*

Tara, the lyrics of “I Play The Road” certainly don’t bother me. I’d certainly prefer to hear a song about life on the road as opposed to a song about beer for the umpteenth time. They’ve just been spoken countless times already.

And I get the impression the band somehow feels the song is particularly clever. According to Brown, while touring the band had stopped at a diner on their way to a show that same evening. It was at the diner that the waitress asked, “Are you in a band?” The band confirmed this, and she then asked what instruments each of them play, to which their bus driver Big George replied: “I play the road!”

It’s a cute story that makes for an enjoyable, honest song…….but it’s not as clever as they’re making it out to be.

for those of us, who are not in the business of changing or shaping the world, but enjoy a day of fishin’, it may be as good a tune when driving to the fishing hole as the yet unmatched “beer, bait and ammo”.

Heck, even “Make This Day” would have made for a more entertaining fifth single. It sounds much more Brian Setzer Orchestra than country by all means, but who’s keeping count of how many songs from any given artist are “country” anyway?

I haven’t listened extensively to this song, but I generally haven’t been engaged enough to read into it this far. I guess I’m just starting to get bored with this particular side of the Zac Brown Band. I’ll probably give the song a couple more chances, but I expect I’ll likely remain in agreement with the review.

But I agree that “Let It Go” would have been much better served as the 5th single, and I for the life of me can’t figure out why it wasn’t chosen. Most people I know have been hoping for that one as the next single two or three songs ago.

In my view anyway, “Let It Go” better succeeds as a motivational poster put to music effort. I also like the clever, cheeky allusion in the second verse to the incident regarding radio censoring their previous hit “Toes” because of the word “ass”. The breakdown before the final chorus is also really nice, which sounds like a modern interpretation of one of Paul Simon’s “Graceland” experiments.

I just think the song really falters in its execution. I get the impression it is meant to channel a relaxing, laid-back vibe, but the urgency as the song goes on directly contradicts that attempted vibe. The atmosphere just sounds pensive here. About the most pensive fishing song I’ve ever heard.

“C” really just boils down to “Average” as a grade. I find the production is better than most of what is being passed onto radio, and I appreciate their genuine musicianship as always. It’s just not nearly as impactful as we’ve been accustomed to hearing from them lately. And to this day, aside from “Chicken Fried”, I’ve found all of the band’s other singles to be above-average, with numerous exceptional offerings (“Colder Weather”, “As She’s Walking Away”, “Highway 20 Ride”, “Toes”).

I highly doubt “No Hurry” will have the staying power many of their previous hits are enjoying or are likely to enjoy. I feel the grade I offered this reflects that. It might be enjoyable in the meantime, but it will have an inferior shelf life. In two year’s time, it will be “Colder Weather” and “Knee Deep” that listeners keep turning back to.

“No Hurry” is a pleasant song that may not be the greatest choice for a single from country music’s best group but still not bad. I’m surprised that “Let It Go” wasn’t released as a single.