Joe Nichols Is Back In a Big Way with “I’d Sing About You”
Joe Nichols has been saying all of the right things ahead of the release of his new album Never Gets Old on July 28th, but as we’ve learned the hard way over the years, talk is cheap when it comes to major label artists and the promises they make ahead of the actual music. Even Sam Hunt talked a good talk before releasing his recent singles, and we all know how that turned out. Whether it’s all marketing or the artists just get whittled down by the business, you just can’t buy into anything they say, even Joe Nichols.
There was a time when artists like Josh Turner, Gary Allan, and Joe Nichols were like the firewall against all the pop influences impinging on country music. This was before Bro-Country though. In fact none of these artists released proper albums through the heart of the Bro-Country era—their careers were basically paused by their labels. Josh Turner’s Deep South finally released in March is decent, but a mixed bag. After the Metro-Bro experiment went awry with Gary Allan, he was also put on pause, and is now struggling to find any traction whatsoever with the Shane McAnally-produced single “Mess Me Up.”
So who gave any faith Joe Nichols would deliver on his new one with Broken Bow, whose biggest artist is Jason Aldean? Especially after Joe revealed a while back that the album would include a cover of “Baby Got Back”? Joe could say whatever he wanted about getting back to his roots or what have you, but the proof would be in the pudding. There are still plenty of country fans who still won’t forgive Nichols for “Yeah,” let alone whatever else he may have coming down the pike. The title track revealed from his new album a couple of weeks ago was fine, but rendered the judgement on the new direction of Joe Nichols still inconclusive.
Then comes “I’d Sing About You,” and it just might be everything you could want from Joe Nichols, or more. No compromises, and incredibly country, it’s what made so many country fans fall in love with the Arkansas native, including Merle Haggard, when he was releasing songs like “Brokenheartsville” early in his career.
“I’d Sing About You” is all steel guitar and fiddle set to a country shuffle to move your boots across the dance floor. And though the premise is a little silly, and maybe even a little list-like in its approach, it’s also very sweet and witty in that warm, folksy manner that you want from a good country song. Most importantly, “I’d Sing About You” fits within the parameters for the kind of country music you want from an artist like Joe Nichols. It’s honest, straightforward, and authentic. It’s country music.
The problem with chasing trends is that it rarely to never works for these older guys. Tim McGraw didn’t have nearly the success with “Truck Yeah” as he had with “Humble and Kind.” Gary Allan’s getting buried trying to keep up with the younger crowd. It’s better if these aging country artist just be themselves and let the cards fall where they may when it comes to being on the right or wrong side of certain trends. Better to have the spotlight shine on your back when you walk away with dignity than to have it shining down on you when you fall flat on your face. That’s what Joe Nichols did with “I’d Sing About You,” and who knows, if mainstream country is on an upward trend as some are talking about, perhaps Joe Nichols can be a part of it.
Stop chasing trends and start trying to make your own that point mainstream country in the right direction. That’s what Joe Nichols tries to do with “I’d Sing About You.”
July 7, 2017 @ 9:00 am
Never gets old and Billy Grahams Bible are pretty good too , they are already on YouTube. Love his voice but never been too impressed with his previous songs. This album just might change that!
July 7, 2017 @ 9:02 am
Based on the fours singles released through his YouTube channel, I have very high hopes for this album. It’s curious that “Freaks Like Me” and “Undone” are not on the album, yet they were released as singles during the interim of the last album and this one. So, they’re singles without an album.
July 7, 2017 @ 9:11 am
Yeah, I think they tried to take Joe Nichols in the Gary Allan direction, and then figured out that would never work. It would be the worst of both worlds. They’d alienate his fan base, and fail at radio.
July 7, 2017 @ 9:05 am
This is a Great tune and I’ve always loved his voice. Grammatically I feel like it should have been “I’ll Sing About You” or “I Sang About You”
July 7, 2017 @ 9:07 am
This song is fantastic. We definitely need more songs like this one in the mainstream.
July 7, 2017 @ 9:09 am
How refreshing is this?!?! I’ve always enjoyed Joe Nichols for his standards of sticking to country roots. Although some of his lyrics can be a little lame, it is still done as country music. I hope that this can get some traction on radio to pull the wool from the eyes of mainstream “country music” fans. I remember for the first several times I heard “Brokenheartsville” I thought it was George Strait singing.
July 7, 2017 @ 9:26 am
I’ve been waiting for this album to come out a long time. The 28th of July can’t get here any sooner. This album has the potential to be the Best country album of the year released by mainstream artist. That includes Chris Stapleton’s album, which is a great album but this one has the potential to possibly surpass it.
July 7, 2017 @ 9:26 am
Meh, shoulda came out in 2009
July 7, 2017 @ 9:36 am
I fell in love with Joe’s voice in 2002 on his first album. His is a voice that is country through and through and I’ve missed him singing the real country songs that he can showcase so well. One of my very favorite love songs is on that first album. If you haven’t heard “That Would Be Her”, you need to give it a listen. It is golden. Thanks for the heads up Trigger, I’ll be picking this new album up. So glad the real Joe is back!
July 7, 2017 @ 10:16 am
As previously said there are 4 songs on his youtube account from this upcoming album, and I have enjoyed each one.. I think “Never Gets Old” has some accordion in it which I love. I just realized as well that “Diamonds Make Babies” was done by Dierks Bentley a while back. Overall, looking forward to this album now!
July 7, 2017 @ 10:29 am
Love it!
July 7, 2017 @ 11:07 am
Cool song. I wish there wasn’t so much name dropping, but so be it.
July 7, 2017 @ 11:09 am
Other than Joe’s insistence on trying to copy Merle Haggard’s vocal mannerisms, he’s got a great voice.
And I could listen to these kinds of songs all day.
Good for Joe.
Too bad this will stall somewhere between 25 and 35 on the charts.
July 7, 2017 @ 11:20 am
If you’re going to rag on Joe for trying to copy The Hag’s vocal mannerisms, then you’re going to have to rag on The Hag for trying to copy Lefty Frizzell’s vocal mannerisms.
July 7, 2017 @ 4:04 pm
Not ragging. I just find it mildly off-putting.
If you think Hag was trying to copy Lefty, then I’m sorry young man,you need to go back to school.
There’s a significant difference between sharing someone’s singing style, and imitating them.
Come back after you graduate.
July 7, 2017 @ 7:31 pm
Joe Nichols isn’t a Merle impersonator. They have similar voices but it’s not copying. It’s pretty unfair to label artists like this
July 7, 2017 @ 11:55 am
One correction: “Never Gets Old” is the first single from his new album. Add date is July 17.
These four preview songs he has given us is making me so happy and finally excited about Joe Nichols music again. I knew he had it in him and that this is the kind of music he has wanted to be singing all along. He feels so comfortable singing songs like these.
Interesting note… out of these 4 songs he’s already referred to “Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain” in half of them!
July 7, 2017 @ 1:41 pm
I wouldn’t be surprised if a switcheroo happens, but maybe that’s wishful thinking. “Never Gets Old” is fine, but it’s got nothing to distinguish it from anything. At least “I’d Sing About You” could find a path forward as a gear shift similar to WIlliam Michael MOrgan’s “I Met A Girl,” or Maren Morris’s “My Church,” which works similarly. Also since Janson wrote it, that would give radio programmers another reason to afford the song an opportunity.
They’ve released four songs, but only two to Spotify and such, the title track and this one. I think it they were smart at all, this would be the single.
July 7, 2017 @ 1:46 pm
There are 3 on Spotify, plus “Billy Graham’s Bible,” which is just a re-release from his bro-era album, Crickets. All four are there – it just takes a little searching. “Diamonds Make Babies” is the other.
July 7, 2017 @ 11:59 am
Joe Nichols, like Merle Haggard and Randy Travis and so many others, comes out of Lefty Frizzell. Glad to see him healthy and back in the swing. He’s a good one. Baritones are great because their vocal range fits nicely between the higher frequencies of steel, fiddle, and Telecaster and the bottom end.
Classic for a reason.
July 7, 2017 @ 12:02 pm
Refreshing to say the least
July 7, 2017 @ 12:03 pm
I like it. He’s a talented guy. But seriously, am I the only one who also liked “Yeah”?
July 7, 2017 @ 2:19 pm
I liked Yeah!
It wasn’t “good,” per se, but it was agreeably silly, and Joe’s got a great voice.
July 7, 2017 @ 7:45 pm
I found “Yeah” catchy but forgettable but thought “Sunny and 75” was much better than what most people thought.
July 11, 2017 @ 8:00 am
“Yeah” and “Sunny and 75” we’re perfect examples of how to do a fun radio song.
Too many people around here are uptight about their music. It is like a DC movie with them, all dark and gloomy.
July 7, 2017 @ 8:52 pm
Ha! It definitely made me say, “What the hell?”, when I first heard it…but there is much worse music out there for sure…a bit goofy, but alright for a goofy song.
July 7, 2017 @ 12:45 pm
Is that a real venue he’s standing in there on the cover?
July 7, 2017 @ 1:06 pm
He can definitely sing country…just listen to his album covers of “Footlights” and “Farewell Party.”
He also recorded “Who are you when I’m not looking” and “This ole boy” before Blake Shelton and Craig Morgan had hits with them.
July 7, 2017 @ 1:12 pm
This was written by, of all artists, Chris Janson and the 2 guys from LoCash!
July 7, 2017 @ 1:19 pm
No way, is it true?
July 7, 2017 @ 1:30 pm
Hey, nobody ever accused Chris Janson of not being able to write a good song. I thought “Holdin’ Her” was one of the best mainstream songs in 2016. He just also has an incredible knack for writing incredibly bad ones too. What are you going to do? Notice it was Joe Nichols who had the balls to cut it.
July 7, 2017 @ 1:41 pm
Totally agree. “Holdin’ Her” and “I’d Sing About You” vs. “Truck Yeah” and “Fix A Drink.”
It seems that this whole Joe Nichols project is showing that he’s found a set of balls this time around.
July 7, 2017 @ 1:32 pm
Joe Nichols never disappoints. Say whatever you want about his pop country singles like Yeah! and Hard To Be Cool….they were still more country than 90% songs that have been on country radio the last few years. Joe cares about country music its his life, not just a money maker for him. Much respect to Joe, hopefully country radio will wake up and stop ignoring him.
July 7, 2017 @ 2:15 pm
It feels like it’s been a billion years since a modern country artist last released a song that sounds like this. If I ever hear this song on mainstream country radio, even just once, it’ll be nuts.
July 7, 2017 @ 2:25 pm
Ah, that’s awesome. I love Joe’s voice, when he uses its powers for good.
July 7, 2017 @ 3:23 pm
*gears up to tear it down on the grounds of “why would I listen to anything that’s only partially good when I can listen to something that’s wholly good like Bob Wills or Reno and Smiley”*
*hits play looking for something to complain about*
Well…
I actually really like this.
This is a good concept, love the idea of referencing iconic songs by other artists.
great production, love the fiddle part.
This is why I am a Joe Nichols apologist. he’s got that “every-man common-man average joe” style of singing that makes him instantly relatable.
he just sounds so… normal, like your neighbor, like your bartender.
His voice is bereft of any great defining hitch or phrasing that might make him anything less than a normal American guy with a family.
Not a great tone, range, not some incredible power or agility.
He sounds like he walked into the studio after working a real job.
And I love it.
my one criticism is that they could have cut a guitar or two from the mix to make it less “soupy.”
but really lots of great songs “sound” like garbage. it’s the lyrics that carry songs like this. that melody is no wonder it’s the lyrics that do it.
but… the LoCash goons made this?
I mean, it’s easy to write off these bands as hacks but if they write good songs…
then we can write them off as losers and clowns for choosing to record bad ones.
Either way I don’t have to admit that they have any talent or sense whatsoever.
Chris Janson though… he’s tolerable.
does anyone know who recorded that “something I’m good at” song? i hear it at work I really like it.
also if anyone wants to hear a cool album from my collection go find a copy of Emmylou Harris’ “The Ballad of Sally Rose”
July 7, 2017 @ 4:59 pm
Brett eldridge does “something im good at”
July 7, 2017 @ 5:46 pm
thank you!
July 7, 2017 @ 5:00 pm
Oh yea if you’re into Brett Eldridge his first single “Raymond” is stellar and has a story to it
July 7, 2017 @ 5:00 pm
Glad to hear this. Joe always seemed like a likeable guy. I’ll probably wait for a full review of the album before I buy it but I’ll definitely be purchasing a couple individual songs on iTunes.
July 7, 2017 @ 7:24 pm
I was a closet Joe Nichols fan for a long time but kinda gave up on him around 2010…but this song is great! I am now excited for this new album. Great song review Trig! He isn’t the best ever but if he can get this song some airplay, I think it’s a step in the right direction. Very glad to hear this. It’s poppy for sure but not in a bro-country tractor-rap bullshit way. It’s just a catchy tune and I can dig it. A good one to listen to with the wife! Thanks for reviewing this song or I would never have heard that he was getting back to a good country sound.
July 7, 2017 @ 7:44 pm
That was cute! 😀 Sounds like something George Strait could’ve had a hit single with in the ’80s…
July 7, 2017 @ 11:18 pm
Joe could sing the alphabet and…well…. you know the cliche …it would sound incredible.
And yeah …I’d take this song over 90% of what the bro-shitters are dumping on us .
BUT !….this is far from being a great song, IMO ,and barely even makes the ” good song” grade .
For me even the trad arrangement and Joe’s voice aren’t enough to counter the lightweight material here ..particularly when I’ve heard so much better from him over the years . Its a weak premise , lazy rhymes , the narrative is redundant and the phrasing is forced . (…. but the hours are long and the food is bad so…….badabump !.. ) .
C’mon …I’m betting we could all name at least 3 or 4 GREAT country songs—-NEW songs written in a trad country style —that we’d rather hear Joe wrap those vocal chords around . This is just another list song with no ‘ clever ‘ , no surprise , no twist on the hook , no irony and , sadly , no hope of saving the day for Joe . Damn though … I hope I’m wrong , .
July 8, 2017 @ 1:33 am
Never had a problem with anything I listened to from Joe Nichols. He just seemed to be a middle-of-the-road artist who was recognizable enough to get his share of popularity but wasn’t going to reach stadium-level success – which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. This is a great song and I’m hoping the rest of the CD has this type of vocal performance, songwriting and production. Whoever engineered this did a great job, too. Thanks for the review, Trigger!!!
July 8, 2017 @ 3:19 am
I like this song. I like it a lot.
(and here is where I get into it …)
It’s frothy. It’s cute. The lyrics are simple but fun. It’s a sweet, likable tune. What’s interesting to me is that before the bro trend took over, this would have been a middle of the road song. A filler single put out while the artist took a little break between the heavy hitters. But today? In “Body Like a Back Road” 2017? I don’t want to get my hopes too high, but this is one of the better mainstream tunes I’ve heard lately and I hope it does really well. In fact, I hope it kick Sam Hunt’s next single in its skinny jean clad ass.
Or maybe I’m just overly relieved that there is a steel guitar AND he didn’t demand that I get into his truck.
July 8, 2017 @ 5:03 am
I have a confession… with all the ‘country’ songs out there I usually come here before listening to new music. Save to say that I preordered this and loving it. Thanks trigger and keep up the good work
July 9, 2017 @ 1:43 pm
Finally, Joe Nichols is singing good country. After his first cd, I got discouraged but this looks like he is back! There is a place for country music on country radio, because the crap they try to pass off like Sam Hunt and FGL or Chris Lane is horrific
July 9, 2017 @ 2:38 pm
Second sentence of the review mentions Sam Hunt’s name…
Almost like a scorned,jilted lover.
Fucking hysterical ….
Obsessed much?
July 10, 2017 @ 12:55 pm
I don’t think it’s Obsession. Sam Hunt is an easy target, as is Luke Bryan and FGL. I’m guilty of using those three the most when I am trying to explain the difference between pop music and country music to people all the time.
July 9, 2017 @ 2:39 pm
Never underestimate Joe.
He’s one of the good guys.
July 11, 2017 @ 6:31 am
Still one of the nicest sounding voices in country. Nichols has been hit or miss through his career, but I still count his second album (Man with a Memory) as one of the best I’ve ever owned. This is a nice song and very traditional in many ways. And I do fully agree with Trigger’s comment: “It’s better if these aging country artist just be themselves and let the cards fall where they may when it comes to being on the right or wrong side of certain trends. Better to have the spotlight shine on your back when you walk away with dignity than to have it shining down on you when you fall flat on your face.” Dead on.
July 11, 2017 @ 8:02 am
Joe Nichols could release the best damn album ever of traditional country music tomorrow and people would still be whining about “Yeah.”
Good grief, you can’t judge singers by one or two songs. It is the Jamey Johnson syndrome all over again.
July 11, 2017 @ 9:26 am
Nice, average, country sound.
This would have barely touched the charts 30+ years ago.
It’ll probably be lucky to hit the charts today, but for very different reasons.
July 14, 2017 @ 8:33 am
Joe has released another song from his upcoming album. Track title is, We All Carry Something.
This album is going to be good.