Album Cover
Following in the footsteps of country artists like Rascal Flatts, Taylor Swift, and many others in the contemporary country pop genre, Dan + Shay are approaching this newly trending style of country pop in the form of a duo. This is somewhat similar to Brooks and Dunn, Florida Georgia Line, or Big and Rich, but musically impressionable on a whole new, younger audience. This audience is not concerned about emotional heartache or daily troubles; rather, they are set on having a good time and being young. This is exactly what Where It All Began exemplifies.
The first track, “Show You Off,” begins with a light-hearted melody performed by a group of whistlers. The whistling really sets the tone for this overall nonchalant love album. This song is full of unexpected stops and starts, and utilizes a variety of creative production techniques.
I’ve always been a fan of collectively tight hits, and catchy repeated phrases. “Stop Drop + Roll” is full of these characteristics. With repeated phrases such as, “Burnin’ me up, burnin’ me up,” and “Turnin’ it up, turnin’ it up”, it’s nearly impossible to not be singing along by the second chorus. Also, the band syncing up on the hook of the song is completely unexpected, and is exactly what is needed to make the hook that much better.
Their debut single, “19 You + Me”, hit country radio on October 14, 2013, and set a high standard for the recently released album. The first line of the single begins with, “It was our first week at Myrtle Beach,” which perfectly sets up the story of young love and fun times. This is what Dan + Shay accomplish consistently throughout the album; they make their songs relatable.
While the hit single sets the bar, there are other tracks on the debut record that exceed this. One such song is the track, “What You Do To Me”. Guided by sensitive piano, the vocals rhythmically engage the listener to be compelled to sing along, or at least tap their foot. It would be no surprise to see “What You Do To Me” gain loyal fans and seriously hit the country charts.
“Can’t Say No” is where the album makes a turn from country pop to pop all alone. This is what I imagine is nice about being part of a country pop group; at any moment you can transform to either side, but the aura from the less apparent genre still lingers. With an acoustic guitar resembling the style of Jack Johnson or Jason Mraz, Dan + Shay proved that they are equally as a pop as they are country.
Dan + Shay re-emphasize their country pop presence with “First Time Feeling”. This song offers us a mandolin overtone that is key to the signature country sound, as well as lyrical references to Tennessee and George Strait. This all-together song molds well with the continuing theme of young love.
With an electronic drum-loop that opens the song, “Nothin’ Like You”, Dan + Shay show us that they are not afraid to step outside of the typical country sound. They are willing to utilize all ways of creating different sounds, including a lead guitar tone that is reminiscent of 80s pop/rock.
“Somewhere Only We Know” tells the story of a guy proposing the idea to his girlfriend that they should go “40 miles off the map” and go on their own personal adventure. This song is full of clean-cut stops and starts that are the result of a good producer and sound engineer.
“Parking Brake” seems to continue the story in “Somewhere Only We Know.” The couple went off the map, and now they have found a special spot by the river. This track sticks to the overall theme, and could not have been placed any better on this album.
I suppose every country album owes itself a song or two about heartache, and “I Heard Goodbye” serves that purpose. “We really wanted some emotion on the album,” said the duo in a commentary released on Spotify. That’s exactly what they gave the listener, SOME emotion. The song is good within itself, but in contrast to the other up-beat, fun, love music on the album, it feels slightly out of place to the overall theme. Then again, maybe this album needed a key break-up song to be set apart from the other tracks.
The song “Party Girl” is a story we all know way too well. It’s about a guy who takes out a girl on a Friday night to the local bar to see a cover band. The song even references the rebellious actions of people going into the bathroom to wash off the marks on their arms for being under 21. It’s so relatable, and most of us have been a part of this story at some point in our lives.
Just when you think Dan + Shay have restricted themselves to contemporary country pop, they branch out into elements of modern folk with the closing track “Close Your Eyes”. With a train-beat played with brushes, and picking banjo and guitar that intersect one another; this song creates a relaxed closing for the duo’s debut album.
Where It All Began is the best title for Dan + Shay’s debut album, because this is where it all begins for the new country duo. The album is filled with incredible production, soaring vocal melodies thickened by harmonies, and an overall songwriting theme that directly relates to the listener. This album will no doubt be the soundtrack this summer for listeners who head to the beach, drive around town, and spend good times with the ones they love.