It was ten years ago now that John Rich, one of the original members of Lonestar, and solo artist Big Kenny joined forces to become Big & Rich. The new arrangement didn’t take long to make a dent, and after several albums and a handful of hits (as well a solo album from each along the way during a hiatus) Big & Rich has become a staple of the American country music scene.
Gravity, their fifth album, was originally slated for a 2015 release due to their previous label’s hectic release schedule. Not wanting to wait that long, the pair actually started their own imprint so this music could get out to the public sooner. While this might be career suicide for many artists, the sizable fan base behind Big & Rich sent the album to #8 on the Country Music Charts.
Perhaps the most pop-influenced outing of their careers, Gravity is held together by a steady stream of melodies and harmonies from the two musicians, not to mention the fun that they built their name on. This is evident right from the opening tune “Look At You,” where the guitars are cranked up and the hooks all spell out country-pop hit. Of course, their roots are deep in the country scene, and the banjos on “Lose A Little Sleep” and steel guitar on the title track are a good reminder of this. Legend Tim McGraw even makes an appearance on “Lovin’ Lately.”
Elsewhere, the veterans show their vast influences, especially on the rock anthem “I Came To Git Down,” the subdued “Don’t Wake Me Up,” or the Southern rock feelings at the end of the album.
A lot of people probably assume Big & Rich are novelty band based on some of their not very serious hits and use of rap and rock with country (of course I’m talking about “Save A Horse (Ride A Cowboy)”. But this disc showcases a more serious side to the duo along with several ballads, ensuring that Gravity will appeal to their unwavering fans as well as collect some new ones along the way.
