_{Text: Florian Baudouin}

Cory Marks is no newcomer. After his first album, ‘Who I Am’, which didn’t go unnoticed last year and especially the single ‘Outlaws and Outsiders’ in 2019, ranked Top 10 rock singles by Billboard and streamed more than 30 million times worldwide, Cory is back with his new EP, ‘Nashville Nights’. So what does the singer-songwriter have in store for us this time? That’s what we’re going to find out.

When first glancing at the track list, we immediately notice that the fans won’t be disappointed since the EP includes several tracks from the album, including the live versions of ‘Blame It On The Double’ and ‘Drive’. They won’t be lost either when listening to the first track, since it’s ‘Outlaws and Outsiders’, the star single we discussed earlier. You’re surprised to find yourself moving your head as soon as the intro starts with these banjo arpeggios and this four-beat rhythm where only the first and third beats are marked: you’d think you were transported immediately to a Tennessee prison with prisoners breaking rocks with a pickaxe and wearing an ankle weight that they would pull in rhythm. From the chorus onwards, this setup will give way to distorted guitar riffs and anthemic vocals that invite you to sing along. It’s during the chorus that we think that the soundscape depicted here sounds like a clever mix of Corey Taylor and Five Finger Death Punch. This impression was justified because among the collaborators on this track, we can find Ivan Moody, singer of Five Finger Death Punch, but also Mick Mars of Mötley Crüe and Travis Tritt, country music icon. All in all, a great bunch of people.

The rest of the songs on this EP are mostly heavy guitar riffs, a sing-a-long chorus and a few banjo parts to remind us that we’re here to pay tribute to country music. So yes, it’s a simple recipe, but do we really need more? The album aims to offer an ode to party and joy, in a mix of hard rock and country music, and we have to admit that it fulfils its role perfectly. Let’s be clear: the 7 tracks of the EP are all potential earworms. One for each day of the week, isn’t that great? All you have to do is make your choice.

Better Noise Music