On Tuesday, June 9th, country music’s up-and-coming A Thousand Horses will release their debut studio album, titled ‘Southernality.’ Described as a fusion of classic sounds wrapped up in a modern-country context, A Thousand Horses put together an album of 13 tracks, all of which were at least co-written by one band member. With a number one single already off the album, the highly-anticipated album has something for everyone, as New England Country Music found out when we were given an advanced listen of ‘Southernality.’ Check out our review of the album below and make sure you get your copy of ‘Southernality’ on June 9th.
1.) ‘First Time’ – Written by Michael Hobby, Bill Satcher, and Patrick Davis.
Impression: A Thousand Horses kick the album off with a bang! You almost get an old school Rock ‘n Roll sound, or even a little bit of Rolling Stones from ‘First Time.’ The track describes a guy who doesn’t usually fall in love but there’s something about this woman that has him hooked. And let us tell you, you’ll fall in love with this song on the ‘First Time’ you listen to it, just like we did.
Favorite Lyric: I ain’t scared of any man I meet. But for your love, I’m helpless, helpless. S.O.S. rollin’ in the deep…
2.) ‘Heaven is Close’ – Written by Michael Hobby, Bill Satcher, and Graham DeLoach.
Impression: Have you ever had that desire to just get in your car and just drive off? We know we have and that’s pretty much what this song is all about. Just getting out into this awesome country we live in, discovering new places, with good weather and good company, and no need for anything more. Frontman, Michael Hobby, definitely shows off his vocals in this track that gives the song great depth.
Favorite Lyric: ‘Cause there’s a million miles of road. Take us anywhere we wanna go. With the win in your hair, and the sunset burnin’ gold…
3.) ‘Smoke’ – Written by Michael Hobby, Ross Copperman, and Jon Nite.
Impression: Not much to really say about this song… Since just last week it was the number one song on country radio! Fans love it, and we do too. Michael Hobby recently told us, “It’s a relationship song about someone you can’t have or know you shouldn’t have but it’s an addictive thing. It’s a romantic love song in a way.”
Favorite Lyric: She’ll go floating around like a downtown ballroom gypsy. She goes great with ice cold beer or a shot of whiskey…
4.) ‘Travelin’ Man’ – Written by Michael Hobby, Bill Satcher, and Jaren Johnston.
Impression: Outside of ‘Smoke,’ it’s our favorite song on the album and when we found out that The Cadillac Three’s Jaren Johnston co-wrote the song, we were not surprised as he is prone to write hit after hit. And you can definitely feel a little TC3 vibe in this song with tons of energy and legitimate Southern rock, especially with the incredible harmonica that the song features. We’d love to see this track become a single as we have had it on repeat from first listen!
Favorite Lyric: Got my Aviators and my cigarette lighter. My leather jacket, I’m a jet fighter…
5.) ‘Tennessee Whiskey’ – Written by Michael Hobby and Bill Satcher.
Impression: ‘Tennessee Whiskey’ is not just a song about drinking but instead about dealing with a break-up and consoling himself with a glass of Tennessee whiskey. Lyrically, it’s a beautiful song that really describes that feeling after a break-up and just need a good drink to give him a little strength to help him get through it. It’s an incredible song and the music just makes it even better. Don’t miss out on this song!
Favorite Lyric: Tennessee Whiskey, tell me did you miss me? She broke my heart when she left me. Now I need you to protect me…
6.) ‘Sunday Morning’ – Written by Michael Hobby, Bill Satcher, Graham DeLoach, Zach Brown, and Rich Robinson.
Impression: You want an emotional song? Well ‘Sunday Morning’ it is. This song describes a woman who seems to not know very much about her birth or her parents but she finds a letter in a Bible that sheds some light and gives her some truth to the events surrounding her birth. We love the sound that the background singers give to ‘Sunday Morning.’
Favorite Lyric: You were born on a Sunday morning. With angels all around. You were born on a Sunday morning. Singin’ the sweetest sound…
7.) ‘Southernality’ – Written by Michael Hobby, Corey Crowder and Neil Mason.
Impression: The title track off the album and it pays homage to how they were raised, and if you have visited the south, you know what we’re talking about! An uptempo and fun song, it’s just another hit on this album!
Favorite Lyric: Boots and a buckle, that’s how we lean. Laid back, way back, simple southernality…
8.) ‘(This Ain’t No) Drunk Dial’ – Written by Michael Hobby, Corey Crowder, Neil Mason, and Cale Dodds.
Impression: Who hasn’t made that drunk call to an ex to try to reconcile but the next morning, you don’t remember doing it!? We know we’ve done it. But ‘(This Ain’t No) Drunk Dial’ looks at it from a different perspective saying that it’s not a drunk dial that they won’t remember in the morning. It’s an actual effort to try to make things better, even if they have had a few drinks. ‘(This Ain’t No) Drunk Dial’ is a song that is relatable and will be popular among A Thousand Horses’ fans.
Favorite Lyric: This ain’t no drunk dial. This ain’t no courage from a bottle. It’s just one last shot at give it all we got, yeah…
9.) ‘Landslide’ – Written by Michael Hobby, Bill Satcher and Zach Brown.
Impression: ‘Landslide’ is an actually pretty amusing song as it seems to take a shot at big wigs at record labels who try to tell artists who to be or what to sing. It’s definitely a pro-artist, rocking song that will have you stomping your foot and rocking your head to the tune. Could this be a shot at the band’s former label who had dropped them? Maybe. But we bet Big Machine is glad they did, as they signed A Thousand Horses in 2014.
Favorite Lyric: Boss man sits in his suit and tie. Always tryin’ to tell us what to sing, what to write. Couldn’t hum a tune if it hit him in the eye…
10.) ‘Back to Me’ – Written by Michael Hobby, Bill Satcher, Graham DeLoach, and Westin Davis.
Impression: Robby Turner brings some strong steel guitar to ‘Back To Me.’ The dual-perspective song seems to describe a relationship gone with the woman leaving the small town to chase her dreams and the ‘rebel boy’ still in that small town just wanting her to come back to him.
Favorite Lyric: But I’ll be the one who will set your heart free. If you come back to me…
11.) ‘Trailer Trashed’ – Written by Graham DeLoach.
Impression: The only solo effort as far as songwriting on the album, bassist Graham DeLoach brings some party to this track as it’s all about ‘partying like it’s 1969!’ It’s a fun track that shows the country party. Definitely very Southern rock with heavy guitar and drums. We love the guitar solo right at the 1:31 mark
Favorite Lyric: It’s a hometown throwdown party with some country class. Tonight we’re getting trailer trashed…
12.) ‘Hell On My Heart’ – Written by Michael Hobby, Bill Satcher, Graham DeLoach, and Zach Brown.
Impression: Similar to (This Ain’t No) Drunk Dial,’ this track seems to describe a man who is making one last effort to try to make his relationship work because losing woman is what he describes, ‘Hell On My Heart.’
Favorite Lyric: And I wanna do anything to try to make things right. I know it’s a shot in the dark. But it’s a hell on my heart…
13.) ‘Where I’m Going’ – Written by Michael Hobby, Brad Warren, and Brett Warren.
Impression: Written by lead man, Michael Hobby, as well as Brad Warren and Brett Warren, this song is pure genius. ‘Where I’m Going’ is one of our favorite tracks on the record as it just screams simplicity in that small town that we’ve all come to know and love through country music. The guy in the song left the small town, and left the girl with it. But now he’s heading back.
Favorite Lyric: Where everybody knows everybody else, ain’t no such thing as the top shelf…
From top to bottom, ‘Southernality‘ is a hit! A Thousand Horses did not just go and make their first full length studio album- they went and filled it with songs that each could be a hit on their own. It is very rare to see an album as such nowadays as many albums seem to have a handful of songs that have potential to be number ones with the rest as fillers; especially with a debut studio album like ‘Southernality.’ This may be the strongest debut album in country music in the past few years. Each song has the lyrics, the music, and the vocals to become singles and hits. It would be a crying shame if this album does not hit the top of the country albums charts.
Bravo, A Thousand Horses. Job VERY well done.
Get your copy of A Thousand Horses’ ‘Southernality‘ on iTunes here.
