Lee Brice ‘Sunriser (All-Nighter)’ – Album Review
Lee Brice’s new double album, Sunriser (All-Nighter), featuring “Killed the Man,” “Country Nowadays,” and “When the Kingdom Comes” is out now.
Since the release of 2009’s “Love Like Crazy,” Lee Brice has been one of country music’s most consistent hitmakers. With his unique rasp and powerful emotive voice, the singer-songwriter has always had the uncanny ability to make his music feel like a snapshot in time. Nowhere is that more evident than on his new album, Sunriser (All Nighter), out now.
On the 32-track trouble album, the Curb Records artist offers listeners an intimate reflection of Brice’s life in this moment. Here, he reflects on faith, friendship, fatherhood, love, and mortality in his unique style that manages to both tug on the heartstrings and uplift.
“My records have always been kind of a time stamp of where I’m at in my life. With this one, I had a lot of songs that I felt kinda summed up a lot of my life’s journey. The younger me would catch sunrises from being out all night, then it changed to seeing the sun come up because I was a new dad, then it would be after a show and staying up to write into the early morning. A sunrise is something special to see – you’ve gotta earn those,” He shares in a statement. “So, this album is dedicated to all the folks on the farm at dawn, the parents getting up with their kids, the front-line workers starting or ending a shift – this album is a celebration of all that hard work. Hope y’all enjoy this one and can find a story in here that relates to your life in some way.”
The album opens with its title track, an enchanting celebration of those who thrive on little to no sleep, whatever the reason. Whether one is working the night shift, heading to work before dawn, or caring for young children, its warm uptempo sets the immediate tone for the rest of the album’s journey. “However the morning finds you,” Brice sings. “I hope it finds you well.”
“Killed the Man” is one of the album’s most clever moments, turning the familiar story of a man becoming better for the woman he loves into something far more literal. The woman “kills” the old version of him, forcing him to shed his ego and mature into something better. “When I first heard this song, it made me look back at my own life and see the man who I was isn’t the man I am today,” he shared. “I think the message is something anyone can relate to as we all strive to evolve and grow through life and its challenges. For me, ‘Killed The Man’ captures that stripping away of the ego to become who God intended me to be, leaning into family, faith, and something bigger than myself.”
Other highlights include “Bury the Dead,” a captivating look at the life of a gravediver and “Old Men,” a devastating ballad about the passing of a dear friend. Brice continues to shine on ballads, with “That’s All I Know,” “Words,” and “All the Way Down” showing his impressive vocal range as he flexes his voice over the stirring melodies.
“What You Know About That” is a catchy uptempo ode to small towns and hometowns, while “Cornbread” also celebrates the simpler things in life. “Country Nowadays” finds him grappling with the perceived stigma against his conservative lifestyle and the endless divisiveness between people today. Likewise, “Money Made the Music” celebrates the simpler times in music, when it was driven by real life as opposed to the industry’s pockets.
Focusing on nostalgia and simpler times, songs like “While We Didn’t Last,” “Summer of Us,” “She Wasn’t Like That” and “Truck Bed Mixtape” hearken back to some of his biggest hits sonically, mixing nostalgia and heartbreak in different ways.
“The Devil’s At It Again” finds him stretching himself sonically with a driving and building uptempo that culminates in frenetic and frantic guitars. It’s sure to provide an electric live moment as he battles the devil alongside the support of the “angel” in his life. Likewise, the Marc Broussard-esque “Cry” provides another special moment, allowing the South Carolina native to get gritty and swampy in the best ways possible.
Story songs like “The Dogs are Barking,” “Best Friend,” “Never Meet Your Heroes” with Vince Gill, and “Heart Pine (The Ballad of Mr. Bill)” offer new sides of the singer-songwriter. While “Barking” is remnant of Reba’s classic, “The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia,” the brooding ballad deals with infidelity, death, guilt, and the mysterious disappearance of the “other man.” Alternatively, “Heart Pine” features stunning harmonies from Diamond Rio, as Brice recalls a visit from an elderly man who had lived in his home as a child.
Other collaborations pepper the album with “Drinkin’ Buddies” leading to a fun singalong with Nate Smith and Hailey Whiters, while “Said No Country Boy Ever” allows him to trade verses with the Traler Park (Rob Hatch, Jerrod Niemann, Dallas Davidson, Randy Houser, Jamey Johnson). It’s a clear standout, and should probably lead to a full-length for the talented crew. “Country Alone” also finds him trading verses with Kelsey Hart and Chase Rice as they muse that in life, “Friends don’t let friends country alone.”
“Me and Whiskey” offers a moment of levity, as Brice shows his less serious side on the catchy, heartbreak tune. “Me and whiskey sitting in a bar, D-R-U-N-K-E-R than I should be but I broke her heart,” He sings, musing over clever tropes as he drowns his sorrows.
While Brice shines on all types of songs, his conviction is strongest when singing about faith and family. “Daddy Don’t Care” is a gorgeous ballad about his love for his little girl, while “When the Kingdom Comes” is a powerful and emotional ballad about entering God’s Kingdom. There, nothing matters but love.
By the time “You, Me, and My Guitar” closes the epic album, its sprawling length truly peaks. Like Brice’s career itself, the song starts quietly before building into something much bigger, serving as an appropriate finale to a record that moves between intimate ballads, rowdy anthems, spiritual reflections and everything in-between.
Sunriser Track List:
- Sunriser (Lee Brice, Cooper Bascom, Jerrod Niemann)
- Killed The Man (Michael Whitworth, Jared Conrad, Troy Cartwright, Chandler Baldwin)
- Me and Whiskey (Lee Brice, Matt Alderman, Nate Kenyon)
- Country Nowadays (Lee Brice, Matt Alderman, Nate Kenyon)
- Devil’s At It Again (Lee Brice, Matt Alderman, Nate Kenyon, Lewis Brice)
- She Wasn’t Like That (Tom Douglas)
- Bury The Dead (Lee Brice, Billy Montana, David Tolliver, Brent Rupard)
- Truck Bed Mixtape (Lee Brice, Andy Sheridan, Brian Davis)
- What You Know About That (Lee Brice, Brian Davis, Andy Sheridan)
- Said No Country Boy Ever (Lee Brice, Brock Berryhill, Cole Taylor, Brian Davis)
- All The Way Down (Lee Brice, Adam Wood, Cooper Bascom)
- Drinkin’ Buddies (Justin Wilson, Zach Kale, Chris DeStefano)
- Old Men (Adam Wood)
- Cry (Dallas Davidson, Ben Hayslip, David Garcia)
- Daddy Don’t Care (Lee Brice, Adam Wood, Billy Montana)
- When The Kingdom Comes (Lee Brice, Sara Brice, Billy Montana, Jon Stone)
All-Nighter Track List:
- Dogs are Barking
- Never Meet Your Heroes (with Vince Gill)
- That’s Where You Come In
- Money Made the Music
- Cornbread
- While We Didn’t Last
- Country Alone (with Kelsey Hart and Chase Rice)
- A Lotta That
- Summer of Us
- That’s All I Know
- Best Friend
- All the Whiskey in the World
- Heart Pine (The Ballad of Mr. Bill) (with Diamond Rio)
- Words
- Rollin’ Sevens
- You, Me, and My Guitar
Lee Brice shares double album, ‘Sunriser (All-Nighter) out now on all streaming platforms.
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