By Christian Cullen, Staff Writer

If you were scouring the music world last week, you would have seen something interesting: Zach Bryan featuring on a song. “Rattlesnake” (feat. Zach Bryan) was released last Wednesday. “Rattlesnake” was originally written, sung and released by Jack Van Cleaf, a singer-songwriter from the folk-country world. 

Now I wouldn’t blame you if you haven’t heard of Van Cleaf. He has only released one full album, and there was a five-year release break between his first EP on Spotify and that first album, titled “Fruit From the Trees.” So, how’d we get here, and what do we think of the Bryan-Van Cleaf duo?

In terms of how we got here, Rattlesnake released as a single in 2022, then was a part of the previously mentioned album. Van Cleaf began to work on more music in 2023, releasing “Terrestrial Man” and “Teenage Vampire.” While gaining some momentum, he was at a crossroads.

Then, Bryan posted Rattlesnake on his Instagram story, noting how much he enjoyed the song. Bryan often posts the songs of musicians he likes, but Van Cleaf gained momentum not seen before, getting to record with OurVinyl. Then came the big announcement: Bryan and Van Cleaf were going to do a recording/re-imagination of “Rattlesnake” together.

I must say I find the song itself to be phenomenal and different than the original in the right ways. The opening guitar lick is accompanied by a horn section, which is quickly becoming a staple in Bryan’s music. Throughout the song, the horns reinforce the song’s melancholic tone, staying true to the original while adding more depth to the piece. The song is a duet, but in an interesting way. Each artist takes a verse, so you can distinctly tell their difference in the voices.

Van Cleaf’s voice strikes of a softer tone while Bryan keeps his trademark scratchiness. Once we get to the chorus, the harmonies begin. The song really shines here, as Van Cleaf and Bryan match up perfectly. The way the audio is layered also allows the voice of the singer of the preceding verse to take the lead, but in a way where you can hear both, which I find to be a nice touch. 

The song is admittedly a sad one. The song’s protagonist is forlorn, scorned by a former lover. They aren’t taking it well, to say the least, having gone on a road trip to deal with their emotions. There are the hard-hitting lines such as, “knowing better all along, knowing all I know it wrong,” and, “love is like a rattlesnake, before it bites it tries to warn ya.” I do highly recommend this song for a late night, reflective drive as you sit in the driver’s seat and ponder. 

The song picks up in the second half with an instrumental bridge and some humming from Bryan to keep the time. The protagonist gets to encounter the song’s namesake, talking their problems out with the “Western Diamondback” who admonishes them for the self-destructive tendencies we hear through the song. 

Van Cleaf and Bryan bring us to an end with horns with a hopeful bent that is noticeably different from the rest of the song. 

I think ending with the vocal harmonies of the two performers would be a more forceful end. The horns were useful in the bridge and through the song as support, but ultimately should have stayed as support rather than a closer. However, that’s my biggest gripe, which I would say makes it a dang good song. 

So, what’s next for these artists? Well Zach Bryan, who had previously claimed to be done touring, is slated to do a few shows. He mentioned that he is working on an album and EP. Van Cleaf actually has an album of his own coming out on May 9. Each artist has exciting things coming up, so keep your eyes out! At the least, look out for that rattlesnake we call love.