Lee Brice - "I Don't Dance"

[phil1996]

www.cmchatlive.com/lee-brice-i-dont-dance-album-review/

1. I Don't Dance
2. No Better Than This
3. Show You Off Tonight
4. Always The Only One
5. Good Man
6. Drinking Class
7. That Don't Sound Like You
8. Girls In Bikinis
9. Sirens
10. Somebody's Been Drinkin'
11. Hard To Figure Out (The Airplane Song)
12. My Carolina
13. Panama City
14. More My Style
15. Closer
16. Whiskey Used To Burn

[Kentucky25]

Sept 2, 2014 17:08:15 GMT -5 phil1996 said:

www.cmchatlive.com/lee-brice-i-dont-dance-album-review/

1. I Don't Dance
2. No Better Than This
3. Show You Off Tonight
4. Always The Only One
5. Good Man
6. Drinking Class
7. That Don't Sound Like You
8. Girls In Bikinis
9. Sirens
10. Somebody's Been Drinkin'
11. Hard To Figure Out (The Airplane Song)
12. My Carolina
13. Panama City
14. More My Style
15. Closer
16. Whiskey Used To Burn

This is AWESOME!
Here I go to listen!

[phil1996]

"That Don't Sound Like You" is absolutely tremendous. One of the best songs he's ever cut, and it'd be a shame if it wasn't a single. After the first listen, I like "Hard 2 Love" better, but I could see this album growing on me a bit more. "Girls In Bikinis" and "Good Man" are both really annoying/bad, so let's hope those two don't get released to radio. Really like "Sirens", "Somebody's Been Drinkin", "My Carolina", and "Whiskey Used To Burn". Solid record.

[ryanroberts]

Fantastic Album. Lee Brice knows how to mix traditional sounds with modern sounds extremely well. Also very unique songs...case in point being "Hard To Figure Out ( The Airport Song)" is not what one would think based on the title.

[zjames]

Love
1. "I Don't Dance" - It has worn on me a little, but the production is still perfect.
10. "Somebody's Been Drinking" - Great lyrics, finally a song with a less-cluttered production that allows Lee's vocals to shine
13. "Panama City" - Lee sounds great, he kills it on these slower songs, and those claps in the first chorus are perfect, probably my favorite song he's ever recorded (Does anyone know who the background vocalist is?)
*16. "Whiskey Used to Burn" - Great song, Lee hits the higher notes, nice acoustic and nostalgic feel (Why would this be kept as a bonus track?)

Like
4. "Always the Only One" - I'm not sure how I feel about this one, I think I like it, interesting sound and rapping segment in the background
6. "Drinking Class" - Great anthem, this is gonna sound great on the radio
7. "That Don't Sound Like You" - Love the drums here, a stronger chorus could make the song great
9. "Sirens" - Real toe-tapper, great chorus
11. "Hard to Figure Out (The Airport Song)" - Interesting story, not what I expected, it will probably grow on me
*15. "Closer" - Nice rock/blues instrumentation, I like the chorus a lot too (A Jerrod Niemann co-write by the way according to Wikipedia)

So-So
3. "Show You Off Tonight" - I'm not crazy about this one, Lee's vocals elevate it a little
12. "My Carolina" - This does nothing for me. Not bad though.

Dislike
5. "Good Man" - It has a great intro, but the rest doesn't work for me, most of Lee's hip-hop experimentation isn't clicking
*14. "More My Style" - The lyrics made me cringe a little

Hate
2. "No Better Than This" - Generic bro-country lyrics, autotune, please don't be a single
8. "Girls in Bikinis" - A bit creepy, more autotune and a hip-hop beat, how many times does Lee have to repeat "girls in bikinis?", and the infamous slinky simile

* = Bonus track

This album is all over the place. The highs are extremely high and the lows are extremely low. The bad songs stick out like a sore thumb. On the other hand "Panama City" and "Whiskey Used to Burn" are complete masterpieces. "I Don't Dance", "Somebody's Been Drinking", and "That Don't Sound Like You" aren't that far behind.

The album for the most part is very good, but a few really bad songs prevent it from reaching the next level. 3.5/5.

[Kentucky25]

The Tops
1. "I Don't Dance" - Liked it since it came out, still do.
4. "Always The Only One" - Cool song, Brice does love songs better than most anyone today.  I'm digging the fast-tempo feel on this one.
6. "Drinkin' Class" - Like it, it's nothing new, but it's not bad by any means.
7. "That Don't Sound Like You" - Really just awesome. When the chorus hits and Lee belts out those lyrics, it's golden.  The lyrics are one of his strongest imo.
10. "Somebody's Been Drinking" - It's a nice take on the same general subject material of Easton Corbin's "Clockwork". Different songs, but the late-night romance theme keeps me pairing the two together in my mind.
11. "Hard to Figure Out (The Airplane Song)" - Really cool song. Like the way he took the lyrics, it does feel like it's too short though.
13. "Panama City" - Really didn't want to listen to this based on the title, glad I did, better than I thought it would be.
15. "Closer" - I like it a lot off my first listen.
16. "Whiskey Used to Burn" - Pretty cool song, love the way Lee sings the chorus.

Middle Ground
2. "No Better Than This" - Pretty good.
3. "Show You Off Tonight" - Like it, it'll grow on me I think.  The "John Michael Montgomery" name-drop was a nice change from the usual George Strait ones.
5. "Good Man" - Did not like this at first, but the more I listen, the more I like it.
8. "Girls in Bikinis" - I take it as it is, a stupid, funny song that doesn't bother me when it randomly comes up.
9. "Sirens" - Different kinda song, not anything amazing. I like the production of it more than the lyrics.
14. "More My Style" - Covers a lot of the bro-country themes, but doesn't ever really feel like it's bro-country.

The Bottom
12. "My Carolina" - Just doesn't really appeal to me, nothing wrong with it, just nothing that stands out to me.

Overall, probably not as good as Hard2Love on first impression, that could change over the next couple weeks.  It's not a bad album though, it's just that Hard2Love is "Hard2Top".

[phil1996]

I really love the production on this album....it's like Lee Brice's version of "The Outsiders. Nice breath of fresh air. Nothing on this album is really generic.

[dm2081]

I'm not as big on the album. I don't think it's bad, but a lot of the songs weren't very memorable to me. I think they made a good choice with the first two singles, they were probably the best choices for radio. As for future singles, these would be my choices:
1. I Don't Dance
2. Drinking Class
3. Always The Only One (a really strong song, and a different offering from Lee)
4. That Don't Sound Like You (fits right in Lee's wheelhouse)
5. Sirens (if they get this far)
Show You Off Tonight is good too, but it's sounds way too similar to Dan + Shay's song. Panama City and Somebody's Been Drinking are decent too, but I can't see them doing well at radio.

[zjames]

I think the singles will end up being:
1. "I Don't Dance"
2. "Drinking Class"
3. "That Don't Sound Like You" (I seriously love this song)
4. "Sirens" (This could be his "What Was I Thinkin'")

I doubt they get to 5.

[phil1996]

^^ That is exactly how I'd go too. "Show You Off Tonight" screams smash, so I think that'd be a safe 5th single if "Sirens" were to struggle.

[Deleted]

This album certainly wasn't what i was expecting, it was definently interesting and one that i like on first listen, but could like more with more listens. I love "I Don't Dance", "Always The Only One"(would be my fav if it wasn't for the rap part), "Drinking Class", "That Don't Sound Like You", "Somebodys Been Drinking", and "Hard To Figure Out". There are definently no's like "No Better Than This", and "Good Man", (i really can't hate "Girls In Bikinis") and "Sirens" and "Panama City" were ones i like but didn't love,the deluxe tracks Closer and Whiskey Used To Burn(saw him do this live two years ago frickin awesome) so yeah theres my thoughts, anyone know where this is supposed to debut? Btw zjames the background vocalist on Panama City is Maggie Rose

[zjames]

^ zack97 Thanks a lot! I thought it might've been her.

[Deleted]

HITS is projecting 40-45k in opening week sales for this album. Hard 2 Love debuted at #2 on Top Country Albums and #5 on the Billboard 200 with 46k in April 2012. A 40-45k opening for I Don't Dance should result in a #1 bow on Top Country Albums.

[Markus Meyer]

I was thinking something a hit higher (50-55k) but I suppose that's not a bad number.

[bjer127]

Overall I think this is a solid album. However, after 2 listens so far it is underwhelming from my expectations. Quite frankly, I thought this was going to sell better (it is currently tracking behind Dustin Lynch on itunes). After hearing title track and "Drinking Class" I was really pumped. I liked "Somebody's Been Drinkin", which is a better-version of "Crash My Party" storyline. "Sirens" was different for sure, but not exciting to me yet. I will give this a few more listens and see if this grows on me as a whole.

[trebor]

This is like Christmas in fall. 2nd best mainstream country album of the year. My expectations have been exceeded by far. I love it throughout (minus one and a half). 
The production, mix and instrumentation excel. Every track is different while still keeping the Brice feel. He's definitely bound to move onto the upper country league.
Superb: "Always The Only One", "Closer", "Drinking Class", "Good Man", "I Don't Dance", "Hard To Figure Out", "Sirens" 
The only real stinker must be "Girls In Bikinis". Although it sounds like they had fun recording it, it feels out of place and has written novelty all over it. Have they really used drum machines... on it? Eek!      
Scores 8/10

[onebuffalo]

#1 country, #5 top 200 CD with 38,000 sold. Congratulations, Lee Brice!