The Bottom Line
Pros
- "Banjo Boy"
- "Dream Big"
- "Simplify"
Cons
- Some songs may not appeal to “traditionalists” at first.
Description
- Produced by Jason Deere.
- All of the songs are written by Ryan Shupe.
- Released by Capitol Records Nashville.
Guide Review - Ryan Shupe & The Rubberband – Dream Big
There used to be a time in country music when an artist was allowed to create their own unique sound. This sound often was developed over the course of a few albums without any sales requirements. While that “rock approach” has waned over the years, there are still a few times in which a band “breaks through” and is able to present a wholly crafted, unique, complete recording project to a label. Utah’s Ryan Shupe & The Rubberband are the most recent group to be signed to a label after completing their album, “Dream Big.”Unlike a lot of “baby acts” on Nashville’s major labels, Ryan Shupe & The Rubberband have been together for many years and self-released three albums before culling the best of those albums to create “Dream Big.” While the title song is a smash hit at radio for all the right reasons (great instrumentation, inspiring lyric), the rest of the record showcases a band that is similar to both Diamond Rio and Dave Matthews Band. Ryan Shupe & The Rubberband present a fun, unique take on country music.
The lead-off track, “Banjo Boy” showcases the band’s strong musical skill while “Simplify” continues to showcase the dexterity of the band while also showing a humorous side. “Would You Love Me” has a sound that should make it a popular song at radio while “Even Superman” showcases Shupe’s sharp lyrical ability. “Dream Big” is a wonderful album that announces the arrival of country’s next great band.
