Zach Bryan is a well known country artist who rose to fame in early 2022 when his hit song “Something In The Orange” went viral on TikTok. Bryan recently released a self titled album on August 23, 2023, with many songs once again going viral on TikTok, “Smaller Acts” being one of the more favored songs off of the very popular album.
Only a couple weeks later Bryan released an EP entitled “Boys of Faith.” This new EP has features from big artists such as Bon Iver and even Noah Kahan, who recently became very popular for his album “Stick Season (We’ll All Be Here Forever).” Bon Iver’s lyricism is what really pulls his discography together and gives the listener a nagging sense of loss.
Many fans of Kahan and Iver were extremely excited for this collaboration, going as far as making the song “Boys of Faith” trend on TikTok prior to its release.
The EP opens with the song “Nine Ball” that has a sound very reminiscent of late 80’s, early 90’s country music which holds your hand as you walk through heartbreak. Many listeners credit Bryan for bringing back real country with roots and inspiration from folk sound.
The song has themes of a father’s gambling problem, with many allusions to a father’s alcoholism and money issues.
The second song of the EP features Kahan and is called “Sarah’s Place.” This is the most country sounding most fans have heard Kahan, many not expecting this collaboration and many loving it. Despite the timing of this release, the lyricism in this album is an extension of the album itself and is beautifully done, continuing the story he left off with on “Oklahoma Sun.”
“Sarah’s Place” tells the story of someone the songwriters knew in the past, with a majority of the lyrics insisting that this person was always much better than those around them, saying “At your worst/you’re better than my better days.”
The next song off of the EP is called “Boys of Faith,” featuring Iver, better known for his album “For Emma, Forever Ago” released in 2008. Despite releases becoming slower since his self titled album released in 2011, he has had many features with various popular artists such as Taylor Swift, The National and many more.
This song takes on a slower, more melancholic feeling that is different from the overall sound of the EP. Many fans favored this song for its chorus, making this a very worthy fan favorite with the lyrics “But you stuck around when I was down, and I’ll owe you all my days, them boys of faith.”
This song became the center of many TikToks, meant for people showing off and giving appreciation for the people who have helped them in their life.
This EP came out at an unexpected time for most fans of Bryan, with the album only having a short release period. Despite that, most seem to still be very excited with the surplus of new music.
As of recent, Bryan’s newer music has taken on a darker tone. The lyrics are reminiscent of a love he once had, which many fans speculate is inspired by his divorce with his now ex-wife, Elisabeth Rose Madden. Almost all of the songs off of his newest album and EP hang heavy on the heart.
Despite the recent releases, fans seem to be anxiously awaiting Bryan’s next musical expedition, excited for him to once again share his lyrical expertise.
