Travis Denning: ‘Might As Well Be Me’ – EP Review

Travis Denning releases his new EP, Might As Well Be Me, out now, August 5th on all streaming platforms. Listen to the brand new project below and check out our full review.

Travis Denning made his mark on the country scene with his 2019 radio hit, “After A Few.” Since then, the Georgia-native has released three, six-track EPs, all of which have represented four major themes: nostalgia, love, heartbreak, and southern pride. The opening track, “Red Round Here,” is his ode to country life. He lists all the mundane jobs people carry out daily, and says it is his job to “keep it red down here.” The track is very upbeat and country, and the chorus’ rhyme scheme gives it a nice flow and makes it a fun tune for the tailgate playlist.

“Somebody’s gotta keep it red ‘round here, hold it down down here // Pop a county-line sign full of lead ‘round here, yeah // Crank some Hank on the bank throw some bait on a limb line hanging on a tree”

The single, “Buy A Girl A Drink” explains how this simple act can have a huge impact on your life. He says it is the best way to spend $7.50, as it can lead to a forever love. The writers, Jeremy Stover, Paul DiGiovanni, Chase McGill, and Denning, go through the whole timeline, including the first kiss, the wedding, honeymoon, children, etc. 

“River Named Mississippi” is a simple love song in which Denning confesses his feelings for this person using many State metaphors, ending with the phrase “I’m going to love you as long as there’s a river named Mississippi.”

“Long as there’s pine trees in Georgia, Rockies in Colorado // Stars in California, Chevy makes a Silverado // Long as cowboys in Texas, Tennessee bottles whiskey // I’m gonna love you long as there’s a river named Mississippi “

Denning captures his past so well in his songwriting. From his debut single about a fake I.D.—“David Ashley Parker from Powder Springs”—to now “Don’t Give A Truck,” Denning explains his reasoning for why not to give your teenage boy a truck. He quite obviously talks from personal experience, describing all the reckless things he did in his truck in the past. This is a relatable tale to anyone who grew up driving around in their parent’s car.

“Don’t give a truck, don’t give a truck, don’t give a truck to a small town kid // ‘Cause he’s gonna end up, gonna end up, making don’t tell stories in the back of it // He’ll drive too fast, burn some gas, if the last thing you want is him looking back”

 “She’s On It” was the second song released on the EP. This cleverly written tune starts out by describing a girl who is enjoying a Friday night on Main Street. The girl suddenly shifts from the protagonist to the main plot point after the first verse, as the listener soon learns about the ex-boyfriend who is drinking his sorrows away at the bar. She’s on the dance floor, on her new guy’s tab, and—unfortunately—still on her ex’s mind.

“He’s got his phone on the bar face down, he can’t stand to see that background //When it lights up, I bet she’s on it (I bet she’s on it) // And for all he knows there’s some new guy // Makin’ her laugh with all his lines // If he’s got a tab // I bet she’s on it”

The EP’s closer, “If You Need Anything,” is a sad, yet powerful tribute to someone who passed away. The singer is talking to his fallen friend and tells him if he needs anything, give him a sign from up above. Driven by a simple, acoustic guitar to start, the production increases and adds drama to the story when the chorus rolls around, similar to the kind of emotion listeners feel when HARDY’s “GIVE HEAVEN SOME HELL” comes on.

“I bet it’s nice up there this time of year, but if you need anything down here // Have an old red Chevrolet like yours drive by, put an old Skynyrd song on the radio // Make a couple shooting stars fly across the sky, hook me up to a bass at the honey hole”

“Last year and my most recent EP were all about thankfulness, and being glad to have any live shows at all,” Denning said in a recent press release, expressing the drive behind a new creative chapter. “This time a lot of that is behind us, and it’s like ‘Alright, let’s get to work.’ Overall, I wanted this EP to feel like a setlist. And I wanted it to be a no skipper.” 

Might As Well Be Me EP Tracklist:

1. Red Round Here
2. River Named Mississippi
3. Buy A Girl A Drink
4. Don’t Give A Truck
5. She’s On It
6. If You Need Anything Down Here

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