It's A BIG Day In Music: On The Heels Of Zach Bryan's Latest Album Drop, The Turnpike Troubadors Drop Their First Album Since 2016

Allen J. Schaben. Getty Images.

Today's a BIG day in music: Zach Bryan dropped his latest album last night. I'll be completely honest, I immediately scanned the track list and picked out titles of songs that might be a Brianna Chickenfry reference. It's a kinda weird feeling for a complete bum like me to be kinda/sorta one degree removed from the one of the biggest, if not the biggest name in country music right now. 

Needless to say, his new album is fantastic: 

Nobody on earth needs promotion less than Zach Bryan right now, especially when that promotion is coming from the aforementioned BUM who's writing this blog, but I love it nonetheless and it's difficult for me to enjoy most country music right off the rip, as I have to typically give multiple listens to a country artist/album/song to love it, let alone understand it. 

That said, Bryan's album is perfecto and I was instantly hooked. Love how raw and incomplete it felt. Sounded like it was recorded on the road, and say that in the best way possible, and every song was produced by himself. I hate using the word "simplicity" when describing an album, but it's just Zach, his guitar, his pipes and his piano on most songs and that's ALL a simple guy like me needs, and I'm sure this album will be well on its way to winning a few Grammys in 2024. 

My favorite song on the album was the last track "Oklahoma son" 

Which brings me to one of my all-time favorite bands, Oklahoma's own, The Turnpike Troubadors:

Allen J. Schaben. Getty Images.

Chief is going to handle the in depth review of Bryan's album, but TTT also dropped an album today and needless to say, it is incredible start to finish: 

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I've been very on the record as "hating" country music. Yes, I said that. Yes, I was wrong. I just didn't give GOOD country music a chance. I was constantly peppered with the Luke Bryan's and Blake Sheltons of the world. Pop country is NOT for me. At all. Red dirt, twangy, fiddle-driven country music like the Turnpike Troubadors? 

Fucking SOLD. 

And when you add in the fact that these guys rarely tour, have disbanded a few times, and have only dropped FIVE studio albums throughout their 18ish year run as a band, you know that when you DO get a new album that they sunk their blood, sweat and tears into it. 

You get 10 songs, each WILDLY different, as is the case with their first 4 albums, s this is what you're gonna do today: 

- work from home
- smoke a joint
- listen to music all day

It's 10000 degrees across most of the country right now, so doing anything other than that would be malpractice of the highest order. We'll be breaking down both albums on Barstool Backstage this week: 

PS - don't give a fuckkkk about Drake's single or fake album drop, personally and respectfully