Music has always been a form of expression that I have been very passionate about. The act of listening to music is one of my favorite things to fulfill my time with. I’ve always been touched by lyrics, rhythms, instruments, and vocals. I’ve been captivated by Zach Bryan’s music for a few years now, and I was ecstatic when I learned that he was dropping his sixth studio album, “With Heaven On Top.” 

When I first hit play on the album on the morning of Jan. 9, I was instantly greeted with one of Bryan’s poems. The last four albums he has released have featured one poem, and the way he groups the words together feels like watching the sun set in the late summer. While this album’s poem wasn’t my favorite of his, I still really enjoyed it. 

Once I got to the first song on the album, I was worried. The first song, “Runny Eggs,” sounds a lot like his other songs. I was worried that this album was going to be a repeat of his others, but with different lyrics. Luckily, after listening to the whole album, that wasn’t the case. I did some research about why all of his songs sound so similar though, and I came across an interview of him saying that he doesn’t know that many chords on the guitar, and he prefers to focus his time on meaningful lyrics. It’s ironic though, because even though I’m not a fan of songs that sound similar, the few differences from song to song really work for him. It is also like a non-existent trademark, but I know almost every time I hear those chords that Bryan’s voice is about to flood my ears. 

I went on to listen to the rest of the album, and tried to pick apart his lyrics. The album as a whole is incredibly sad. He goes from talking about heartbreak in relationships, to family genetics, and how all of these aspects of his life have affected him. The nice thing about these songs is that even though the lyrics are lugubrious, if you want to be happy listening to some songs on the album, it is very easy to do that. Some of the pieces are upbeat and sound very joyful. 

Listening to this album is what I imagine it feels like to plan to get out of your old habits, and leave home. Packing up your bags, finding road maps, scrolling through Pinterest to get excited, and driving with the windows down feeling the breeze through your hair encapsulates all this album has to offer. Specific lyrics such as “I wanna go and see the sea” from “Anyways” and “Never talk to no one again and never sing another song” in “Santa Fe” are what I imagine it feels like to dream of leaving home and leaving behind all of the nightmares to start fresh somewhere else. 

One of the biggest aspects of the album that I don’t like is that it almost feels too personal to Zach Bryan. Some of the things he talks about aren’t relatable for a majority of his listeners, but the songs that are relatable feel like taking a blade to your heart. People who listen to music a lot can take the lyrics that feel personal to him, and personalize it. In “Appetite,” he says “Why am I in Northwest Arkansas, playing shows to those who don’t care at all?” I have personalized this to relate to how I can put in so much effort to something, and yet not get recognized and appreciated for it. That is how I imagine this lyric, and I can also imagine that is similar to how Bryan feels about it as well. 

Overall, this entire album has been on repeat since it came out, and with each listen I can pick something else out to relate to and feel deeply in my soul. That is why I value music so much, because it is like tuning out the outside world for a few minutes. This album is definitely one of those that I can use to do just that. 

While I do love this album so much, it is not one of his best. A lot of the songs on his old albums have yet to get old, even years after being released. I fear that “With Heaven On Top” is going to get old very fast, but for now I love everything it has to offer. 

5/5 stars