It's amazing to think that with new album, ‘About A Woman,' Thomas Rhett is now on lucky number seven when it comes to albums, with over 20 number one hits under his belt. Throughout his career, Thomas Rhett has continued to evolve as an artist, experimenting with different sounds while staying true to his country roots.
Rhett has released seven successful albums now, including ‘Life Changes' (2017) and ‘Center Point Road' (2019), both of which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, making him one of the few country artists to achieve such a feat. Known for his relatable lyrics and charismatic stage presence, Rhett has won numerous awards, including ACM Awards, CMA Awards, and Billboard Music Awards. Beyond his music, Thomas Rhett is also a dedicated family man, often drawing inspiration from his wife Lauren and their children, which adds a personal and authentic touch to his songwriting. Nowhere is this more in evidence than on new album, ‘About a Woman' which is inspired by the different eras that Rhett and his wife have lived through together. As I told him in our recent interview (read it right here), it's not really a concept album but it is an album with a strong concept.
The album opens with ‘Fool,' a classic Rhett track that sets the tone with snappy lyrics, funky rhythms, and a playful energy. Rhett's storytelling shines in ‘Overdrive,' where he nostalgically recounts his first date with Lauren, blending slick production with relatable lyrics. ‘Gone Country' and ‘Beautiful as You' showcase Rhett's ability to merge modern pop elements with his signature country style, resulting in tracks that are as catchy as they are meaningful. The former, in particular, with it's hypnotic rhythm and bass-heavy sound feels like a Wallen-adjacent song that could have a big life of it's own outside the confines of the album.
As the album progresses, Rhett continues to explore the various sounds and themes that have characterised his work on albums like ‘Tangled Up' and ‘Life Changes.' From the laid-back, soulful vibe of ‘Can't Love You Anymore' in which Rhett's songwriting skills shine through on the double meaning of the title to the nostalgic and clever tribute in ‘Church' where he weaves Eric Church lyrics into his own narrative, Rhett pushes the boundaries of modern Country whilst helping to define them at the same time.
Elsewhere there's a charming versatility to the sounds and styles on offer. ‘What Could Go Right' builds through a normal verse to an explosive, almost Coldplay-esque chorus that finds Rhett urging the girl to take a chance on him and them as couple. There is real joy here and an anthemic, singalong uplifting chorus with the guitars and drums elevating it into the stratosphere as two friends take a chance and become lovers. ‘Boots,' meanwhile finds Rhett channeling his inner Yoakam and Elvis on a fun, frivolous rock ‘n' roll meets rockabilly number full of bar room guitars and honky tonk pianos. You couldn't get two different, contrasting styles but in the skilful hands of Thomas Rhett there is a binding style and narrative that feels both right and appropriate.
Standout tracks like ‘Country for California' and the very sexy ‘Somethin' ‘Bout A Woman' demonstrate Rhett's versatility, with the former echoing West Coast influences and the latter diving into bluesy, late-night grooves but it is on ‘I Don't Wanna Dance' where we see the biggest ‘OMG' moment of the album. Here we find writer Ryan Hurd, himself going through a public divorce from Maren Morris, bemoaning having to move on from a relationship unwillingly. All fine and good, you might think, but then the chorus comes in and it’s a re-working of Whitney Houston’s iconic ‘I Wanna Dance With Somebody!' Using the same structure and melody but flipping the lyrics to now mean, ‘I don’t wanna dance with somebody, if that somebody ain’t you.' It's going to be the most talked about song on the album, this anthemic, uplifting song about missing the person who has left you and finding yourself not ready to move on and so it should be. Kudos to both Hurd and Rhett for working this up into being what could be another number one for Rhett with a fair wind.
The album closes with ‘I Could Spend Forever Loving You,' a tender ballad and, notably, for a singer who has built a career out of relatable love songs, the only one of its kind on the album. It perfectly encapsulates the album's overarching theme of love and commitment and is brilliantly positioned as closer to bring to an end to this personal and passionate project.
Throughout ‘About a Woman' Rhett's ability to blend different genres whilst staying true to his country roots makes this album a compelling and cohesive tribute to the woman who has been his muse from the beginning. As we said at the top, ‘About a Woman' isn't a concept album but it is an album with a really strong concept. The tales and stories told within are also relatable and universal enough to echo backwards and forwards throughout the generations, pulling the listener into the spell that Rhett weaves and evoking times and memories of your own. That, there, folks, is the lightning in the bottle that Thomas Rhett holds.
Tracklist: 1. Fool 2. Overdrive 3. Gone Country 4. Beautiful As You 4. Can't Love You Anymore 5. After All the Bars Are Closed 6. Church 7. Back to Blue 8. Country for California 9. Somethin' ‘Bout a Woman 10. What Could Go Right 11. Boots 12. Don't Wanna Dance 13. I Could Spend Forever Loving You Release Date: August 23rd Record Label: Big Machine Buy ‘About a Woman' right here.
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