Morgan Wallen: ‘One Thing At A Time’ – Album Review

Morgan Wallen’s new album, One Thing At A Time is out now, March 3rd on all streaming platforms. Listen to the new album below.

After a monumental sophomore album, Morgan Wallen is back with a massive record that he hopes will top it all. The superstar’s third studio album One Thing At A Time is a 36-track project, featuring songs for each and every type of country fan and music fan alike. Time and time again, Wallen proves his staying power, and One Thing At A Time is another example of that.

“This record represents the last few years of my life, the highs and the lows,” Wallen shares in a press release. “It also brings together the musical influences that have shaped me as an artist – country, alternative and hip-hop. There are 36 songs on this album because we just kept exploring with fresh lyrics, music and production ideas and these are the songs that felt right to me. It was a blast to create, and I was so grateful to be back in the studio to lay this out for my fans.”

The brand new project kicks off with a true-blue country anthem, “Born With A Beer In My Hand.” Wallen explores themes of drinking in country music, dabbling with sobriety on this touching opener. Similarly on “Dying Man,” the album’s closer, Wallen laments on vices that have taken some of the greats. According to the singer, he credits his son for helping him get on a straighter path. The single is one of the stand-outs on the project.

The record continues to progress with previously released songs “Last Night” and “Everything I Love.” “Last Night” is already primed to be Wallen’s next single, while “Everything I Love” is an incredible country song about not being able to face all your favorite spots after going through a heartbreak. Wallen continues to explore themes of heartbreak on songs like, “Devil Don’t Know,” “Keith Whitley,” and “Had It,” among others.

Themes of nostalgia and growth are also evident on the new record. On “’98 Braves,” the entertainer uses a baseball reference as a metaphor for expressing a relationship that had run its course. The song has similar vibes to Wallen hits like “7 Summers” and “More Than My Hometown.” On “Tennessee Numbers,” the singer laments again about a relationship that was not just quite right.

Of course, Wallen enlists heavy hitters to collaborate on his new album. On “In the Bible,” the singer-songwriter duets with his friend and frequent collaborator, HARDY. The single is a story-telling song that brings the honesty and authenticity that we are used to seeing from both artists.

On the additional collaborations, “Man Made A Bar” featuring Eric Church and “Cowgirls” featuring ERNEST, Wallen gives off fresh, nostalgic vibes. While the former is a more countrified tune about a man needing to create a bar to get through hardships, “Cowgirls” features a more modern flair, as a celebration to cowgirls. The latter vibe is one we see sprinkled throughout the rest of the project.

Fans who appreciate Wallen’s more modern side, where he infiltrates hip-hop influences will be drawn to songs like “Hope That’s True, ” and “180 (Lifestyle.)” On “Hope That’s True,” the entertainer sings about polar opposites with a melody that will leave the song stuck in your head. Similarly, on “180 (Lifestyle),” Wallen leans into vibes that are similar to his song “Broadway Girls.” Track 8, “Ain’t That Some” may appeal to fans who enjoy when Wallen bridges the gap between his country and hip-hop influences.

The singer continues to bring his own flavor throughout the record on some of our favorite songs for the project, “Me + All Your Reasons” and “Single Than She Was.” While both songs are different lyrically and sonically, they feel reminiscent of Wallen’s debut record, an ode to day one fans.

Finally, one of the standout tracks on the record comes at the tail-end of the project with “Outlook.” Written by Wallen with Rodney Clawson and Jeff Hyde, the single is a full-circle moment for the artist, where he acknowledges he lets go of some of his old waves in favor of faith and growth. The track is a beautiful moment on the project.

In just a few years, Wallen has given country music lovers more music than any fan can even ask for, and with each release, he continues to evolve his artistry, while simultaneously cementing himself into the country music landscape. One Thing At A Time is a record to be proud of.

One Thing At A Time Track List:

1. “Born with a Beer in My Hand” (Morgan Wallen, Zach Abend, Michael Hardy)
2. “Last Night” (John Byron, Ashley Gorley, Jacob Kasher Hindlin, Ryan Vojtesak)
3. “Everything I Love (Wallen, Gorley, Ernest K. Smith, Vojtesak)
4. “Man Made a Bar” (Feat. Eric Church) (Rocky Block, Jordan Dozzi, Larry Fleet, Brett Tyler)
5. “Devil Don’t Know” (Travis Denning, Jared Mullins, Ben Stennis)
6. “One Thing at a Time” (Gorley, Smith, Vojtesak, Wallen)
7. “’98 Braves” (Byron, Josh Miller, Travis Wood)
8. “Ain’t That Some” (Chris LaCorte, Chase McGill, Josh Miller, Blake Pendergrass)
9. “I Wrote the Book” (Wallen, Hardy, Cameron Montgomery)
10. “Tennessee Numbers” (Minton, Pendergrass, Wood)
11. “Hope That’s True” (Wallen, Smith, Vojtesak)
12. “Whiskey Friends” (Wallen, Gorley, Jonathan Hoskins, Smith, Josh Thompson, Vojtesak
13. “Sunrise” (Byron, Pendergrass)
14. “Keith Whitley” (Thomas Archer, Brad Clawson, Mullins)
15. “In the Bible” (Feat. Hardy) (Byron, Jeff Garrison, Jon Hall, Johnson, Geoffrey Warburton)
16. “You Proof” (Wallen, Gorley, Smith, Vojtesak)
17. “Thought You Should Know” (Wallen, Nicolle Galyon, Miranda Lambert)
18. “F150-50” (Mullins, John Pierce, Stennis)
19. “Neon Star (Country Boy Lullaby)” (Wallen, Smith, Thompson, Vojtesak)
20. “I Deserve a Drink” (Byron, Devin Dawson, Jacob Durrett, Hillary Lindsey)
21. “Wine Into Water” (Bryon, Matt Jenkins, Pendergrass)
22. “Me + All Your Reasons” (Wallen, Gorley, Smith, Vojtesak)
23. “Tennessee Fan” (Wallen, Gorley, Smith, Vojtesak)
24. “Money on Me” (Michael Lotten, Pendergrass, Matt Roy)
25. “Thinking’ Bout Me” (Byron, Gorley, Taylor Phillips, Vojtesak)
26. “Single Than She Was” (Byron, Ben Johnson, Vojtesak)
27. “Days That End in Why” (Byron, Pendergrass, Driver Williams)
28. “Last Drive Down Main” (Jerry Flowers, Ryan Hurd, Lotten)
29. “Me to Me” (Wallen, Gorley, Smith Vojtesak)
30. “Don’t Think Jesus” (Jessi Alexander, Mark Holman, McGill)
31. “180 (Lifestyle)” (Block, Gorley, Holman, Pendergrass, Smith Vojtesak)
32. “Had It” (Block, Alex Eskeerdo Izquiedo, Vajtesak)
33. “Cowgirls” (Feat. Ernest) (Block, Gorley, James Maddocks, Smith, Vjjtesak)
34. “Good Girl Gone Missin’” (Wallen, Gorley, Maddocks, Smith, Vojtesak)
35. “Outlook” (Wallen, Clawson, Hyde)
36. “Dying Man” (Johnson, Pendergrass, Thompson)

Country Swag Picks:

1. “Last Night”
2. “Me + All Your Reasons”
3. “Dying Man”
4. “Single Than She Was”
5. “Outlook”

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