A Nice, Mature Writeup About the Zac Brown Band

Even when his music strays from country or Southern rock, it’s hard to get mad at Zac Brown. Besides, the Atlanta native has done a lot for Georgia over the years, from putting the Dixie Tavern on the map to spearheading Peachtree City-based Camp Southern Ground’s summer camp and veteran’s program.

That said, Brown and his band’s catalog fluctuates from Southern fried country-rock to pop and even hip-hop inspired sounds. In the buildup to the Zac Brown Band’s sixth studio album The Owl, out Sept. 20, advance singles went from the gorgeous, piano-led confessional “Leaving Love Behind” to “Warrior,” a well-intentioned celebration of the troops that relies too much on studio trickery. The latter will likely fall short of roots music fans’ personal playlists, but that’s okay. Brown makes music for Zac Brown Band fans, and both songs probably have them amped to hear more.

Notice that I briefly knocked Brown’s art without personally attacking him. It beats acting like a child if someone’s new song doesn’t suit my personal taste. Of course, if I did call him a banana-nosed jerk, I could do like certain bloggers and defend my work as “satire” after Zac Brown Band fans retaliate.

Photo by Diego Pernia.