Morgan Wallen’s star has risen astronomically since his debut album. Now, he returns to kick off 2021 with his behemoth of a record – Dangerous : The Double Album. Pre-order the album here.
When Morgan Wallen’s double album was announced, a sprawling record covering thirty songs, the project seemed almost too vast to contemplate. Yet, as a body of work, the album is both cohesive and considered, taking you on the journey of the past three years of Wallen’s life and his rise to fame. Throughout, Wallen indulges in a nostalgic retrospective, looking back at past relationships and lives that could have been. Whilst the record is contemplative, it is also packed with some heavy hitting tracks that caused the explosion of his reputation since his debut record. The true marker of what a significant album this is is the lack of filler, whilst there is no denying that the record is lengthy, there are no wasted or instantly forgettable tracks here – an achievement in itself.
The nostalgic feel is set from the off on ‘Sand In My Boots’ – a stunning retrospective on the memories left by a former flame. ‘Like a heart broke desperado, heading right back to my roots… All I brought back with me was some sand in my boots.’ Though as bittersweet as any country song, there is a lot of healing in the track about moving on. Wallen’s vocal is honeyed perfection that is followed through in succeeding quietly contemplative and meditative track – ‘Wasted On You’ – a trickling guitar track about time wasted on a lover. ‘Wasted on you, all of this time and all of this money / All of these sorries I don’t owe you honey.’ So too, on ‘Wonderin’ Bout the Wind,’ Wallen contemplates the trajectory of a romance. Of course, Wallen’s walk down memory lane is most notable on ‘7 Summers’ – a deliciously nostalgic reminiscence. ‘Back then you used to love the river and sipping on a six-er with me. / Does it ever make you sad to know that was 7 summers ago?‘ ‘Silverado For Sale’ packs the biggest gut punch – this clever track detailing the memories associated with his ‘Silverado For Sale’ is tender and poignant, with stunningly simple but no less meaningful lyrics. ‘God knows the stories it could tell… This truck will get the prettiest girl in town, sitting right beside when you’re riding around.’
Elsewhere, Wallen turns into more tenderly romantic territory on ‘Somebody’s Problem.’ It’s light touch, avoiding moving into saccharine territory that makes it yet more engaging. ‘Kinda girl when she steps out, the world stands still
/ Ooh, I know where this is goin’ / I already know it…She’s somebody’s problem and somebody’s problem’s about to be my mine.’ So too, on ‘More Surprised Than Me,’ Wallen’s love song focusses on the luck he feels at his partner. ‘Nobody buys it when we walk in. / They say they’re ain’t no way that she’s with him / In a world where nothing is what it seems, ain’t nobody more surprised than me.’ Sweeter still is the quieter, meandering track ‘Cover Me Up,’ accompanied by gentle pedal steel that imbues the track with all the hallmarks of a traditional country song, tender but not saccharine. ‘So cover me up, and know you’re enough to use me for good.’
At other times, Wallen plays the part of the wounded lover (‘Your Bartender’) trying his best to move on or win them back, yet, again this is artfully and wittily done. So on the cleverly written ‘865,’ he sings of a bottle tasting like a girl’s phone number – ‘I know I told you I wouldn’t call and I tried, but this bottle tastes like 865-409-1021′ – and on ‘Whiskey’d My Way,’ he sings about getting over a lover through drinking whiskey. ‘It wasn’t my buddies, it wasn’t my mama, it wasn’t no self-help ‘how to’, it wasn’t old records, it wasn’t old flames, or dancing with somebody new. Tequila made me crazy, cold beer wouldn’t do, so I whiskey’d my way over you.’ It is a waltzing track that sings and soars. On ‘Your Bartender’ that bears all the hallmarks of big commercial success, Wallen sings to a girl that if he was a bartender he’d ‘talk you out of leaving me.’ The strongest of these tracks is perhaps though the title track. On ‘Dangerous,’ Wallen steers into self preservation mode, avoiding the dangers of going out with a lover, as ‘that could be dangerous‘ and on ‘Heartless,’ he questions why they have to be so cruel in their leaving. The album version of this last is in another league compared to the version with Diplo, exhibiting Wallen’s vocal range and packing in far more emotion without the heavy production.
Elsewhere, Wallen fills the role of the one leaving. Just when you thought you’d heard every track about a hometown, Wallen steps in with ‘More Than My Hometown.’ Here, he sings about his love for his hometown trumping his love for ‘the girl.’ I love you more than a California sunset / More than a beer when you ain’t 21 yet… / But, baby, this might be the last time I get to lay you down / ‘Cause I can’t love you more than my hometown.’ On ‘Neon Eyes’ by contrast, Wallen sings to a girl about knowing what she’s getting herself in for and providing ample warning. ‘Told you I’d leave you with neon eyes, / Dancing with a ghost on the dance floor.’
Wallen’s roots are front and centre of the record, giving it a relatable, humble feel. ‘Still Goin’ Down’ sums it up. ‘Call it cliche, but take it from me, it’s still going down out in the country… Every country girl got on her cut-offs.’ This track is followed by the more boisterous ‘Rednecks, Red Letters, Red Dirt’ and later, the strong and meaty drinking song ‘Beer Don’t’ (reminiscent of Combs’ ‘Beer Don’t Break My Heart) and the rap-tinged celebration of all things country on ‘Somethin’ Country’ and ‘Country A$$ Shit’ that have all the hallmarks of a FGL smash. The drinking songs on the record, like ‘This Bar’ and ‘Beer Don’t’ hit a sweet spot in Wallen’s repertoire, both on his vocal and lyricism, twisting and turning lyrics and stereotypes of country drinking songs on their head. So, on ‘This Bar,’ Wallen transforms bars into part of the transformative experience of his youth, elevating them beyond heartbreak drinking holes. As Wallen sings on ‘Whatcha Think of Country Now,’ these tracks are bang on the pulse of the current moment, imbibing traditional roots, with a more experimental and commercial sound that has the potential to open Wallen up to his regular fan base and wider commercial appeal. It’s tracks like these that will make Wallen bound for commercial success beyond the country market. Doubtless, this will be helped by the duets on the record that also offer a needed lift to break up the record. So, on ‘Only Thing That’s Gone’ Wallen’s vocal melds sublimely with Chris Stapleton’s trademark honeyed sound. The track seems bound for broad commercial success. The two together layer stunningly, as does Wallen’s vocal with Ben Burgess on ‘Outlaw,’ where the two sing about their outlaw nature. Burgess’ vocal is softer, providing the perfect, complimentary shadow to Wallen’s thicker accent.
The darker moments on the record though also pack a weighty punch. On ‘Warning,’ the production is given a weightier undertone and a heavier, bass sound as Wallen sings about a dangerous woman. ‘Should have come with a warning / Don’t say right there, don’t sip on what they’re pourin’.’ ‘Need A Boat’ packs a heavy punch at the latter end of the record, a darker, moody and pacy track about moving on, the tripping backing track has elements of 90s country that show Wallen’s range and ability to seamlessly traverse the breadth of the genre. Moodier again, is the indie-rock-tinged ‘Livin’ The Dream,’ about the darker side of fame that is a delicate antidote to the more ‘redneck’ tracks.
Wallen saves one of the most stunning moments on the record for last on ‘Quittin’ Time,’ a stunning track musing on everything having a reason and walking away from a lover, ‘I can tell by the tears not in your eyes / It’s quittin’ time.’ This is the track for everyone needing closure, capturing the bittersweetness of moving on succinctly. The simplicity of the production enhances the magic of the track, emphasising the emotional depth of the record as a powerful last note. Simply put, Dangerous is a behemoth of a record, packed full of more emotional depth than you might perhaps expect from Wallen if you’ve read the headlines, lyrically and sonically he covers every aspect of the country genre, from drinking songs to hometowns to songs about leaving, it’s all here beautifully packaged in Wallen’s signature Southern twang.
Editor’s Picks
Quittin’ Time
Somebody’s Problem
Only Thing That’s Gone (feat. Chris Stapleton)
Silverado For Sale
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