2. Atta Boy
3. Save The Roses
4. Memory I Don’t Mess With
5. Hey World

 

Hey World TrackList:

1. “Atta Boy”
2. “One Of Them Girls”
3. “More Beer”
4. “Memory I Don’t Mess With”
5. “Save The Roses”
6. “Good Ol’ Boys”
7. “Don’t Need No Reason”
8. “Do Not Disturb”
9. “Soul”
10. “Sons and Daughters”
11. “Country Knows”
12. “Lies”
13. “If You”
14. “I Hope You’re Happy Now”
15. “Hey World (featuring Blessing Offor)”

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To keep up with Lee Brice, follow him on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.

Hey World is available now everywhere you buy or stream. Take a listen below and check out more 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.

 

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