by Post Malone is officially a Dallas Cowboy- just not in the way you think. Last Friday, the Texas based artist dropped his long-awaited country album F1 Trillion, with a deluxe version F1 Trillion: Long Bed also available.
Country music is “in” right now, with mainstream artists such as Beyoncé and Cleveland’s own Machine Gun Kelly embracing the current pop culture blast of cowboy hats and old pearl snaps. So when I first heard that Post Malone, a SoundCloud rapper that’s last song I really liked was “White Iverson,” was making his entrance into the country music arena I figured he was just the next pop star to try to tap into the current “it” trend. But as the title of this article states, that was not the case.
Country music is about 90% of the music I listen to. I’m incredibly happy with the resurgence of its popularity because it is a wider genre than people realize. But I had no intention of listening to this album until a good friend of mine asked me my thoughts on it. I then listened to the entirety of the deluxe version, F1 Trillion: Long Bed, and was blown away by it.
The sheer variety of this album is its strength.
“Pour Me a Drink” features Blake Shelton and it is destined to become a summer party classic. It kind of shocks me that “I’ve Had Some Help” with Morgan Wallen was the single they released back in May to promote the album instead of “Pour Me a Drink.” This is the fun “turn up the radio” song I wanted from the album and it delivers.
“Finer Things” with Hank Williams Jr is cut from the same cloth as “Pour Me a Drink,” boasting a catchy chorus with a beat that makes you want to do that funky cowboy strut you see in movies and music videos.
Now yes, I know I said “variety” and then I named two similar songs, but “Missin’ You Like This” is when I felt the album shift. This slow heartbreaking ballad is the track that made me go, “wait in a minute, this album might be really good.” The lyrics tell a traditional country breakup tale that you would hear out of someone like Jon Pardi or Keith Whitley. Adding to that is Luke Combs coming onto the track halfway through, transporting you to an entirely different vibe than the blasting fun of previous songs such as “Finer Things.”
Continuing the more introspective part of the album is “What Don’t Belong To Me,” a song that’s highest praise I can give is that it sounds like a really good Post Malone song that accidently is country. This song is one the few on the album that contains no appearances from other artists, letting Malone show off his vocal range in a slower, personal song. If you’re not a country person, but you love Post Malone, this is the song for you off this album.
I won’t go on and on about every song on the album, as there are 27 on the deluxe version, but I would recommend anyone who is even slightly interested to give it a shot. The album showcases that there are many different sounds and tones that can come from country music. From a bluegrass rocking tune such as “California Sober,” to an almost Frankie Valli-esque song in “Who Needs You,” a song that I don’t see much chatter about- which is crazy to me because it sounds like Malone said, “hey I’m gonna become Michael Bublé for one track.”
If you’re a country music diehard and you’re expecting F1 Trillion to bring you back to the days of George Strait, Allen Jackson, and Garth Brooks you will be disappointed. For that I would recommend checking out my two new favorite blossoming stars in Zach Top and Braxton Keith. But if you’re someone who is curious about what a Post Malone country album can sound like, or you think the idea just sounds fun to begin with, there is something here for you. I hope you find the fun in it like I did.
