He’s a former NCAA division 1 football player, reality TV star, and NASCAR pit crew member. He also co-wrote the best-selling country digital song of all time, which we all know as Florida Georgia Line’s ‘Cruise.’ But it is now his time to shine. Chase Rice is set to release his first record under a major record label, titled ‘Ignite the Night,’ on Tuesday, August 19th and we were lucky enough to get our hands on an advanced copy of it. After our first listen of the entire album, we loved it! There’s a bunch of songs that are potential number ones and a number of songs that seem to be very meaningful that will allow people to relate to Chase and his music- and I think that is the ultimate goal of any songwriter.
1.) ‘Ready Set Roll’ – Written by Chris DeStefano, Rhett Atkins, and Chase Rice.
Impression: It’s an upbeat and fun song that anyone can easily enjoy whether you’re a country music fan or not, whether you are a Chase Rice fan or not. It’s tough to not like this song. It should be the intro song to every single one of his concerts going forward. It will hype the crowd up and get them ready for an unforgettable show.
Favorite Lyric: I made a deal with the man on the moon, he’s gonna put in some overtime, we got all night. Ready set let’s roll. Ready, set, let’s ride.
2.) ‘Do It Like This’ – Written by Dallas Davidson, Chris DeStefano, and Ashley Gorley.
Impression: When you listen to this song, all you are going to be able to picture is a bunch of guys, driving their trucks out to the middle of nowhere in the country, and having a damn good time. Tailgates down, music blaring from the trucks’ speakers, bonfire blazing. Nothing fancy. Chase says, “If you ain’t doing what’s in this song, get your ass to the smallest town nearby and find a party likes this. You’ll realize what the fuss is all about!”
Favorite Lyric: Mmm, so c’mon, shake your moneymaker; oh, you ain’t nothing but a heartbreaker. Yeah, girl you’re killing me, I gotta take you out for a midnight ride.
3.) ‘Beach Town’ – Written by Chris DeStefano, Joe Nite, and Chase Rice.
Impression: The sounds of seagulls and waves crashing into the shore immediately brings you to the feeling of a beach town. For me, it brings me to Newport, RI where I lived for five great years. The song describes that summer love that all of us have had at least once in our life. Summer goes by too fast and at the summer, despite any attempts to stall the end of summer from coming, you have to go your own ways. This song is easy relatable and one of our favorites on the album.
Favorite Lyric: Bleach blonde, salt, sand, tide, Ferris wheel, make out ride, soaking the summer in, Coppertone glistening, tracing the tattoos on your skin.
4.) ‘Mmm Girl’ – Written by Rodney Clawson, Lynn Hutton, and Chase Rice.
Impression: This could end up being one of the biggest tracks on the album. It will be a hit with every live crowd for Chase. The song is all about seeing a girl all dolled up and out with her friends, having a good time, and all you can say is ‘Mmm.’ Fellas, you know all about this.
Favorite Lyric: You got me buzzing like a shot of Jack Honey in the summer.
5.) ‘Beer With The Boys’ – Written by Chris DeStefano, Ashley Gorley, and Chase Rice.
Impression: I really like this song. In the song, Chase leaves the guys and drops everything to go and hang with a girl and it is so worth it. Hey, it happens sometimes. Sometimes hanging with that special girl is better than hanging with the guys.
Favorite Lyric: I was up, a hundred bucks, when you hit me with that text, folded on a full house and threw my truck in fifth gear.
6.) ‘Carolina Can’ – Written by Scooter Carusoe and Chase Rice.
Impression: Song about living in a small town growing up and when you need to find yourself again, there’s only one place that can do it- that small town. Makes me think that when Chase is touring and overwhelmed with everything going on with his life in the music industry and such, or maybe when he is not acting like the person he was brought up to be, there is only one place to go: Carolina.
Favorite Lyric: A ring that we earned because we owned the state, a tombstone with my daddy’s name.
7.) ‘ We Goin’ Out’ – Written by Chris DeStefano, Shane Minor, and Chase Rice.
Impression: It’s pretty obvious that Chase is writing and singing about going out with his friends. And it is the perfect song to listen to before going out on the town. Definitely a fun song.
Favorite Lyric: We got the crew in the crewcab rocking that Rebel flag, all hats back like a redneck rat pack
8.) ‘Gonna Wanna Tonight’ – Written by Shane McAnally, Jon Nite, and Jimmy Robbins.
Impression: It’s one of the few songs on the album that Chase did not co-write. Song about doing whatever a girl wants and in return hope she’s gonna wanna… you know the rest. The song really paints the picture of a small town, country vibe. Water towers, fishing docks, under the stars.
Favorite Lyric: Fill up the night air, with the radio, and put your hands wherever they wanna go. Yeah, we’re right there. Girl, just close your eyes.
9.) ‘Look At My Truck’ – Written by Cole Taylor and Chase Rice.
Impression: Chase says, “I’ve been a pickup truck guy since I was a little kid.” And this song is all about his truck and if you want to learn about him, just look at his truck. Sure, it has the ‘truck’ theme as so many other country music songs do. But this one is different. This one has a deeper meaning.
Favorite Lyric: If you wanna get to, get to, know me, it ain’t that hard, it’s sitting on some Goodyears down in the yard, got some dents, got some dings, been my best friend since I was sixteen, baptized in dirty water, handed down to me from my father.
10.) ‘U Turn’ – Written by Zach Crowell, Shane Minor, and Chase Rice.
Impression: It’s a fun song about a girl that Chase sees in a bar that makes his head turn. All of us guys know what this is like. One thing that I really like about this song, is that Chase ‘talks’ in parts of the song as if the listener is the girl.
Favorite Lyric: U turn, u turn the heat on, u turn every little bit of me on.
11.) ’50 Shades of Crazy’ – Written by Chris DeStefano, Jon Nite, and Chase Rice.
Impression: Christian Grey hasn’t just gotten to the ladies, he has also spread to Chase Rice in this song. There’s a girl that Chase finds to be desirable and is driving him crazy, just as Christian Grey drove women crazy with his mystery and intrigue.
Favorite Lyric: Starts with just a kiss, then we take innocent, put it in the rear view and haul ass straight to sin.
12.) ‘What’s Your Name’ – Written by Zach Crowell, Nicolle Gaylon, and Matt Jenkins.
Impression: The first question every guy asks a woman when the first meet- what’s your name? Whether the relationship be one night or 30 years, in most instances, this is the first thing ever said between two people interested in each other. But from that question you ask more questions and build off of it. It’s a unique aspect to write a song from and that’s what will make Chase successful- the unique way he looks at things and communicates them. Since listening to the song, I haven’t been able to get it out of my head!
Favorite Lyric: I can see you in the dark, I can see you in a dress. I can see your pretty head, sleeping on my chest. I can’t help it. It’s out of nowhere. Oh but girl, I gotta go there. What’s your name?
13.) ‘How She Rolls’ – Written by Brian Kelley and Chase Rice.
Impression: My favorite song on the album, even more than his current hit single ‘Ready Set Roll.’ Need I say more!?
Favorite Lyric: Summer night, in July, bottle rocket flying high, fire popping, body rocking, dropping under the moonlight.
14.) ‘Jack Daniels and Jesus’ – Written by Amanda Flynn, Brian Kelley, and Chase Rice.
Impression: This is a deep song and can be interpreted in different ways. It can be interpreted as someone fighting an addiction issue or someone just in a tough time. I particularly love the piano component of the song as it gives the song more depth than a normal instrumental would. It evokes emotion and it will be a song that many can relate to and many will turn to when they are going through a difficult time in their life.
Favorite Lyric: I’ve taken a ride in the devil’s Cadillac; I’ve been so high, I thought I wasn’t coming back. And just when I think I’m too far gone…
15.) ‘Whoa’ – Written by Russell Dickerson, Tyler Hubbard, Brian Kelley, Jesse Rice and Chase Rice.
Impression: Four of the five members who wrote ‘Cruise,’ also wrote this song. The lyrics are fun and the chorus is addictive, similar to ‘Cruise.’ But Chase is keeping this one for himself! There is no doubt that Chase will enjoy performing this song live.
Favorite Lyric: Yeah she’s sweet like a Georgia peach, wild as a honey suckle, under them jeans she’s hiding a little something something.
My take: this is a fantastic album. Maybe one of the best albums from an up and coming artist in years. The songs are relatable so fans are going to love the songs. Chase co-wrote 12 of the 15 songs on the album so I truly believe that Chase put his heart and soul into each of these songs and wouldn’t release it unless he was completely happy with it. I think this album will have no problem being certified gold and there’s definitely a chance it could go platinum with the style of songs on the record. After being the runner up on Survivor and being the co-writer of the world’s best-selling digital single, it is now Chase’s turn to shine. And with this record, he’s definitely going in the right direction.
You can pre-order Chase Rice’s album, ‘Ignite the Night,’ on iTunes here. I’d strongly recommend pre-ordering it or at least buying it when it comes out!
Chase will make a stop in Boston this fall on October 2nd at the House of Blues Boston. You can purchase tickets for that show here.