Yesterday, I wrote a review of a new EP from a country star that had a) something new to offer and b) had real crossover potential.
At the risk of being typecast, here’s another.
Breland, though, wherever he ends up, knows his roots.
On “Greatgranman’em,” he makes it clear how proud he is of who he is: “that’s why I made my last name my first name,” he sings.
And almost to reinforce that sense of place, “Icing” is a catchy little hoedown from the small towns, but “What You’ve Been Through” dials up the soulful side of what he does.
And what we’ve seen from Breland over the years is that he’s adept at pop music too, as much as anything else, and “Motion” is as pop a ballad as you’ll find.
And if we’re honest, I’m probably not the audience for that of “Project 2024,” but “Run” is much more like it; indeed, you wish that Bon Jovi were making this type of country rock instead of the anodyne stuff they often produce.
Best of all, though, is “Same Work,” and they save the best till last in that case. A duet with The War And Treaty, and given that it talks about the need for a “selfless heart,” you can see where the album gets its name from.
None of this Project 25 division and nastiness—choose another way. Choose hope.
Hell, choose Breland.
Rating: 8/10
