Since he gave the internet his take on Cowboy Carter a few months back, Gavin Adcock has been eagerly promoting the release of his new album, Own Worst Enemy. Country music fans have also been anxiously awaiting the project. Own Worst Enemy is Gavin's first release under Sticks Management, Morgan Wallen's management company.
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This 24-track album, according to Adcock, is supposed to have a lot to say about self-growth and self-sabotage. That would be a new look for the country music artist, mainly since most of his brand so far has consisted of overly rowdy concerts and close calls when it comes to the law. Well, now that it's officially out, fans can make their judgments about the album and whether they think Adcock is his "own worst enemy" or not, but this time, with his input as well. Here are some of our takeaways from the album so far, after a first listen through.
Gavin Adcock Wants You To Know He's His Own Worst Enemy
Something I've been hearing from other outlets about the album is that, in general, a lot of the songs seem to circle between the same tropes over and over. That isn't necessarily bad, but definitely can get tiresome after you've hit the 24th track.
A journalist from Holler Country said it best: "While the project consists of two dozen tracks, many of them are plagued by viciously bland songwriting as Adcock and friends trade between the same three tropes, driving home the facts that 1.) he's a bad boy; 2.) he just wants to be loved; and 3.) no one can change him, so don't even try."
These themes are especially evident in tracks like "Hard Headed Heart". On that track, Adcock expresses an awareness of his flaws, but simultaneously refuses to change who he is. "I keep on getting what I deserve/ hard headed heart don't want to learn."
This Album Is Stripped Down Southern Rock Goodness
The musical content of this album is engaging, as it aims to capture the "Morgan Wallen" sound while incorporating elements of southern rock and 90s grunge. There are also many moments where Adcock aims for a more stripped-down grunge sound, just before transitioning into a heavier country-rock sound.
In the album's title track, "Own Worst Enemy", he does this in a way that reminds me a lot of HARDY's rock projects. I honestly really enjoy it. Other songs on the album try to achieve a similar feel. "Ain't Working Anymore", for example, starts out relatively raw but gets more rock-leaning as the song progresses.
All in all, my favorite songs on the album would have to be "Sunset", "Loose Strings", and the title track. But with an album this big, it's honestly just about making it to the finish on the first try. I'm not entirely sold on the "Own Worst Enemy" concept, as I feel like it's not something that needs 24 tracks to get to the bottom of. But I do think Adcock does a good job of balancing a raw acoustic sound with heavier production elements. And you have to admit, whether you love him or hate him, the guy's pretty honest. And that's something that never fails to get a 10 out of 10 in my book.
Photo By: Getty / Joshua Applegate
