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Hard to Love by Lee Brice

Lee Brice and his team have got some fine writing skills, most of his songs have amazing lyrics and Lee Brice  infuses life into them. He's one heck of a singer, he has the tendency to inhabit a song and you can feel it... he sings with unbridled passion and you end up with goosebumps. It's evident he loves what he does, and he's pretty good at it too. I'm only surprised the album hasn't reached the top of the charts yet... it's got so many wonderful tracks and I think my favourite is 'A Woman Like You' where the woman asks her man how his life would have turned out if he hadn't met her. And Lee Brice goes on to list all the things he would have done like more fishing and golfing, more jamming with his band, being a better football fan, owning a dirt bike and stocking up on cold beer... the typical bachelor life. After he's done pulling her leg, he leans in close and whispers in her ear that he isn't that good at golfing or fishing, but he loves the sound of her name, he loves watching her do yoga, he loves her fried chicken and he'd readily accept his life with her and wouldn't trade a single day of it for the carefree bachelor days of the past. How beautiful is that, my heart always skips a beat listening to him sing this. Beiber, perry, rihanna, gaga, eminem and almost everybody on the pop channel... that is how you create a song with substance, by meaningful lyrics.

Moving on to the next song that really shook me 'That's When you Know it's Over'... I was blown away by this song. There are a lot of breakup songs out there, everybody has their own way of dealing with a breakup. Luke Bryan likes to make love one last time by telling her 'Rest your head on my bed and love me like you loved me when you loved me and didn't even have to try'... yeah, that's a line from his song Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye. Lady Antebellum resort to calling each other in the dead of night and whining about how much they desperately need each other, for the record I really like these two songs. But Lee Brice's song is well past this desperate, whiny and heartbroken phase... he sings with conviction that when you don't feel hit by a train at the sound of her name, or when you're not afraid of the song that is playing on the radio, and when it doesn't take all the strength you have to keep from dialing her number... that's when you know it's over, that's when you know you've made it to the other side. And he ends beautifully with 'knowing that she is happy finally feels good'... it's a powerfully uplifting song, and I wasn't even in the breakup phase. Then imagine how much more this song will mean to people who are actually going through a terrible heartbreak. 

Okay moving on to the next powerful song 'I Drive your Truck', initially I thought this was some typical country song about pick up trucks and four wheel drive. But as I listened to the lyrics I started to tear up, it's a heartwarming song about death... this guy loses his brother (who is in the army) and he drives his brother's truck to feel closer to him. The mother asks him to visit the grave but the singer sings about the eighty nine cents that is left in the ashtray, and the half empty bottle of Gatorade that is rolling on the floorboard, dog tags are hanging on the rear view mirror,  an Army shirt is folded in the back seat, and he cranks up the volume to the last country station his brother was listening to. He sings that his brother would probably punch his arm if he (the brother) saw that tear sliding down his cheek. It's poignant and emotions run deep when you listen to this... Lee Brice sings that everybody has their way of coping (with death) and his way is by driving his brother's truck. 

Then there's this beautiful song called 'Don't believe everything you think' where the girl thinks that her guy is not the commitment type and wonders whether he will ever be able to settle down with her. To this Lee Brice croons, telling her to reel her wild imagination right back in cause he might have a ring in his pocket right now and that she shouldn't believe everything she thinks... too cute for words. Then there's an incredible song about friendship where they sit around relaying old stories about late night rides and the fights, the girls they hung out with, and all the talks they had on old dirt roads that somehow changed their lives and he ends the chorus with 'Here's to the nights we don't remember and the friends we won't forget'. How true is that...

This is one fine album, there are many other nice tracks like 'See about a girl', 'Seven days a Thousand times', 'Life off my years' and another favourite of mine 'Hard to Love'. I really love this guy, you should see his live performances... he really gets into the song, and the effect is incredible. This cuddly bear of a man smiling and strumming away on his guitar, a devastating combination.


No one's probably gonna read this far... unless they happen to be a crazy country music fan like me. I just thought you should know that Lee Brice is one of the best entertainers out there, and such really talented ones are like warm rays of sunshine... they soothe the soul. 

Comments

Sarah P Ramya said…
Love the review to the core and I totally agree with your views about Lee Brice and his lovely songs with soulful lyrics
Myrna R. said…
Must admit - I don't know him or his music. But based on your opinion, he must be wonderful. It sounds like he's so creative and full of heart.
Lynn said…
Hi Karen, So nice of you to stop by my blog and leave a sweet comment. Yes, am enjoying my summer hiatus. I, too, enjoyed this music review even though, I, too, do not know of Lee Brice or his music, but you have intrigued me to the core and I think I enjoyed him. For me, the break up song was Patsy Cline's, "I fall to pieces". Haven't broken up in a long, long while so not up on great artists of today, but truly liked reading your review. Happy end of summer! PS, I am an only child and my cousins had 6 kids in their family, sounds just like your home growing up....I so wanted to be a part of something like that! Lucky you.
Like Myrna, I haven't heard of him. Should check him out!

Thanks for the reco.

Joy always,
Susan
I am hearing his songs . . . soulful!!!

"Beiber, perry, rihanna, gaga, eminem and almost everybody on the pop channel . . ." BETTER LISTEN AND REPENT.
Unknown said…
Loved this!
Love Lee Brice
Agree completely!!!!
Unknown said…
Thank you for posting this! It's awesome and I read all the way to the bottom. Lee's CD is in my car CD player and has been since I bought it as soon as it came out. I have not taken it out yet!!! I listen to it every day. Hard 2 Love is my favorite as it has a heartfelt meaning to me in my life right now. Sometime I cry when I hear it and sometimes I'm angry, but always I LOVE it and what it says. The rest is awesome too! Seven Days is incredible - the first time I heard that was on Kenny's Hemingway's Whiskey and I fell in love with it.

Like you, That's when you know it's over is another favorite! And, Woman like you! Cannot and will not stop listening! And I tell EVERYONE about him!!

Thanks for sharing!!!
Sharon
Anonymous said…
Great review on him! I like his music and love how the break up song helps a little! I am going through A break up but i know songs about moving forward will help! Thanks!
Anonymous said…
I am one of thos crazed country fans, and I absolutely agree with your review of Lee's CD, it's the best out there, and his lyrics are so full of emotion. He's also a great guy from my home state, South Carolina! This album belongs at the top of the charts
Bess said…
He's our home boy! Go Sumter... The only thing I don't like it how big he's gotten... Probably won't be playing at Shuckers or Chuckwagon anymore :( his brother, Lewis, is awesome too!
Bess said…
And my favorite song is Sumter County Friday night..... Love ya Lee!
Candice said…
Hey i just read this and i actually feel like listening to his songs :D
Very nice review :)
Tina said…
Those of you who don't know who Lee is, you do not know what your missing! Run, don't walk, but run to the closest store and get both his albums! You won't be disappointed! I promise!!!! Awesome review!! This is an amazing album! Can't wait to see Lee and the band again next month!!
Unknown said…
well put lee is a great song writer and singer love him dearly i go and see him every chance i get

thanks for posting
Karen Xavier said…
Thanks everybody... appreciate you dropping over.
Unknown said…
Hello,

My name is Kyle Chambers, I’m a co-founder of emurg.com,
a website dedicated to bringing up and coming bands into the spotlight. We
exclusively review unknown, independent, and new bands in an attempt to
provide bands the push they need to break out into the national music
scene. We are relatively new on the web, but we are excited to say we are
growing faster than we could have hoped! We are looking for established
and talented music reviewers to join us in our endeavor to promote small
but exceptional bands. We came across your website and you caught
our eye as someone we think would fit well with our team.

The emurg process is simple. To promote integrity and trust in the new
music scene we always ask permission to review an album, and do not share
music with anyone unless given explicit permission. Our seasoned staff
reviews the albums and then we promote them through a variety of social
media outlets. We run giveaway contests through these channels so that
eager fans across North America can get a taste of great new music. We are
not here to degrade any band’s music; if we like it we will review it, if
we don’t, we won’t review it.

Please take a moment to check out our site at www.emurg.com. We are
constantly growing and searching for new music. It would be our pleasure
to welcome you as the newest member of our team if you are interested.
Feel free to contact me with any questions, comments, or hopefully to
accept our offer!

I look forward to hearing from you!

Kyle Chambers
kyle@emurg.com
www.emurg.com

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