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Brantley Gilbert knows life has a way of leaving a mark. You can either hide it or embrace it. With his seventh studio album Tattoos, available now via The Valory Music Co., he opts to embrace it. Listen HERE.
“All my albums, they capture a chapter of my life,” Gilbert explains. “If somebody wants to know who I am, what I’ve been through and where I stand, they can start at the beginning and listen through, and that’s why it was undeniable that Tattoos should be the title – because my tattoos do the same thing.
“People get ‘em for a lot of reasons, but for most of us, tattoos talk about our victories and losses, our struggles and the whole nine,” he observes. “I was one of those kids who had to learn the hard way. But if I would’ve listened to the advice of others, I don’t know I would have ended up where I am.”
Landing on Grammy.com’s “Must-Hear Albums in September,” Tattoos features 10 songs all co-written and co-produced by the Georgia native with a trusted cast of long-time collaborators. The set matches Gilbert’s ink in both striking design and depth of meaning. Through flowing curves and jagged lines, shadow and light look back on a life of blue-collar pride and full-throttle rebellion – along with addictive love, abiding faith and blessings beyond what any of us deserve.
Those themes are nothing new to this longtime craftsman, but when the title track “Tattoos” took shape, so too did the album’s reflective theme. Written on an annual retreat to rural Texas with Jake Mitchell, Randy Montana and Cole Taylor, Gilbert knew the slow-burning anthem was something special.
“I knew I had one that really captured who I am,” he says. “It doesn’t sound like anything else you’ve heard before, and it really gives you the long and short of my life, which is what my tattoos do.”
With about 90 songs to choose from, Gilbert carefully laid his Tattoos out from there. Some came from an all hands-on-deck weekend at Lee Brice’s Nashville property, with Jelly Roll and more, determined to write with no pre-conditions. Others found their way to Gilbert through friends who know his creative soul, and after joining forces with primary co-producer Brock Berryhill, the pair spent late night after late night whittling the pack down to its essential elements.
The result – predictably enough – is an electrifying mix of in-your-face aggression and roughneck reflection, as Gilbert delivers another full-spectrum soundtrack to modern country life. But this time, he was careful to put an emphasis on his early days, both in sound and substance, focusing on real instruments over synthetic effects and put to use in a variety of big-picture, small-town settings.
Like the community spirit those towns rely on, the album’s standout feature may be its guest appearances – a trend starting with the first track, “Dirty Money” featuring Justin Moore, as Billboard calls it a “pride-fueled celebration of those who earn their ‘dirty money’ straight from the ground, providing food for communities through raising and harvesting crops,” noting, “this track revs up with all the gritty churn of a combine, as a bed of industrial-scale, frothy guitars, sharp percussion and thudding bass carry the two artists’ intertwined, distinctive drawls.”
Lead single “Over When We’re Sober” with Ashley Cooke mixes can’t-stop romantic intoxication with a top shelf vocal blend, capturing the raw magnetism of a romantic buzz. Co-written with Justin Wilson, Jelly Roll and Berryhill, the sweet-and-sour concoction jumps out from the speakers.
“God Isn’t Country” – which features a vocal master class from Rascal Flatts legend (and longtime friend) Gary LeVox – fuses feel-good faith with awe for the natural world. And with the hand-over-heart declaration that is “Me and My House” ft. Struggle Jennings and Demun Jones, Gilbert adds another unique tattoo to his collection. A defiant tip of the hat to the independent country rap world Gilbert has always admired, the track is also a nod to bold self-determination – a pledge to uphold his traditional ideals.
This deep into his career, Gilbert’s nostalgia is also plain to see. With the namesake of his current headlining tour, “Off The Rails” captures the hard-charging energy of fan favorites like “Kick It In the Sticks,” while heartfelt ballads like “Gone By Now” celebrate the love shared by the star and his wife, Amber. Described as a “transparent” look into his heart, its sunset sonics speak to early romantic ballads.
Likewise, “The Hell That Raised Us” tributes the wild-and-free nature of a rural childhood, and while “Out Here” waves a good-timing flag for those living by their own rules, Gilbert finishes with “Miss These Towns,” completing the sonic self-portrait. A stripped-down lament about watching the decline of rural communities all over the U.S. (including his own), Gilbert knows change is inevitable, and not always a bad thing. But he’s been around long enough to know the value of respecting your past.
In celebration of his new album Tattoos, Gilbert will headline Brantley Gilbert’s World’s Largest Album Release Party on Broadway in downtown Nashville tonight, September 13. The free multi-artist concert is part of FREEDOM FRIDAY events kicking off the Big Machine Music City Grand Prix weekend (September 13-15). The 4th annual FREEDOM FRIDAY concert honors members of the Military, Police, Fire, First Responders and Frontline Heroes. The 160th Special Ops Aviation Regiment will perform a helicopter aerial demonstration and a pre-concert flyover by the 101st Airborne Division.
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