Album Review – Justin Moore’s “Late Nights And Longnecks”
One of the biggest roadblocks to being able to buy into many popular country music performers is the personas they must present to the public at the behest of their major label handlers. You don’t know where the real person ends, and the marketing and image begins. And sometimes, neither do the performers themselves. Almost like a fantasy movie, it requires the suspension of disbelief to regard what you’re seeing as real, because rarely any of it is. And once these performers parrot the same marketing lines for years, they begin to believe the myth themselves.
Justin Moore suffers from this dilemma perhaps more than anyone in the mainstream. His self-proclamation on the 2011 album Outlaws Like Me released on Big Machine Records was way more about marketing than honesty, and put him in the cross hairs of many. Though Moore’s little niche in the mainstream is one of a traditionalist since he wears a cowboy hat and sings with a strong Southern accent, his 2013 record Off The Beaten Path, and then 2016’s Kinda Don’t Care saw him careening further and further from his country roots until he was nipping at the heels of Keith Urban for one of the biggest sellouts in modern country music history.
When you’re a 2nd tier country star, sometimes there’s even greater pressure than those in the 1st tier to put a run of songs together and bust into that headliners status, and this is often where you see artists stretching their boundaries, compromising their sounds, and selling their souls to not just succeed, but just remain signed to their major label contract. Justin Moore’s last album Kinda Don’t Care felt very much like that case.
But just like we’ve seen from many mainstream country performers recently, from Blake Shelton, to Reba McEntire, to Jon Pardi, to Randy Houser, making your album more country is the hot thing at the moment. Of course this is all relative since the baseline from where many of these performers started at was not very country at all aside from symbolic gestures and lyrical dog whistles. But Justin Moore might be the one of those to overhaul his sound the most, and aside from a few moments of contemporary styling, delivers a pretty damn solid country music album cover to cover in Late Nights and Longnecks.
Now granted, just because something is real country, doesn’t mean it’s real good, and Late Nights and Longnecks may be a good example of this. Though there are a few pretty good songs here, there is also some pretty shoddy writing at times as well. The song credits on the record are almost solely held by Justin Moore, and a brain trust of Jeremy Stover, Chase McGill, and Paul DiGiovanni, offering not a lot of variety. And though overall the record is country—especially for the mainstream—there are a few moments where electronic beats introduce the rhythm, and the guitar veers well beyond the established tones of the country genre.
Late Nights and Longnecks is a drinking record aside from a few select cuts, and those quick to criticize the consistency of the themes of this album better go re-listen to their favorite Whitey Morgan and Johnny Paycheck records before they stick their foot too far in their mouth. But Late Nights and Longnecks is not just all about beer keggers around bonfires. “Never Gonna Drink Again” and “Someday I Gotta Quit” speak to the consequences of imbibing in alcohol and other addictions, and “Jesus and Jack Daniels” is about the dichotomy of the South’s strong cultural influences, even if this idea has been done in song dozens of times.
There’s a few really good songs on Late Nights and Longnecks like the pleasantly sincere “On The Rocks” and “Someday I Gotta Quit.” And even though sappy songs about supporting the troops and evoking the memory of tragedies is its own type of virtue signal, “The Ones That Didn’t Make It Back Home” is hard not to feel the emotion of. The opening track “Why We Drink” is your basic country drinking song, but a good one.
Yet Justin Moore also leans so heavily on list style lyrics indicative of early Bro-Country that it renders many of these songs cringe worthy for listeners that don’t seek out that specific brand of radio-friendly country music. “That’s My Boy” is all about bragging how country you are. And though “Good Times Don’t” may be the most country-sounding composition on the record and there’s a good idea behind it, the list-like lyricism ruins it.
What is hard to deny is how hard and heavy Justin Moore and producer Jeremy Stover leaned on the steel guitar here, and country’d this record up. A few songs blow right through the Nashville slick studio production stop sign of 3 minutes or less, and allow the session players to track licks for a couple stanzas too long to stretch their legs in a way that’s nearly unheard of on a major label record.
But perhaps the greatest compliment to be paid to Late Nights and Longnecks regardless of the regular appearance of critical faux pas is you feel like this record is the real Justin Moore. It may not be great, and it’s downright bad in some spots, but you can take Justin Moore at his word when he says this is the kind of record he wanted to make, and saw it through. That in itself is admirable, and an achievement.
Almost irrespective of anyone’s personal taste on the outcomes, if the artists under control of Music Row were allowed to just be themselves and call their own shots, the music would see a marked improvement across the board, even if many snobbish independent/Americana music fans would still refuse to listen to it. Justin Moore’s Late Nights and Longnecks is a good illustration of that and probably the best album of his career, even if it falls a bit short of being a good illustration of great country music, beyond comparing it with its peers in the mainstream.
1 1/4 Guns Up (6/10)
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Daniele
July 29, 2019 @ 9:15 am
Another perfect review trigger. I user to really like bis first 2 albums but then his persona and listlike lyrics turned me off. I’ll give it a listen. Sometimes the cheapest stuff is all you need.( Kiss dixit).
H.P. @ Hillbilly Highways
July 29, 2019 @ 9:17 am
I like a good drinking song as much as the next hillbilly, but it’s been way overdone at this point. Those old guys did other stuff – other great stuff – too.
(And nobody is putting out a drinking song as good as Colorado Kool-Aid – https://hillbillyhighways.wordpress.com/2019/07/29/music-monday-colorado-kool-aid-johnny-paycheck/)
Still, this is a welcome development.
Kevin Smith
July 29, 2019 @ 12:50 pm
Colorado Cool Aid! Good one Hillbilly. Of course Paycheck specialized in Drinkin songs. Barstool Mountain, 15 Beers, Pardon Me, I’ve got someone to kill are some other greats he’s done. I caught Josh Hedley live this year and he did a pretty spot on version of Cool Aid, and I think most of the crowd had never heard it before! Hah! Made me laugh all the more watching their reactions.
Brett
July 29, 2019 @ 9:27 am
Ive always thought that Moore has a voice country as cornbread….along with Chris Young and some others, but one of the biggest trend chasers ive ever seen! Despite all that, im still pulling for these guys. This record has some very quality players on it: Brent Mason, Paul Franklin, etc. Not very deep lyrically, but a fair review. Ill give it a few spins im sure.
Mike Honcho
July 30, 2019 @ 6:03 am
I always thought his voice was corny. It always seems like he tries way too hard with the accent.
King Honky Of Crackershire
July 30, 2019 @ 8:02 am
Yep. He sounds like a piss-drunk yankee in a karaoke bar.
Randy
July 30, 2019 @ 8:08 am
He’s a fellow Arkansan. It’s just the way we sound. Could judge his music on several criteria, but I give him a pass on this one.
John Montesi
August 1, 2019 @ 9:34 am
I can attest to this one. As a longtime resident of Texas/Arkansas/Oklahoma, one thing Justin has always done is lean on his natural voice. Plenty of people sound just like him around north-central AR, they just can’t sing that well. He’s a talented singer who’s been pulled between the desire to “make it” and a genuine aw-shucks, ATV-ridin’ personality that Nashville finds it a little too easy to predate on and sell to the masses. I hope this record does well for him; even though I haven’t been able to listen to one of his albums cover-to-cover in a long time, ‘You Look Like I Need a Drink’ is an absolute banger and got me through at least one really savage breakup. And if I ever want to shotgun a Lonestar while floating the Frio, ‘Bait a Hook’ ain’t a bad (super self-indulgent) soundtrack. To say nothing of the obvious early stuff that was genuinely good.
Kevin Davis
July 29, 2019 @ 9:29 am
Great review. You nailed the strengths and weaknesses. 6/10 is an accurate score. If I could remove maybe four tracks, it would be a 7 or 8/10 album. The significant point, as you note early in the review, is what this signals for mainstream country as a whole. The pandering production is mostly gone. I wouldn’t be surprised if Dustin Lynch’s next album follows suit.
GrantH
July 29, 2019 @ 9:55 am
Know what else I noticed about this album that I really liked? 10 songs, 33/34 minutes long. Down with these 14-16 track albums already.
Pre-2013 country may be back boys.
albert
July 29, 2019 @ 2:21 pm
right on grant…..
OlaR
July 29, 2019 @ 10:06 am
Not bad…for a Nashville-machine artist.
The first half of the album is -in my opinion- better. Best song of the second half is “Good Times Don’t”.
“Why We Drink” sounds like a smash hit. “That’s My Boy” & “Airport Bar” are my other highlights of the album.
The new Casey Donahew album is better. The Justin Moore album is…well…slightly over-produced.
New Music:
Casey Donahew – One Light Town – Album – 15 Tracks – Released (07/25)
Texas mainstream. A “cowboy” song…check. A “drinking” song here & a “whiskey” song there…check.
First single “Let’s Make A Love Song” is #8 on the Texas Top 100 (Texas Regional Radio Report). My highlights: “Still Ain’t Made It Home”, “He Ain’t A Cowboy” & “Wishful Drinking”.
Kim Wright – Livin’ The Dream – EP – 6 Tracks – Released (07/21)
Young neo-traditional australian country singer & songwriter with two small hits on the australian country charts. Not bad…but…the songs & the voice of Kim Wright are average.
Matt Caldwell – Likes Of Me – Album – 10 Tracks – Released (03/24)
Texas mainstream country. Matt Caldwell is always good for a Top 40 hit on the Texas charts. New single is the uptempo “Highways & Honkytonks” (new entry on #84 this week).
My highlights: “Should’ve Been Runnin'”, “Abilene” & the George Strait influenced “Workin’ On Wonderful”. Good album.
Jody Booth feat. Bri Bagwell – “When You Hurt Somebody” – Single – Released (07/25)
Texas. Big ballad. Will be a massive hit.
Sam Outlaw & Sarah Darling – “Forever & Always” – Single – Released (07/25)
Cute traditional ballad.
Meh Music:
Chris Janson – “Say About Me” – what a shi.
Avenue Beat – Avenue Beat EP – new The Valory Music Co act…not 1% country…
Whiskey&Cigarettes
July 30, 2019 @ 7:17 pm
Long time lurker (Trigger you do a great job, really enjoy reading your stuff), first time poster. Had to comment to say that I had a listen to your recommendations OlaR and we seem to have similar taste in music, because I enjoyed all of them! If you have any more, please let me know! I know a lot of people will say they’re maybe too country-pop adjacent etc, and while I do enjoy that conversation …. honestly I’m beyond caring anymore, all I know is I enjoyed what I heard for the most part, on the first listen through at least (ha, leaving myself all sorts of ‘outs’ there!).
Incidentally, anyone listened to Brad Cox’s (self titled debut) album (released 2018, so a bit late to the party)? Hes a young Australian artist, who I think is great. Trigger would be interested in your opinion on it. OlaR, based on the above, I reckon you’d like him at least!
Ed
July 29, 2019 @ 10:13 am
I Listened to this record top to bottom a couple times and liked it, but didn’t know what to make of it. Was it a top album of 2019 or just a guilty pleasure (because I’m a biased fan)? Turns out it’s somewhere in the middle. You hit the nail on the head again, Trig
Tony Kepuska
July 29, 2019 @ 11:07 am
another Jesus and Jack Daniels song?? I’ll pass
Gabe
July 29, 2019 @ 11:14 am
I hope he sticks to this “sound” although I’d appreciate him more if he had worked won’t writers other than the usual suspects. The target exclusive songs (Selfish Man, She’s Got Lovin’ on her Mind and High on Life) are gold
JB-Chicago
July 29, 2019 @ 2:39 pm
Exactly the words I can’t stand ……….”Target exclusive” songs. No wonder the album is only 10 songs. he gave Target the other 3. I gave the 10 songs a couple spins and liked a few of the tunes like “Someday I Gotta Quit” and certainly the single that’s been out for months is a touching number. The album is ok, a lot more streamlined than Aaron Watson’s or Casey Donahew’s new one. He tried to play 3 or 4 of em when he was here a few months ago but the band screwed 1 or 2. up Do I really have to go to Target now to hear these 3 songs?
I thought that shit was done.
JB-Chicago
August 13, 2019 @ 2:32 pm
Alright Gabe I got the Target CD and have been living with the 3 extra tunes for awhile now and Selfish Man and High on Life are pretty good (wouldn’t call em Gold, but solid).
Lovin’ on her Mind sounds like a Luke Bryan B-side and won’t make my final whittled down version. If nothing else props to him and his people for not putting it on the proper album and trying to release it as a single.
Tracy
July 29, 2019 @ 11:57 am
I guess I am just so jaded by this guy that I cannot even stand “The Ones Who Didn’t Make it Back Home.” It sounds treacly and pandering to me. I am not an Americana snob by any means. I love Brothers Osborne and Jon Pardi, and I even enjoy those ultimate posers, Midland. There’s just something about Justin Moore that I cannot stand. He is almost interchangeable with Dustin Lynch to me. BUT I’ll try to keep an open mind based on this review. Maybe his next single will not be like nails on a chalkboard to me.
me
July 29, 2019 @ 5:52 pm
The Ones Who Didn’t Make It Back Home has one of the dumbest opening couplets in country music history.
North Woods Country
July 29, 2019 @ 6:09 pm
It’d be better without the constant use of “ones,” which is really distracting.
Julia Ingram
July 29, 2019 @ 12:51 pm
Great song
albert
July 29, 2019 @ 2:20 pm
as a songwriter these tracks make me jealous ….in the best way
as a singer they makes me question my ‘prowess’ in that capacity
as a COUNTRY music listener and long time fan I’m totally on board with these tracks by Justin Moore ….from arrangements to conviction to production . if this is what came up when i cranked on my car radio i’d be smiling more often .
a few stinkers on the record ?? ….what’s new ? even george and willie and countless others are no strangers to stinkers.
i applaud this effort and JM’s attempt to right the ship which was , seemingly , almost lost at sea .
James
July 29, 2019 @ 3:06 pm
What a beautifully done album
Jake
July 29, 2019 @ 5:38 pm
Really like his first two albums, tolerated the 3rd, hated his last one. I’ve listened to this the last two evenings when I got home. I like it allot. Hope he keeps making music like this.
King Honky Of Crackershire
July 29, 2019 @ 7:18 pm
Justin Moore is to the southern accent, what Midland is to the background story.
North Woods Country
July 30, 2019 @ 3:47 am
Even people from Georgia will tell you they don’t talk like he does.
Aggc
July 30, 2019 @ 1:27 pm
I believe he’s originally from Arkansas. There’s a line in one of the songs though about racing down 316 and that’s definitely in Georgia. Theres so much traffic on it usually that i cant see much racing going on.
618creekrat
July 29, 2019 @ 8:13 pm
I found the album fairly listenable. I’m not wowed, mind you, but prefer it to Miranda’s new stuff. If it was in my collection and Random lucked into it, I probably wouldn’t hit Skip, but neither would I likely disengage Random.
wayne
July 29, 2019 @ 8:32 pm
My favorite part of Trig’s review, ” even if many snobbish independent/Americana music fans would still refuse to listen to it.”
Aside from that, it seems a bit short on the depth of writing but positive concerning the theme.
My way of saying I agree, again, with Trig’s very fair review.
wayne
July 29, 2019 @ 8:34 pm
Oops. Poor clarity. The second sentence was referring to the album, not the review.
thebugman10
July 30, 2019 @ 4:53 am
I feel like that are at least 5 different songs with a title that plays on “Jack or Jesus”.
thebugman10
July 30, 2019 @ 4:57 am
Replying to my own comment here:
Chase Rice – “Jack Daniels and Jesus”
Justin Moore – “Jesus and Jack Daniels”
Chris Hennessee – “Jack and Jesus”
Benny Lee
July 30, 2019 @ 8:20 am
If grading on a “country radio” curve, I’d give it a good grade. The instrumentation is fantastic throughout. Production is spot-on. Country enough for radio, I suppose.
But it’s all window dressing.
If you take a moment to peek through the panes, you’ll see lowest-common-denominator pandering, bro-style lists, and corporate references piled on the barroom floor. The writing is, frankly, insulting to someone who knows how to write a good lyric.
In contrast, Gethen Jenkins’ new album is full of drinkings songs, too, but they’re actually well written and believable, and delivered with soul that’s completely missing here.
Sarah P
July 30, 2019 @ 10:09 am
Good Review. To me, there’s a big difference between music I actively listen (pay attention) to and then just music that is fun to have on in the background and makes an environment fun (bar, party, boat, pool). This definitely falls into the latter for me, but when I listened to the album yesterday it just made me happy. Love “Why We Drink” and “Good Times Don’t,” all else I could live without. I’m one of those weirdos that works out to country music, this is definitely being added.
NCW
July 30, 2019 @ 11:15 am
I 100% agree with your rating. “On the Rocks” may be one of my favorite songs this year. The rest of the album is ok to decent, but that song is amazing. I like it so much that it will never be released to radio.
Mongo
July 31, 2019 @ 8:57 pm
I don’t have a problem with drinking songs but I have a problem with guys like him singing drinking songs. I just don’t buy it. Guys like Paycheck and Whitey drink and then write songs. This guy might throw two Smirnoff’s down a write a whiskey song and have to take a nap, and shows in the lack of authenticity they always seem to have. When Whitey sings a drinking song you know damn well its about something he’s done or felt. When’s the last time you seen Justin Moore sit a bottle of Maker’s Mark in front of him at the beginning of a set and have it damn near polished off by the end of the show? I’ve seen Whitey do it more than once and we all know Paycheck’s stories lol.
bwh
July 31, 2019 @ 10:22 pm
I’d be happy if more artists leaned heavily on steel guitar.
Mike
August 2, 2019 @ 12:47 pm
I heard that “One’s who didn’t make it back home,” and I was like, “Seriously? ANOTHER freaking pandering song?”
Steel
August 2, 2019 @ 8:37 pm
Just a Trojan horse. Just saw him live and he only played two songs off the new album. He doesn’t tour with a steel guitar so his show is just arena buttrock. Disappointing because I really thought he was moving in the right direction.