Source: Spotify

Zach Bryan, a country music artist who has recently gained a large following of fans and listeners in the past decade, released his seventh studio album: “With Heaven On Top,” Jan. 9.

The album consists of 24 traditional tracks in addition to the opening track spoken in verse. Throughout the album, Bryan experiments with different pacing, lyrical choices, and production elements, making this album one of his most versatile yet.  

I myself have been listening to Bryan’s music for almost 5 years now, and have witnessed his stylistic changes through his previous studio albums. Below I will share my review and breakdown of “With Heaven on Top,” going track by track and sharing my thoughts on each. In addition, I will rank each rank based on my personal opinion and feelings toward it. I am a listener who enjoys both the slower and more upbeat Bryan styles, and value strong lyrics and overall flow while listening and ranking music.  

1. “Down, Down, Stream.” I myself have never been a huge fan of Bryan’s poems, however, I can appreciate the complex lyrics and message in this one. Due to the fact this track is spoken in verse, I will refrain from officially ranking it.
2. “Runny Eggs.” This song was a great way to start off the album, with a slow and additive harmonica backtracking strong lyrics and chorus. Although the name of the song is questionable, I score “Runny Eggs” a 9/10.
3. “Appetite.” The high energy beat of this song had me hooked from the start. Bryan pulls beats from classical western country music, combining this heightened energy with meaningful lyrics about growing up and societal pressures to settle down and start a family. The fast pace and meaningful message of this song leads me to give it a 10/10.
4. “DeAnn’s Denim.” This song resembles a lot of Bryan’s earlier music style, bringing a slow melody together with meaningful lyrics about his past. With less production and more raw vocals and lyrics, this song is very slow melo, leading me to rank it an 8/10.
5. “Say Why.” This track was imminently a banger for me, starting out with a hooking track and following through with catchy lyrics and a great bridge. Bryan is able to pair a light hearted back track with powerful lyrics about relationships, leading me to rank it a 9/10.
6. “Drowning.” Although initially I was deterred by the very slow pace and deep voice that “Drowning” is sung in, the lyrics and addictive melody of this track made it one of my favorites. At first it blended into the rest, but drowning has emerged as one of the 10/10 tracks for me.
7. “Santa Fe.” The strong drums and trumpet of this song places it very high on my list. The light hearted lyrics about moving away and moving though life paired with the fun melody and chorus  lead me to score it a 9.5/10. 
8. “Skin.” Starting off slow, “Skin” explores delicate themes of Bryan’s previous relationships and life while writing the album. Although holding a strong beat, the lyrics fell a bit flat for me, leading me to rank it a 7/10. 
9. “Dry Desters.” Again, right off the bat I knew that this song was going to be good. With an electric introduction and fun lyrics about relationships and moving away from home, Dry Desserts makes itself a fun and upbeat addition to the album, scoring a 10/10. 
10. “Bad News.” This song provides powerful commentary about the current state of the United States, and Bryan’s feelings about a fleeting sense of American pride and unity. With powerful lyrics and a slow yet catchy chorus yet, “Bad News” scores a 9.5/10.
11. “South and Pine.” This track brought back childhood memories and feelings of comfort and warmth. There is a sense of hominess that flows though twitching the tune of the song. The nostalgia and amazing tone of this song leads me to rank it a 9.5/10. 
12. “Cannonball.” This track got a bit lost for me in a spree of a 25 track album. Although holding a slow and soft tune with personal lyrics about Bryan’s past, the chorus of Cannonball felt a bit basic for me, despite being catchy. Taking into account the monotone lyrics and catchy chorus, Cannonball scores a 7.5/10 for me. 
13. “Slicked Back.” This was one of the few fast paced songs that Bryan has put out that I didn’t immediately love. Although having a very casual and light backtrack, the lyrics felt a bit meaningless for me, a discontinuity from Bryan’s very deep lyricism, scoring a 6.5/10.
14. “Anyways.” The intro track of this song sounds like setting off for a road trip in all of the right ways. The fast and growing beat hooks the listener instantly, paired with addictive and powerful lyrics that make you want to jump around. For these reasons, I score “Anyways” a 10/10.
15. “If They Come Lookin.” This track reminds me of old time country music by figures like Johnny Cash. Pulling tunes seemingly from a vintage western movie, “If They Come Lookin” is a fun listen with a good message, scoring an 8.5/10. 
16. “Rivers and Creeks.” Being definitely one of Bryan’s more experimental songs on the album, the voice cracks and artistic singing style is definitely an acquired taste, but I have come to enjoy it. This song really flows and is satisfying to listen to, leaving it a score of 9/10.
17. “Plastic Cigarettes.” As one of the most anticipated tracks on the album, “Plastic Cigarettes” did not disappoint. The lyrics and thoughtful beat remind me of Bryan’s past albums and music style, invoking a sense of nostalgia. Although sounding a bit flat at some points, I score “Plastic Cigarettes” a 9.5/10.
18. “You Can Still Come Home.” This track uses a slow beat to deliver some of Bryan’s most heartfelt and deep lyrics about misfortunes in life and returning to your roots. Picking up a bit in the chorus, “You Can Still Come Home,” checks all the boxes for a good slow song, scoring a 9/10.
19. “Aeroplane.” I won’t lie, this was not a standout track for me. Although the song picks up towards the backend, the lyrics were a bit confusing, and I didn’t fully resonate with the message being passed along. This song got a bit lost in the album for me, scoring a 6/10.
20. “Always Willin’.” This track had one of my favorite beats and melodies of the whole album for me. Bryan matches the upbeat vibe of this song with hard hitting lyrics that deliver in a strong and catchy way, scoring a 10/10.
21. “Miles.” The lyrics of “Miles,” were a bit off to me, feeling a bit repetitive in a way that didn’t really pull me back in for another listen. Everything about this track felt a bit flat, scoring a 5/10.
22. “All Good Things Past.” Once again, this track felt a bit underdone for me. Although I enjoy the trumpets in the backtrack and the overall theme of the song, I was not in love with the lyrics or beat fully, scoring a 6/10.
23. “Camper.” This track sports catchy lyrics and a soulful feel that matches the beat. I enjoyed the calm and mellow sense that this song brought, paired with thoughtful lyrics, scoring a 7/10.
24. “Sundown Girls.” I wish that this song was a bit longer, because I enjoyed the summer feel and vibes of “Sundown Girls.” brings. It feels like it could have come off of one of Bryan’s earlier albums in a great way, scoring an 8.5/10. 
25. “With Heaven On Top.” This was a powerful song to end off the album. The lyrics match the vibe of the rest of the album, being thoughtful and expressing a reflective tone. With a really catchy and meaningful chorus, “With Heaven On Top,” scores a 9/10.