Review: Body Like a Back Road (Sam Hunt)

My first country review. Aren't you proud?

     Sam Hunt is the quintessential pop country act of the 2010s. What, you thought that was Taylor Swift? She doesn't even count as country anymore. Now we have the 32-year-old Sam Hunt to fill that pop country void. He'll tell you he's more country, but there's definitely a lot of pop and R&B influence in his music. Here we have his second major pop crossover, Body Like a Back Road, a song about... well, you'll see.

    
     There are a few reasons I chose to use the lyric video for this one. One, there's no music video for this thing; the only other upload of this song is just a close-up picture of a road. The other... I just want you to get a load of those lyrics. They're the fun part.

     But first, how does the song actually sound? There's a light, care-free attitude on this thing that's more reminiscent of earlier pop country than the bro country that was ever-present a few years ago and that Sam Hunt paraded endlessly. Honestly, it's refreshing by Sam Hunt's standards (which aren't very high, but I digress), way to go. I can see why this was picked up for pop radio, it's got a fairly upbeat tone as far as most modern country goes, and Sam Hunt does well to fit that. That's one positive. Are there any other?

     ...nah. The lyrics just plain kill me. The title basically tells you all you need to know. He's comparing this woman's body, the curves especially, to a back road. You know, dirty country roads that no one else travels along because it's easy to get lost and they're only really good for looking at scenery on? But of course, since Sam Hunt is a Country Boy™, he knows that body like the back of his hand. In fact, he's going to go as slow as he can physically make himself. You know what that means, right?

     Sex.

     Why do I keep covering the lousy sex songs? Why can't I get something Marvin Gaye would be proud of? Well, I suppose it's not ALL about sex. There are also lines about how "the way she fit in them blue jeans, she don't need no belt." Don't worry, he can turn them inside out without any help. There's also... stuff about driving around, watching the scenery, enjoying nature... and making out while you do it. Jeez, this song is gross.

     That's my idea of an emotional response for you. It's gross, it's icky, it's uncomfortable. Hey, it feels good to listen to, at least. Overall, this song is about as middle-of-the-road as it gets. I want to rank it lower, but I'm enjoying the production too much. Maybe by the end of the year I'll hate it as much as I want to, but for now, here's a middling, mediocre score. Who knows what I'll cover next time...

SCORE: 5/10

Review: Rockabye (Clean Bandit featuring Sean Paul and Anne-Marie

ALL THE SINGLE LADIES who are stuck raising children NOW PUT YOUR HANDS UP.

     I figured I'd cover a more international hit this time around. It's not that none of the songs on the charts are good, it's just that I'd like to cover something that's not as insanely successful in the United States as it is overseas. I think I've found the right song for that.

     This is Rockabye, a bit of dancehall-ish tropical house by British electronic group Clean Bandit, featuring vocals from Jamaican recording artist Sean Paul and British singer and songwriter (but not always a singer-songwriter) Anne-Marie. This song has been absolutely massive internationally (especially in the UK and Australia) yet has only made it into the top 10 very recently because of an iTunes sale. Am I happy it's finally in the Top 10, or do I wish it never crossed over at all? Let's figure that out.

     Well, first off, this is nothing like most of their other material. Clean Bandit tend to like to use lots of classical instruments in their recordings, with each member knowing how to play actual instruments instead of just knowing how to press buttons on a table. I mean, sure, the intro and outro all feature their signature instruments, but this is a lot more... tropical than usual. Yep, it's time for Yet Another Tropical House Song!

     Honestly, I don't try to cover so many tropical house/dancehall-ish pop tracks, it's just what's in right now. Blame Justin Bieber's comeback in 2015. It sounds nice, though I do admit it doesn't feel very inspired. When it comes to the sound department, other Clean Bandit songs just feel a lot better. Rather Be, their last hit, was so much more interesting and fun, and this is just kind of... okay. Good. Decent. Nothing great.

     That's kind of how I'd describe the song as a whole, really. I mean, I guess there's the lyrics? They're about a single mother trying to raise a child, it's tough. That's nice, I guess. But yeah, it's... slightly above average. I really can't think of much else to say, it's just... eh. It's alright. Next time maybe I'll cover a song that brings about a more emotional response in me, but for now... eh. There's this.

SCORE: 6.5/10