Single Review: Eric Church - The Outsiders

Eric Church released a teaser video for "The Outsiders" in the middle of October 2013 and a week later followed up with the official release of the single, the first from his upcoming fourth studio album. Check out what we think of the unique new single here.

Short review: Definitely Different. Definitely Loud. Totally Eric Church.

Long Review: 

You really have to give Eric Church credit. It'd have been easy for the EMI Nashville Records star to rest on his laurels and come out with another "Springsteen" or "Drink In My Hand." It's often what other stars have been known to do. Yet, here he is, delivering "The Outsiders," a song that is no where NEAR anything else he's ever released to radio. It's far louder, far more raw, and downright Rock n Roll. Well, maybe we expected that last part from Eric. 

"The Outsiders" is definitely a musically interesting song, once again thanks to the production from Jay Joyce, a producer who works in the Rock world and really gets to flex his production abilities (or the ability to let the band do their thing instead of inserting his own ego into the production) and just let them go where they wanna go and, like the lyrics [Read Here] of "Outsiders," that's who they are and how they roll. Now, about those lyrics. It's a song for anyone who has ever felt outside, the wallflowers of the world. I can picture the modern teenagers loving this song for it does relate to them, the ones who don't to conform to what 'society' thinks they should do.

It seems as if "The Outsiders" is Eric Church's way of saying, here I am, here is my legion of fans and while we are Country music people, we're outsiders to it. We're not going to conform to what 'the man' thinks we should conform to, we're not going to release another 'Springsteen' or "Drink In My Hand" or "Like Jesus Does" just because that's what some fans and the industry expect us to do. We're going to give an anthem, an anthem for US and they'll play it, because, well, we Eric Church and a star and one of Country Music's biggest stars and that's how we roll.

"The Outsiders" is loud. It melds talking song elements in parts while delivering raucous all out Rock N Roll in most of the other parts of this song. The song is over 4 minutes long but It'll be hard for Radio to want to play more than a 3 minute version of it as the last minute or so is basically just the band doing its thing. "The Outsiders" is a very good song that is going to polarize audiences. And it's also one that REALLY could become an Alternative radio staple if Eric Church ever wanted to try those shoes on. Will it be another #1 record? I'm not so sure. But it should at least do what "Homeboy" did and give Eric Church enough of a buzzworthy launching point for his upcoming 2014 album release and adding a new element to his live show that is gaining all kinds of buzz from outlets not normally known for Country music coverage. And that's exactly who Eric Church is and How he rolls. He's an Outsider.

BUY "The Outsiders" on iTunes.

Read the lyrics to Eric Church's "The Outsiders" here.

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