Grade A+
Redbank, Tennessee native Kane Brown is a contemporary country music artist who debuted his eponymous album “Kane Brown” this past December. According to an online music guide service Allmusic, he originally became interested in country music after winning a high school talent contest by singing Chris Young’s “Gettin’ You Home.”
Like many newer artists, he then began turning to social media to expand his listener base, gaining a following online. That seemed to work pretty well for the artist, as his single “Don’t Go City on Me” went viral back in 2014. His debut album “Closer” hit the charts in 2015 — and in 2016 he signed with RCA/Sony Music Nashville. This latest album — “Kane Brown” — has been making its way to the radio streams lately, so you should check it out.
This song teeters on the edge of country and another genre, which is not an uncommon tactic nowadays. “Hometown Proud” is a great single that every graduating senior could relate to, when all you want to do is make your hometown and family proud. It is fast, has a great beat and the lyrics are easy enough to pick up. I can definitely see this becoming a summer favorite.
This next song blew me out of the water. Being the first song I heard from this artist, it is fantastic, sexy and created the best first impression possible. “What Ifs” with Lauren Alaina is the first single from this album that I heard on the radio. It was also a song that made me interested in hearing the rest of the album.
“Learning” is an odd mix of genres, none of which I would consider country. It has some rap and something related to jazz — and makes you want to snap your fingers while swaying side to side. The lyrics provide a very in-depth look at the artist’s dramatic past. As well as it is written, the sound is very different from the rest of the album. Needless to say, it was not my favorite among the album’s singles.
Kane Brown must be the championing artist of loves songs. His tracks come off with the excitement of Hunter Hayes and the sweetness of Brett Young, especially “Thunder in the Rain” which encompasses all of that perfectly.
“Better Place” is a sweet addition to the album. Yet another love track, this one is great, since it is slower and more cheesy than the other songs on this album.
Looking for a summer anthem? “Ain’t No Stopping Us Now” is nothing but bikinis, sand, beaches, tans and freedom. As it gets warmer around Maine, a bunch of us are looking to make a playlist that will accompany us to Old Orchard and I am adding this one for sure.
Kane Brown is an exciting country artist who seems to favor mixing, country, rock, rhythm and blues, while playing up the cliches. This does not mean he doesn’t carry the classic arsenal of twang and guitar chords that sound familiar to us country fans. You can definitely see Brown moving up in the charts, making sure we hear more of him real soon.
This album deserves two thumbs up and will be taking it into the summer alongside my other new favorites.
