Kenny Chesney really shouldn't be allowed to speak on the "real" issues, because everytime he does, he ends up saying nothing at all really.
To be fair, Chesney has proved in the past that he can handle serious material with ease. Songs like "Don't Blink" and "There Goes My Life" are some of the finest Country songs of that decade. However, ever since 2016 or so, Chesney has felt this urge to "say something" with his music, beginning with "Noise" which wanted to tackle our obsession with technology. Instead, in an attempt to prove how we get lost in this metaphorical noise of nothingness, Chesney just made a loud, obnoxious tune that didn't say anything.
This time around, Chesney still doesn't say anything profound, but at least it sounds nice ... I guess. In the age of identity politics dividing us from one another, Chesney wants to all "get along" on his new single. While he isn't obnoxiously accusatory like he was on "Rich and Miserable," Chesney still fails to really dig at the heart of his message. He presents two verses that offer nothing coherently relevant to his overall point. Verse one presents a man holding a bible and a bottle promoting happiness, but having an optimist attitude isn't going to make all the problems in the world go away. In the other verse, Chesney examines a model and ponders her backstory, but wait, is the point to make better life decisions, or is it about getting along?
The chorus offers no resolution. It's the same list style that Chesney adopts on all of his more "serious" songs as of late, telling us to learn to dance, call our moms, and oh! Make sure you buy a boat too. That'll solve our grouchiness. Dude, even Chris freakin' Janson can't buy his own boat, so don't be preaching to me about what we need to do to love one another. Maybe my criticism of this track isn't helping the "love" necessarily, but I'm doing just as good of a job as you are. Don't get me wrong, I agree with the sentiment, but again, it presents the usual problem with Chesney's material as of late - it's scattershot.
At least this time around the instrumental and production mix fits the song in a good way. The gentle, warm acoustics give off a friendly vibe, and the banjo that kicks in during the chorus definitely helps this song's catchiness. Even though Chesney can't make me care from his lyricism or his vocal delivery, this is at least a better part of the track.
Overall though, it's an ultimate miss for Chesney. I have no problem with Chesney wanting the world to be a better place. As evidenced on this song as well as his latest single with David Lee Murphy however, he offers very little substance to his messages. I can tell you that we're all going to win the lottery tomorrow, but it doesn't mean it's going to happen.
Grade: D+
Listen: "Get Along"
Author: Zackary Kephart
To be fair, Chesney has proved in the past that he can handle serious material with ease. Songs like "Don't Blink" and "There Goes My Life" are some of the finest Country songs of that decade. However, ever since 2016 or so, Chesney has felt this urge to "say something" with his music, beginning with "Noise" which wanted to tackle our obsession with technology. Instead, in an attempt to prove how we get lost in this metaphorical noise of nothingness, Chesney just made a loud, obnoxious tune that didn't say anything.
This time around, Chesney still doesn't say anything profound, but at least it sounds nice ... I guess. In the age of identity politics dividing us from one another, Chesney wants to all "get along" on his new single. While he isn't obnoxiously accusatory like he was on "Rich and Miserable," Chesney still fails to really dig at the heart of his message. He presents two verses that offer nothing coherently relevant to his overall point. Verse one presents a man holding a bible and a bottle promoting happiness, but having an optimist attitude isn't going to make all the problems in the world go away. In the other verse, Chesney examines a model and ponders her backstory, but wait, is the point to make better life decisions, or is it about getting along?
The chorus offers no resolution. It's the same list style that Chesney adopts on all of his more "serious" songs as of late, telling us to learn to dance, call our moms, and oh! Make sure you buy a boat too. That'll solve our grouchiness. Dude, even Chris freakin' Janson can't buy his own boat, so don't be preaching to me about what we need to do to love one another. Maybe my criticism of this track isn't helping the "love" necessarily, but I'm doing just as good of a job as you are. Don't get me wrong, I agree with the sentiment, but again, it presents the usual problem with Chesney's material as of late - it's scattershot.
At least this time around the instrumental and production mix fits the song in a good way. The gentle, warm acoustics give off a friendly vibe, and the banjo that kicks in during the chorus definitely helps this song's catchiness. Even though Chesney can't make me care from his lyricism or his vocal delivery, this is at least a better part of the track.
Overall though, it's an ultimate miss for Chesney. I have no problem with Chesney wanting the world to be a better place. As evidenced on this song as well as his latest single with David Lee Murphy however, he offers very little substance to his messages. I can tell you that we're all going to win the lottery tomorrow, but it doesn't mean it's going to happen.
Grade: D+
Listen: "Get Along"
Author: Zackary Kephart
