Luke Combs: ‘GETTIN’ OLD’ – Album Review

Luke Combs’ new album, GETTIN’ OLD is out now, March 24th on all streaming platforms. Listen to the new album below.

A mere nine months since the release of the 3x Grammy-nominated, Growin’ Up, Luke Combs is back with its new companion project, Gettin’ Old. Featuring eighteen new tracks, fifteen of which he co-wrote, the fourth studio album continues to exemplify why Combs is country music’s fastest-rising star.

Of the album, he says, “This album is about the stage of life I’m in right now. One that I’m sure a lot of us are in, have been through or will go through. It’s about coming of age, loving where life is now but at the same time missing how it used to be, continuing to fall for the one you love and loving them no matter what, living in the moment but still wondering how much time you have left, family, friends, being thankful, and leaving a legacy. Me and so many others have poured their hearts and souls into this record, and I hope you love it as much as we do.”

With his unassuming nature and powerhouse voice, the North Carolina native continues to make music that is the perfect mix of radio-ready yet meaningful, nostalgic yet modern. It never feels like Combs is chasing trends or trying to be something he’s not, but instead, he’s blazing his own trail on a road that not many have been able to perfectly navigate.

A perfect example of this is one of three songs not co-penned by Combs, a smooth cover of Tracy Chapman’s 1988 megahit, “Fast Car.” Here, he manages to stay true to the original, while still Comb-ifying it in just the right ways. Similarly, “Fox in the Henhouse” is a bluesy, soulful track that allows Combs to stretch his vocals over a blistering instrumentation that isn’t likely to be heard on country radio, but could easily be a duet with Chris Stapleton.

Nostalgia and simplicity are prevalent themes throughout the album, weaving through the appreciation of life in the form of “Five Leaf Clover” and the 90s-inspired “Hannah Ford Road.” There’s “Back 40 Back,” an ode to simpler times, and a love letter to a deceased father in the form of “See Me Now.” On “Back 40 Back,” Combs longs for progress to slow down as everything is “changing way too fast,” while “See Me Now” has him yearning for more time with someone who has passed. “I’d like to think you’d be the proudest guy in town,” He sings over twangy instrumentation. “If I could see you, see me now.”

“Where the Wild Things Are” is the perfect story song, dealing with two brothers on different paths, while “The Beer, the Band, and the Barstool” is the epitome of a true country song. Likewise “Joe” tells the tale of someone dealing with alcohol addiction and subsequent sobriety, in a way that Combs hopes will relate to fans who love country music, but don’t drink.

“There have been some folks in my family that have struggled with alcoholism and addiction through the years,” Combs wrote. “I’ve got buddies who live a sober lifestyle, and I’m sure y’all know someone who has struggled with these types of things, or maybe you, yourself do. This song is really important to me for that reason.”

The album’s opening track is the perfect bridge between this album, and the last, as he’s “Growin’ Up and Gettin’ Old.” Here, Combs is coming of age and slowing things down, knowing there are things he can do, but probably shouldn’t.

“But I can still raise hell all night with the boys when I want to // Lay that hammer down to see how fast she’ll go // But these days I hang my hat on what I won’t do // And I’ve been finding peace of mind, slowing my roll // You learn to tow that line with time, as it goes In the middle of growin’ up, and gettin’ old.”

“You Found Yours” is an immediate earworm about that special moment when something just feels right, ranging from a pup to a car to a girl. “When you feel that kind of feeling,” he sings, “Yeah you found yours…that living, breathing reason you’ve been looking for.” Likewise, “Still” is a similarly twangy ode to that someone special with a clever lyrical twist. “I’m still falling for you girl,” He croons. “From the second that I saw you, my whole world stood still.”

The clever “A Song Was Born” amusingly tackles all of the ways in which a song comes to life, while “My Song Will Never Die” deals with the fact that Combs will eventually pass on, but his songs will live forever. “It ain’t about the leaving, it’s in what you leave behind,” He sings stoically. “I will, but my song will never die.”

Gettin’ Old concludes with the stirring “The Part,” a sparse ballad about the downsides of stardom and the elements that are never mentioned when the life of a touring musician is celebrated. 

“They tell you ’bout the old guitars // The songs that bought the house and cars // And how your hometown’s proud of where you are // And they tell you ’bout the girls you’ll get // But not the one you’re gonna miss // While they scream your name again in some small town // Yeah, that’s the part, they don’t tell you about.”

While Luke Combs may think he’s Gettin’ Old, the new release shows his growth as a singer, a songwriter, a vocalist, and an overall artist. In fact, many things just get better with age, and rather than Gettin’ Old, this album could’ve been titled “Gettin’ Even Better.”

GETTIN’ OLD TRACK LIST:

1. Growin’ Up and Gettin’ Old
   
2. Hannah Ford Road
   
3. Back 40 Back
   
4. You Found Yours
   
5. The Beer, The Band and The Barstool
   
6. Still
   
7. See Me Now
   
8. Joe
   
9. A Song Was Born
   
10. My Song Will Never Die
    
11. Where the Wild Things Are
    
12. Love You Anyway
    
13. Take You With Me
    
14. Fast Car
    
15. Tattoo on a Sunburn
    
16. 5 Leaf Clover
    
17. Fox in the Henhouse
    
18. The Part

Country Swag Picks:

1. You Found Yours
2. Where the Wild Things Are
3. The Part

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