"The Beetle reached its highest stage of development in its evolution as model 1303 in August of 1972. Interested buyers could choose between six models of the 1303. [...] The sixth model was added in 1973 with the VW 1303 A as an additional economy Beetle with the small 34 hp engine, plain black bumpers and a simple interior."Tyler Hubbard's second solo album was released on April 12, 2024. With it he just passed his former partner in the now defunct duo Florida Georgia Line by a few weeks. Brian Kelley's second solo projekt "Tennessee Truth" was released just under a month later, on May 10, 2024. But while the latter is still struggling for commercial success, Tyler Hubbard can already boast a number 1 hit ('5 Foot 9') and a number 2 hit ('Dancin' in the Country') on the radio (Billboard Country Airplay) chart with his first solo-album.
And on May 18, 2024, the first single from the new album was already the next number 1 on the radio charts. 'Back Then Right Now' is a sentimental look back at the good old days before social media, back when you took a pic and didn't have to post it and back when politics wasn't table talk. It is one of 13 songs, all of which were co-written by Tyler Hubbard and are contained on the album titled "Strong".
Only one song was written by himself alone. It is the most personal one on the project and is named '73 Beetle'. "It's a keepsake and reminds me of my dad", he told billboard.com. "We took the '73 Beetle and completely rebuilt it, ... we just wanted to build something kind of crazy. We went to a lot of car shows back in the day — the VW car shows, specifically — and we wanted to build something that had never been done. That's hopefully what this car will be when it's finished."
'Cause I moved out and life moved on, next thing I knew, my dad had gone
home to be with Jesus, it was hard to understand.
It is the song that receives praise and recognition from all sides because it pours traditional country heart and soul into its personal story about family and childhood memories and is shaped by the classic sound of a steel guitar. For many critics, however, it remains the only song worth mentioning on the new project. Especially for those who are on the traditional side or in the Zach Bryan camp.
For instance, Alli Patton of holler.country writes: "There was once a time and place for an album like Strong – a time and place that Hubbard himself once dominated – but with current country trends erring towards thought-provoking prose and stripped-back production, we're just not sure that pickup trucks and "blue-jean girls" really cut it anymore."
And when Marcus K. Dowling of the Tennessean writes: "[All these various creative influences] have inspired Hubbard to double down on an arena rock and '80s funk-driven dance-pop sound under country lyrics that delivers best not on radio or record but in 60-to-90-minute concerts", then that's an exaggeration in describing the sound, but it probably sums up the arguments of some critics.
But definitely not every music fan wants listening to music leading into getting anxious, upset, or disturbed, as Max Buondonno from countrycentral.com postulates it. Rather, there has to be room for the exuberant side of life as well, which can smoothen out the wrinkles on a thoughtful forehead. And "Strong" by Tyler Hubbard does just that very well.
And he stands by that when he describes his sound in an interview with the Tennessean: "Nothing slow, nothing sad. It's great — and very popular right now — but I'm into having the fun and success I'm having, plus music that represents anything and everything else that's the opposite of that."
Comments
Post a Comment