Song Review – Dierks Bentley w/ Maren Morris “I’ll Be The Moon”
Mainstream country radio is an outmoded and lumbering dinosaur working off of business models and practices implemented some 30+ years ago that are so stodgy and insular, it makes your local DMV look ultra modernized. We knew when Dierks Bentley released the terrible lead single “Somewhere on a Beach” from his upcoming album Black that it was just like a serf paying his penance to his lord so he could then get bestowed the freedom from his label to do what he actually wants. He even thanked radio programmers at the Country Radio Seminar, or CRS earlier this year for playing the song so he can release his record and “get some heavier stuff out there.”
It’s like politics. Everybody knows the system doesn’t work, but there are too many fat cats personally benefiting from the inherent unfairness that has metastasized throughout the the system that nobody can do anything about it. Meanwhile the entire terrestrial radio model is getting pulled underwater by a massive anchor of debt. Even Chase Rice is out there apologizing to fans before his lead single hits the airwaves. Does anyone in the country music business think any of this bodes well for the genre moving forward?
If you were worried what direction Dierks Bentley’s new Black album would take after hearing “Somewhere on a Beach,” all you had to do was wait. Dierks (or really, his label) sure don’t make it easy on his fans, but those who’ve stuck with Dierks through “Drunk on a Plane” and others know he’ll always come back around to releasing music that sets the bar for substance in the mainstream.
“I’ll Be The Moon” is not a world beater, and it does still have some of those buzzy mainstream identifiers like “girl” punctuations at the beginning of phrases behind a formulaic melody, and excessive references to cellphones. Even the snare drum beat, though organic on this particular track, is the similar dry rhythm digitally programmed by producers like Ross Cooperman behind many modern-day “country” songs.
But unlike so many commercial country singles that either must be wrapped up with a nice little bow by the end and stay positive throughout, or that use the spite against a cheating lover or some other perceived offense as the springboard to launch into a self-absorbed narrative riddled with jealousy and other menu items from the most unsavory and base emotions of the human experience, the story of “I’ll Be The Moon” remains unresolved, and says more about human emotion by letting the complexities of love and relationships tell their own stories so the listener can come to their own individual conclusions.
“I’ll Be The Moon” is not especially country in style, but it is in substance in the way it broaches the eternal country theme of cheating, and does so in a unique way. Though the verses feel like filler, the chorus hook is quite effective, and almost haunts the listener in the way the protagonist resolves himself to the cheating as long as it means he still gets to spend precious moments with his heart’s desire. Up-and-coming country starlet Maren Morris joins in to make “I’ll Be The Moon” a collaboration that might get some attention come “Best Vocal Event” time in the next awards show cycle.
The video doesn’t follow the script of the song exactly, but apparently it is the first installment of a multi-part series. I don’t particularly need to get horny on my lunch break just because I want to check out the new Dierks song, and some of the imagery is probably a little too risque for a “country” video. But Dierks’ is trying to tell a story beyond one song, so the effort should probably be applauded more, and poo poo’ed less just because it doesn’t fit in a strict definition of “country,” even if this ultimately costs “I’ll Be The Moon” style points.
Radio is at a crossroads and could be facing extinction soon. The recent wins by Chris Stapleton should be a harbinger to radio of where things should be headed. If it had any good sense, it would be playing songs like Bentley’s “I’ll Be The Moon,” and be leaving things like “Somewhere on a Beach” on the shelf. But the good news is Dierks has not sold out. He’s just pulling the same bait and switch on country radio that has become one of the signatures of his career.
1 1/2 Guns Up (7/10)
“I’ll Be The Moon” was written by Matt Dragstrem, Ryan Hurd, and Heather Morgan.
albert
April 11, 2016 @ 11:31 am
Hmmm. GREAT hook ..GREAT ….but that’s where it ends for me ….boring melody , track never gets off the ground …..an OK album cut , I suppose . No dynamics musically ….no challenges vocally for either singer , although Dierks never seems to look for vocal challenges as he almost talks-sings most things. I ‘m working too hard through the unnecessary lyric syncopation and wordiness to ‘ get’ the story . Wouldn’t make me buy the record .
Saying all of that I appreciate the effort by DB to sing something a bit heavier substance-wise ( I Hold On was terrific , I thought ) and the vibe around the track is right for the subject matter ….so …thank goodness for small mercies , I guess.
Charlie
April 11, 2016 @ 12:18 pm
I feel like I am about the last radio listener. I will close the door and turn out the lights when I shut down my terrestrial radio receiver. And I am just about there. I’m in the middle of a massive CD rip-fest and once complete I will be relying solely on my own music procurement.
I listen to about 1/10th as much radio as I did a year ago.
And I immediately change the station whenever I hear a ‘girl’ as the first word in a line.
Summer Jam
April 12, 2016 @ 7:07 pm
I still listen to radio but frequently change it between the 8 country stations in my area cuz alot of the songs are garbage
Lorenzo
April 11, 2016 @ 12:25 pm
I love this song and ai hope it’ll be released to radio. It makes me think about Dierks’ ‘Breathe you In’, which had very good lyrics and a very nice country pop melody. We need guys like Dierks, Jon Pardi, Chris Stapleton, Maddie & Tae, William Michael Morgan, Mo Pitney, Kacey Musgraves, Brad Paisley, Aaron Watson, Josh Turner, Gary Allan and Tim McGraw on mainstream country radio.
Amanda
April 12, 2016 @ 9:47 am
I completely agree 100%, Lorenzo. I would also add Ashley Monroe and Mickey Guyton to the list as well. You listed some great artists. If country radio were more like those artists, I would actually go back to listening.
Lorenzo
April 12, 2016 @ 12:48 pm
Yeah sure, I love those girls! And Mickey definitely deserved a #1 with Better Than You Left Me… damn country radio
Amanda
April 13, 2016 @ 6:58 am
Mickey did deserve a #1 with Better Than You Left Me. She has a fantastic voice. I finally gave up on country radio recently because I was extremely tired of pop stars and pretty boys pretending to be country when they are anything but country. Keep in mind I’m only a few months shy of turning 20, and I don’t even listen to majority of the shit tailored to my age demographic. My favorite artists are Kacey Musgraves, Gary Allan, Jon Pardi, Lee Ann Womack, Maddie and Tae, Ashley Monroe, Mickey Guyton, William Michael Morgan, Josh Turner, Tim McGraw (aside from the god-awful Lookin For That Girl), Cam, and Jana Kramer (aside from the horrible career misstep Said No One Ever), along with a few others. I really wish country radio would play artists with actual talent and love and respect for country music instead of the ones willing to do anything and everything to be a star.
Mike W.
April 11, 2016 @ 12:39 pm
Not sure I like Dierks and Ross Copperman working together. I’ll be honest that Dierks first few album with Brett Beavers were his best stuff, especially in terms of production. I don’t know why they split up, but it’s starting to echo Blake Shelton after he dropped Bobby Braddock as his producer and how his subsequent material, even when he does give a damn, just isn’t produced very well and isn’t sonically appealing.
That’s not the say this song is bad, it isn’t, but it’s also not overly deep or well written. Too bad the Dierks Bentley that created his Bluegrass album seems to have gone the way of the dodo in search for continued mainstream success.
Lil Dale
April 11, 2016 @ 12:47 pm
so while er ole man is workin the over nite shift on some road crew half way to Dickson, thats the reason she lives in that big house in Hermitage at all, shes out runnin a round lower broad way with that greasy session player? wut a cunt.
Stork
April 12, 2016 @ 12:26 pm
There’s a nashville native talking
Lil Dale
April 13, 2016 @ 9:12 am
the next episode will be after er ole man kicks er out and she goes from fixin steak for supper in hermitage to eatin jack n the box in that shitty hotel room in antioch with that session player/bartender slappin er around. may be she should have paid attention to wut happened to Sissy when she moved in with wes Hightower. wut a dumm cunt.
seak05
April 11, 2016 @ 1:01 pm
Somewhere on a Beach was pretty terrible, this is decent, and apparently Blake has switched to Christian radio. But I do think a lot of what I don’t like about Blake’s and Dierks stuff tends to be production.
Mike W.
April 11, 2016 @ 1:34 pm
With Blake it’s more the quality of the songs he picks, lyrically a lot of his songs over the past 5-8 years have been terrible. Even the worst Dierks Bentley song is better than some of the dreck that Blake has recorded. But yeah, I miss the Dierks Bentley that wasn’t afraid to have a bluegrass song on his album or had a mandolin or dobro or steel guitar in his mix.
This latest stuff is just soft-rock production, like he wants to sound like a Train cover band or something. It’s sad since Bentley has shown he 1. Has a deep appreciation/knowledge of Country music’s history and 2. Has shown he can actually record some damn good mainstream Country songs.
Chris
April 11, 2016 @ 2:36 pm
You heard the song Blake is releasing to Christian radio? Pretty damn good. Did not see that coming from him.
Trigger
April 11, 2016 @ 2:57 pm
Two words: Ross Cooperman.
seak05
April 11, 2016 @ 3:34 pm
?? The writer? Sorry I’m to dumb to see the connection?
Trigger
April 11, 2016 @ 4:21 pm
Ross Cooperman, along with being a songwriter (and the ACM’s Songwriter of the Year), is also the producer of Dierks’ new album, as well as his previous album “Riser.” We’re seeing this move by songwriters more and more, including Shane McAnally.
seak05
April 11, 2016 @ 4:24 pm
Ah, sorry, that makes sense. I had read your comment as a reply to Chris about Blake’s Christian radio song. Apparently Christian radio gets the not bad Blake stuff….
Jake W
April 11, 2016 @ 1:22 pm
Well, I wont completely discount country radio, 97.1 country legends just gave me tickets to Willie Nelson this weekend(Merle was originally supposed to join him R.IP.) and Jamey Johnson w shakey graves. I know this station doesn’t fall into the normal category but their parent station 93q does.
So deirks is one of the few I can stand just like this song i can stand it, i wouldnt pay for it. At least we are turtling in the general right direction.
Six String Richie
April 11, 2016 @ 1:41 pm
Dierks is always trying to break through new female artists. Like Sarah Buxton (Sweet & Wild), Kacey Musgraves (Bourbon in Kentucky) and this one.
Cilla
April 11, 2016 @ 1:48 pm
I do like this from Dierks. Was really scared when he released “somewhere on a beach”…but this I can listen to and must say I did enjoy the video.
The0ne
April 11, 2016 @ 2:49 pm
Went to ITunes to look for this and found DB collaborating with CS on this BS. Dierks seems like he’s given up and is jumping in bed with the Bros.
Listen to Flatliner (feat. Dierks Bentley) by Cole Swindell on @AppleMusic.
https://itun.es/us/R4OCbb?i=1098026544
Cool Lester Smooth
April 11, 2016 @ 8:37 pm
Don’t refer to Cole Swindell as “CS,” in the context of “Bro vs. Real Country,” haha. It’s super confusing
Louis Knoebel
April 11, 2016 @ 3:33 pm
I want to like this, but I’m sorry, neither of the narrators here are going to catch any sympathy from me for their cheating. The whole framing of this song ruins it for me. I appreciate the effort at something serious but I can’t say I’m excited for this album era so far.
Annie
April 11, 2016 @ 4:11 pm
This song came as a relief to me after “Somewhere on a Beach”. It sounds a bit more like the Dierks I’ve listened to for the past 10 years. I don’t think I have ever been more disappointed in a song and an artist as I was when I heard “Somewhere on a Beach”. I get that Dierks is trying to stay relevant, but there is a level of selling out and I think he hit rock bottom with with that beach song. Truly I think he is a good guy but I think it’s a shame that he seems to have resorted more to fitting into the mainstream than focusing on his music. The ripping his shirt off during concerts and the latest naked blurred ACM promo (yes funny for about a minute) ……he just seems to be moving further from his music. Also, he didn’t write both of these latest songs…….what happened to the days when most of the songs were his? My most favorite by him is “Wish it would Break” and when I listen to the lyrics ” So I keep givin’ those buttons more abuse, wonder how much punchin’ it can take” find it ironic that is what I do when the radio plays his latest beach song and I rapidly change music station:) This song with Maren Morris gives me hope that the new album might be more like the Dierks I’ve supported over the years but it will be the first album of his that I will not purchase……I’m most likely going to pick out just the songs that I know I will listen to. “I’ll be the moon” will be one of them.
Jason
April 11, 2016 @ 9:13 pm
It definitely sounds good, but the framing is completely wrong. It’s a song about cheating, and there’s very little that could say otherwise. So far I’m not excited for Black.
Tom
April 12, 2016 @ 11:33 am
Trig, speaking of mainstream stars who have their mixture of good and bad…. Do you have any thoughts on what direction Zac Brown Band will go for their next single? It’s been 7-8 months since Beautiful Drug was released to the radio and didn’t cause a blimp on the pop charts (ie no crossover at all).
I would hope for something redeeming like Bittersweet or Dress Blues, but would also be surprised if that was the case.
Trigger
April 12, 2016 @ 2:01 pm
Well, since Zac Brown said “Beautiful Drug” would not be released to country radio and then did, we don’t have a lot of insight into what may happen next. The only reason “Beautiful Drug” did anything on the country charts, and the reason it took so long is because they switched promotional companies halfway through since it was doing so bad. I don’t know what direction Zac may go in next, and Zac may not know either. I think he thought he was going to blow up huge with this last album, and he’s still just sort of a periphery artist with some radio play, a decent concert draw, some good songs, some bad songs, and no real home to speak of.
Tom
April 12, 2016 @ 3:11 pm
Wow, definitely did not know about the promotional company switch. That makes sense though because it was stalling. Hopefully he realizes that almost no band is big enough to have a real footprint in 5 different genres.
They had (and still have) a good presence in country/roots-style rock, they’d be best off sticking with it in my opinion, and leaving the EDM club world behind them.
For what it’s worth, wikipedia says “Castaway” is the next single, so back to the beach songs I guess. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
IronBoss
April 29, 2016 @ 2:02 pm
Go with what puts the money in the bank, right?
sweet on stuart
June 4, 2016 @ 12:23 pm
At this point in time the new cd is out. I should be getting it Mon via Amazon and I already have the ripped cd. I’m waiting to get the actual disc and listen to it properly.
I think I know where he’s going with this concept album and I think it’s a lot less country than anything he has done. But I like it. Curious to see what Trigger thinks about it. I think he has a plan for his musical future.
Anyway, I just really like Dierks as an artist and am very curious to see how his career continues to unfold. I actually don’t mind his fluffier, less intricate songs. Somewhere on a Beach is damn catchy so I choose not to think of it as a country song (because it isn’t).