By Audrey Elwood, Campus News Editor

Zach Bryan released his seventh studio album “With Heaven on Top,” marking his first album release since break up with Brianna Chickenfry and his marriage to Samantha Leonard. 

Bryan gets a lot of slack for sounding the same, and usually I can be quite the defender of the nuances in his music. However, he is impossible to defend here. 

It sounds like he tried to regurgitate the magic of “American Heartbreak,” which, in my opinion, might be the best country album, and ended up projectile vomiting the monotonous “With Heaven on Top” with only a few standouts.  

One of the most anticipated songs of the album was “Bad News.” With leaked lyrics like “I heard the cops came / Cocky motherf***ers, ain’t they? / And ICE is gonna come bust down your door,” this was supposedly going to be when Bryan went “Springsteen” by growing a backbone and not just playing centrist to avoid offending anyone. In fact, the Department of Homeland Security even called him out when it was first leaked. 

However, he dumbs it down to a love song. The gist is, despite the country falling apart, he still misses his girl. This song could have been so much more, and that is why it is so disappointing. It feels like he was going to speak up but got scared. That is what makes this song one of the worst on the album. 

The worst on the album is “Skin,” the big comeback from what Chickenfry said about Bryan. Chickenfry accused Bryan of being abusive, and overall a bad guy. “Skin” reaffirms Chickenfry’s accusations with lines like, “I’m taking a blade to my old tattoos / I’m draining the blood between me and you.” Singing about cutting yourself is never a good look when talking about an ex. When this song came out, my mom texted me that it gave her “major wife beater vibes,” and I think that it perfectly encapsulates this song. The message is a permanent separation between Bryan and Chickenfry, but was executed so poorly. 

His love song to Leonard, who looks eerily similar to his ex-wife, literally sounds like it is about Chickenfry. It is titled “Slicked Back” in reference to the popular hairstyle both Leonard and Chickenfry sport. 

The impression this song gives is that he does not know his new wife at all. Lyrics like “You’re so cool in my living room” and “’Cause she like romance, good sex, music and ruling the world,” just adds to the blandness. It is almost offensive that the only song about her is this mild piece, which does not even distinguish her from his ex. 

The production of this album is very monotone. Songs like “Santa Fe,” “If They Come Looking” and “Always Willin’” sound the exact same. It is one of those albums that just fades into background noise. Earlier projects may have had similar themes, but there was enough experimentation that it sounded unique. 

Some songs are truly great on this album. “Say Why” is a song you can scream in the shower; it is a cathartic ballad about fighting for your love. “Plastic Cigarette” is produced in a way that almost sounds acoustic, but with perfectly backed drums.

While the studio album left listeners with a desire for something more, the acoustic release met their expectations. Some songs are made worse by this release, but it removes the monotony out of those lackluster songs and gives the album teeth. It elevates “You Can Still Come Home” and “Appetite” from mid to marvelous. The stripped guitar makes the album feel intimate, whereas the regular version feels like a mass-market pandering. 

Bryan suffers from an overproduction problem. It is simply unsustainable for any good artist to release 25 good songs a year while also touring full-time. He has released seven albums, four EPs and countless non-album singles since 2019. 

If he had condensed the album, it would not have been watered down by such middle of the road tracks. Bryan, however, will always promise a hiatus and never deliver, so for the love of it all, stop making music for a bit.