Old Dominion’s Latest Album Is Their Strongest Yet [REVIEW]

In a genre where having successful bands emerge is pretty rare, Old Dominion knows just how to hold their own and put out one of the most beautifully interesting country albums of 2019.

In late October, country band Old Dominion released its third album. Rightfully self-titled “Old Dominion,” the soft country album really works to establish who Old Dominion is. The songs within the album are honest and raw, but also insanely catchy. The album is worth a play from start to finish (no skipping!) while taking a nice leisurely drive through the country side.

The thing with Old Dominion is that they have a “style.” Granted, all bands generally have a style, but to be a country band and keep up that style is quite a fascinating occurrence to watch. This album is no exception to the pattern. It has an easy-listening kind of aesthetic, which can be a stark contrast with the more pop-inspired route country music tends to go.

The album begins with the light-hearted, catchy bop “Make It Sweet” — also known as the best introduction to the album. A track one is responsible for inviting the listener in while also giving them glimpses of what is to come. It’s the “introduction” paragraph of a college research paper. “Make It Sweet” delivers perfectly with the clap-a-along beat that makes you want to dance and catchy lyrics declaring, “Don’t waste another mile or a minute not kissing me / life is short, make it sweet.”

As the album continues, lead singer Matthew Ramsey’s voice carries you personally through each song. There’s something rare in his voice that translates so well in the music: passion. He can belt out the depressing verses of “Smooth Sailing,” but then gently pull you through the love ballad “One Man Band.” Vocal range may not be highlighted on this album, but emotions sure are.

The most surprising, but possibly best song on the album is “My Heart Is A Bar.” Titles are as important to music as books. They have to interest you, pull you in, make you wonder… and “My Heart Is A Bar” does that right away. Without even a list, listeners are so intrigued by what on Earth this metaphor even means, and, thankfully, it is just how it sounds. The lead singer puts his foot down and closes his heart as if it was a bar going out of business.

This song is a rare instance of the music and lyrics working hand in hand to deliver a moving piece. Right off the bat, listeners are greeted by a strong piano melody. Seconds later comes in such poetic lyrics: “well, I have a reputation of being a late-night destination / like some kind of vacation for lost souls.” The lead singer continues on describing how their heart is just an open bar for people to come in and out, and they are tired of giving but never receiving. “My heart is a bar and I’m closing it down / so, find somewhere else to get drunk in this town,” the song declares. The whole comparison of your love and heart being like an old dusty bar for drifters and loners, and now it is time for the lights to be killed and the boys to be paid, is absolutely brilliant. “Fire the band and take the poison off the shelf / C’est la vie, farewell” the end of the second verse strikes a match that sets off the grand chorus. The imagery and flow of this sing-along ballad is something refreshing from the band that I’m so pleased by.

With every good album, there is an outlier within the track list. This is generally the song that doesn’t always first the established aesthetic, and gives listeners a chance to see what else a band or artist can dabble in. “I’ll Roll” was Old Dominion’s chance to throw that out to fan.

“I’ll Roll” is found within the second half of the album. By the time you get to it, you think you know what the established sound is, which makes the outlier here really fun. “I’ll Roll” suddenly makes listeners feel like they’re traveling in some desert found in the west. It almost feels like it could be in either an old western or some road trip film. The melody is much heavier, and even the lead singer’s voice gets deeper.

The song’s general theme is about not having anything “too serious” with a girl. The girl is described as a carefree one with lyrics proclaiming her as “the kind of girl that only exists in a Kerouac paperback dream” and as a girl “who sleeps under the stars.” The entire song is a sort of proposal for a fun, go-with-the-flow, wherever-the-wind-blows relationship: “I just wanna read a couple highway signs / Ain’t got no tie-you-down plans.” These fascinating lyrics are paired with a deep bass and drum melody, that sets the wild-like tone for the song. “I’ll Roll” takes the listeners away from the easy-listening, light-hearted love melodies many of the other songs encompass and show just where Old Domination can take them.

Truthfully, the only place where this album sort of falls flat is on the concluding track “Some People Do.” While from a lyrical stand-point it is a very moving song, ending a strong album on a depression ballad is not a level Old Dominion is at yet. Your average listener just picking up the album because they got hooked on “Make It Sweet” will not totally be on board with a delightful album ending on this kind of song. It is just very slow, very emotional, and sort of hard to listen to. An album’s final track should be a nice wrap up with a bow on top, almost like ending it with how you started, and this doesn’t totally do it. This doesn’t completely ruin the album in any way, thankfully.

Looking at it as a whole, this is such a strong third album. For many artists, especially country, the third album can really define artists. It’s the sweet spot between them introducing themselves and actually finding who they are music wise. Old Dominion has really come in strong with their third album. They are establishing themselves, showing us what they can really do, which makes the self-titled factors even more appropriate. The music really is an exciting trip through Old Dominion’s style and lyrical capabilities. From the catchiest lyrics of to the literal storytelling through not only words but melodies they were able to do, the album has it all. It really is worth a blast through your beaten-up car speakers on a pleasant country drive. It just has that kind of feel, and that is such a fresh feeling for music right now