ToC Critic’s Pick: Sam Hunt, ‘House Party’ [Listen]

Sam Hunt orders up a party for two during "House Party," his third single from the Montevallo album. The song is his most traditional to date, which is a little like calling fried chicken without gravy "healthy."

This singer continues to stretch the genre to the delight of some and the agony of others. Acoustic guitar drives the beat in "House Party," while a very country-sounding guitar lick works around his melodic, syncopated lyrics. This is is Hunt’s lightest single to date, as well.

“You're on the couch, blowing up my phone / You don't want to come out, but you don't want to be alone / 
It don't take but two to have a little soiree / You're in the mood to sit tight right where you are, babe,” he sings to begin “House Party," a song he wrote with producer and frequent co-writer Zach Crowell, plus Jerry Flowers.

Like with his previous work, Hunt never stays in one place too long. He jumps to a different rhythm before the chorus. That’s when this song really turns into a jam:

“Let's have a house party, we don't need nobody / Turn your TV off, break that boombox out / We'll wake up all the neighbors til the whole block hates us / And the cops will show up and try to shut us down.”

If dissected, "House Party" is something of a Frankensong, but few will notice or care about its unconventional structure. At it’s core it’s a party song, even though the lyrics tell the story of a steamy encounter between part-time lovers.

“Throw a neon T-shirt over the lampshade / I'll take the furniture, slide it out of the way / Shaking the floor, rattling the roof / We'll go to town right there in your living room,” Hunt sings at the second verse. On paper, that’s a pretty raunchy idea. But somehow Hunt’s story seems G-rated. It's certainly not a song you'd turn down while taking Grandma to church on Sunday morning.

“If you're gonna be a homebody / We're gonna have a house party / If you wanna be a homebody / We're gonna have a house party.”

“House Party” is going to be Hunt’s biggest hit to date — possibly of his career. It comes in from the edges slightly, but it does so in a way that doesn’t sacrifice personality or individuality. Expect to hear this song a lot over the next five years.

Key Lyrics: "If you're gonna be a homebody / We're gonna have a house party / If you wanna be a homebody / We're gonna have a house party."

Did You Know?: Hunt understands that stylistically he's tough for some country fans to embrace. But he's not going to quit trying. Recently the singer admitted he's got a long ways to go to prove he belongs on the radio and in the hearts of fans.

Listen to Sam Hunt, “House Party”

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