Second singles are always a gamble, even moreso if one's first single is a top-shelf attention grabber. Brett Eldredge made his way into the mid-20s this spring with "Raymond," a song which I rated four-and-a-half stars and still think is one of the best debut singles in a long time. He probably won't have any other songs that will blow me away to that extent, but hey, even Craig Morgan found a song even more moving and emotional than the excellent "Almost Home." In any event, my hopes for Brett are high. 

Okay, maybe there isn't too much to the lyrics. But they have a pleasant, conversational tone ("I see you tappin' your foot there, baby / So you like that song? / Well it happens to be one of my favorites / Do you want to dance, baby? Come on!") Although it might stand to use a little more lyric (there's barely even a second verse), what it offers is rock-solid. He just wants to take it easy with a girl and dance with her, and his friendly energy is very well-channeled throughout. 

While "Raymond" may still be a very tough song to top, "It Ain't Gotta Be Love" is still very well above average. It's a strong, radio-friendly song that shows a completely opposite side from Brett's debut, and he pulls it off just as well. Up-tempos usually fare well no matter what, so I expect "It Ain't Gotta Be Love" to be another summertime hit.

Review: "Raymond"

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