Chase Rice has made an impressive name for himself in the country music genre, yet it has been on his most recent projects – The Album Part I and Part II – where he has shown his depth as an artist. Here, we review The Album as a whole, exploring the four new tracks added to the 11 pre-released tracks.
Chase Rice first entered the country scene back in 2013 with his EP ‘Ready Set Roll,’ staking his claim in Nashville with his mammoth co-write ‘Cruise’ recorded by Florida Georgia Line. He’s since made his name in the industry for a raucous, fun and party-filled live set. Last year though, he took us completely off guard with the release of The Album Part I and Part II. On the projects, Rice demonstrated his maturity as an artist, diving into a more tenderly introspective sound that showed his vulnerability and revealing more layers to Rice as an artist and songwriter. Though there are still big party songs (American Nights), there are far more quiet and tender moments that reflect on the journey he has undergone (Down Home Runs Deep) – quite simply, his vocal and artistry has never been better.
Bringing the two halves of the project together and adding three new tracks, along with a collaboration with Florida Georgia Line posits Rice as an artist capable of more than just huge and fun party songs. Highlights of the record include the tender ‘Messy’ and the nostalgic ‘Down Home Runs Deep.’ For this release, Rice first adds ‘The Nights’ to the mix that is a more mellow, traditional country hued ballad, where Rice opines on the difficulty of getting through the hardest time – the nights – in the process of moving on. As always, Rice seamlessly infuses his raw vocal with stripped back spoken moments that demonstrate the full depth of his emotion in a very real way. ‘The Nights’ is flawlessly followed up by ‘Bedroom’ that is a swaggering and sultry track about not being able to resist a lover – it’s an intoxicating track, as Rice sings ‘that bedroom don’t stand a chance.’ The highlight of the three unreleased tracks though is without a doubt ‘If I Didn’t Have You’ – a swirling soundscape of production accompanies Rice’s vocal as he celebrates his love, and it’s the best we’ve yet heard Rice’s vocal. The final track on the record brings Rice back to where he started sonically in a mammoth collaboration with Florida Georgia Line – ‘Drinkin Beer Talkin God Amen’ – a bombastic and heady track that will be a huge part of Rice’s new live set.
Rice has firmly pushed the limits of his artistry on this record with aplomb. It’s a phenomenal body of work that will surprise many listeners with its sonic depth and complexity.
