When I first heard Post Malone was dropping a country album I was absolutely ecstatic. I was obviously familiar with Postie for his massive chart-topping pop singles (my mom and daughter held numerous dance parties together to “Circles” for about three straight weeks when she was about two years old) but had also seen his raucous cover of Sturgill Simpson’s “You Can Have The Crown” from a few years back. Watching him cover Simpson’s iconic track told me three things– Postie knew what good storytelling was (the opening lines of “You Can Have The Crown” are some of my favorite opening lines in any song ever), he had the vocal chops to deliver some great country music, and he also had a lot of respect for the tradition of country music (as evidenced by his engagement with Dwight Yoakam’s band).
On F-1 Trillion Postie absolutely delivered, showcasing both his country bonafides as well as his knack for pacing. The country music fanbase is a notoriously protective one, and any entry into the space from a well-established artist from another genre requires some strategy to land correct. From the jump Malone nails his entry– the first song is a gritty grinder featuring the timeless Tim McGraw whose appeal spans generations, he follows it up with an old-school romp with Hank Williams Jr., which is then followed by a pop-country single with the redhot Morgan Wallen, throws it back to a fun 90’s inspired sing-a-long with the equally timeless Blake Shelton, hits a power ballad with the iconic Dolly Parton, and then slides into his first true solo song with “What Don’t Belong To Me”. It’s a perfectly paced entry into the country genre that features artists spanning generations, paying homage to the decades of country music that preceded him before he begins to put his own unique spin on the genre as the album progresses.
F-1 Trillion is a killer country album for any artist, especially one making his first formal foray onto the scene. But where it shines most might the final track “Yours”, which details the unique love that exists between a father and a daughter. I won’t ruin anything for any dads out there who haven’t heard the song, but it’s one that absolutely brought me to tears the first time I heard it.
Standout Songs: “Yours”, “Wrong Ones”, “I Had Some Help”, “Pour Me A Drink”, “Guy For That”
