Zach Bryan really has a way of giving us everything he’s got in the tank.
From the full 34 tracks on American Heartbreak that imply no song was left behind, to his ability to drop endless releases at the desired speeds of his listeners—this man is truly something. Not to mention his ability to connect with the younger country music generation with his insightful, exploratory lyrics.
For many Zach Bryan fans, it would probably be hard to name a favorite. And that’s assuming they’ve taken the needed hours to digest his 30-40 new projects and rifle through the tangle of emotional moments he produces with each one.
But for me, the unmastered sound of “Corinthians” is my easy first place finish.
Teased on Instagram in June, Zach Bryan showed off his acoustic stylings of the song, which got fans excited. The album version added a few more musical elements, but the raw ratio of voice-to-music in the unmastered edition really hits home.
The song represents a longing for a re-birth with lyrics focused on memorable moments juxtaposed with a desire to gain more appreciation.
And he brings it all home with the concluding bridge, which really packs a punch:
“And granddad sure was punchy,
But loved Jesus to his core,
I wanna die today, so I can learn to live for more…”
I mean what a dose of one-of-a-kind lyrics:
“And if I’m going down, then I’m going down true,
If I got anyone to thank then it’ll always be you…”
The level of authenticity that Zach Bryan pours into his music is extremely unique, and this song in particular really seems to lay his heart on the page.
With an earlier tweet from Bryan back in May insinuating that American Heartbreak will be his final tour, it makes you wonder if a “Corinthians” style re-birth is exactly what he’s hoping for after his experience in the limelight.
And the finished product, the album version: