If you like your country music with a little bit of kick to it, then be sure to listen to My Kind Of Country, by Van Zant. The album was produced by Mark Wright and Justin Niebank, and features fine songwriting by not only Donnie and Johnny Van Zant, but David Lee Murphy, Craig Wiseman, Tony Mullins, Gary Nicholson, Anthony Smith, The Warren Brothers, Jeffrey Steele, and others.
What I like is for an album to start off with an upbeat or rockin' song, so "Train" is a good way to get things in motion. Nothing will stop these guys as they travel across the country because it's all they've ever known. Maybe someday they'll stop, but for now they keep rolling on. "Feel a little old / Got to suck it up," they say to themselves when things get tough.
The second single from My Kind Of Country is "Goes Down Easy," which has an old-timey "traveling medicine show" treatment to the accompanying video. Enjoying yourself is the main focus of the lyrics. It doesn't matter what "gets you there," as long as it is easy and smooth.
Title track "My Kind Of Country" is, well, my kind of song! It has a no-nonsense proud-of-where-you-come-from feel, and offers up no apologies for the way they choose to live their lives. Lives that include football, four-wheeling, hunting, BBQ, and good music like Johnny Cash and Lynyrd Skynyrd (of course).
"These Colors Don't Run" is one of my favorites because it gives a nod of thanks to the men and women fighting for our freedoms and it's also about loving our great country. "I pledge allegiance to this nation and the eagle flyin' high / I'm the first to shoot off fireworks on the Fourth of July / And God bless the people who this great land."
"That Scares Me" was the album's original single, before being scrapped for "Goes Down Easy." It's a little on the slow side but that goes well with how this song's story should be told.
Another song you should pay special attention to is "The Hardest Thing." In life you will face many different obstacles and have to make decisions that will leave you feeling uncertain about the future, but sometimes you have to take a leap and see what happens.
"We Can't Do It Alone" could be paired with the previous song. We're all brothers and sisters, so don't be afraid to lean on God and your friends if you need some help.
Track List:
- Train
- These Colors Don't Run
- Goes Down Easy
- That Scares Me
- My Kind Of Country
- The Hardest Thing
- It's Only Money
- We Can't Do It Alone
- Friend
- It's All About You
- Headed South
