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Review: Morgan Wallen's 'One Thing At A Time Prioritizes Partying Over Self-Reflection
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Morgan Wallen has been one of country music's most popular stars in recent years, thanks to his relatable image and whiskey-soaked songs that have attracted not only country radio listeners but also pop music fans.
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However, his journey to fame hasn't been without controversy. In late 2020, he was dropped from Saturday Night Live for flouting pandemic guidelines, and in February of the following year, a video surfaced of him using a racial slur, which led to Nashville briefly withdrawing its support for his music.
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Despite these issues, his fanbase continues to stream his music, and his most recent album, Dangerous: The Double Album, has helped to cement his chart positions.
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With One Thing at a Time, his latest album, Wallen has gone one better, offering 36 tracks of his favorite musical and lyrical themes, along with simple, catchy vocal melodies.
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The majority of Wallen's lyrics focus on bars, beers, whiskey, and women who are often unavailable, as well as using central metaphors to make more precise observations.
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Although One Thing at a Time avoids any direct mention of Wallen's controversial status, there is a sense of introspection on Don't Think Jesus, a song that circles the idea of fallout from screw-ups, but Wallen ultimately rejects the idea of throwing stones.
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Wallen's new album has an alcohol content warning, with the constant liquor references blurring together into a sea of mid-tempo tracks that blend together.
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Joey Moi, who produced the album, has already helped Wallen to break records with "You Proof, which became the first 10-week No. 1 in the history of Billboard's Country Airplay chart.
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Wallen drew on three genres that have influenced him the most - country, alternative, and hip-hop - to create this album, but the vast majority of the tracks are contemporary country songs.
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Some tracks, such as 180 (Lifestyle), pay homage to wider musical trends, while others fuse hard rock with Nashville touches to create a unique sound.
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The title track, One Thing at a Time, is a standout song that combines country twang with snappy pop-rock guitars.
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Wine Into Water, a country-fried ballad, flips Jesus' wedding miracle into a hope for reconciliation with an ex.
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Good Girl Gone Missin', with its swirling guitars, is another standout track that deals with whiskey, bad decisions, and heartaches from hard living.
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The song ’98 Braves uses a central metaphor to compare a failed relationship to the Atlanta baseball team that performed well during the regular season but faltered in the championship series.
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Wallen's frizzled wail is most comfortable on mid-tempo cuts, which he combines with Nashville touches and occasionally nods to wider musical trends.
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Wallen's regular-guy image and heart-on-sleeve romanticism have helped his fanbase to keep streaming his music despite his controversies.
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One Thing at a Time is set to keep Wallen's chart positions high, and his fans show no signs of losing interest in his music, making him one of the most exciting country artists to watch in the years to come.