Following pop-oriented single “Light It Up,” Luke Bryan aims for more traditional fans on “What Makes You Country,” the 2nd single from his forthcoming LP.  

Luke Bryan is currently one of the most successful country artists, male or female.  It seems that he has ‘the Midas touch.’ After a two-year hiatus (excluding his Farm Tour…Here’s to the Farm EP), Bryan returns with a highly-anticipated new studio album, What Makes You Country.  As of publication, Bryan released two singles in advance of the album: “Light It Up” and “What Makes You Country.”

From the start, “What Makes You Country” features a heavy groove.  It has a souped-up, countrified sound.  Luke Bryan delivers assertive vocals, chocked-full of country twang.  The songwriting is catchy, particularly the pre-chorus, which is consistent throughout.

“You could be a cowboy on the Texas plain / Or a plowboy waitin’ on the rain / We’re all a little different but we’re all the same / Everybody doin’ their own thing.”

Perhaps redundant, the best way to describe the chorus is countrified, exemplifying the southern experience.  Essentially, Bryan cites everything that makes him country.  There are two different choruses used.

Final Thoughts

“What Makes You Country” features excellent energy from start to finish.  This is a perfect fit for Luke Bryan as a singer, as well as his personality artistically.  Where “Light it Up” may garner its fair share of criticism from traditionalists, “What Makes You Country” should play better to that base of country fans.  This isn’t groundbreaking, but it’s both enjoyable and respectable.

Luke Bryan • What Makes You Country • Capitol • Release: 12.8.17

Photo Credit: Capitol