Mitchell Tenpenny: ‘This Is The Heavy’ – Album Review

Mitchell Tenpenny’s brand new album, This Is The Heavy is out now, September 16th on all streaming platforms. Take a listen and read our full review below.

Before his record deal, before “Drunk Me” became his first number one single to country radio, we fell in love with Mitchell Tenpenny’s undeniable talent. It has been four years since his debut album Telling All My Secrets was released, and M10’s stardom has continued to rise since. Today, the singer-songwriter shares his sophomore record, This Is The Heavy.

Tenpenny feels the importance of this milestone, sharing in a recent press release, “This isn’t a hobby for me. This is my job: to get people to love and believe my songs. I have a responsibility to make music that people latch on to. That’s what songwriting is to me.” The singer-songwriter’s hard work and attention to detail is evident across all twenty tracks on the album.

After a quick, yet enticing self-titled intro, the record kicks off with “Good Place” and “Always Something with You.” The former features similar vibes to hit songs like “Drunk Me” and “Alcohol You Later.” The wordplay on the song is perfection, learning into the incredible songwriting skills that Tenpenny possesses. On “Always Something with You,” the singer leans into his romantic side, sharing the flirty wonders of falling in love.

“You’re killing me in that tank top // You’re flooring me in that dress // You’re taking up all my Fridays // Taking away my breath // You’re gonna drive me crazy // With the heaven you put me through // Baby, I love the way you push my buttons night and day // It’s always something with you”

Tenpenny continues to showcase his rock influence and his nostalgic lyrics on the net few songs. Songs like “Truth About You,” and one of our favorites, “We Got History” explore the feelings acne the experiences that occur after a break-up, while “Sleeping Alone” is an honest anecdote about wondering what your ex is doing.

Tenpenny continues to lean into the lyrics on “More Than Whiskey Does.” Sonically, the song fits right into M10s growing catalog of music. He truly shines when he shares his heart in a lyric and the story takes centerstage. Similarly, on “Obsession,” Tenpenny explores the same theme of falling quickly with lyrics like, “if I’m all in, I’m all in.”

On his single, “Good And Gone,” Tenpenny shares the all-to relatable story of your significant other finally having enough, and leaving you. Of course, the protagonist drowns his sorrows with the bottle, trying to forget his problems. Tenpenny nails this song, and it does not hurt that it is super catchy.

“First, it’s whiskey shots, then smoking everything I got // Next comes punching holes in walls then blaming everything on God // I’m going off the rails, won’t take me very long // ‘Cause if you’re gone for good // Then I’m getting good and gone”

Another standout track on the record is “Cry Baby.” Tenpenny plays the perfect partner, encouraging his love to let out her feelings because he will be “there for you.” While the song may not become a radio single, it is a sweet and tender spot on an album that is full of perfect singles for radio and the live show.

On “Miss You Cause I’m Drinking,” Tenpenny showcases a new vibe and jazzy-rock edge on this creative song. He flips the notion of drinking because you miss your ex on its head, sharing that he actually misses his ex because he is drinking, not the other way around. We all can relate to get getting caught up in the past, when you are drinking; despite, no longer being in love or wanting the other person.

Tenpenny continues to play with different vibes on the only collaborative song on the record, “Elephant in the Room.” Featuring Teddy Swims, the song is fun, flirty, and spicy. The singer ups the ante on this song, clearly keeping it prime for the live show. Although not as much of a risk, Tenpenny pushes the envelope again with the all to relatable song, “Happy and I Hate It.”

Tenpenny continues to tell relatable stories on “Now We’re Talking” and “Losers.” On the former, the singer shares all about young love, while the latter, “Losers” is a nostalgic story about Nashville’s iconic bar. Although all the songs on the record are not pulled from M10’s real life, “Losers” clearly.

“A little dive bar named Losers made a winner out of me.”

The record closes with two final tracks: “Long as You Let Me” and “That’s How She Goes.” While, “Long as You Let Me” is a slower crooning song, the final track leaves listeners on a high with a intricate and mysterious song.

Overall the record is anchored with incredible lyrics and stories. Tenpenny methodically weaves towards and away from his signature sound in ways that feel purposeful. This Is The Heavy is the perfect record for the singer. You won’t want to skip any songs on the project!

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