Laura Bell Bundy first appeared on the country music scene earler this year with “Giddy On Up,” the lead-off single from her Achin’ and Shakin’ album. “Giddy” was from the ‘shakin’’ side of the album and while the song did make the Top 40, it was deemed by many to be ‘too different’ for radio to wholeheartedly embrace (despite the fact that Laura Bell scored with CMT audiences and scored an ACM performance slot). Now ready to share her ‘Achin’” side (a.k.a the ballads), Laura sends out to radioland the interesting soul-infused lead-off track from Achin’ and Shakin’.
An interesting side-story about this track is that it is the lone song that Laura Bell Bundy didn’t write on the record. While a ballad, “Drop On By” is an interesting study in how much country radio is ready to give different sounding songs a chance on country radio. While driven by a melody that is reto, it’s not retro country but retro R&B with strings leading the way. Quite simply, there’s nothing that sounds like it on country radio.
Lyrically, “Drop On By” is about inviting someone you’re enamored with – a crush of sorts – to stop by for a visit to ‘fill this emptiness in (the singer’s soul).” Dripping with emotional urgency, Laura Bell Bundy’s vocal certainly adds to the lyrics of the song (which was written by Brice Long and Ronnie Rogers). This is the kind of song that should excite radio programmers but it’s also a song that could be deemed ‘boring’ for many contemporary country radio fans. From the retro soul/country production from Nathan Chapman to the harmony singers, this song may be too ‘old sounding’ to be given a proper chance. But if “old” was good enough to be Gary Allan’s true breakthrough over a decade ago, why can’t the same happen for Laura Bell Bundy this year?
You can support Laura Bell Bundy by purchasing this single at Amazon | iTunes.
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