Granger Smith - When the Good Guys Win (2017) [Official Digital Download]

No one lives forever. The only thing we're promised in this life is for it to be over. When my time on this earth is finished, I hope to be satisfied by the successes I created for myself by working hard and not missing chances when they came. The last thing I'd want to be left with is, "why didn't I?" I'm a firm believer that hard work pays off and I find a fellow champion of that philosophy in rising country music star Granger Smith with the release of his newest studio album, When The Good Guys Win.

Granger Smith is a Texas native who has been working relentlessly to breakthrough in country music since 1999, when he was just 19 years old cutting raw demos at Texas A&M. Years and years of low-paying gigs, financial troubles and failure to gain traction on the radio were finally obscured in early 2016 when his single "Backroad Song" topped the Billboard Country Airplay chart. The track appeared on his major label debut Remington that same spring, an album that produced another top 10 hit in "If the Boot Fits." Eighteen months later, Smith is already back with new material, and it's an album sure to catapult him and his career further into the stratosphere.

Scrawled across this album's forty-nine minute runtime are tracks that appeal to the masses and can compete with contemporary country without ripping it off. Opening track "Gimme Something" is very poppy, though finds its groove later in the track with strong vocals from Smith and solid neo-traditional country instrumentals. "Raise Up Your Glass" follows a similar vain, with eerie synths and basslines implanted to get the party started. Promotional single "You're in It" is much more rooted in Smith's older brand of country as he sings to a new lover that their future together is bright. Meanwhile, current radio single "Happens Like That" steals the show as an album highlight with pulsating synths and R&B undertones as Smith sings of life changing when you least expect it.

Smith wrote the majority of this album's lyrics alongside his own songwriting machine and I have to wonder if some of these lyrics were particularly resonant for him to put on paper. As mentioned, he's worked hard and long just to get this far in his career and it must feel validating to sing songs of how life can turn on a dime and things can finally work in your favor, as evidenced by the damn good title track "When The Good Guys Win."

On this track, Smith paints a picture of a man who works hard, almost tirelessly, because he knows his beautiful bride and a piece of land are waiting for him when he gets home. This incredibly resourceful emotional through-line is the true bedrock of the album, punctuating both the overall tone and the overarching theme of the album. "Still Holds Up" shows Smith will never forget where he came from, as sunny imagery of his mother's home cooking and how his grandparents' marriage has stood the test of time are backed up by more traditional country instrumentals.

"Stutter", while incredibly poppy, almost to a fault, is forgiven by Smith's convincing performance as a mature vocalist with a masculine, refined brand of pop country. The track would not be out of place among some of the year's most "un-country" radio releases (i.e. Sam Hunt), but the production value is strong and the symbolism is appropriate for this kind of composition. "Never Too Old" is sure to put a smile on your face with its message of having fun and enjoying your youth while it lasts. "Don't Tread On Me" is a hilarious return of Smith's popular, wacky alter ego Earl Dibbles Jr and "Home Cooked Meal" closes the album on a much more slowed pace, trading all the bells and whistles in for an acoustic guitar and lyrics about how the world can seem too fast and lonely sometimes. It's an appropriate way for Smith to close out what is easily the album of his young career.

When The Good Guys Win is a masterpiece sure to take Granger Smith further towards the pantheon of country music's elite he's been chasing for almost two decades. While some tracks might rely a bit heavily on the poppy basslines and I wouldn't expect too many of these to become live show staples, there are still tons of damn good jams to be found here and all the while, Smith performs them without sacrificing his own identity or selling out to modern trends. To summate my primary feelings towards this album, the answer is yes; I do love it when the good guys win. And it's both anchoring and inspiring to see someone as talented, hard working and honest to God as Granger Smith finally coming face to face with the success and attention he deserves.

Tracklist:

01. Gimme Something
02. You're In It
03. Raise Up Your Glass
04. Happens Like That
05. Still Holds Up
06. When the Good Guys Win
07. Everybody Lives
08. Stutter
09. Never Too Old
10. Love Ain't Blind
11. 4 Wheel Drive
12. Reppin' My Roots
13. Don't Tread on Me (feat. Earl Dibbles Jr.)
14. Home Cooked Meal



All thanks go to the original releaser