Rating: 8/10
When it comes to Eric Church, one just has to accept that he’s always going to be more rock than country. This doesn’t make him some sort of sellout or trend-chaser; that’s always been part of his style, and the fact that he hasn’t veered from it or tried to be a different artist than himself should be commended. If you’re looking for fiddle and steel, it’s as simple as this: don’t seek it in Eric Church’s music. However, within the confines of his rock-country status, Eric Church can bring some truly excellent music. He has shown us two sides: the more rootsy, stripped-down side found in albums like Chief and Sinners Like Me, and the sweeping, arena rock style found on The Outsiders. It’s the former that suits Eric Church, and when he dropped a surprise album in the mail to his fan club last week, we all began hoping he would get back to this. I’m glad to say that his rootsy rock-country style is indeed what we hear on Mr. Misunderstood, and the result is a very good Eric Church release.
The album’s title track and opener starts with just Church and an acoustic guitar, which is immediately better than anything on The Outsiders and shows promise for the rest of the record. It’s an ode to all those who don’t fit in but will one day lead the band and be popular because of their music. “Your buddies get their rocks off on top 40 radio, but you love your daddy’s vinyl and old time rock ‘n’ roll” feels like a personal line for Eric Church, and this song feels quite honest. I wish it had stayed stripped-down throughout the entire song, but that’s not a critical comment so much as a personal preference. “Mistress Named Music” is one of my favorites; this is a song about the allure music can have on people. “I’m still chasing this song with a guitar full of freedom and a head full of lines”–what an excellent lyric. The production builds throughout this song, really capturing the song in a way that was held back slightly on “Mr. Misunderstood.” “Chattanooga Lucy” is a song people will either love or hate–it’s a bluesy rock song about, well, a woman nicknamed “Chattanooga Lucy”–but it’s a song where I pay much more attention to everything happening musically. Incidentally, I should point out that only seven musicians are given credit for contributing to this album, including Eric Church and producer Jay Joyce–say what you will about Church, but this is just insane in 2015 for a mainstream artist. It results in a very cohesive, sometimes live-sounding album, even if it isn’t country-sounding.
“Mixed Drinks About Feelings” features Susan Tedeschi, who is a ridiculously talented artist in her own right–just go listen to the Tedeschi Trucks Band–and whose name makes me think this will be an excellent track. It’s not an excellent one, but it is a pretty damn good one–the two sing this song well together, and the line “my figured out has never been more confused” cannot be overlooked. Now, I have listened to “Knives of New Orleans” several times, and I still have no words to write that would explain it–it’s just a remarkable display of songwriting that you should listen to. It tells a great story, and it’s a case where I feel the rock production really works. It doesn’t matter if you wanted to hear country–if you’re a fan of damn good music, give this a listen.
The next two songs suffer from slight production issues; I could have done without the lead-ins of electronic drums on these tracks. “Round Here Buzz” could be a single; it’s a nice small-town anthem that actually feels somewhat authentic, as opposed to every checklist country song we’ve ever been exposed to. Having said that, although it’s not a bad song, it doesn’t really do anything for the album. “Kill a Word” is a very interesting, well-written take on bullying and hate. “If I could kill a word” is the premise–Church sings of beating “regret,” shooting “goodbye,” and choking “Lonely,” among other things. “Holdin’ my Own” is a simple little song about just that: fighting adversity and standing one’s ground. It’s a song that might be overshadowed by others on this album, but after some listens, this one has come out of nowhere to be one of my personal favorites. It’s a case of “less is more,” and it’s just pleasant to listen to and will connect with many. “Record Year” is a little too pop for my taste in places, but having said that, it could make a good single and is certainly not a straight pop song–I’d probably call it pop rock. It’s a heartbreak song in which the narrator is trying to get over a woman by playing various “records”–as an avid listener of “everything from Jones to Janis” too, like the narrator, I can identify with this song quite a lot and just wish it sounded a little less pop. However, there’s no doubt that some of the best songwriting on the entire album is found on this song. “Three Year Old” closes the album nicely–it’s a song about the lessons we can learn from children, from the ridiculous to the profound.
Overall, this is without a doubt the best release we have yet been granted from Eric Church. There is no use belaboring the point that there is no fiddle and steel, and that this is at its core a rock album. This has always been Eric Church’s place in music, and his rock-country sound is at its best on Mr. Misunderstood. There are some truly excellent moments of songwriting here, most notably on “Knives of New Orleans” and “Record Year,” and it’s important to note that Church either wrote or co-wrote every single track. The fact that there are only seven musicians on this entire album is nothing short of mind-blowing. As I said earlier, you know what you’re getting with Eric Church–so either don’t listen, and miss some truly great music, or go into it with that in mind when you do listen. And if you do listen, you’ll find a lot to love about this album.
When people try to point to the genre of “country rock,” this is what they should be talking about. It’s a great album (in my opinion, one of the best mainstream releases of the year). It blends genres well. It is music that both knows what it is and what it wants to be.
You’re absolutely right…it’s not pure country, but it’s not pure rock either.
You’re exactly right…”It’s music that both knows what it is and what it wants to be”; exactly!
Really, this album is a lot like Chris Stapleton’s and Maddie and Tae’s. Neither of the 3 are pure, stone cold traditional country, but to complain about that is just stupid. Their all albums that have definitely helped the quality of the mainstream, and plus, if we bitch about people like the above mentioned, who ultimately wins? Sam Hunt, Florida Georgia Line, Thomas Rhett, and Luke Bryan that’s who. Now, I would think most true music fans would want the former artists mentioned to win over the latter.
Anyway, I really enjoyed this album as well. Definitely the 2nd best mainstream release (behind Stapleton for me), and actually could be a Top 10 or 15 candidate for my album list. Chattanooga Lucy is the only track that really (at least in my mind) can’t be argued that it’s country, but it’s still just such a cool song and one of my favorites on the album.
I give it a 9/10
I had to go back and find an Eric Church review, and this is a good one. I feel oddly proud that you liked the album. I mostly agreed on every song, but there’s a few differences of opinion. I liked Mr. Misunderstood, and the time changes in that song are fun to play on guitar. I’m not crazy about Mistress named Music, but I can appreciate the sentiments behind it. You were dead on about Chattanooga Lucy. It’s a love or hate song. I mostly hated it. But when he starts the second verse in that falsetto voice, I was impressed, but it can’t save the song, it’s just bad. I kinda like the simplicity of Mixed drinks, and the contrast of him wanting to turn on the neon light, to at least make it feel like night, and her turning out the light, dreading having to face another night. We totally agree on Knives of New Orleans, to me this feels like an epic Springsteen-esque song. I love the story, and how it’s open to interpretation by the listener. I agree about Round here buzz, and you called it, it was a single. Kill a word, has amazing songwriting, but the melody clashes with the lyrics. Holdin’ my own is also one of my personal favorites. I look at it as a family song, or spending time with family song. Record Year is catchy, great songwriting, and the twist of the phrase, “Record Year” is clever. I like 3 year old, it’s a sweet song. But overall I agree it’s a great album. Certainly better than the Outsiders, which was a flop, total disappointment, felt more like a concept album. But I don’t think it’s his best album, for me it will be hard for anything to top the Chief album. That was his defining album, 2 number 1’s, most successful commercially. But also, every song on that album was a good or great song. Hungover and hard up, and Over when it’s over are just unbelievably good songs. But anyway, I love to read your reviews, especially on albums or artists I like. So glad you’re an Eric Church fan even though he’s not traditional fiddle and steel, 4/4 beat, country music. I think his songwriting was something country needed when he broke out with some success with Love your love the most, and smoke a little smoke. When I heard smoke a little smoke the first time it floored me, it’s not a heavy hitter obviously, it’s a party anthem, but it’s just the coolest song in the last 15 years. It has laid back swag, and a catchy, bluesy, rocky, country, melody. When he breaks into that bridge, “Kick back, give the blues a spin, break out the wine, forget again, dig down deep, find my stash, light it up, memory crash” I can’t hit them guitar strings hard enough. But now I’m just rambling. Great review. I highly recommend your analysis, you’re old school country who understands the new school trend, and can review records without the bias of being a traditional fiddle and steel fan, I don’t think I could do that, my reviews would sound like this, “It’s not George Strait, so it’s shit”. Ok, I’m done now. Great job Megan, keep the reviews comin’ cause, well, I want you to.