Strong

by Tyler Hubbard

Overview

Tyler Hubbard took his time delivering his eponymous solo debut, teasing out the record with a succession of singles prior to its January 2023 release. Strong, on the other hand, appeared rather swiftly: 15 months after Tyler Hubbard, not long after its first single, "Back Then Right Now," scaled the Billboard Country charts. Strong benefits from its quick conception, playing into Hubbard's chief strength: he's relaxed without seeming mellow. Retaining the same chilled-out vibe as the best of Florida Georgia Line, the singer whittles away the beery excesses while slowly stepping away from the party-hearty rhythms that fueled his former band's prime. Hubbard -- who had a hand in writing every one of the album's 13 songs -- doesn't shy away from incorporating electric elements in his production, yet those sequenced drums and the synth gloss often arrive in service of ballads and smooth pop, the kinds of tunes designed to be humming away in the background somewhere. Hubbard delivers such sweet melodies as "Take Me Back" with ease, but he sounds best when there's a livelier pulse to the production. He's switched booming arena beats for a smooth, new wave gloss, an aesthetic that gives the sunny nostalgia of "Back Then Right Now" and "American Mellencamp" a modern sheen, one that echoes on the insistent opener "Wish You Would." The cool veneer makes it clear that Hubbard isn't particularly interested in living in yesteryear. Instead, he seems comfortable making unapologetically polished, finely crafted modern country-pop -- the kind that emphasizes pop in its craft and production but still plays as pure country. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Product Details

Release Date:	04/12/2024
Label:	Emi Nashville
UPC:	0602458928488

Tracks

1. Wish You Would
2. Park
3. A Lot With a Little
4. Night Like That
5. Take Me Back
6. Back Then Right Now
7. Vegas
8. Turn
9. American Mellencamp
10. BNA
11. Summer Talkin'
12. '73 Beetle
13. Strong

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Tyler Hubbard   Primary Artist,Vocals,Vocals (Background)
Jordan Schmidt   Percussion,Synthesizer,Guitar (Acoustic),Guitar (Electric),Vocals (Background)
Tony Lucido   Bass
Justin Schipper   Guitar (Steel)
Jaren Johnston   Guitar (Electric)
Andy Albert   Vocals (Background)
Ilya Toshinskiy   Banjo,Dobro,Mandolin,Guitar (Acoustic),Guitar (Electric)
Alex Wright   Piano,Mellotron,Wurlitzer,Synthesizer
Renee Blair   Vocals (Background)
Stevie Frasure   Vocals (Background)
Ashley Gorley   Vocals (Background)
Jonny Fung   Bass,Banjo,Dobro,Slide Guitar,Guitar (Steel),Guitar (Acoustic),Guitar (Baritone),Guitar (Electric)
Nir Z   Drums,Percussion

Technical Credits

Casey Brown   Composer
Drew Bollman   Engineer,Recording
Jordan Schmidt   Editing,Composer,Engineer,Producer,Recording,Programming,Digital Editing
Nathan Dantzler   Mastering,Mastering Engineer
Jaren Johnston   Composer
Nate Utesch   Design,Art Direction
Karen Naff   Art Producer
Jimmy Fontaine   Photography
Matt Dragstrem   Composer
Andy Albert   Composer
Jesse Frasure   Composer
Chris Lacorte   Composer
Jesse Jo Dillon   Composer
Kera Jackson   Producer
Joel McKenney   Assistant Engineer
Jake Moss   Editing,Digital Editing
Harrison Tate   Mastering Assistant,Assistant Mastering Engineer
Nate Juliano   Mixing Assistant
Frank Dipinto   Design,Art Direction
Jake Roggenbuck   Producer
Jeff Juliano   Mixing,Mixing Engineer
Corey Crowder   Composer
Ashley Gorley   Composer
Josh Miller   Composer
Joe Chudyk   Mixing Engineer
Canaan Smith   Composer
Jeff Braun   Mixing,Programming,Mixing Engineer
Joel Cook   Design,Art Direction
David Garcia   Composer
Parker Welling   Composer
Tyler Hubbard   Composer,Producer
Hannah Wilson   A&R
Chase McGill   Composer
Geoffrey Warburton   Composer
Alyson McAnally   Production Coordination
Sarah Marie Burke   A&R