Sam Hunt - "Montevallo"

[Dustin J.]

Sam Hunt's debut album is now available for streaming on Spotify.



1. Take Your Time 4:03
2. Leave The Night On 3:12
3. House Party 3:10
4. Break Up In A Small Town 3:49
5. Single For The Summer 5:10
6. Ex To See 3:17
7. Make You Miss Me 3:45
8. Cop Car 4:13
9. Raised On It 3:55
10. Speakers 3:48

[rsmatto]

I'm pretty sure people are going to torch this album in this forum. At least for it being classified as a country album. But given that country's basically 'pop' now anyway, with pop being more EDM and R&B-tinged, he fits in country.

I love how the Steel Guitar is used in "Single For The Summer" but really, I have a feeling he'll be releasing a new album by October 2015. Especially since "Cop Car" was a hit for KU and "Raised On It" spent the better part of a year on SXM's The Highway.

Singles after "Leave The Night On"

"Break Up In A Small Town"
"Single For The Summer"
Maybe "Take Your Time" or "Ex To See."

Honestly though, "Make You Miss Me" and "Raised On It" would likely do better with radio if they're too afraid of the sing/song-y talking parts of "Break Up In A Small Town" or "Take Your Time." "Single For The Summer" is an absolute smash and I can see it becoming his major crossover song, if "Break Up" doesn't do that.

If anyone picks up the CD version. be prepared for a surprise. It's very minimalist. Features only the cover artwork and for the first time I can think of, there are no thank you notes from Sam in the CD. There are songwriters listed and musicians but even then, you don't know which musicians played what unless you are familiar with the names of the musicians. Zach Crowell and Shane McAnally Produced.

[Deleted]

Oh boy. I'm gonna try to do this as unbiased as possible.

Take Your Time -- a very nice, soothing song that would have been recorded by Drake, with someone else singing the chorus. He's not really rapping in the verses, it's just a mix between R&B and poetry. I'll say the chorus is very 90s pop, sounds like something I would have listened to (and probably liked) from NSync. Not country.

Leave the Night On -- we all know it by now. One of the most digestible songs on the album. Catchy and melodic. Not country.

House Party -- someone said this could be his next single. The music is pretty shallow in the songs so far. Not what I was expecting from someone with a clear love for computerized production. If you listen in this one, you can really tell that Sam is overrated as a singer. Another disastrously catchy tune. The "banjo" solo in the middle (I'm pretty sure it's just a computer version of an acoustic guitar, something I have done multiple times on my computer) is way out of tune. One Direction should have recorded this. Not country.

Break Up in a Small Town -- oh goodness. Drake has returned for this track with flying colors. The verses are again not rapped, but talked, for whatever reason. Actually, it's an annoying mix between talking and R&B singing (where the auto-tune kicks in full-force). The chorus is pretty good and I find myself singing it at random points in the day. I love the melodic progression in the chorus. Again, pretty shallow musically with only one discernible instrument throughout the chorus, added with "drum effects" and other various sounds. Not country at all.

Single for the Summer -- the beginning of this song made me think of Chris Brown and I tried really hard to stomach my way through this one. This is not anything resembling anything that I want to listen to. Nonetheless, Sam made a valiant (if not tongue-in-cheek) attempt to add one shred of country music to this song with some steel guitar solo. Unfortunately, the drums are turned so far up that they are really the penetrating sound throughout that instrumental riff. Two thumbs way down and this song has never even heard of country music.

Ex to See -- I thought maybe by that last song I had made it through the worst of it, but then I remembered that I already heard this next song. The verses are actually the better part of the song. I like the melody and the music is far more sophisticated in the verses. That's the point of country after all right? The beginning of the chorus hits like a truck--a really ugly truck. For the first part of the chorus (until the fake computer acoustic guitar kicks in again), there is NO instrument. Not country and shouldn't be in my country.

Make You Miss Me -- I love songs that start with piano and this one added some violin for effect. Nice start until Sam joins the party. Or is it Chris Brown? The chorus of this song is actually very nice, the most country part of the whole album. Then the music oddly goes away and Sam sings on his own. Cue the music again and we are back on track. If it weren't for the first verse of this song, this would be a keeper. Mildly country on this one, and hopefully a single.

Cop Car -- we know this one from Keith. Interesting to hear Sam record it the way he heard it in his mind. Of course his version is far more electronic "beaty." His voice sounds really exceptional in this one, even though I know it has been thoroughly produced (especially in the choruses, yikes). He took a country song and tried really hard to make it not country, to somewhat half success.

Raise on It -- Sam's first real mainstreamed song sounds like something new Lee Brice would have included on his album. Would be pretty country if he SANG the verses instead of TALKING them. I don't go to poetry jams because I don't like them. To hear them on the radio would be unfortunate. The chorus of this song is nothing special (how did people like this song?). Sounds like something Sublime would have recorded with better production capabilities. Not really country, but not far enough to call it not country.

Speakers -- okay. Last song. Dolphins. Rob Thomas. Drake's back for a bit. Chorus nice. Holy bass. Okay Sam talking again. Then repeats the talking. Why. Why. Why. Could be such a good song. Pretty sure his talking doesn't even fit the time signature of the rest of the song, but I'd have to focus to really figure that out. I don't even know what this song is.

Overall: Sam is obviously a good songwriter with a lot of interesting "ideas." He has bits and pieces from different genres mixed up in all his songs, even within the same songs. He would be well-suited on a pop genre. 6/10 for pop record. 3/10 for country record and mocking me with the steel guitar solo hidden smack dab in the middle of the album.

[bigfan101]

I would say I am the target of this music (23 year old male), so I thought I would give my honest feedback.

Honestly, I am liking this album. Does it have any deep subject lines? No. But is it country? Not in the slightest bit. This is total CHR/Pop, and honestly they are not even trying. It makes me sad that this is going to be played among the country greats of George Strait, and newcomers like Maddie + Tae which are playing more to the traditionally sounding side of country radio. You can even be a fan of more new-age country, but this jumps way over the line. It is kinda embarrassing that he literally just tries to throw country elements like a steel guitar in minor riffs on the song or "bro-country" style lyrics and think it can pass

As I said, I am liking this album but that is because I am fans of all types of music. He has a great sound (as @nickv1025 stated, very Drake sounding in places), but it doesn't belong on country radio, at all. I wish Sam had gone the pop route cause that is just where he belongs.

[rsmatto]

@nickv1025, get ready for "Single For The Summer" to be played all over country radio (and likely pop too). That song is going to be a single. It's perhaps my favorite song on the record.

Also, very little of the music on this album is "computerized" instruments. It actually is real instruments (programmed beats aside).

[bigfan101]

As long as Break Up in a Small Town is a single, I am cool. I am interested to see how country radio receives it.

[rsmatto]

Oct 27, 2014 14:52:53 GMT -5 bigfan101 said:

As long as Break Up in a Small Town is a single, I am cool. I am interested to see how country radio receives it.

The way that's selling, they'd be 'crazy' NOT to release it as a single next. Maybe they only get a Top 20 out of it (some would call that killing his momentum), maybe they get something larger but it's already on its way to a Gold certification.

I'm fairly confident that'll be single #2. I've never heard "House Party" as a single option at this point (though it, too could be a hit). The point being I think there's a reason "Single For The Summer" wasn't on the EP and is the newest/freshest song for fans. It's the one they really want to release to radio (after "Break Up").

It's clear to me that Sam Hunt may not be 'country' in many people's definition but at least he's making music that's different and if corporate country radio's the lane that is willing/wants to play him, it's fine by me. It's cliche but I judge music by one thing: Good or bad. I don't judge by 'genres,' something that was REALLY invented out of necessity by retail when records started becoming a thing people wanted to buy. The reason: to separate 'race records' from 'everything else.'

[someguy]

Oct 27, 2014 10:06:48 GMT -5 bigfan101 said:

I would say I am the target of this music (23 year old male), so I thought I would give my honest feedback.

Honestly, I am liking this album. Does it have any deep subject lines? No. But is it country? Not in the slightest bit. This is total CHR/Pop, and honestly they are not even trying. It makes me sad that this is going to be played among the country greats of George Strait, and newcomers like Maddie + Tae which are playing more to the traditionally sounding side of country radio. You can even be a fan of more new-age country, but this jumps way over the line. It is kinda embarrassing that he literally just tries to throw country elements like a steel guitar in minor riffs on the song or "bro-country" style lyrics and think it can pass

As I said, I am liking this album but that is because I am fans of all types of music. He has a great sound (as @nickv1025 stated, very Drake sounding in places), but it doesn't belong on country radio, at all. I wish Sam had gone the pop route cause that is just where he belongs.

This is pretty much how I feel. After a couple of listens, I really like the album, but I agree that it isn't country at all. I think it would be much more fitting to be classified as CHR/Pop or HotAC.

That being said though, he's a clever songwriter, and I like much of the album. It's a little jarring how he goes from talking to singing in the verses on some of the songs, but I can see that growing on me over time. As far as future single, "Break Up In A Small Town", "House Party" and "Ex To See" have the most potential imo, but I can see "Single For The Summer" getting a push as well (and I wouldn't be surprised at all if it were a hit).

[rsmatto]

Oct 27, 2014 16:07:28 GMT -5 someguy said:

Oct 27, 2014 10:06:48 GMT -5 bigfan101 said:

I would say I am the target of this music (23 year old male), so I thought I would give my honest feedback.

Honestly, I am liking this album. Does it have any deep subject lines? No. But is it country? Not in the slightest bit. This is total CHR/Pop, and honestly they are not even trying. It makes me sad that this is going to be played among the country greats of George Strait, and newcomers like Maddie + Tae which are playing more to the traditionally sounding side of country radio. You can even be a fan of more new-age country, but this jumps way over the line. It is kinda embarrassing that he literally just tries to throw country elements like a steel guitar in minor riffs on the song or "bro-country" style lyrics and think it can pass

As I said, I am liking this album but that is because I am fans of all types of music. He has a great sound (as @nickv1025 stated, very Drake sounding in places), but it doesn't belong on country radio, at all. I wish Sam had gone the pop route cause that is just where he belongs.

This is pretty much how I feel. After a couple of listens, I really like the album, but I agree that it isn't country at all. I think it would be much more fitting to be classified as CHR/Pop or HotAC.

That being said though, he's a clever songwriter, and I like much of the album. It's a little jarring how he goes from talking to singing in the verses on some of the songs, but I can see that growing on me over time. As far as future single, "Break Up In A Small Town", "House Party" and "Ex To See" have the most potential imo, but I can see "Single For The Summer" getting a push as well (and I wouldn't be surprised at all if it were a hit).

Honestly, the 'safest' songs on the album are "Make You Miss Me" and "Raised On It" but as I stated above, I can't see "Raised" on it being a single. But I don't think there's any reason to play 'safe' with Sam Hunt right now. His music is gonna be polarizing so why not try "Break Up." "House Party" and "Ex To See" are both great but I don't know if Sam's gonna release those as singles before they move onto album #2. There are already 3 singles off it ("Raised," "Leave The Night On" and "Cop Car" albeit this one's Keith Urban). So that leaves seven tracks to choose 2 more from before moving onto record #2 I think those two songs are "Break Up" and "Single." If they release "House Party" next, I think they move on from "Break Up."

[zjames]

This is so much more poppy than I expected. How can this seriously be labeled as country music? Don't get me wrong, I enjoy his music and I think he's talented. But his music belongs on CHR and Hot AC.

Not one song on the album sounds like a country song. The production leans so heavily toward the CHR sound that I can't see any other single making as big of a splash as "Leave The Night On". That had all the right factors going for it.

Whatever he releases, I'm going to actively root against it. I just can't imagine "Break Up in a Small Town" or "Single in the Summer" going far on country radio no matter how well they sell. Take it to CHR, Sam.

[rsmatto]

Oct 27, 2014 16:41:40 GMT -5 zjames said:

This is so much more poppy than I expected. How can this seriously be labeled as country music? Don't get me wrong, I enjoy his music and I think he's talented. But his music belongs on CHR and Hot AC.

Not one song on the album sounds like a country song. The production leans so heavily toward the CHR sound that I can't see any other single making as big of a splash as "Leave The Night On". That had all the right factors going for it.

Whatever he releases, I'm going to actively root against it. I just can't imagine "Break Up in a Small Town" or "Single in the Summer" going far on country radio no matter how well they sell. Take it to CHR, Sam.

What's so different about the songs on this than stuff from the latest Keith Urban album, Florida Georgia Line, Jason Aldean, Eric Church, Brantley Gilbert, et al.? Honestly, country radio is going to play a lot of his music so get used to it. If you like something, WHY would you 'actively root against it?"

[countryfan4life]

In my opinion, Sam Hunt's lyrics and voice can pass for country, it's the arrangement/production of the songs and instruments that are making me scratch my head a little.

[zjames]

Oct 27, 2014 16:51:51 GMT -5 rsmatto said:

Oct 27, 2014 16:41:40 GMT -5 zjames said:

This is so much more poppy than I expected. How can this seriously be labeled as country music? Don't get me wrong, I enjoy his music and I think he's talented. But his music belongs on CHR and Hot AC.

Not one song on the album sounds like a country song. The production leans so heavily toward the CHR sound that I can't see any other single making as big of a splash as "Leave The Night On". That had all the right factors going for it.

Whatever he releases, I'm going to actively root against it. I just can't imagine "Break Up in a Small Town" or "Single in the Summer" going far on country radio no matter how well they sell. Take it to CHR, Sam.

What's so different about the songs on this than stuff from the latest Keith Urban album, Florida Georgia Line, Jason Aldean, Eric Church, Brantley Gilbert, et al.? Honestly, country radio is going to play a lot of his music so get used to it. If you like something, WHY would you 'actively root against it?"

I like his music in a casual sense, but I don't like it enough for it to completely ruin the integrity of country radio. I would root for Sam Hunt if he was aiming for airplay at different genres.

To me there is a clear difference between Hunt and Church, Aldean, Gilbert, etc. (I don't know how Church even fits into that group, but whatever). They experiment a little bit with different sounds. Aldean released "Burnin' It Down", but even that isn't as non-country as Sam Hunt's music. Gilbert had some pop influence on "Bottoms Up" but the rest of his most recent album has some solid country songs like "One Hell of An Amen" and "17 Again". 

Sam Hunt is a pop artist whose music doesn't sound like country music besides some lyrics about small towns and tan legs, staples of today's country music. Every song on the album sounds like a pop/hip-hop song if you ignore the lyrics. How can anyone say that "Break Up in a Small Town", "Single in the Summer", "Take Your Time", should be played on country radio?

[countryfan4life]

Oct 27, 2014 17:06:45 GMT -5 zjames said:

To me there is a clear difference between Hunt and Church, Aldean, Gilbert, etc. (I don't know how Church even fits into that group, but whatever). They experiment a little bit with different sounds. Aldean released "Burnin' It Down", but even that isn't as non-country as Sam Hunt's music. Gilbert had some pop influence on "Bottoms Up" but the rest of his most recent album has some solid country songs like "One Hell of An Amen" and "17 Again". 

I was going to say this in my post as well.  I even think FGL have more country elements in their music, and they have pushed the boundaries pretty far, probably a little too far in some cases.

[Deleted]

Oct 27, 2014 16:51:51 GMT -5 rsmatto said:

What's so different about the songs on this than stuff from the latest Keith Urban album, Florida Georgia Line, Jason Aldean, Eric Church, Brantley Gilbert, et al.? Honestly, country radio is going to play a lot of his music so get used to it. If you like something, WHY would you 'actively root against it?"

As I said in my review, the stuff isn't bad. It really has a nice sound to it. The production is funky in some spots and the switching between talking/singing drives me crazy. Nothing about this record is country! All the acts you mentioned have CLEAR musical and lyrical country references in their songs, if not complete country overtones. Sam completely ignores the genre and I feel like that's a slap in the face to all of us.

I disagree that country radio will take as kindly to his music as you say. Only time will tell, though.

Just because I like buying rice and I also like eating chicken doesn't mean I want to open my bag of rice and find chicken in it every time.

[rsmatto]

Oct 27, 2014 17:06:45 GMT -5 zjames said:

Oct 27, 2014 16:51:51 GMT -5 rsmatto said:

What's so different about the songs on this than stuff from the latest Keith Urban album, Florida Georgia Line, Jason Aldean, Eric Church, Brantley Gilbert, et al.? Honestly, country radio is going to play a lot of his music so get used to it. If you like something, WHY would you 'actively root against it?"

I like his music in a casual sense, but I don't like it enough for it to completely ruin the integrity of country radio. I would root for Sam Hunt if he was aiming for airplay at different genres.

To me there is a clear difference between Hunt and Church, Aldean, Gilbert, etc. (I don't know how Church even fits into that group, but whatever). They experiment a little bit with different sounds. Aldean released "Burnin' It Down", but even that isn't as non-country as Sam Hunt's music. Gilbert had some pop influence on "Bottoms Up" but the rest of his most recent album has some solid country songs like "One Hell of An Amen" and "17 Again". 

Sam Hunt is a pop artist whose music doesn't sound like country music besides some lyrics about small towns and tan legs, staples of today's country music. Every song on the album sounds like a pop/hip-hop song if you ignore the lyrics. How can anyone say that "Break Up in a Small Town", "Single in the Summer", "Take Your Time", should be played on country radio?

Country is a lyrical driven genre. Always has been. It's been more lyrical driven than melodies. You cannot ignore the lyrics. Yes, his melodies and sounds push the envelope but all stuff that's different does. THAT's where the Gilbert, Church, Aldean, etc. comparisons lie. They're pushing the envelope. Hunt may be pushing the envelope far but to my ears, it's not so far as to think he's gonna have a cold shoulder from radio. On the contrary. Maybe "Break Up In A Small Town" and "Take Your Time" don't get big airplay because they're 'too rap' (though they really aren't), but I fully believe that "Single For The Summer" will not only be a huge country radio hit but it'll be one of the biggest hits in years, if released to radio. They could 'play safe' with "House Party" and others but who knows.

[kml567]

Finally got a chance to listen to the album in its entirety and "Montevallo" is absolutely brilliant! Easily my favorite album from a new artist this year.

The new version of "Make You Miss Me" is such a beautiful ballad. Love the female backup vocals from Hillary Lindsey. The Sam/Hillary harmonies gave it an extra dimension to the song that I enjoyed. Potential radio single.

"Take Your Time" is also much improved in the final version. I'm 90% sure this is the 2nd single since he's mentioned it multiple times during his live concerts. I'm actually more worried about the slow tempo than the talking/rap. We've seen many examples of "rap" songs going #1 on Country radio, but they're always uptempo/summery songs. Could "rap" work when the song is the opposite of the bros? The good news is that it's selling well on iTunes (currently #7), so it seems to be a fan favorite.

The obvious mega-smash is "Break Up in a Small Town". This is the "Dirt Road Anthem" of 2015 that will challenge country radio much like Aldean did back in 2011. It's a big risk/big reward scenario. Sam might need 2 top five hits to convince radio to play it though. I suspect this will be the 3rd single in summer 2015.

"Single for The Summer" is another standout. I love the country lyrics and storytelling. Alas it's a 5 minute song, so I don't think it'll be a radio single.

The album is filled with so many radio smashes! It's really up to radio whether they play it or not. Whatever they choose, the sales/airplay ratio will be high.

Based on iTunes sales, I'm guessing the radio singles:

1. Leave The Night On
2. Take Your Time (#7 on iTunes) or Make You Miss Me (#8 on iTunes)
(Note: "House Party" is safest choice, but maybe not due to "bro fatigue" in 2015? I think Sam really wants to emphasize his emotional/vulnerable side for his 2nd single - but ballads are always risky)
3. Break Up in a Small Town (they'd be crazy not to release a song that's consistently selling so well on iTunes for 10+ weeks despite zero airplay)

[mylifeback]

Listened to this on Spotify & immediately ordered it from Amazon. Love, love, love this; it's right in my wheelhouse. Sometimes I hear Mat Kearney in this, other times I think it's something Kris Allen would sing, but I love it all.

Single For The Summer is amazing - hope that's a single.

[zjames]

A Reddit user claims that Sam said at a recent concert that "Take Your Time" would be the next single, but obviously take that with a grain of salt.

[Markus Meyer]

Haven't heard the whole album yet, but I wanted to comment on BUIAST being a single.

There's no way anyone can defend that song being country, even by today's standards. Yes, the lyrics are good, but it has NO place on country radio.

Love the song, but don't want it on a country station.

[midnightprism]

Some people seem way too hung up on the "country" label, like with the previous Taylor Swift albums. If you like the music, good. If you don't, fine. Don't be so distracted by how the music is classified, though.

[Markus Meyer]

Oct 29, 2014 9:01:59 GMT -5 midnightprism said:

Some people seem way too hung up on the "country" label, like with the previous Taylor Swift albums. If you like the music, good. If you don't, fine. Don't be so distracted by how the music is classified, though.

Why shouldn't we care though? If I turn on my country radio station, it's because I want to hear COUNTRY music.

[Deleted]

"I worked hard on Cop Car. Everything I poured into that song was stolen from me. I unfortunately can't celebrate it being on The Grammys." -Sam after Keith performed the song.

Maybe that gives some insight why he would have included the song on an album with only 10 songs total, and not other songs like We Are Tonight or Come Over. I do like Sam's version, but not really sure what the background of this claim is.

[onebuffalo]

Oct 29, 2014 12:03:59 GMT -5 @nickv1025 said:

"I worked hard on Cop Car. Everything I poured into that song was stolen from me. I unfortunately can't celebrate it being on The Grammys." -Sam after Keith performed the song.

Maybe that gives some insight why he would have included the song on an album with only 10 songs total, and not other songs like We Are Tonight or Come Over. I do like Sam's version, but not really sure what the background of this claim is.

Can we vote on the current worst complainer in country music? Sam Hunt or Jason Aldean? Election Day is this Tuesday.

[zjames]

Sam Hunt is doing a Reddit AMA (Ask Me Anything) at 5:30 PM ET today.

[Deleted]

^ This guy is still complaining about Cop Car? Ugh.. You know Keith might be more pop like this guy, but at least he has some deep respect for the genre of country music. More than i can say for Sam

[onebuffalo]

Canada must have different release schedules as we do. It is the #6 selling CD up there.

[justme60]

My favorite review.

www.michigandaily.com/arts/10sam-hunt-montevallo-album-review29

[Deleted]

HITS has Sam projected to open with 60-65k in first week sales. That's a pretty high figure for a new artist. That would be a bit more than Brad Paisley's opening week, and just a bit less than Lady A's, Tim McGraw's, and Hunter Hayes'. It's also right on par with what Dierks Bentley's Riser and Cole Swindell's self-titled album debuted with earlier this year (both opened with 63k).

Sam's projected opening figure is also substantially higher than 2014 debut week sales for Little Big Town, Lee Brice, Jerrod Niemann, Tyler Farr, Chase Rice, Sara Evans, Frankie Ballard, Dan + Shay, Thomas Rhett, Eli Young Band, Dustin Lynch, and Joe Nichols.

[43dudleyvillas]

Oct 29, 2014 14:53:27 GMT -5 zack97 said:

^ This guy is still complaining about Cop Car? Ugh.. You know Keith might be more pop like this guy, but at least he has some deep respect for the genre of country music. More than i can say for Sam

I don't think this is a new comment from Sam; it's just the same tweet in which he expressed his discontent in the first place.

Oct 29, 2014 9:23:52 GMT -5 Markus Meyer said:

Oct 29, 2014 9:01:59 GMT -5 midnightprism said:

Some people seem way too hung up on the "country" label, like with the previous Taylor Swift albums. If you like the music, good. If you don't, fine. Don't be so distracted by how the music is classified, though.

Why shouldn't we care though? If I turn on my country radio station, it's because I want to hear COUNTRY music.

I agree with you in principle. But here's the tricky thing. Country radio these days doesn't play a lot of country music. Or, to put it another way, country radio plays a lot of music that isn't country. For example, Florida-Georgia Line's music is basically beat-based Nickelback with a drawl as far as I'm concerned. The corporate owners of country radio have essentially decided that lyrics that convey a certain lifestyle (trucks. tailgates. beer. backwoods. parties.) are what will define country radio playlists and focused on a sound intended to grab a young, mostly male demographic that used to listen to rock radio and that misses the melodic post-grunge pop/rock of Nickelback/Creed/Daughtry at Hot AC. With the influx of beats into that sound, the blue-eyed soul/pop that saw The Script, Jason Mraz, and more seeing their heyday at Hot AC radio as the NickelCreed trend faded would be a natural successor at country radio, too.

Let me be clear: I am not actually endorsing Sam Hunt on country radio. I'm just saying that it is completely logical for the same radio environment that supports Florida-Georgia Line (and Thomas Rhett and Cole Swindell and "Burnin' It Down") to support Sam Hunt. Would I prefer to hear actual country music on country radio? Of course! That's why I spent next to no time listening to terrestrial country radio these days.

Anyway, considering that I'm not much of a fan of a lot of contemporary R&B compared to neo-soul (I feel like the emphasis on beats and production has taken the soul out of contemporary R&B), I'm surprised that to find that I like Montevallo well enough. Sam Hunt doesn't have the richness of Usher's voice, but his tone is pleasant enough and there's a believable intensity in his voice, especially in "Take Your Time" (also "Cop Car," which I'm still not crazy about as a song). He even conjures up a bit of warmth that helps make "Leave the Night On" and "House Party" engaging. It's really the rhythm and cadence that do the heavy emotional lifting in "Break Up in a Small Town" and "Ex to See" (though I'm not crazy about the background "whoa"s in the latter) but overall, the tracks really work.

Better still, Hunt's lyrics give the impression that he has a self-awareness that the hick hop party boys (Jason Aldean's music excepted) generally lack -- I'm not especially keen on the "uh-uh-uh" part of "Single for the Summer," but the lyrics spell out the self-defeating attitude of the narrator pretty well (I especially like the line "I graduated but every year in May I get that 'school's out' feeling" for its "I should know better" acknowledgement), and while Sam Hunt lacks the country cry in his voice, he does have some ache in there.

The bottom line for me on this album is that although I recognize that mainstream Nashville professionals are all over this album and although I am not a fan of all of Zac Crowell's production touches, this feels like the album Sam Hunt should be making for himself. The lyrics are, for the most part, not assembly-line snapshots even when they veer into "bro" territory, and there is enough self-reflection in them to paint a believable picture of a three-dimensional human being instead of the hollow party boy caricatures that have ruled country radio for the past two years.

That said, Montevallo isn't mind-blowingly original in sound or in lyric. I'll actually be rolling my eyes if it is seen as a "game-changer," because the only thing that is truly unprecedented about it is that it is being marketed to country instead of pop (due to demographic-based corporate considerations, as I see it). But it's a likable and listenable album, an improvement in depth and quality over the "bro" parade. I won't be surprised if it spawns imitators (among them, the Luke Bryan wannabes Cole Swindell and Thomas Rhett, and probably also Dan+Shay), but I think Sam Hunt shows much more of musical understanding of R&B and hip-hop than the bros & their typical songwriter collaborators (Luke Laird excepted).