Troy Cartwright ‘Bygones’ – Album Review

Troy Cartwright’s new album, Bygones is out now, August 30th on all streaming platforms. Take a listen and read our full review below.

Rising country star Troy Cartwright describes himself on social media as “a heart break troubadour,” who hasn’t “fit in since 1990.” For those reasons, the singer-songwriter made the leap from major label to independent artist and hasn’t slowed down since.

The Dallas, Texas native’s new album, Bygones, out now, takes listeners on a musical journey, as heartbreak weaves its way through ten new tracks. The title track immediately sets the stage, its lush and melodic arrangement accompanying clever lyrics and punctuated by a warm female background vocalist. Here, he’s leaving the past in the past, considering making an old flame new again, musing “Let bygones be bygones, and don’t let a good thing gone too long.”

That unfinished business weaves its way through much of the album, as the hip-hop infused “How Smart I Am” finds him kicking himself for letting a girl go, while “Same” finds him stuck in a rut after a relationship ended, wishing things could be better. Likewise, the poignant and impassioned “Over You By Now” shows him desperate but unable to move on, admitting that he’s “still in love and it don’t make sense.”

“I think it was late September, when I threw away your picture // Somehow, girl, I still see you // I really thought I knew better // When I let you keep my sweatshirt // But I still smell your perfume // I did everything I could to get you off my mind // But your still on my mind // Yeah you’d think after all this time // After all these sleepless nights // I’d be getting there”

“Unlove You” may be the album’s most single-worth track, its catchy melody building as he admits, “If I could unlove you, I would’ve done it by now.” Meanwhile, “Wild One” allows him to give himself grace, accepting the inevitable outcome of playing with fire. 

“Married Now” offers a clever take on the breakup song, as Cartwright wishes happiness for the one that got away, grappling with the questions of what could’ve and should’ve been. 

“And we could have stayed together// Maybe in another life// Yeah, I’m glad you found each other// And I hope he treats you right// Sometimes I’d like to call you up// But some roads you don’t go down// You loved me once but time don’t turn around// And you’re married now.”

It’s not all heartbreak and heartache on Bygones, however, with “One That You Want” offering an exhilarating highlight. The building midtempo has an almost anthemic chorus that finds you immediately ready to drive to a live show and lift your cell phone light in the air.

“I want to be the one // When you’re riding high on as good as it gets // and your whole world is a tangled mess // When your mind runs and you can’t sleep // in those sheets, I wanna be the one that you want // When you get down // wanna go for a drive at midnight // I wanna be the one that you want // If you need somebody the rest of your life or tonight // I wanna be the one that you want”

“Lincoln Continental” is a beautiful story song, Cartwright’s lyrics telling the tale of his grandparents in a way that’s sure to warm even the coldest of hearts. Here, he recounts the story of his Nanny and Papa, longing for that type of love of his own. Meanwhile, the album’s final track, “Deathbed,” is a stunning piano ballad about a moment that lives rent free in his mind. Here, he’s passionate and emotive, reflecting on a moment that he’s sure to remember forever,

 “When all the sand in the hourglass // Runs out and my race is run // St. Peter calls me home // And all my work down here is done // It could be nine or 90 years // But when I’m down to my last breath // I’ll remember this on my deathbed.”

While much of Bygones is centered around heartbreak, there are no two moments that are alike. Between his honeyed vocals, melodic instrumentation, and stirring lyrics, Troy Cartwright is a rising star worth watching.  He may be an independent artist, but he’s truly as talented as they come.

Bygones Track List: