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'Born Here Live Here Die Here' Review: Luke Bryan charms with heartfelt country odes and breezy summer anthems

The country star says 'When you listen to the whole body of the album, there’s certainly love songs, songs that deal with loss, [and] songs that have sexy undertones'

The country music superstar Luke Bryan has now released his long-awaited seventh studio album, 'Born Here Live Here Die Here' as of August 7 via Capitol Nashville Records. Having already previously dropped five songs from the 10-track record in the form of catchy and heartfelt singles, this new album delivers a slew of lovely country-style tunes to chase those pandemic blues away and it's already hit No. 1 on the iTunes all-genre chart.

For lovers of country and Americana, the 44-year-old hitmaker needs no introduction. He's already been crowned Entertainer of the Year and was awarded Album of the Decade by the Academy of Country Music for his 2013 album, 'Crash My Party'. Having dominated the country music scene since 2007 with 23 No.1 hits till date, this honey-dew voiced crooner has nowhere to go but up.

His latest album 'Born Here Live Here Die Here' was co-produced with long-time collaborators, Jeff and Jody Stevens, who are accomplished country musicians in their own right. Even though he's been busy with his 'American Idol' jury duties, Bryan has been working on material for this new album for a few years now and even began releasing the first few tracks from the album as early as 2019.

Fans may already be familiar with the upbeat and groovy album opener, ‘Knockin’ Boots’ which was officially released in April last year. The title alludes to a Western euphemism for having sex and Bryan is certainly at his charming best as he channels the fun and sexual energy often found in '70s and '80s pop music. "Birds need bees / And ice needs whiskey," Bryan reminds us with his deep, resonant voice and echoes the song ‘Rain Is A Good Thing’, where he sang, “Rain makes corn, corn makes whiskey / Whiskey makes my baby feel a little frisky,” almost as if this was its counterpart. Smooth, groovy keys and a quintessential guitar solo rounds out this finger-snapping album opener, which certain to make your hips sway as well.

Up next is the October 2019 single ‘What She Wants Tonight’, a song written in a similar vein to the opening song, but here Bryan seems to be celebrating the fact that he’s gonna be the one knockin’ boots with the woman of his dreams. “I get to be what she wants tonight / I dunno how I got to be the only thing she wants right now,” he sings in a tone akin to exultant disbelief. Amongst the pulsating electro bass, guitar solo and driving beat of the song, the elements fuse into something quite extraordinary. Truth be told, it's almost as if this was Bryan’s joyous and sincere take on the Lonely Island smash hit, ‘I Just Had Sex’.

The third song shifts to traditional country mode with the title track, 'Born Here Live Here Die Here', with Bryan giving us a rousing, rootsy number that pays tribute to the pleasures of small-town life. “Born here, live here, die here / From the roots to the boots to the lay me down suit,” sings Bryan, as crisp, gentle pianos and the one-two punch of the slide and electric guitars create an inspiring and nostalgic Americana soundscape. This song feels more about preserving a homespun legacy that was handed down through the generations, as is evidenced in a lot of Bryan’s music. In a previous interview with Huffington Post he admitted, "You know, nobody grew up more countrier than me, but I mean, I had Beastie Boys playing on little boom boxes and Run DMC and all forms of music, so through the years, I just think it's all constantly blending together.”

If you've been following Bryan of late, the singer has no doubt already converted you with the breezy ‘One Margarita’, a perfect summer party song that dropped a few months ago in March. Bryan gives us his own rendition of ‘Bare Necessities’ as he sings, ‘One margarita / Two margarita / Three margarita / We’ll be gone,” and talks about forgetting your troubles and focusing on the good life, a core philosophy he seems to have adopted from his youth. The driving rhythm and rocking beat coupled with a fun guitar solo make this an ideal track to pump up the energy at a get-together with friends and chilled drinks.

Bryan throws in another charming babymaker with ‘Too Drunk To Drive’, a song about being intoxicated in more ways than one as he spends a potentially debaucherous night in the company of a captivating woman. The slow, intimate guitars and a bassline that bubbles with inertia provide the perfect setting as Bryan sings, "Hide the keys / Lock the door / Find something here to do.” Bryan also recently admitted this was his favorite driving song on Twitter: "When I’m riding in my truck this is the song I listen to more than any other off my album."

On ‘Build Me A Daddy’, Bryan throws in an emotional curveball that tugs at your heartstrings. The song achingly depicts a young child who is asking a toymaker to build him a replacement dad, since his father is now lost to war. While most musicians tend to steer clear of domestic darkness, Bryan sings this with a saccharine-tinge that is quite emotive. “Could you build me a daddy / Strong as Superman / Make him ten feet tall / With a southern drawl / And a crooked smile if you can." The poignant lyrics will certainly resonate with many of us who have lost our idols. The narrative and Bryan’s words take center stage here, as the instrumental arrangements are extremely minimal and accentuate the words at just the right moments.

‘Little Less Broken This Time’ is a slow-waltz country number with Bryan singing about heartbreak and being at the receiving end of the worst of it. “I ain’t letting you know / I hurt this bad / I’ll just hang my head / Underneath this hat / And slip out the back,’ sings Bryan with a sentiment that is not uncommon to the lovelorn among us. This track finds itself amongst the countless country gems that take a stoic stand on life after love and also proves to be a soothing salve in its own special way.

The gorgeous and intimate ‘For A Boat’ is an ode to every boy’s greatest teacher in life, his own father. On this almost anecdotal track, Bryan celebrates the life and relationship he’s shared with his own father. “I grew up lucky / As far as lucky goes / Too broke for a boat,” he sings, acknowledging that the knowledge and wisdom he gained were much greater treasures than any amount of wealth his father could have given him. This is an ideal track to celebrate those great dads out there and will definitely be high on the radio request list when the next Father’s Day rolls around.

The folksy ‘Where Are We Going’ is lush and cinematic, and is likely to be featured in an upcoming romantic comedy shortly. “There’s something about the sky tonight / There’s something about your blue eyes / Baby you remind me of my sweetest dreams,” sings Bryan in what could be considered a secret segue from ‘Too Drunk To Drive’. Much like the song's subject matter, the music has a very dreamlike and magical quality to it. Perfect for that long-overdue getaway with your significant other.

The last track on the album, ‘Down To One’, channels more pop than country sensibilities as Bryan sings another ode to that incredible rush of being with an intoxicating woman. “Said we leave in one more minute / One passed by but we didn’t / 'Cause you were looking like a dream I’ve been dreaming / I was thinking about anything but leaving,” Bryan sings in this evocative album closer.

Luke Bryan has an undeniable charm and a soothing voice that is a smash hit with his fanbase. Most of the songs on this album are extremely catchy, groovy and have a "get up and dance" vibe to them. Amid the global epidemic, one can definitely rely on these ten songs to shake off the quarantine blues and feel human and alive again. 

“I think my albums reflect all forms of life,” the country star revealed, and added “When you listen to the whole body of the album, there’s certainly love songs, songs that deal with loss, [and] songs that have sexy undertones.” Luke Bryan then also stated, "No matter what’s going on in the world, I’m gonna still always treat my albums like bringing everybody to the party... Try to state who I am as a person and try to make music that my fans can relate to, but then still push some envelopes."