ZBB finds "Welcome Home" in second

The Comeback

If you have even a passing familiarity of Zac Brown's personal history starting around 2018, you know the inspiration for this CD's title. First, Brown's 12-year marriage collapsed. Then, the world shook its collective head when he released a solo pop record ("Controversy") simultaneous to a ZBB release ("The Owl"). Why saturate the market with oneself, especially when the solo outing was a mess? The cover of that pop/hip-hop experimentation said it all: Brown, ...

Startin' Over

Chris Stapleton's "Starting Over" release is one of those rare beauties of an album, where your favorite track may change from day to day. All of 'em are just that great. It is, simply put, Stapleton's best full-length to date. You may love the title track, which puts flesh and bone onto the 'better luck next time' wish. Then again, the spiritual truth contained within the Creedence Clearwater Revival-esque "Devil Always Made Me Think Twice" might also ...

From A Room: Volume 2

There is no bigger artist in country music today, perhaps even in American music, than Chris Stapleton. His appeal reaches beyond just the commercial country fans for his gritty bluesy approach. 2015's "Traveller" set a high bar, which was met by this year's release of "From A Room: Volume 1," which won Album of the Year in the 51st CMA Awards. Stapleton also garnered the Male Vocalist of the Year for his second time. Now seven months after that release, "From ...