For fans of North Carolina native Chase Rice, the three year wait between albums is finally over. Lambs & Lions is the end of an up and down road for Rice. After failing to gain traction with Whisper and Everybody We Know Does, Rice left Columbia Records and signed on with Broken Bow Records in June 2017 to have more control over the creative process of the album. Lambs & Lions breaks the “Bro-Country” mold Chase Rice was known for in favor of a more traditional country sound.
Track List:
“Lions”
“On Tonight”
“Unforgettable”
“Eyes On You”
“Saved Me”
“One Love, One Kiss, One Drink, One Song”
“Jack Daniel’s Showed Up”
“Three Chords & The Truth”
“Amen”
“This Cowboy’s Hat (ft. Ned LeDoux)”
Top Tracks: “On Tonight”; “One Love, One Kiss, One Drink, One Song”; “Three Chords & The Truth”
Overall Rating: 4/5
After the crazy Ignite the Night album, Chase is finally finding his groove. Being selective about songs on this solid 10 track album instead of Ignite the Night’s crazy 19 song track list. It’s slower paced than his previous songs, but it works and makes for a solid album.
“Lions”
The album opens with the rocking track “Lions”, but you wouldn’t know that from the spoken word intro of the Lord’s Prayer. The verse kicks in with a driving, distorted guitar as Rice sings about his rollercoaster last three years and his battle to make an album with the sound he wanted. In true Chase Rice fashion, he’s a lion. Some may say we’re too loud / Some may say we’re too proud / Well there’s lambs and there’s lions
“On Tonight”
“On Tonight” is a song any guy can relate to. Chase laments over a relationship that’s over, but not really over. The track’s title is a clever double entendre of her wearing his favorite outfit, and their on again off again relationship. I hope 1:15 rolls around / And you need me like I need you right now / I don’t care what we said / If I’m on your mind it ain’t over, not yet
“Unforgettable”
Lambs & Lions is chalked full of sad love songs. “Unforgettable” continues to follow that mold as Rice reflects on everything he wouldn’t have done if he’d known much the ensuing breakup would affect him. I would’ve never been a stand up guy / Should’ve stood you up the very first night / And girl I would’ve never let you go / If I’d have known you’d be so unforgettable
“Eyes On You”
Ever been so into someone you don’t notice anything else around? This song’s for you. Another break from the rockin’ album’s opening, “Eyes On You“ is a piano backed love song about how with the right person nothing else matter. Don’t you remember Time’s Square / People countin’ down everywhere / 2000-whatever no, I didn’t care / Cause baby you were there / And once again, couldn’t help but stare
“Saved Me”
Chase keeps bringing the slow jams with “Saved Me“, this time dropping the piano in favor of an acoustic guitar. This track is about the girl that helps you move on from whatever’s dragging you down. “Saved Me” gets brighter musically by starting with only guitar in the first verse, adding drums in the second, and finishing with a full-band. It’s almost like you were sent here to save me / Then you saved me
“One Love, One Kiss, One Drink, One Song”
Another relatable heartbreak song. When you spend a lot of time with someone sometimes all it takes is a second to get all the memories flooding back, and that’s exactly what Rice addresses in this track. As good as the King is, George Strait has a way of bringing back all kinds of memories, good and bad. I drive my Chevy / Crank the music / Roll to her place / No don’t do it
“Jack Daniel’s Showed Up”
It wouldn’t be a Chase Rice album without at least one party song. This funky jam is all about a night that isn’t quite right Old No. 7 gets involved. It’s just a fun drinking song. He wasn’t invited but that’s alright / Man we both decided he could hang all night / It wasn’t supposed to be a party, just chill enough
“Three Chords & The Truth”
This is what country music is all about. Anyone who’s ever spent time around a guitar or tried to write a song knows it all comes back to this. Music can make people give up everything to chase a dream and this song perfectly captures that feeling. It’s a steel-guitar that steals your soul / It’s a country song that takes you home again
“Amen”
A fitting end to the original songs on the album. For every heavy, rock-influenced spiritual line in Lions, “Amen” turns them on their head and answers with a piano driven ballad. The track references all the things that could have happened in any small town in America, and if you can relate, amen. If it sounds like it could’ve been you / Or somewhere you might’ve been / Can I get an amen?
“This Cowboy’s Hat (feat. Ned LeDoux)”
I firmly believe Chris LeDoux would be proud of this cover. Rice even brings in Chris’ son, Ned, in for the tribute. If you’re not familiar with the song originally recorded by the rodeo star turned country star, it tells the story of a cowboy being hassled over his hat by a group of bikers. The cowboy puts the biker’s in their place by telling them the story of the hat and the people that have influenced it along the way. Because you never mess with a man’s hat. When my friend turned back towards me / I noticed his ol’ hat brim / Well it was turned up, in a big ol’ Texas grin
“Three Chords & The Truth” Official Music Video
Behind The Scenes of “Three Chords & The Truth”
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