Atlanta native Blanco Brown is probably best known for his global smash hit debut single ‘The Git Up’. Complete with dance routine, the track went viral with over four billion views on social media, as well as topping the Billboard Country Songs chart for 12 weeks. Since the song’s success, Brown has released his debut album ‘Honeysuckle & Lightning Bugs’ and worked with artists including Parmalee on their platinum-selling collaboration ‘Just The Way’. Now, after recovering from a major accident, he’s back with his latest EP, ‘Heartache & Lemonade’.
The four-track EP opens with ‘Energy’, the shortest song on the project and probably its most emotional. Brown has spoken on social media about writing the song from the perspective of witnessing domestic violence, and this adds a dark twist to the wistful, mellow number. The layers of fiddle and sparse beats marry well with Brown’s raw yet soulful vocals, especially when he hits the high notes, and you can really feel the pain emanating from his delivery. It’s clear this song comes from the heart and it’s very much a highlight of the project – not what you might expect, but absolutely showing his growth as an artist.
That undercurrent of vulnerability is something that cuts through the rest of the record, particularly in the spoken word sections on the next two tracks. ‘Tailgating In The Sun’, initially a laid-back piano-led romantic number that celebrates being grateful for the small things in life, sees Brown channelling his inner Darius Rucker over a bluesy guitar melody before opening up about his past romantic experiences. Meanwhile, ‘Good As It Gets’ has a bittersweet quality, with its delicate feel and a fragility about Brown’s vocals on the big soaring chorus. He bursts into a scream at one point before reflecting on how he ‘was never really the bold type’ and yearning to go back to 1997. Seeing him explore different sides to himself like this is really interesting and I’m intrigued to see if this is something he’ll pursue further down the line.
The EP closes with lead single ‘Sunshine, Shine’, arguably the most conventional track of the quartet. With its clap-along rhythm and poppy, upbeat vibe, it allows Brown to be a little more playful than the earlier songs, as well as having some clever wordplay and references to the likes of red Solo cups and ‘my favourite Yeti’. The dance moves mentioned at the end are a nice echo back to ‘The Git Up’ and it leaves things on an uplifting, positive note.
Overall Blanco Brown has shown that he’s ready to take the next step forward with his music, highlighting his blend of country, hip-hop and soul (or ‘trailer trap’ in his own words) as well as great smooth vocals with a touch of Southern drawl and a more mature side of his lyrics that some fans might be surprised by. Whilst there’s definitely enough stuff to feature on your summer playlist, it shows that he’s not a one-trick pony, and that there is definitely more to dig into in the future. It’s possibly one of the most surprising projects of the year so far – in a good way – and given the promise on display I’m looking forward to seeing where he might go next.
Track listing: 1. Energy 2. Tailgating In The Sun 3. Good As It Gets 4. Sunshine Shine Record label: TrailerTrapMusic LLC / BMG Rights Management (US) LLC / Wheelhouse Records Release date: 5th April 2024
