Album- Hunter Hayes
Artist- Hunter Hayes
Hunter Hayes is like country music Justin Bieber: young,
fresh faced, and everyone seems to love him. And with his self-titled debut, Hayes embraces
this:
Track 1-Storm Warning
The albums opener is a country stormer that opens with a
kind of line dancing production that is maintained throughout and firmly places
Hayes as a country artist, although this can already be observed simply through
his tone of voice. The guitar driven production gives a great power to the
track, and the lyrically fast pace gives that sense of a flash of love, whilst
highlighting how Hayes is lyrically smart. The track loses a little of its
power towards the end, but this is minimal so can be forgiven.
4/5
Track 2- Wanted
This is seen as the breakout track for Hayes, and it is easy
to see why. The song is very simply composed, with minimal piano and guitar led
production at the songs beginning that transitions into a powerful drum back
beat. This works great in not only allowing Hayes’ vocals to shine through, in
which a great delicacy is observed. But it also allows the simple message of
the song to shine through, with Hayes truly conveying to the listener that he
does indeed want them. Lyrically the song is also like the production simply
constructed but equally powerful.
5/5
Track 3- If You Told
Me To
The acoustic guitar production gives a nice, sweet pace to
the track, helped by a simple drum back beat. It could have easily been a
rehash of the former track, but the slightly more up tempo nature of the track
elevates it into different territory, even if lyrically the song holds a very
similar sentiment. Vocally the track also great in that it never stretches
beyond Hayes’ limits and keeps it very simple, allowing for the simple nature
of the songs message to be heard by the listener.
4/5
Track 4- Love Makes
Me
This up tempo track is marked in the introduction by a fast
paced guitar production. And it gives nice change of pace, although lyrically
and vocally the song is quite similar to the former tracks, so it loses that
sense of freshness. However towards the end of the song Hayes stretches his
voice a bit and shows that he does have power in his voice.
3.5/5
Track 5- Faith to
Fall Back On
Lyrically the song is interesting in that it isn’t focused
completely on the notion of love, yet is still universal. However the
production is a little bit too similar for my taste, and vocally it is a little
too similar as well, but also not as powerful, as if Hayes is perhaps not as
invested in the track , although the vocal ad libs at the end make up for this
a bit, and the chorus like vocal near the end is a nice twist.
3/5
Track 6- Somebody’s
Heartbreak
This is a great song in that it is almost like a melding of
the best parts of Wanted and Storm Warning. The plunky guitar rhythm sets up a
nice chilled, head bobbing pace, whilst lyrically the chorus invokes the
sentiment of Wanted without being a dull ballady rehash. The little bit of the
electric guitar towards the latter parts of the song also gives a freshness to
Haye’s music, and vocally he never over uses his voice, showcasing that he
knows what he is doing and conveying that he does want you to be his
heartbreak.
4.5/5
Track 7- Rainy Season
This a nice change of pace from the mid tempo nature of the
last track. And the cool stop and start production of the beginning of the
track gives a slight soul edge to this song, which gives the album a little
flourish of musical diversity. The layering of his vocals in places gives a
sense of deepness to the track, and he keeps the song lyrically simple but
effective. The guitar solo in the middle section is also a cool twist that
gives a sense of power to the track and uplifts the powerful vocal of the
chorus that follows. The only problem is that at five minutes Hayes stretches
the song on for just a little too long.
3.5/5
Track 8- Cry With You
This track is more of country
ballad than the previous track, and has a greater sense of emotional depth. The
chorus is very powerful and is emotionally invested, contrasting well with the
delicacy of the verses. The only issue
is that in terms of production the song is very similar to Hayes’ other work,
and so by this point in the album you might get a little bored with Hayes sound.
4/5
Track 9- Everybody’s
Got Somebody But Me
The simple short nature of this track gives a cute quality
to the song. And the song is great for all those lonely hearted people who are
sick of the relationships around them. Its sweet and gives a nice change of
pace from the balladry of the former tracks, even if it is just a little samey.
3.5/5
Track 10- What You
Gonna Do
The simple production of the track featuring a minimal
acoustic guitar allows the delicacy of Hayes’ message to come through. Vocally
it is very simple, highlighting how Hayes doesn’t want his girl to move
on. But by this point you feel that
Hayes needs to stop and maybe go create some songs that don’t sound so very similar
to each other, and maybe a little more up tempo.
3/5
Track 11- More Than I
Should
Finally Hayes gets into up tempo setting, lifting this album
from being a boring last half album. Vocally and production wise it has a sense
of danger to it, highlighting the message of the song. The only issue is that
the electric guitar comes out again. This was interesting when it was used the
first time, but then after being used in quite a few songs it feels like a
waste of time, as if the producers just think you always need it. Which we
don’t.
3/5
Track 12- All You
Ever
This is a nice end to the album in that it is a simple
country ballad that in a way feels kind of timeless. It has that powerful
chorus and that simple production, but it’s a nice sentiment that many people
will relate to. And even if it is exactly the same as many of his songs, it’s still
good because he gives it a sense of strength. Just wish the guitar would go
now, seriously.
3.5/5
Final Review
Hayes is a great lyrical composer and is an artist that
those who he is and what sound he wants. But whilst this gives an assured
debut, it means that his songs sound too similar, leaving the second half
lacking the sense of spark of the first. So a good album, but Hayes needs to
diversify a little, and please don’t feel the need to put an electric guitar
into so many songs, you’re not a rock star.
6.5/10
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