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

[usr 3.5]

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.

[usr 3.5]

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

Photo Credit: Triple Tigers