Russell Dickerson, Love You Like I Used To | Track Review 🎵

Country singer/songwriter Russell Dickerson delivers an enjoyable, well-rounded, love-centric country record with “Love You Like I Used To.”

There are lots and lots of country musicians – understatement.  Only a select few achieve a great deal of commercial success.  Russell Dickerson, hence, is one of many country male musicians who has been trying to carve his place in a crowded field.  Approaching 33 years old, Dickerson has released one studio album, Yours, back in 2017.  Perhaps a no. 39 debut on the Billboard 200 isn’t the sexiest thing you’ll ever hear, but again, only a select few can even boast cracking the top 40 like Dickerson has.  The Belmont graduate is back in 2020 with a brand-new single, “Love You Like I Used To.”  

“Love You Like I Used To” is co-written by Dickerson, Casey Brown, and Parker Welling while Dann Huff joins Dickerson and Brown on the production end of things.  The sound of the record is pretty standard: rhythmic guitars, lead guitar, drums, and some programming.  For the most part, “Love You Like I Used To” doesn’t participate in any wild or unnatural sounding pop experiments, which is a pro.  Perhaps this sound and type of record doesn’t bring in new fans, but it maintains a countrified sound.

Vocally, Russell Dickerson sounds great.  He never over sings nor does he overreach in terms of twang, which is often a rub I personally have with some country artists.  He has a rich, beautiful voice, which he uses superbly to express his burgeoning love.

“I don’t love you like I used to
This gets better everytime you kiss me like this
It’s stronger the longer I’m with you, yeah
More than every single day before
Didn’t know I could ever love you more than I did
But baby I do, I don’t love you like I used to, no.”

Final Thoughts 

Russell Dickerson doesn’t reinvent the wheel on “Love You Like I Used To,” but he also doesn’t need to. This is a solid, well-performed, well-penned country record.  He sounds great, the theme is relatable, and honestly, if you enjoy your country music without an overabundance of twang in particular, you’ll enjoy this particular record.

Russell Dickerson • “Love You Like I Used To” – Single • Triple Tigers • Release: 2.11.20

Photo Credit: Triple Tigers