Album Spotlight: Chris Janson, ‘Everybody’
Chris Janson’s sophomore album Everybody has a little something for – well – everybody.
Pardon the pun, but the album is properly titled for Janson’s inclusive brand of country songwriting, which features everything from redneck ragers to blue-collar-based love songs for any hopeless romantic. Though Everybody has plenty of edge from a sonic and lyrical perspective, it’s also evident that Janson wants to wrap his arms around the world with one big hug.
Perhaps the proudest – and most poetic – self-proclaimed redneck in modern country music, Janson’s Top 15 single “Fix A Drink” is a good-time tune that picks up where his 2015 No. 3 single “Buy Me A Boat” left off. A humorous take on modern times, Janson realizes what he can and can’t fix in his daily life.
“I turn on FOX News and then CNN / But it's the same dang thing all over again / The world's in the toilet and the market's in the tank / Well I can't fix that / No, but I can fix a drink.”
He continues the good times on Everybody with songs including the title track, “Redneck Life,” “Name on It,” “Who’s Your Farmer” and “Little Bit of Both,” a Janson co-write previously released by fellow country star Frankie Ballard. Fans already got a taste of those songs (except “Who’s Your Farmer”) on Janson’s five-song The Fix A Drink EP released in June.
"Name on It" is the most polished, radio formatted song on the album and having been penned by Janson along with Nashville hit songwriters Chris DuBois, Ashley Gorley (who's written over 30 No. 1 singles) and Ross Copperman, it's a likely pick for an eventual single.
Janson takes a few shots on the title track, speaking his mind with lines including, "Everybody wanna get rich / But nobody wants to work" and "Everybody wants to be in the picture / But nobody wants to take it." However, as Janson usually does, he spins the hook to finish with a playful love line that softens his previous blows: "Everybody wants to be Hollywood / Everybody wants to shine / Well I don't really care what everybody does, baby / I just wanna make you mine."
The rest of Everybody rounds out a romantic sentiment centered around family, relationships and country living. "Eyes for Nobody," "Love Me Like You Love Me When You Like Me" and "Drunk Girl" are exclusively about romance, with "Our World" as a lifestyle song and "Out There" existing as a hybrid between the two. "Bein' a Dad," written by Casey Beathard and Ed Hill, is the only song Janson didn't co-write on the 12-track album, but given how much Janson speaks about his family on and offstage, the song obviously struck the right chord with the 31-year-old singer-songwriter.
Everybody was produced by a multitude of producers including Janson, Chris DuBois, Scott Hendricks, Brent Anderson and Craig Wiseman. Its release date is Sept. 22.
Did You Know? Janson referred to his writers and producers for “Fix A Drink” as the “Buy Me A Boat” crew, since he called on the same co-writers to create his latest party masterpiece. “Buy Me A Boat” was written by Janson, Chris DuBois and Brent Anderson. “Fix A Drink” included the same creators with the addition of Ashley Gorley.
Key Tracks: “Fix A Drink,” “Name on It,” “Everybody” and "Out There"
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