Originally from Georgia, Jon Langston got his start in country music when he opened for Chase Rice at a local bar in 2013, before his independently released EP ‘Showtime’ broke into the Billboard Country Albums chart two years later. Since then he’s put out another self-titled EP, performed on the Grand Ole Opry and toured alongside Luke Bryan as well as a string of summer shows in his own right. Now he’s releasing his long awaited debut LP, ‘Heart On Ice’, having written 11 of the project’s 14 songs.
The album opens with the title track – one of three Langston wasn’t involved in writing – and if I’m totally honest, it’s not the strongest start. Layering sharp chords over trap beats, it sees Langston singing about swearing off relationships after being burned one too many times. Although I like that the song highlights the gravel and depth in his vocal, as well as featuring some nice soulful touches in the chorus, it does feel a little too familiar somehow and doesn’t necessarily grab me in the way I’d want from an opening track, although it’s certainly not a bad listen.
That said, it absolutely isn’t all bad and the record definitely improves as it goes. ‘Beer In A Bar’, with its stomping drums, twangy melody and twist in the chorus, highlights Langston’s storytelling and feels like a proper ‘hands in the air’ live moment, whilst ‘Dirt Roads And Diamonds’ sees him almost rapping in places as he affectionately references meeting a long-time love wearing an Alabama shirt on a random night out and ‘Day In The 90s’ is a swaggering summer anthem with smart lines about ‘the summer showed up knocking at my door’, distorted vocal effects and nods to ‘Chattahoochee’ and ‘I Like It I Love It’. I also liked the poppy intro and quick vocal delivery on ‘Better Off’ and the confident yet romantic ‘Ain’t No Cowboy’, where Langston plants his flag as being ‘a different kind of country’ but still sharing those values of family and hard work – and being the most traditional country-sounding song on the record.
For me Langston particularly shines on the more mellow tracks on the album. ‘Where’s That Girl’, a nostalgic look back at an ex who moved to the big city, has a bittersweet, introspective feel, and the haunting, cinematic ‘Never Left Me’ has an almost sparkling quality to its melody as well as an edge in Langston’s delivery that shows he hasn’t quite totally moved on from his ex. Elsewhere, ‘If You Ever Leave Atlanta’ references heading ‘north on 75’ whilst stopping at a local gas station chain and allowing Langston to show off some of his vocal tricks, whilst ‘Grandaddy’s Watch’ is a beautiful, warm track with a smooth vocal quality and some really vivid details (right down to the brand of cigar) that’s reminiscent of Ashley McBryde’s ‘The Jacket’. You really feel the connection between Langston and his grandfather and there’s some great wordplay in the chorus too.
However, I do feel there are a couple of missed opportunities too. ‘I Ain’t Country’, Langston’s duet with fellow Georgia boy Travis Denning, is a good ol’ boys anthem with a Guns N’ Roses-esque guitar lick and a strong sense of home state pride, but it can dip a little into sludgy territory and it’s difficult to distinguish their individual vocals in parts. Elsewhere, ‘Whiskey Does’ offers an alternative, smart take on a breakup song, but feels like it never really gets going for me, particularly on the chorus.
Langston closes the project with two acoustic-led tracks. ‘Wrong Side Of The Bottle’ is a wistful number that puts the emphasis on his vocals, highlighting his Southern drawl, and lyrically echoes back to an old relationship, returning to the bar where they shared their first shot and first dance. You really feel the emotion in the song and it’s nice to see that slightly softer side of him. Closer ‘May Magnolia’ is a complete contrast, with its upbeat, slightly jangly melody and optimistic lyrics as Langston sings joyfully about getting through dark times and looking forward to brighter days ahead. Although they’re both very different, it ends the album on a really strong note and it’s something I’d like to see him explore more of on another project.
Overall Langston has delivered a solid debut album with plenty to like about it. His vocals are strong throughout and I like the level of detail he puts into his lyrics, as well as the range of styles and influences the record covers. It can get a little samey in places, particularly early on, and I do think he’s stronger on the songs he writes himself, but there’s definitely a lot of good stuff here and I’ll be interesting to see what direction he decides to pursue musically in the future.
Track listing: 1. Heart On Ice 2. Beer In A Bar 3. I Ain’t Country (featuring Travis Denning) 4. Whiskey Does 5. Where’s That Girl 6. Never Left Me 7. Dirt Roads And Diamonds 8. Grandaddy’s Watch 9. Day In The 90s 10. Ain’t No Cowboy 11. Better Off 12. If You Ever Leave Atlanta 13. Wrong Side Of The Bottle 14. May Magnolia Record label: 32 Bridge Entertainment/EMI Records Nashville/Snakefarm Release date: 8th September 2023
