Zac brown band Archives

Zac Brown Band: ‘From the Road, Vol. 1: Covers’ – Album Review

November 10, 2023/in Blog, First Impression, New Music, News /by Nicole Piering

Zac Brown Band shares a new album, From the Road, Vol. 1: Covers, out now, November 10th, on all streaming platforms. Listen to the new music below.

Known for their blistering live performances, intricate harmonies, and incredible instrumentation, Zac Brown Band has always been a special group to see in concert. While the group has previously released two live albums, 2007’s Live from the Rock Bus Tour and 2010’s Pass the Jar, they are back with their biggest live endeavor to date, From The Road, Vol 1: Covers.

On the 13-track album, ZBB bends genres, effortlessly floating from country to rock to rap with a little bit of pop, standards, and yacht-rock thrown in. Recorded over 11 years at an array of iconic venues, including London’s Wembley Arena, Chicago’s Wrigley Field, and Boston’s Fenway Park, the album also pairs the band with collaborators like John Mayer, Marcus King, Darrell Scott, Mark O’Connor Band, and Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler.

Released on frontman Brown’s own label, Home Grown Music, the live album kicks off with the Queen hit everyone knows and can sing along with, “Bohemian Rhapsody.” It’s the perfect introduction to the album, allowing the band’s harmonies to soar over instrumentation that spans genres over the course of one song.

“Neon” with John Mayer is the collection’s oldest performance, recorded in Nashville in 2012. Here, the guitar virtuoso and ZBB mashup the Mayer classic with “Isn’t She Lovely” in a way that manages to be both endlessly impressive yet incredibly seamless.

Other immediate standouts are the band’s take on Kings of Leon’s megahit, “Use Somebody” and their recordings of the show-stopping Beatles hits “With a Little Help from My Friends” and “Eleanor Rigby.” Likewise, their take on the Who’s “Baba O’Riley” is another epic moment that makes listeners feel like they’re on-stage alongside ZBB, this time at Fenway Park.

The tropical-infused “Margaritaville” cover subtly pays tribute to the late, great Jimmy Buffet, while Steven Tyler lends his distinct vocals to “Sweet Emotion.” Both the Allman Brothers’ “Whipping Post,” featuring Marcus King, and “It’s a Great Day to Be Alive” find ZBB right in their wheelhouse, with the country classic perfect for a special live moment.

While ZBB may be most at home on anthemic rock tunes and country classic, they step outside of that box on covers of the Beastie Boys’ classic “Sabotage,” Metallica’s iconic “Enter Sandman,” and Frank Sinatra’s classic, “The Way You Look Tonight.” While these tracks may be outside of the norm for the band, they allow them to share their multifaceted musical skills.

On From The Road, Vol 1: Covers, Zac Brown Band reminds listeners why they’re one of the best live bands in country music, effortlessly fusing incredible harmonies and pristine musicianship across a wide range of artists and genres. We can’t wait for volume two.

From the Road, Vol. 1: Covers Tracklist:

Bohemian Rhapsody (Live at The SSE Arena, Wembley, London, UK, 09.25.2015)
Baba O’Riley (Live at Fenway Park, Boston, MA, 08.20.2016)
Enter Sandman (Live at Wrigley Field, Chicago, IL, 09.14.2014)
Sabotage (Live at Windy City Smokeout, Chicago, IL, 7.16.2023)
Sweet Emotion feat. Steven Tyler (Live at Fenway Park, Boston, MA, 08.09.2015)
Whipping Post feat. Marcus King (Live at Bridgestone Arena, Nashville, TN, 10.17.2021)
Margaritaville (Live at Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek, Raleigh, NC, 10.05.2023)
It’s A Great Day To Be Alive feat. Darrell Scott (Live at Fenway Park, Boston, MA, 06.16.2018)
Eleanor Rigby feat. Darrell Scott & Mark O’Connor Band (Live at Fenway Park, Boston, MA, 06.16.2018)
With a Little Help From My Friends feat. Darrell Scott & Mark O’Connor Band (Live at Fenway Park, Boston, MA, 06.16.2018)
Neon feat. John Mayer (Live at the Southern Ground Music and Food Festival, Nashville, TN, 09.22.2012)
Use Somebody (Live at Jiffy Lube Live, Bristow, VA, 08.25.2019)
The Way You Look Tonight (Live at Irvine Meadows Amphitheatre, Irvine, CA, 06.04.2016)

Country Swag Picks:

With A Little Help From My Friends
Use Somebody
It’s a Great Day to Be Alive

Zac Brown Band shares new album, ‘From The Road, Vol. 1: Covers,’ out now on all streaming platforms.

Fans can join our Weekly Round-Up e-newsletter here, for the latest in country music and more news about upcoming Zac Brown Band announcements and releases.

For tour dates and more, including an August 17 stop at NJ’s MetLife Stadium with Kenny Chesney, Megan Moroney, and Uncle Kracker, visit their official website here.

To keep up with Zac Brown Band, follow them on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

From The Road, Vol. 1: Covers 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.

‘Stoned Cold Country’ Rolling Stones 60th Anniversary Tribute Album

March 19, 2023/in Blog, New Music, News /by Erica Zisman

In honor of the 60th anniversary of The Rolling Stones, country artists banded together to create a tribute album called Stoned Cold Country, out now. Listen below.

In honor of the 60th Anniversary of The Rolling Stones, country music is celebrating with a tribute album called Stoned Cold Country. Country artists celebrate the legacy of The Rolling Stones through fourteen distinct covers of some of their greatest hits. The exciting new project is officially out now.

“Four years ago, I had this idea of a Country tribute record to The Rolling Stones – the greatest rock band of all time,” shared producer, Robert Deaton. “I could not be more proud of the artists and musicians that participated on this album. As the song says… ‘It’s Only Rock and Roll But I Like It’ – I hope everyone will join us in celebrating 60 years of The Rolling Stones.”

Stoned Cold Country will appeal to both country and rock fans. Some of country music’s greatest artists like Brothers Osborne, Brooks & Dunn, Little Big Town, and Lainey Wilson lent their voices to iconic Rolling Stones songs. Bright spots on the record include the opener, McBryde’s rendition of “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” and Eric Church’s countrified version of “Gimme Shelter,” as well as, newcomer, Elvie Shane’s cover of “Sympathy for the Devil.”

Stoned Cold Country is a true love letter from the country music genre to The Rolling Stones in celebration of their incredible career. It is also a reminder to naysayers of country music that country artists can truly do anything!

Stoned Cold Country Track List:

1. “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” – Ashley McBryde

2. “Honky Tonk Women” – Brooks & Dunn

3. “Dead Flowers” – Maren Morris

4. “It’s Only Rock ‘N’ Roll (But I Like It)” – Brothers Osborne & The War And Treaty

5. “Miss You” – Jimmie Allen

6. “Tumbling Dice” – Elle King

7. “Can’t You Hear Me Knocking” – Marcus King

8. “Wild Horses” – Little Big Town

9. “Paint It Black” – Zac Brown Band

10. “You Can’t Always Get What You Want” – Lainey Wilson

11. “Sympathy for the Devil” – Elvie Shane

12. “Angie” – Steve Earle

13. “Gimme Shelter” – Eric Church

14. “Shine A Light” – Koe Wetzel

‘Stoned Cold Country’ is available now on all streaming platforms.

Fans can join our Weekly Round-Up e-newsletter here, for the latest in country music and more news about future releases.

Stoned Cold Country is now available everywhere you buy or stream music. Take a listen below and check out more new 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.

Zac Brown Band : ‘The Comeback (Deluxe)’ – Album Review

October 6, 2022/in Blog, First Impression, New Music, News /by Dylan Bestler

Zac Brown Band’s new album, The Comeback (Deluxe) is out now, September 30th on all streaming platforms. Take a listen and read our full review below.

Zac Brown Band has been one of the most successful country acts for the past fifteen years, spawning fourteen number-one singles and three GRAMMY awards during that span. After their sixth studio album, The Owl received mixed reviews due to its varying sound, the group returned to their roots with The Comeback in 2021. Today, the deluxe version contains the original fifteen tracks plus six songs from the record featuring artists such as Cody Johnson, Blake Shelton, Ingrid Andress, James Taylor, Jamey Johnson, and Jimmy Buffet.

Zac Brown Band re-released “Out in the Middle” and “Wild Palomino” with Shelton and Johnson, respectively, in the summer, giving listeners a taste of what to look forward to with the deluxe. The four other tracks Zac Brown Band reimagined with features include “Any Day Now,” “Love and Sunsets,” “Stubborn Pride,” and their latest number-one, “Same Boat.”

“Any Day Now” describes the story of a relationship on the rocks where the woman tells the man that she is going to walk out on him any day now, to which he replies ‘I’m going to change my ways any day now.’ Unfortunately for him, the former came before the latter and he never got his chance to make it up to her. Andress’ ‘sad-girl’ persona makes her the perfect artist to duet with. She provides vocals on the second verse and chorus and harmonies with Brown during the song’s finale. The woman’s perspective makes this ballad even more emotional than the original.

“Told you all the things that I had enough of // And you swore you were gonna change // Any day now make up for the heartache // Any day now but I couldn’t wait // Judging by the screen door slam and these taillights fading outta town // Guess it’s any day now”

Zac Brown Band hailed Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee, James Taylor to feature on the romantic and appreciative “Love and Sunsets.” The singer doesn’t have a lot of money to his name, but luckily for him, she doesn’t need a mansion, expensive truck, and diamond rings; love and sunsets are free and that’s good enough for them. “Love and Sunsets” was already a simple song sonically, but the new recording is broken down to the point where Brown, an acoustic guitar, and Taylor’s backing vocals are all you hear, emphasizing the moral of ‘you don’t need a lot to be happy in life.’

Jamey Johnson joins Brown and Marcus King on the “Stubborn Pride” re-recording. This story is about a man who finally finds true love and settles down. The slow, acoustic vibe highlights the raw emotion in Brown’s and Johnson’s voices. The electric guitar solo in the bridge brings added excitement to the blues-influenced country tune.

Zac Brown Band and Jimmy Buffett paired up and created the number-one hit, “Knee Deep,” and eleven years later, they reunite to re-record “Same Boat.” This fun song reminds us that we are all going through life together trying to make sense of everything going on—we need to learn how to be patient, work together, and agree to disagree. Buffett was a great choice for this upbeat island-tune.

Whether inside or outside the genre, it is always exciting to see major artists collaborate on music. Zac Brown Band is big enough that they don’t need help from other artists to sell records and generate streams, but the output on this project sure is special.

Zac Brown Band – The Comeback Deluxe Track List:

Wild Palomino featuring Cody Johnson
Out In The Middle featuring Blake Shelton
Any Day Now featuring Ingrid Andress
Love and Sunsets featuring James Taylor
Stubborn Pride featuring Jamey Johnson and Marcus King
Same Boat featuring Jimmy Buffett
Slow Burn
Out In The Middle
Wild Palomino
Us Against The World
Same Boat
Stubborn Pride featuring Marcus King
Fun Having Fun
The Comeback
Old Love Song
Any Day Now
Paradise Lost On Me
GA Clay
Love and Sunsets
Closer To Heaven featuring Gregory Porter
Don’t Let Your Heart

ZBB’s brand new album, ‘The Comeback (Deluxe)’ out now.

Fans can join our Weekly Round-Up e-newsletter here, for the latest in country music and more news about future Zac Brown Band releases.

To keep up with Zac Brown Band, follow them on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

The Comeback (Deluxe) is available everywhere you buy or stream music. Take a listen below and check out more new 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.

10 Country Songs You Need to Listen to That Will Boost Your Mood

August 3, 2022/in Blog, New Music, News /by Erica Zisman

One of the best things about country songs is the way they make us feel. Here are 10 songs you need to listen to that will boost your mood!

“Whiskey Glasses” – Morgan Wallen

This melancholy jam starts any party. As do many of Wallen’s song, this just happens to one of the classics!

“I Was On a Boat That Day” – Old Dominion

Old Dominion songs are perfect for the summer, but this single, “I Was On a Boat That Day” is one of our current favorites. Blast this all summer long!

“Little Red Wagon”- Miranda Lambert

This playlist is not complete without Lambert’s killer song “Little Red Wagon.” You can not tell us you don’t feel sassy as hell when you sing this song.

“Before He Cheats” – Carrie Underwood

Echoing the statements from the Miranda Lambert song, this Carrie Underwood classic is another tune that is full of sass. Everyone loves singing it!

“Song About You” – Sam Grow

This Sam Grow song was recommended by one of our readers on Facebook. We agree that the song will for sure boost your mood.

“Chicken Fried” – Zac Brown Band

Every music lover is obsessed with this song, even if they do not admit it. “Chicken Fried” is fun bottled up in a feel-good song.

“Good Time” – Niko Moon

The title of this song does not disappoint! Niko Moon’s number one single is a bop and a jam all at the same time.

“AA” – Walker Hayes

Lately, Walker Hayes has been cranking out hit after hit. “AA” is another one of his catchy tunes that you cannot help but jam to.

“Does to Me” – Luke Combs ft. Eric Church

When two superstars combine, you know that it is going to be an incredible song. Luke Combs and Eric Church’s “Does to Me” definitely fits the bill.

“GIRL” – Maren Morris

We had to end this list with the confidence-boosting-anthem, “GIRL.” This one might be for the girls, but we know the guys love it too!

For more mood-booster songs, listen below.

Fans can join our Weekly Round-Up e-newsletter here, for the latest in country music and more news about new releases.

Zac Brown Band Collabs with Cody Johnson on “Wild Palomino”

July 15, 2022/in Blog, New Music, News /by Dylan Bestler

Zac Brown Band collabs with Cody Johnson on new song, “Wild Palomino,” out now, July 15th, on all streaming platforms. Listen to the new track below.

Zac Brown Band is shaking up their latest album by featuring other stars in the genre on songs like The Comeback and more. Last month, Blake Shelton joined the GRAMMY-winning group on “Out in the Middle,” and today, Cody Johnson provides his vocals on the western-themed track “Wild Palomino.”

Written by Brown, Benjamin Simonetti, Jonathan Singleton, and Wyatt Durrette, the two sing about a girl who was always difficult to hold on to, comparing her to the untamed horse. Even Johnson, who was a former rodeo contestant, could not reign her in. Even though she left long ago, the protagonist still longs for her love.

Brown remains the singer on the second verse, while Johnson takes the first, changing the mention of an “old Georgia pine” to an “East Texas pine.” The two start by alternating lines in the chorus to then harmonizing them, creating a beautiful, mellow sound that makes the listener really sympathize with this sad cowboy.

“You can’t put reigns on a wild palomino // And you won’t make a rolling stone stay // Long as God’s still at church and hard work still works // And that collar on my shirt’s still blue // I’ll never stop loving you”

The two artists have several shows together this summer including today at the iconic Fenway Park in Boston and CitiField in Queens, New York. For tickets, head to their website.

Last month, Zac Brown Band announced plans of a deluxe version of The Comeback due out in the fall. The album will have six new tracks including the revamped “Out in the Middle” and “Wild Palomino,” and it is safe to presume the other four will also be songs from The Comeback featuring other country stars.

Zac Brown Band and Cody Johnson collaborate on new song, “Wild Palomino.”

Fans can join our Weekly Round-Up e-newsletter here, for the latest in country music and more news about future Zac Brown Band and Cody Johnson releases.

To keep up with Zac Brown Band, follow them on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

To keep up with Cody Johnson, follow him on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

“Wild Palomino” is now available everywhere you buy or stream music. Take a listen below and check out more new 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.

Zac Brown Band Adds Blake Shelton for “Out In The Middle” Collab

June 22, 2022/in Blog, New Music, News /by Dylan Bestler

Zac Brown Band collaborates with Blake Shelton on, “Out In The Middle,” out now, June 22nd, on all streaming platforms. Listen to the new track below.

It is always exciting when two artists collaborate on a song, especially when those artists are superstars and have 42 number-one hits between them. Today, Zac Brown Band adds Blake Shelton to a re-imagined version of their single, “Out In The Middle”.

A rugged southern rock anthem about country lifestyle, “Out In The Middle” is for anyone who grew up in the fly-over states that can relate to the imagery painted by writers Brown, Ben Simonetti, Jonathan Singleton, and Luke Combs. It is both lyrically and sonically similar to two of Shelton’s newer songs, “Come Back as a Country Boy” and the 4x-Platinum hit, “God’s Country.” Like in the original, Brown sings the first verse and chorus while Shelton takes over on the second. The two artists come together for a dramatic final chorus.

“Out in the middle where the hard work meets hard living // Out in the middle where we’re grown ’til we’re gone, God willing // Just some good old boys and good old girls // Hunting red dirt dreams in a concrete world // Getting by on just a little, out in the middle”

“Out In The Middle” currently sits just outside the top-30 on country radio, but having Shelton join the track can help push it closer to the top.

The GRAMMY-winning group is currently on their tour of the same name. For fans in the New York area, the tour hits Citi Field, home of the New York Mets, on Thursday, August 18^th. For tickets and a full list of tour dates, head to their website.

Zac Brown Band and Blake Shelton drop new version of “Out In The Middle,” out now.

Fans can join our Weekly Round-Up e-newsletter here, for the latest in country music and more news about future Zac Brown Band and Blake Shelton releases.

To keep up with Zac Brown Band, follow them on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

To keep up with Blake Shelton, follow him on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

“Out In The Middle” is now available everywhere you buy or stream music. Take a listen below and check out more new 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.

Zac Brown Band Announces 2022 International “Out In The Middle Tour”

January 14, 2022/in Blog, News, Tour Announcements /by Team Country Swag

Zac Brown Band returns to the road on their 2022 International ‘Out In The Middle Tour’. Check out the full list of dates and ticket information below.

Following the 2021 ‘The Comeback Tour’, Zac Brown Band gears up for a big 2022 on the ‘Out In The Middle Tour’. The dates launch April 22nd in Greenville, SC with tickets on sale this Friday (1/21) at 10A local time via zacbrownband.com. Robert Randolph Band is set to open the show.

Check out the full list of tour dates below.

ZAC BROWN BAND “OUT IN THE MIDDLE TOUR” 2022 DATES:

Friday, April 22 – Greenville, SC – Bon Secours Wellness Arena+

Saturday, April 23 – Charleston, SC – Credit One Stadium+

Friday, May 20 – Oklahoma City, OK – Paycom Center+

Sunday, May 22 – San Antonio, TX – Real Life Amphitheater

Thursday, June 2 – Saratoga Springs, NY – Saratoga Performing Arts Center+

Friday, June 3 – Toronto, ON – Budweiser Stage+

Friday, June 17 – Atlanta, GA – Truist Park+

Friday, July 8 – Akron, OH – Dowed Field*

Saturday, July 9 – Chicago, IL – Wrigley Field+

Friday, July 15 – Boston, MA – Fenway Park^+

Thursday, July 28 – Indianapolis, IN – Ruoff Music Center

Friday, July 29 – Detroit, MI – Pine Knob Music Theatre

Saturday, July 30 – Mt. Pleasant, MI – Soaring Eagle Casino & Resort

Friday, August 12 – St. Louis, MO – Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre+

Saturday, August 13 – Cincinnati, OH – Riverbend Music Center+

Sunday, August 14 – Hershey, PA – Hersheypark Stadium+

Thursday, August 18 – New York, NY – Citi Field+

Friday, August 19 – Endicott, NY – En-Joie Golf Course*

Friday, August 26 – Camden, NJ – BB&T Pavilion+

Saturday, August 27 – Bristow, VA – Jiffy Lube Live+

Friday, September 23 – Virginia Beach, VA – Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater+

Saturday, September 24 – Charlotte, NC – PNC Music Pavilion+

Sunday, September 25 – Birmingham, AL – Oak Mountain Amphitheatre+

Friday, October 7 – Jacksonville, FL – Daily’s Place+

Saturday, October 8 – Tampa, FL – MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre+

Sunday, October 9 – West Palm Beach, FL – iTHINK Financial Amphitheatre+

Thursday, October 20 – Seattle, WA – Climate Pledge Arena+

Friday, October 21 – Vancouver, BC – Pepsi Live at Rogers Arena+

Saturday, October 22 – Portland, OR – Moda Center+

Friday, November 4 – Los Angeles, CA – Hollywood Bowl+

Sunday, November 6 – Oakland, CA – Oakland Arena+

Saturday, November 19 – Phoenix, AZ – Chase Field**
ADDITIONAL 2022 PERFORMANCE DATES:

May 21 – Frisco, TX – Soccer Hall of Fame Weekend*

Aug 25 – Put-in-Bay, OH – Bash on the Bay*

*Tickets on-sale now
**Ticket on-sale date to be announced
^Tickets go on-sale Thursday, January 20th
+Special Guest Robert Randolph Band

Fans can join our Weekly Round-Up e-newsletter here, for the latest in country music and more news and announcements about future Zac Brown Band releases.

To keep up with Zac Brown Band, follow them on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Zac Brown Band’s music 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.

Zac Brown Band’s “Same Boat” Goes Number One

December 2, 2021/in Blog, News, Number One Songs /by Erica Zisman

Zac Brown Band’s latest single, “Same Boat” officially goes number one on the country radio charts, marking their fourteenth hit song.

For over a decade, Zac Brown Band have been entertaining fans across generations. Hit songs like “Chicken Fried,” “Toes,” and “Homegrown” remain mainstays in their catalog and during their live shows. This week, ZBB earn another hit song with their single, “Same Boat.”

Penned by Zac Brown with Ben Simonetta and Jonathan Singleton, “Same Boat” is a true ZBB classic. We knew the song would become a hit from first listen. It truly is an undeniable instant jam. Upbeat and fun, “Same Boat” is simply about the human experience. We all have unique moments in our lives, but life, in general, is something we all go through. In a time where life can feel chaotic and people can feel at odds, ZBB reminds us all that we are all merely humans trying to make sense of life.

“We’re all in the same boat // Fishing in the same hole // Wondering where the same time goes // And money too // Tryna fix the same broke hearts // Wishing on the same stars // We’re all hoping hope floats // And we’re all in the same boat”

Congrats to Zac Brown Band and their team on another number one song! It will be fun to see how ZBB follow up this incredible feat.

Join our Round-Up e-newsletter here, for the latest in country music and more news about upcoming Zac Brown Band announcements and releases.

To keep up with Zac Brown Band, follow them on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

“Same Boat” 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.

Zac Brown Band: ‘The Comeback’ – Album Review

October 15, 2021/in Blog, First Impression, New Music, News /by Dylan Bestler

Zac Brown Band’s latest album The Comeback is out now, October 15th on all streaming platforms. Check out our full review and listen to the brand new music below.

Today (October 15), Zac Brown Band released their seventh studio album titled The Comeback. The 15-track project is their follow-up to the controversial The Owl from 2019 and contains seven previously released tracks including “Old Love Song,” “Out in the Middle,” “Slow Burn,” their current single, “Same Boat,” among others. Keep reading below as we dive deeper into this new record.

Fans of Zac Brown Band love their feel-good, traditional-sounding tunes that made them one of the most popular country groups of the 2010s. With The Owl, the band went outside their comfort zone and experimented with new sounds and topics, which received mixed reviews from fans and critics. Now, The Comeback is Zac Brown Band’s…well, comeback into the traditional country music scene.

Starting with the previously released tracks, “Same Boat” came out on June 11^th and is currently sitting at number nine on the Billboard Country Airplay chart. It has a similar sound as arguable their biggest hit to date, “Chicken Fried” but with a more “islandy” theme. Penned by Zac Brown with Ben Simonetti and Jonathan Singleton (who have cuts all over this record), this upbeat and fun tune reminds us that we are all going through life together and are all merely humans trying to make sense of everything going on. “Old Love Song” and “Out in the Middle” are both Luke Combs co-writes. The former is a traditional love song while the latter is a southern-rock anthem in which Brown sings about the beauty of growing up in the fly-over states. He touches upon his southern roots again in “GA Clay.”

Love found is one major themes on this album. “Stubborn Pride” features and was co-written by Marcus King and is about a man who finally finds true love and settles down. The slow, acoustic vibe highlights the raw emotion in Brown and King’s voices. The electric guitar solo in the bridge brings added excitement to the blues-influenced country tune. “Love and Sunsets” also touches on romance, but in a different and more cheery fashion. The singer doesn’t have a lot of money to his name, but luckily for him, she doesn’t need a mansion, expensive truck, and diamond rings; love and sunsets are free and that’s good enough for them. In “Closer to Heaven,” he speaks on the faults of the man he was before this women, but now since he’s with her, he’s closer to heaven. Two-time Grammy Award-winner, Gregory Porter brings his jazz influence onto the track, taking the second verse and chorus and providing backing harmonies with Brown in the final chorus.

While Zac Brown Band touches on the fun side of love, there is also a challenging side of it—love lost. In the western-themed track “Wild Palomino,” he sings about the girl who was difficult to lock down. He compares her to the untamed horse that you simply cannot rein in. Even though he lost her, he will never stop loving her. “Any Day Now” may be the most emotional track on the record. The woman in the story tells the man that any day now she is going to walk out on him, to which he replies ‘I’m going to change my ways any day now.’ Unfortunately for him, the former came before the latter and he never got his chance to make it up to her.

“Any day now, I’ll make up for the heartache // Any down now, but you couldn’t wait // Judging by the screen door slamming to taillights fading out of town // I guess it’s any day now”

The next two songs discuss young love—some prevail and some fall apart. In “Slow Burn,” the singer describes the feeling of not being able to get over a past fling. He paints vivid pictures of his girl’s sun-kissed skin on the Georgia lakeshore, and simple sights such as the stars in the night sky make her appear back in his mind. There is a lot of imagery and specific memories described in “Us Against the World” that helps the listener feel what these young lovers are feeling at that moment. However, whether or not this couple survived is not indicated in the song, leaving the end up to our interpretation. These songs are the two most studio-produced tracks on the album, but they also incorporate steel guitar and other country elements sprinkled throughout, making it a song for all types of country fans.

Zac Brown Band throws some light-hearted stuff in the project as well, such as “Don’t Let Your Heart” and “Fun Having Fun.” In “Don’t Let Your Heart,” Brown reminds us to keep our heads up even in the darkest of times. All is lost once you let go of love and hope. Keys are very prevalent in this track, which makes it fun to sing-along to. In the latter, the singer tells stories (hopefully fictional) of making reckless mistakes as a young boy in bluegrass fashion. When he is confronted by an elder, his excuse was simply “it’s fun having fun.” Life only comes around once and you have to enjoy it while you’re alive.

“The Comeback” sits right in the middle of the album at track number eight. It hints at life during the pandemic; how there were no crops in the fields, no children in the classrooms, and no bands on stage. But Brown lifts our spirts by stating the comeback is best part of going through hardships. The backing vocals in this song make it feel almost like a Broadway show finale, which is cool when you compare it to finally climbing out of the pandemic and getting our normal, everyday lives back.

“It’s an underdog story the whole world can see // And the only good thing about getting knocked down is the comeback when it comes back around”

It’s not only Zac Brown Band’s comeback, it’s ours as well. Live music was always something we took for granted—an industry we always thought would be around—but for a year and a half, the world had other plans. So next time you’re on the fence about going out to a show because you have no one to go with, the tickets are expensive, or it’s a weeknight, remember how empty that year and a half felt. This record puts that in perspective—cherish the things in life we currently have because we don’t know how long it is going to be around for.

The Comeback Tracklist

“Slow Burn” (Zac Brown, Ben Hayslip, Ben Simonetti)
“Out in the Middle” (Brown, Luke Combs, Simonetti, Jonathan Singleton)
“Wild Palomino” (Brown, Wyatt Durrette III, Simonetti, Singleton)
“Us Against the World” (Brown, Simonetti, Singleton)
“Same Boat” (Brown, Simonetti, Singleton)
“Stubborn Pride” [feat. Marcus King] (Brown, Marcus King, Simonetti)
“Fun Having Fun” (Brown, Kenny Habul, Kurt Thomas, Simonetti)
“The Comeback” (Brown, Durrette, Ray Fulcher, Simonetti, Singleton)
“Old Love Song” (Brown, Combs, Simonetti, Singleton)
“Any Day Now” (Brown, Clay Cook, Josh Dunne, Fulcher, Simonetti, Singleton)
“Paradise Lost on Me” (Brown, Durrette, Simonetti, Singleton)
“GA Clay” (Brown, Durrette, Neil Mason, Simonetti, Singleton)
“Love & Sunsets” (Brown, Luke Dick, Simonetti)
“Closer to Heaven [feat. Gregory Porter] (Brown, John Driskell Hopkins, Simonetti)
“Don’t Let Your Heart” (Brown, Durrette, Levi Lowrey, Jimmy De Martini, Simonetti)

Zac Brown Band’s new album “The Comeback’ is out now.

Fans can join our Weekly Round-Up e-newsletter here, for the latest in country music and more news and announcements about future Zac Brown Band releases.

To keep up with Zac Brown Band, follow them on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

The Comeback 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.

Zac Brown Band Taps Luke Combs for Co-Write on Two New Songs

July 9, 2021/in Blog, New Music, News /by Erica Zisman

Zac Brown Band released two brand new songs, “Out in the Middle” and “Old Love Song,” available now, July 9th on all streaming platforms. Take a look below as we dig a little deeper into the tracks.

Since making their return to Warner Music Nashville, Zac Brown Band have been full steam ahead! Last month, the band released their catchy new single “Same Boat.” Today, the multi-platinum selling country group has released not one, but two new songs, “Out in the Middle and “Old Love Song.”

“Out in the Middle” keeps with the swampy vibe on “Same Boat.” It is a heavy-hitting and gritty song, perfect for the live show. Penned by Brown with superstar Luke Combs and songwriters Ben Simonetti and Jonathan Singleton, the song is the ultimate jam. Lyrically, the track is all about celebrating the country lifestyle.

On the other hand, Zac Brown Band leans into a soulful groove on “Old Love Song.” Also co-written by Combs, this track is a more laid-back style. Name-dropping several famous songs like “When You Say Nothing At All” and “Put Your Records On,” it is hard not to fall in love with this easy, breezy song. The melody feels like an instant classic despite the fresh sound.

“Let’s stay together, slow dance forever // And ever, amen // Stand by me darling, you keep me free falling // When you say nothing at all // Girl, put your records on // Let me love you like an old love song”

It seems Zac Brown Band are going to keep cranking out more and more new music this year. It is going to be a great year for the superstars!

Get your tickets to Zac Brown Band’s upcoming tour here.

Fans can join our Weekly Round-Up e-newsletter here, for the latest in country music and more news about upcoming Zac Brown Band announcements and releases.

To keep up with Zac Brown Band, follow them on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

“Out in the Middle” and “Old Love Song” are 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.

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