By Joshua Wallace
Every now and then you see a random new artist and decide to check them out and it blows you away with how good they are. This was my experience with David Adam Byrnes new record Neon Town. I was not familiar with him at all until it dropped this past Friday, but now I am a fan. A little bit of research revealed that this is the follow up to his 2011 album Premium Country, but you really should treat this as a re-introduction. A move from Nashville to Texas provided some new inspiration and artists like Cody Johnson showed him what Texas country could be. That’s where the album Neon Town comes in and it is pure country music gold. You might not find a better Texas country album this year.
The album kicks off with “Neon Town” and it’s a straight banger. It’s a classic honky tonk song that gets you in the mood to dance. This is a track that wouldn’t be out of place on a George Strait album. Another favorite is “Old School”. I love the groove this track cuts. It’s a funky track about how chivalry is still alive even if it is old school.”Tequila, Salt and Time” is a typical feel good country music island jam, but similar to “Old School”, this song has a groove that makes you just want to dance and that danceable aspect is something that makes this record stand out among 2020’s country music releases.
“Beer Bucket List” kicks things off with a great fiddle riff. This is another great banger of a track about the escapism that beer can provide from the typical 9 to 5 lifestyle. “In My Arms” is a great ballad that I feel like would have gone to number one on country radio in the mid to late 90’s. It has that smooth kind of melody and simple guitar and fiddle harmony that made those kinds of songs popular. Regardless of the decade, it’s still a great tune. The album closes out with a killer cover of classic country tune “Dim Lights, Thick Smoke and Loud Music”. It’s a very stripped back cover and closes the album out on a familiar note.
David Adam Byrnes has released one hell of a record full of great danceable country songs which is something we haven’t had much of in 2020. There are tracks for honky tonks that are bangers and there are tracks that make you want to slow dance the night away. It’s a good album. I highly recommend checking this one out and I hope to be able to see David Adam Byrnes live sometime in the future. Neon Town is available everywhere as of October 9th, 2020.
Favorite Tracks : Neon Town, Old School, Tequila, Salt and Time, Beer Bucket List, In My Arms
David Adam Byrnes – Neon Town (2020)
- Neon Town
- I Can Give You One
- She Only Wanted Flowers
- Old School
- Signs
- Tequila Salt and Time
- Beer Bucket List
- In My Arms
- I Ain’t Seen It Yet
- Dim Lights, Thick Smoke and Loud Music