Released in August 2024, Thomas Rhett’s seventh studio album, ‘About a Woman,' saw him continuing to evolve while remaining anchored in his country roots. The project drew heavy inspiration from different eras Rhett and his wife Lauren have experienced together, threading a subtle conceptual unity through the collection. While it wasn't a strict concept album, its emotional through-line was clear: love, memory, growth and devotion.
From the start, Rhett leant into a versatile musical palette. The opener ‘Fool' brings snappy lyrics and playful energy, while ‘Overdrive' revisits his early romance with Lauren in a particularly vivid, storytelling-driven way. Songs like ‘Gone Country' and ‘Beautiful As You' blend modern pop production with traditional country sensibilities, offering catchy hooks without losing emotional weight.
Mid-album, Rhett pushes his songwriting and production boundaries: the soulful ‘Can’t Love You Anymore' explores double meanings in its phrasing, and ‘Church' nods to Eric Church lyrically while grounding itself in Rhett’s own voice. ‘What Could Go Right' builds to a sweeping, anthemic chorus, and ‘Boots' taps into rockabilly and honky-tonk influences—yet Rhett keeps cohesion through steady themes of love and reflection.
Standouts include ‘Country for California' (with its West Coast leanings) and the moody, bluesy ‘Somethin’ ‘Bout a Woman.' But the album’s true bold move is ‘I Don’t Wanna Dance,' which repurposes the structure of Whitney Houston’s ‘I Wanna Dance With Somebody' into a heartache-driven statement—transforming an enduring melody into emotional resonance. The closing ‘I Could Spend Forever Loving You' is a tender ballad that grounds the album in its core theme: unwavering commitment. Ultimately, ‘About a Woman' succeeded as a cohesive, genre-flexing tribute to love and devotion.
With the deluxe edition, Rhett takes the already expansive album and stretches its emotional and stylistic range even further. Expanding from 14 to 25 tracks, the new version offers both fresh material and deeper layers of the themes explored on the original album. It’s less about reshaping the core project and more about widening the lens—inviting listeners to experience more textures, more stories, and more glimpses of the relationship at the heart of it all.
The deluxe edition immediately signals its intent with ‘Water,' a funky, laid-back number built on a heartbeat-like rhythm. With reggae tinges and shades of Jason Mraz, Rhett once again pays tribute to his wife Lauren, singing lines like “I wouldn’t be surprised if one day I saw you walking on the water.” It’s a clever, chilled entry point that slots neatly into the album’s core themes of love and devotion, grounding the expanded project in the same intimate territory that made the original so cohesive.
‘Chapter 10' and ‘On a River' extend that intimacy in different ways. The former, a wistful acoustic ballad laced with pedal steel and fiddle, takes a unique angle by focusing on a breakup moment in Rhett and Lauren’s relationship, cleverly framed as just one chapter in a longer love story. The latter is tender and restrained, capturing the couple’s youthful dreams of family life by a riverbank—a nostalgic yet hopeful vision that underlines Rhett’s gift for heartfelt storytelling. Together, these tracks deepen the personal narrative of the record.
Rhett also stretches outward with collaborations that broaden the album’s sonic palette. ‘Ain’t a Bad Life,' featuring Jordan Davis, delivers a radio-ready, mid-tempo country anthem celebrating love, family and faith. ‘Old Tricks,' with Blake Shelton, leans into 90s honky-tonk flair, pairing humour with reflection on ageing and maturity. Elsewhere, Rhett embraces playful energy with ‘Bottle With Your Name On It' and ‘Small Town Girls,' (with Tucker Wetmore) both of which lean toward pop-funk grooves that showcase his versatility while keeping one foot in country-pop tradition.
That funk-pop streak continues with ‘I’m That Guy' and ‘Dance With You,' songs that channel Rhett’s Bruno Mars influence through infectious rhythms, bass-driven production, and even disco flourishes. These tracks are tailor-made for clubs and live stages, yet they never feel disconnected from the project’s emotional core. They serve as lighter, more playful counterpoints to the tender storytelling ballads, striking a balance between Rhett’s two musical worlds.
A couple of re-imagined duets bring the deluxe package to a memorable close. Lanie Gardner adds a fresh female perspective to ‘What Could Go Right,' softening its electronic edges in favour of a warmer, more traditional arrangement, while Teddy Swims’ soulful presence elevates ‘Something ‘Bout a Woman' into a powerhouse anthem. Together with the new songs, these collaborations enrich the project’s themes of love, longevity and gratitude. Ultimately, the deluxe edition strengthens ‘About a Woman' by widening its stylistic reach without sacrificing the heart that drives it.
Track list: 1. Fool 2. Overdrive 3. Gone Country 4. Beautiful As You 5. Can’t Love You Anymore 6. After All The Bars Are Closed 7. Church 8. Back To Blue 9. Country For California 10. Somethin’ ‘Bout A Woman 11. What Could Go Right 12. Boots 13. Don’t Wanna Dance 14. I Could Spend Forever Loving You 15. Somethin’ ‘Bout a Woman (ft. Teddy Swims)16. What Could Go Right (ft. Lanie Gardner) 17. Small Town Girls (Ft. Tucker Wetmore) 18. I’m That Guy 19. Dance With You 20. Ain’t A Bad Life (ft. Jordan Davis) 21. Old Tricks (ft. Blake Shelton) 22. Bottle With Your Name On It 23. Water 24. Chapter 10 25. On A River Release Date: September 26th Record Label: The Valory Music Co. Buy ‘Something About a Woman: Deluxe' right here
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