Album Review – Brothers Osborne’s “Pawn Shop”
The apple of Eric Church’s eye, and an offbeat selection for mainstream country listeners, the Brothers Osborne have finally released a debut album through EMI Nashville, and if nothing else, it earns your attention from its originality. It’s not really a country record, though what is these days emanating from a country music major label? It’s more fairly described as roots rock, and don’t worry, there’s still some of those plaintive and even painful moments that remind you that you’re listening to a modern-day Music Row release. But that doesn’t take away from the fact the Pawn Shop should be considered a healthy alternative on the mainstream music menu.
It seems strange that we’re just now getting a full-length record from these two. They’ve been touring around with label mate Eric Church for several years, and it feels like forever since we were listening to their first single “Rum” and trying to decide if we liked it or not. I’m still not sure if I have a proper answer to that question. Strip it down to its undies and it’s still just a throwaway drinking song about doing nothing—a favorite subject for those that sup at the trough of corporate radio. But like so much of the Brothers Osborne’s music, it’s the way they deliver it that gives it a freshness, and doesn’t make you feel stupid for listening.
Composed of brothers T.J. (lead singer and guitar), and John (lead guitar, banjo, etc.), Brothers Osborne released an EP back in September of 2014, and it began to appear that the brothers could become yet another victim of the endless delays for full-length album releases that have plagued projects up and down Music Row. But then the brothers were able to put together the key ingredient to winning a release date: a successful lead single.
“Stay A Little Longer” was released nearly a year ago now, yet its slow and steady climb to success paid off right as Pawn Shop was getting ready to be released. It peaked in the Top 5 on both the Country Airplay and Hot Songs charts from Billboard, and the upswing allowed for Pawn Shop to be green-lighted. “Stay A Little Longer” is a good example of what you can expect from Pawn Shop: much more roots rock than country—a chip off the Eric Church block so to speak (both are produced by Jay Joyce). And the song shows at least an attention to artistry and originality. The single version of “Stay A Little Longer” is much shorter than the 5:35 album version, but the song reminds you that sometimes melodies and stories take time to develop, and you just can’t always craft the proper amount of tension and resolution in 2 1/2 minutes.
Pawn Shop also has some songs that leave something to be desired. The nostalgic “21 Summer” with its Mike & The Mechanics production makes for a quick punch-out, and “American Crazy” instantly reminds one of Toby Keith’s failed song “Drunk Americans” by employing a pretty gimmicky and formulaic approach to what tries to pass itself off as smart writing.
But bad songs are more the exception, not the rule with this one. The opening track “Dirt Rich” is a little silly, yet it’s easy to cheer for a song proclaiming the virtues of being happy where you are in life above being obsessed with compiling personal wealth and possessions. The title track might be easy to rib as superfluous fluff that doesn’t really say anything, but it’s a fun listen, and displays plenty of wit in the lyricism.
“Greener Pastures” tries to arouse the Outlaw era of country, and does a fairly admirable job of it. I don’t know if Pawn Shop has as much of a throwback vibe as the Brothers Osborne set out to adhere to the recording tape, but there’s just enough old-school sweat in the end result to keep things interesting. “Down Home” should have probably been left to Molly Hatchet to try and cut, but “Heart Shaped Locket” was a great little gem near the end, and perhaps the album’s best with a developed story conveying sincere heartbreak.
“Loving Me Back” with guest Lee Ann Womack is not bad either, and a waltz beat is always superior for bringing out the weight of a song. The Brothers Osborne rely a lot of styling to help separate themselves from the herd, but T.J.’s bottomed-out voice is pretty near perfect for singing country songs, and efforts like “Loving Me Back” and “Heart Shaped Locket” are strong evidence for him being regarded as a top-level singer of this generation.
Even with the efforts to dirty it up and do things a little different, Pawn Shop still has the polished, calculating feel that almost every major label album release seems to be saddled with these days. And if it were the 80’s or 90’s we wouldn’t be considering this country at all. But similar to Eric Church, the Brothers Osborne have stuck to their guns of doing things a little bit differently, and a little bit better, and the result is an album that is pragmatic, generally enjoyable, and can cut across taste patters to build a consensus around it being better than most of what you hear from the mainstream.
1 1/2 of 2 Guns Up (7/10)
– – – – – – – – – – –
February 3, 2016 @ 8:47 pm
I found myself intensely divided on this.
“Pawn Shop” is a frustrating tale of two albums between its music and its lyrics. It definitely made a positive impression with the former, but greatly disappointed me with the latter.
Upon initially hearing “Rum” and their breakout hit “Stay A Little Longer”, I’ve said how both songs are definitely listenable in how they sound, but ultimately left with much to be desired because they regurgitate tired themes lyrically. “Rum” sounds like what a laid-back beach song ought to sound, but you could cull lyrics from any Kenny Chesney or Zac Brown Band beach song and stamp them over that track’s production and it wouldn’t make any real difference. And “Stay A Little Longer” has solid musicianship and vocals…………but what they sing about is something that has been covered endlessly in recent memory, too.
*
“Pawn Shop” is really a continuation of that dichotomy from beginning to end.
Every song is basically an exquisitely-performed track that nonetheless apes other obvious songs thematically. With “American Crazy”, it’s “Drunk Anericans” and “Drinking Class”. With “21 Summer”, it’s “Springsteen”. With “Greener Pastures”, it’s one of Eric Church’s more snarly pot barn-burners. And so forth.
In fact, much of the album tends to take the pre-The Outsiders Eric Church era playbook and double down on the formula. And, that’s not necessarily a bad thing. But, at a time where Eric Church has stepped up his game in songwriting with “Mr. Misunderstood”……………..a lot of these songs just sound tentative and uninspired in comparison. They seem more style over substance.
This duo has a lot of room to grow, and I can easily see me warming up to them over time with their unmistakable vocal and musicianship talents. “Pawn Shop”, however, is a frustratingly underwhelming debut as far as songwriting is concerned, and I’m direly hoping they don’t make the same mistake as the Zac Brown Band have in placing all their artistic growth eggs in the musical basket, but failing to allow their songwriting to keep pace.
I’m thinking a Strong 5 to Light 6 out of 10 for this.
February 3, 2016 @ 9:53 pm
Gotta disagree with you a bit Trigger and echo what Nadia wrote. I like a few songs on this album, but no more than 2-3 that I can see listening to in 3 months or whatever, so I can’t see giving it more than a 5/10.
I’m surprised a bit to see this get the same rating as the new Randy Rogers Band album which for me was damn near spotless.
I will say “Stay A Little Longer” is one of the few decent songs found at radio right now. Of course it is probably propped up by the amount of pure crap around it, but what can ya do.
February 3, 2016 @ 10:09 pm
‘Stay A Little Longer’ has sooooo many bro earmarks -sonically , lyrically and especially melodically- that I had to switch off any source that was playing it until it was done . I was bored with the formulaic approach after the first listen and it got BORING-ER after that . ” Calculated ” is the right word ….at least for this song , Trigger . I may get around to listening to some other tracks. But my take has always been that if a shitty single is how a band wants to showcase itself , I have little time for that band….and Lord knows there’s an endless supply of THOSE acts . I KNOW where I can find the good stuff without wading through the crap first .
February 3, 2016 @ 10:27 pm
I agree about the production on that song but the guitar solo is pretty awesome.
February 4, 2016 @ 7:07 am
I was really into that solo myself the other day..
February 4, 2016 @ 9:59 am
There are two versions of “Stay A Little Longer” out there. The first is the single version, which is roughly 4 minutes long. The second is the album version which is 5:30 long. Listening to the album version is what made me see the virtues of the song, and specifically the guitar solo, and how the development of the song was handled by the band.
There reason there seems to be two completely opposite camps on this record is because folks are listening to two completely opposite sets of music. If you’re out here just listening to the single version of “Stay A Little Longer,” you’re going to have a completely different experience than someone who takes the time to listen to this entire album.
February 3, 2016 @ 10:28 pm
I expected you to tear this one apart, Trig. My experience with this album was totally different.
At first (and very casual) listen, the song with Lee Ann Womack really stood out. So, I thought there was potential. Then I sat down to give it an earnest listen – I couldn’t get through the whole album.
Pawn Shop – Who the fuck has ever wished there was a song listing everything one could find in a pawn shop? It’s the title track! Maybe there’s an overall theme on the album that all these songs are used or previously owned or borrowed? I’m fine with that. Then it should be the first track on the album. It should intro and outtro other tracks like Willie Nelson’s Phases and Stages weaving a common theme. But, stuck in the middle of the album – it’s a bad gag gift.
Rum – It pissed me off for the same reasons Nadia layed out.
American Crazy – Are you serious? It’s pandering, unoriginal, lazy, and insulting. I turned the album off after this track.
Three strikes, you’re out!
There’s too much new music I need to be listening to; I don’t need to be wasting my time in a Pawn Shop.
February 3, 2016 @ 11:05 pm
“American Crazy ”“ Are you serious? It”™s pandering, unoriginal, lazy, and insulting. I turned the album off after this track.”
Well that’s probably where the disconnect is. Unfortunately I can’t get away with turning albums off halfway through (even if I want to). “Greener Pastures” and “Heart-Shaped Locket” were in my opinion the best songs on the album by far, and they both come after “American Crazy.”
I feel like my opinions on this album are being a little misrepresented in this comments section. I’m in no way saying this is a great album, or even a really good one. It’s my job to judge music against its peers, and when it comes to “Pawn Shop” I thought it was slightly better than average, with a few pretty bad songs and a couple of pretty good ones. I agree there’s some formulaic stuff and pandering here, and I said as much in the review. But I think there’s some good music here too.
Other people are admitting they’re judging the album solely off of “Stay A Little Longer,” but what’s funny is the album version is a different song extended by about 1:30. I agree the lyrics are pretty flat, and I was never impressed with the single version of the song. But when you listen to it on the album, you’re able to hear what they were trying to develop with it, and it turns out to be an okay song.
It’s not a country album and it’s not a great album. But neither of those things immediately make it bad.
February 3, 2016 @ 11:54 pm
The “are you serious?” wasn’t directed to you, Trig. It was my reaction when I first heard the American Crazy song. Like, “are you fucking kidding me with this shit?”
February 4, 2016 @ 12:49 am
Sorry hoptowntiger, I didn’t think you were directing that at me. Sorry if it seemed like I implied that. THere’s a communication breakdown somewhere her.e
Look, “American Crazy” is a bad song trying to pass itself off as smart, and that’s why I ripped it in the review. And if you or anyone else stopped listening at that point, I wouldn’t blame you. What impressed me about this album is how they figured out how to do something different in the restrictive confines of the mainstream environment. Arguably this can take more talent and originality than otherwise. And as bad as “American Crazy” is, I don’t see it being some hit radio single or something.
February 7, 2016 @ 12:40 pm
I made it through the entire album and I agree with most of what you’re saying. There isn’t a single song on this album that I will purposely listen to again.
February 3, 2016 @ 10:42 pm
Question, is this session musician s ? If so then there is really no redeeming quality here. Unless they came up with all the music, arrangements, and played their own instruments on the album. Cause the songwriting hits every formula there is including the “this is not a formula” formula which I think if they didn’t coin this then it should be a thing( when you write an original sounding song with all cliche lyrics). Man this is the same as the GRO thing, musically talented dudes who can’t write a meaningful song, not to say they can’t pen a #1 hit but either money or trendiness are the judge of such things. Maybe they can re-release it without vocals. That is only a joke in case the brothers Osbourne are reading this, you guys are NOT just ripping off other songs and you are Not boring. Please don’t come to Mt. Bellvieu, Tx and whoop my ass for not coming right out and telling you your the best thing in country music since Hank Williams.
February 4, 2016 @ 4:33 am
“Question, is this session musician s ? If so then there is really no redeeming quality here. Unless they came up with all the music, arrangements, and played their own instruments on the album.”
To these guys’ credit, they’re a legit band. They apparently started out as a bar band up in Maryland playing classic country and roots-rock covers. I was checking out a live YouTube clip of the song “Greener Pastures” on YouTube, and it linked me to me a bunch of recent live covers they’ve done, including “Hey Good Lookin”, “Natural High,” “Whiskey River,” “The Shape I’m In” by The Band, and some other stuff. I was actually kind of impressed. The bearded brother plays a pretty mean lead guitar, country-style.
“Greener Pastures” / “Mama Tried”
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Pyj5U0fHpPI
“Whiskey River”
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=UeOEE3vSuQU
(A couple of guitar solos here…)
February 4, 2016 @ 12:26 am
“Stay A Little Longer” & “Rum” are awful songs, I don’t care what anyone says. I cannot stand the music or their voices. I hate the singles so much that I’m not going to bother wasting my time listening to the other songs despite your positive review, Trigger. These guys are just as bad as Old Dominion IMO..
February 4, 2016 @ 12:56 am
So this is the third comment so far from someone saying they hate one or both of the singles, and so they’re not giving this album a chance. Hey, I totally respect that opinion. Singles are released to represent the album, and if you’re not impressed, then that’s on the band, the label, and A&R for not doing their job right. But this is not a review of the singles, it’s a review of the album. Again, I’m not trying to convince you to like the album or even to give it a chance. I’m just saying I DID listen to the entire album and multiple times, and that’s what I based my opinion on.
February 4, 2016 @ 3:59 pm
I listened to a few more of the songs and I honestly have to say, that in regards to my former statement, that I like Old Dominion way better. OD may be mostly pop but I prefer them over these guys….just not my style or my cup of tea…
February 4, 2016 @ 7:09 am
Rum is probably the only decent track on this. It’s music that you don’t hate but you don’t like either. Might as well be elevator music, no thanks Jeff.
February 4, 2016 @ 7:41 am
Trig, Its actually T.J. not J.T. I love these guys, hence my nagging to get this album reviewed. They’re by far my favorite new artist. And even though this is only an above average reception to it, I can understand where the qualms come from so I am happy with it and respect it. Its the most we’ve agreed on a positive review in awhile. With some old school values, good storytelling, and T.J’s amazing voice, I think they are the perfect sound for a new revival and personally I think they’re going to take over the Duo division. People are ready for it. I think FGL is gonna try anything and everything to retain its crowns but with the era the CMA’s rang in last year, Brothers Osborne and Maddie and Tae will be considered strong contenders going forward. I can’t wait to see what these guys do next.
February 4, 2016 @ 8:07 am
I saw them a few weeks ago in Boston with Jon Pardi. I had heard a little from them and thought I would leave being reminded of Old Dominion for some reason, but they really pleasantly surprised me! They – with Jon Pardi – put on a really great show!
February 4, 2016 @ 8:11 am
Yes!!!! I honestly love this album and these guys put on a hell of a live show. John Osborne is a fantastic guitarist (multi-instrumentalist really). Definitely at least a 7 probably an 8 for me. Also, just want to let you know his name is “TJ” not “JT”.
February 4, 2016 @ 8:21 am
the rest of the ablum cud sound like ole hank but Ill never no the diffrense cuz there a cuple of yankees hi jackin country music with there liberal crap. that stay a lil longer video they got shows to fellas kissin. Im purdy shur legendary SCM comentar Clint wood agre that duznt have nuthin to do with country music. This is a band for people who dont like country music but luv this band.
that stay a lil longer song is a peace of crap that sounds like sumthin good mornin america wood use to promote there marxist show.
To guns way down
February 4, 2016 @ 9:32 am
Yeah, tell it, Lil Dale! Welkum bak!!
February 4, 2016 @ 10:02 am
president Obuma duznt like country music but thanks the new bruthers ozborn album is grate.
February 4, 2016 @ 10:10 am
Does Peter Brimelow like country music?
February 4, 2016 @ 12:14 pm
dont no. But I’m certain he appreciates the fact country music is an art form based on the lifestyle of Southern-Americans and not Yankee elitists like the people The Brothers Osborne are trying to appeal to. For as bad as Luke Bryan and Sam Hunt are, at least they’re not yankee carperbaggers like Taylor Swift.
February 4, 2016 @ 5:13 pm
Well, I like Peter Brimelow and I like country music… We’re simpatico on the yankee carpetbaggers… There are whole host of reasons to hate them and not a damn reason to like them….
February 4, 2016 @ 9:01 am
Once again, an appearance by monster songwriter Sean McConnell. It’s unbelievable how seemingly overlooked his contributions on big releases have been. Whether good or bad, (They Don’t Make ‘Em Like They Used To vs. Southern Belle) these are huge wins for Sean. Don’t forget the momentum Stapleton had once his record built steam. The foundation was built with blue collar touring and big cuts.
February 4, 2016 @ 9:49 am
After watching a couple more clips of these guys, I’m convinced they have something going for them, at least on a musical level. Even a pop-country radio cut like “Stay a Little Longer,” which I’ve heard before in passing but never payed close attention to, seems to have a completely different impact live, if the video I watched is any indication. Lyrically, the song is pure fluff, and the tossed-off line about “tearing t-shirts off each other” makes my roll my eyes hard. But as a musical performance, the band was totally in the pocket, and the long guitar break that builds up to a crescendo in the middle of the song (the part that got cut from the single) took the whole thing to a different level.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=j9HzvD1IOto
I predict these guys will be successful, because they fit right into the current musical moment of mainstream Nashville. Visually, you’ve got the relatively clean cut guy with the fancy GQ haircut like Sam Hunt, and you’ve also got the guitar player guy with the burly Chris Stapleton beard and tattoos. (Credit to the Allmusic review for pointing this out.) As a band, they’re a little bit country and a little bit rock and roll, partly rootsy and “vintage,” but also slick enough for the pop-country market. The guitar work on “Stay a Little Longer” is reminiscent of recent mainstream country guitar slingers like Brad Paisley, while the overall musical ambience isn’t far off from Kings of Leon, and the lyrics and rhythmic-driven vocal melody will go down easy with listeners accustomed to bro-country. (Also, apparently some people think the lead singer sounds like Toby Keith, but I don’t really hear it.)
Anyway, I think they’re definitley an improvement over the likes of Florida Georgia Line, and hopefully they still have room to grow. I just wish they had tried to capture a more raw, “live band” sound on the record, but then I don’t generally like Jay Joyce’s production style. Most importantly, however, if this band really wants to back up the boasts they’ve made in the press about vanquising the shallowness of bro-country, they need to dig down deep and really try to figure out what they want to say, lyrically. Perhaps they need to sit down work with a really good lyricist who can help them craft songs which can help them live up to their talent.
February 4, 2016 @ 11:54 am
I hope they work with someone other than Jay Joyce on the next album. I’m not sure who produced the EP, but I know they re-cut Stay a Little Longer when they started working with Joyce and I preferred the EP version. It didn’t have the vocal effect that the re-cut version has. I was also a little disappointed that the best song from the EP (in my opinion), Love the Lonely Out of You, didn’t make the album.
February 4, 2016 @ 10:04 am
I’ve never seen such a wide disparity between Triggers take and the opinions of commenters… Lil Dale about summed it up for me…
Why do all of my comments now await moderation? I don’t do anything in moderation….
February 4, 2016 @ 10:29 am
Right now we are trying to fix some lingering technical issues with the site, and for whatever reason, the spam comment filter has been extra aggressive lately. Nobody is being singled out, and I am doing the best I can to make sure comments sent to either moderation or the spam filter are posted as quickly as possible.
As I’ve pointed out here, the reason there’s such disparity between opinions is because we’re not even listening to the same music. Even if you’ve heard the single version of “Stay A Little Longer,” it not the same song that’s on the album. And I don’t even think it’s a great song. Others are sharing their opinions admitting they didn’t listen to the album in full, or even the songs that I posted here. I love when people disagree with me and I think it’s great to see so many different opinions. But in this case, I think folks are seeing two different perspective because the experience with the music is completely different. And again, I don’t think this is a great album, and there’s some downright bad songs on it. But I thought it was a little better than what were used to hearing from a major label release.
February 4, 2016 @ 10:09 am
I love “Stay a Little Longer”, but that “Hear Shaped Locket”, while it had a good beat, the lyrics were not great. I really want to like these guys, but I don’t like “Rum”, either. Maybe because it was constantly played on the radio where I used to work. Anyway, I’m not biting. I don’t buy music, anyway. I also don’t buy concert tix anymore. Too easily wasted money.
February 4, 2016 @ 12:05 pm
I also pushed Trigger to review the album. I enjoyed, not all of the songs, but most. There was a lot of punch to their music. I like a haunting ballad or a great Americana song with an acoustic guitar as much as anyone, but sometimes I want some music with some lick to it. I read a lot of reviews on other sites that the album can be loud and over-produced at parts and maybe that’s so. The simple fact is few mainstream acts can play guitars like these guys.
To me, Pawn Shop is a great turn it up record.
Also, I think Dirt Rich and 21 Summer are two of the worst songs on the record, along with American Crazy, so anyone who has not listened to the record yet, I would just start at track four: Pawn Shop. I think Pawn Shop, Loving Me Back, Green Pastures and It’s Not My Fault are great tracks.
Also, I’ve written this before but the intro to Rum sure sounds a lot like the intro to Blake Shelton’s shitty Neon Light. Maybe that’s why people don’t like it. They think they’re listening to another crappy Shelton song.
February 4, 2016 @ 2:36 pm
This is a very good cd 9/10.
February 4, 2016 @ 3:43 pm
I hate to ask, but is this site still ran by the same guy. Kyle something or other, cause he was really passionate and strongly opinionated. A true soldier in the war on pop country. Now ever since you got that Eric Church $$ youve changed. (That is a joke, and I do know the name you have given,but I like Trigger bettter) Ever since stapleton came out youve eased up, but your reviews are a highlight of SCM for me, they are always passionate, articulate, and usually spot on. so whats up, you got a cold or something. Don’t get on me cause I don’t like this album, saying “we each have our own opinion” that is the easy way out. I wish I could like this album, but on the slope we are trying to climb back up where country music has fallen, this is not a forward step and cannot be accepted. You know your brain is designed to find patterns and music and rhyme fulfill this need perfectly, if you listen to an album over and over again you will have it stuck in your head no matter what, thats why people always say “I hate that song but I cant get it out of my head”.
Get your guns, man the fence, take aim. THE FIGHT AINT OVER YET
February 4, 2016 @ 4:33 pm
The guitar playing stands out and I do like his voice, but IDK. Someone hit the nail on the head earlier when they said there is too much other music out there.
Not a lot here that makes me want to re-listen. Sucks less than a lot of the absolute crap that is out, but that is not really an endorsement from me.
Maybe I’ll check out some of the live stuff.
I’m surprised at the 7/10 from you.
Not consistent with other reviews. You’ve given that same rating to far superior albums than this.
And since you seemed to want to drag him into this review for some reason, The Church album is a great example. Above and beyond far superior to this and yet rated the same.
February 4, 2016 @ 10:21 pm
This review is consistent with my other reviews because it’s my god honest opinion on their music. Taste and opinion is inherently different between all of us, so it would be impossible for me to be “consistent” based on another piece of music, and some else’s perspective. If I had to choose, I would say that “Mr. Misunderstood” or “Neon” from the Randy Rogers Band ARE slightly better, but I still think they all fall in the same grade range. I could get like Pitchfork and start assigning decimal points, but I don’t think anyone wants that. 🙂
As for there being much better stuff out there to listen to, I totally agree. I will likely post 50 or 60 more album reviews this year with better grades than this one. I probably won’t listen to this record again now that I’ve reviewed it. I don’t think this is a great album, and I had some pretty harsh criticism for it in the review itself. But there’s also a lot of folks who love it, including common readers here who didn’t see any inconsistencies in my opinion.
Hey, we can disagree about the merits of this record. That’s totally cool, because neither of us are wrong. They’re just opinions.
February 5, 2016 @ 11:23 am
I agree and that is why I frequent this site more than I should LOL.
You did however knock the Church album a point for not being as country as you would like, but did seem to embrace this for album the same very reasons.
“It”™s more fairly described as roots rock, and don”™t worry, there”™s still some of those plaintive and even painful moments that remind you that you”™re listening to a modern-day Music Row release. But that doesn”™t take away from the fact the Pawn Shop should be considered a healthy alternative on the mainstream music menu.”
With that in mind, deep down I think you really are in line with my rating on 8/10 for Church. LOL
February 4, 2016 @ 5:21 pm
I haven’t listened to the album, and haven’t heard, “Rum”, yet. But, last summer,when I was stuck in a office with the local country station on for 8 hours a day, “Stay A littlle Longer” was played at least three times a day. Every single time, I thought it was Toby Keith singing. Anybody else get that vibe?
After hearing it for the umpteenth time, I knew it wasn’t Toby, but didn’t know who it was and didn’t particularly care. Still don’t.
February 4, 2016 @ 6:55 pm
See, I keep trying to tell this to folks. I had roughly the same experience as you with “Stay A Little Longer.” I didn’t particularly find it offensive, but I didn’t think it was a great or even good song by any stretch. But when I heard the ALBUM version, that opened my eyes to what they are trying to do here. That’s the moment I “got” Brothers Osborne. I STILL don’t think it’s a great song. I think it’s lyrically weak. But I also think they’re trying to do something different and cool in the restrictive space of mainstream country, and pulling it off. And anyone who is challenging the status quo I think deserves some credit for their efforts.
February 4, 2016 @ 8:47 pm
Can’t…make…me…do…it. No. I will not buy the album to hear the “extended version”. Did a search of Amazon Prime to see if I could stream it. Ha, came back with a Jason Aldean and Sam Hunt recommendation.
February 4, 2016 @ 10:14 pm
Silver24ado,
I’m not asking you to purchase or even like “Stay A Little Longer.” As I’ve said (many times now), I don’t think it’s some great song. I simply am trying to bridge the disconnect here that has been caused by the fact that we’re listening to two different version of a song. So if people don’t understand the rationale of this review, THAT’s the reason. I have heard the entire album version, and the single. I’ve listened to this entire album many times. And the vast majority of people disagreeing with my take on it admittedly haven’t. Not strange that people would have different opinions when they’re listening to two different things.
February 5, 2016 @ 4:02 pm
Sorry, I didn’t mean to imply you were trying to get me to buy the album Trigger, It was more my inside voice coming out. A bit of an internal battle being brought out in text.
Your opinion of the music in which you review weighs heavily on whether I’ll pick up an album or not. And now, I’m really curious about the album version of the song, but I know the only way I will ever hear it is if I buy the album. However, I don’t want another CD that I’ll listen to once and put on the shelf. These guys just aren’t my “cup of tea”.
February 4, 2016 @ 10:25 pm
I’m in the “two minds” camp as well. When I first heard “Rum”, I thought they were another throwaway act. A few months later, I heard “Love the Lonely Out of You” and was completely won over. I think they need room to grow, but I’m a fan and I’m eager to see where they go.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yhPNZKdVRh8
For what it’s worth, I liked “Stay a Little Longer” the first time I heard that one, but I was confused as hell that Toby Keith seemed to suddenly get some soul in his voice.
February 5, 2016 @ 7:34 am
The songs and production are half baked. They used tried and true formulas that don’t make great music but generally work on music row and at radio. They were working with cheesy Mutt Lange wannabe Dan Huff before switching to Joyce. I interviewed them, and while we were together, they were arguing over being pulled in different directions by management and publisher and trying to figure out how to keep true to themselves. It seemed like it must be very hard to stick to your guns in the country music business. This album sounds like they all came to a compromise… middle of the road.
February 5, 2016 @ 9:59 am
Might as well go back and give Aubrie Sellers 7/10 too.
February 7, 2016 @ 12:58 pm
Agreed. I enjoyed Sellers’ quieter (for lack of a better term) songs more than the others, but her album as a whole was much better than “Pawn Shop,” in my opinion.
February 5, 2016 @ 11:06 am
Pawn Shop… The wasted potential. I wish I loved this.
It’s starts off well enough with Dirt Rich. Though the writing isn’t the greatest, the details and the instrumentation are what carry this (and many other) songs. 21 Summer is downright unlistenable for me, it’s just not typically what I enjoy. Since there’s so little here lyrically (for god sakes Dan & Shay wrote this song better), the instrumentation had to be good, but it just… sounds ugly. I have no idea how else to describe it.
Stay A Little Longer is damn good. The solo at the end is easily the highlight, but this song gets my respect for being mainstream accessible without sacrificing the quality of the demo from their EP. Dare I say it, it’s actually better.
Pawn Shop is where the album gets good. The instrumentation is top notch. Another thing that elevates this album are the vocals, and TJ knocks it out if the park on this song.
Rum is alright. Again, it gets points for the details in the writing, as well as somehow stuffing a ton of different instruments together and making some dissonance that sounds fantastic (I still have no clue how that piano on the final chorus sounds as good as it does). That being said, it is a bit cluttered.
Loving Me Back is fantastic. Again, the details in the writing combined with an excellent harmony vocally and stripped back instrumentation make this one of my favorite songs on the album.
I understand why people think American Crazy sucks. It’s lyrically vapid and pandering, and it sounds like another college football song a la Country Nation, especially on the bridge. That being said, the vocals elevate this song, as does the instrumentation, led by bongos of all things, and it actually sounds really good.
Greener Pastures is easily one of the best songs on here. When the Brothers Osborne actually have a story to tell, the album goes from good to great. It sounds a lot like something Eric Church would’ve recorded before The Outsiders both lyrically and instrumentally.
Down Home sucks. It’s bland, and the poor lyrics definitely stand out on the song the most. It feels like the same pandering BS that’s been regurgitated so many times before. Having Jay Joyce behind the production doesn’t help either.
Heart Shaped Locket is by far the best song on the album. The setup is fantastic, the vocals are nothing short of stunning, and the instrumentation is solid. If you’re going to buy a song off of this album, let it be this one.
The album closer isn’t bad either. The instrumentation is solid, but the writing shines most on this song. The ambiguity of the story isn’t confusing thanks to the details thrown in, much like Knives Of New Orleans from a couple of months ago. Certainly the writing isn’t as smart, but there are numerous clever lines thrown in as well. It’s a fun story to piece together, and a fun song to listen to.
Is it great? No. It’s biggest fault is the writing, but it has its moments, especially on the back end of the album. The instrumentation ranges from good to stunning on most of these songs, and TJ is one of the best vocalists in the mainstream currently. It’s got it’s flaws, but for a mainstream record from a pair of newcomers, it’s a great listen.
7.5/10
February 5, 2016 @ 2:40 pm
These guys may be the most tolerable thing going in mainstream country right now, but I just can’t get behind them for a couple of reasons.
First, the name. Being brothers named Osborne they certainly have the right to call themselves the Brothers Osborne. But there was already a country band called the Osborne Brothers, and they recorded truly awesome songs like “Rocky Top” and “Midnight Flyer.” So one might expect that a brotherly duo with a name that pays tribute to this earlier group might also have a sound that, at least in some tiny way, also pays tribute to this earlier group. What a shock to find out that they are just a little less sucky than Luke Bryan.
Then there’s the appearance. These guys look like they just walked in from the set of “Next of Kin” so you expect something a little quirky, a little organic, a little rootsy, and what you get is something a little different from everything else the mainstream is putting out, but not much.
I’m probably being too harsh. If they dressed in denim and leather and called themselves Maryland-Delaware Line I’d probably be saying “Hey, finally, a wallet-chain duo that doesn’t suck!”
February 6, 2016 @ 12:46 am
With all the hype for this release, have to say I was disappointed. Maybe 1 or 2 ok songs. Have already shelved it after a few listens.