Album Review: Russell Dickerson - “Russell Dickerson”

For his third album for Triple Tigers, Russell Dickerson unless a full-bodied, self-titled album with several moments and hits waiting to happen.

Known for blending pop and soul sounds with heartfelt vocals and honest lyrics, Multi-Platinum, #1 hit-making singer/songwriter Russell Dickerson opens up his eponymous third album with the acoustic/vocal tour de force “Blame It On Being Young,” a song which serves as a bold move and quite the artistic statement as the lyrics and chorus sure sound like they could’ve been blasted over a big rhythmic bed but instead we get to hear the nostalgia-infused lyrics with the low-key emotive element that brings the songs and this 15 track album into our heads. It’s quite the statement for an album full of moments.

Anthemic production propels “Sorry” with staccato lyrical moments and and jovial ear-worm melodies (with fiddles and mandolins guiding the pop-laced mix). This is a hit waiting to break Russell Dickerson to a worldwide audience. “She Likes It,” which features pop singer/songwriter Jake Scott, is the first single from the album and it’s an unabashedly pop/soul-infused track while “Big Wheels” also has that kind of vibe with the heavy backbeat and vocal style matched to a fresh way to write about backroads, cold beer and country elements.

“I Remember” blends nostalgia-infused lyrics with a calypso-ish melodic groove while “I Wonder” finds him wondering if he’ll remember the moves he is making now. Restless youth turning into passionate love is explored in “God Gave Me A Girl,” as well-made a modern country song you’ll hear in 2022 with a feel that certainly suggests future Platinum #1 hit while “All The Same Friends” is a jovial sing-a-long party anthem ready for a playlist.

Another dose of sultry country soul comes out of the speakers when listening to “She’s Why,” a song which showcases a country girl who isn’t pretentious and sends up everything that makes a woman the center of many things in the world and the reason for everything he does. Another wave of l breathes through the speakers to an 80s-like dance pop melody as Russell again goes for another worldwide smash hit with “18.”

Much like he did on the opener “Blame It On Being Young,” Russell brings some acoustic country vibes to “Over And Over,” about as traditional country as any song gets on Russell Dickerson (the album). “Drink To This” is a classic love song that Russell has become known for while “Just Like Your Mama” is an appropriate closer to the album. It's a song about his new child, and Russell's hopes that his son will have more of his mother's charms than his own. It’s a strong acoustic laced closer that wraps up Russell Dickerson’s self-titled third album perfectly.

One of country music’s most-versatile vocalists, Russell Dickerson certainly proves this and more with this 15 track album, an album he co-wrote and co-produced and an album primed to make him one of the formats biggest stars with a chance to break out the world over.

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