I love a good concept album, although they don’t pass my desk too regularly in the country music scene and certainly not as a debut album. However, The Nashvillains seem to be a group that goes against the grain and defies the norm.
The nine track album was written completely by the members of The Nashvillains and aims to take you on a journey. The record tells the story of a man trying to get his life back on track after a series of bad decisions. It opens with the eerie ‘Devil Don’t Sleep’ the long sustained notes are well executed in the verses whilst the production perfectly compliments the story. It is a strong opener that introduces us to the group.
The stand out track is the title track, with it’s sombre tone it speaks to us all especially after the last few years. Melodically it’s beautifully crafted as that chorus becomes memorable but it’s the lyrics that truly shine ‘Memories in your head you can’t forget’.
The trio have all had prolific careers writing and composing music for artists such as Keith Urban, The Chicks and Travis Tritt to name a few but have united as one to bring this outlaw-country flavour back to the genre. It’s a really strong record for the trio and I look forward to where they can go from here if they stay true to their sound.
