After failing to make any sort of significant commercial impact with his last radio attempt, the uptempo "Drinkin' Town With a Football Problem", Billy Currington is back in the upper echelons of the airplay chart with the melancholic "It Don't Hurt Like It Used To". When on his game, the 42-year-old hitmaker is among mainstream country's finest, and this is most certainly one of those moments.
Unlike many of his recent hits, which rely on somewhat fluffy lyrics and pleasant-if-forgettable productions, "It Don't Hurt Like It Used To" shines in it's strong narrative and even better backing track. The track depicts the story of a man who, slowly but surely, is getting over a past love, and while he won't declare victory over the pain, concedes that it is indeed getting better with time. He moves on with his life, getting married, and crafting a new path, but admittedly isn't fully over his past love just yet. In a musical society that relies heavily on either a 'tear in your beer' or a 'ha, you are so gonna miss me' mentality, finding one that takes the best of both worlds is a refreshing change of pace.
The production, meanwhile, is admirable. The strong percussion and bouncy guitars add a layer of intensity to an already strong lyric, and while it takes a back seat to the vocal throughout the verses, explodes into an anthemic chorus built for heavy repetition. Currington is, as usual, on his game from a purely technical standpoint, while seamlessly blending the line between frustration and relief through his interpretive performance. What truly makes Currington's latest hit shine, however, is its melody. The record is a textbook ear worm that makes it easy to reach for the repeat button, only helping the song's case for entry in to heavy airplay rotation.
"It Don't Hurt Liked It Used To" fires on all cylinders, checking off every box from the vocals, to the melody, to the performance. A veteran relative to his peers, Currington has found a song that is not only developing into a commercial blockbuster, but also a definite standout among the class of 2016. Who knows what we'll get next from the often hit-or-miss Currington, but one thing's for certain, and that's that this one is a homerun.
Grade: A
Listen: "It Don't Hurt Like It Used To"
Unlike many of his recent hits, which rely on somewhat fluffy lyrics and pleasant-if-forgettable productions, "It Don't Hurt Like It Used To" shines in it's strong narrative and even better backing track. The track depicts the story of a man who, slowly but surely, is getting over a past love, and while he won't declare victory over the pain, concedes that it is indeed getting better with time. He moves on with his life, getting married, and crafting a new path, but admittedly isn't fully over his past love just yet. In a musical society that relies heavily on either a 'tear in your beer' or a 'ha, you are so gonna miss me' mentality, finding one that takes the best of both worlds is a refreshing change of pace.
The production, meanwhile, is admirable. The strong percussion and bouncy guitars add a layer of intensity to an already strong lyric, and while it takes a back seat to the vocal throughout the verses, explodes into an anthemic chorus built for heavy repetition. Currington is, as usual, on his game from a purely technical standpoint, while seamlessly blending the line between frustration and relief through his interpretive performance. What truly makes Currington's latest hit shine, however, is its melody. The record is a textbook ear worm that makes it easy to reach for the repeat button, only helping the song's case for entry in to heavy airplay rotation.
"It Don't Hurt Liked It Used To" fires on all cylinders, checking off every box from the vocals, to the melody, to the performance. A veteran relative to his peers, Currington has found a song that is not only developing into a commercial blockbuster, but also a definite standout among the class of 2016. Who knows what we'll get next from the often hit-or-miss Currington, but one thing's for certain, and that's that this one is a homerun.
Grade: A
Listen: "It Don't Hurt Like It Used To"
