Artist: Tanner Usrey
Album: These Days
By: James Jackson
Tanner Usrey’s latest LP, These Days, is more than just a collection of songs. It’s a full-bodied emotional journey that cuts deep, lingers long after the final track, and solidifies Usrey as one of the most powerful voices in modern country rock. From the first note to the last, it’s clear that this is his most personal and heartfelt work to date. It is, without question, one of the most beautifully written albums I’ve heard in a long time.
Led by standout singles like “Don’t Let Go,” “With You,” and the title track “These Days,” the album delivers ten tracks of raw, vulnerable storytelling wrapped in Usrey’s unmistakable blend of country grit and rock energy. It’s the kind of record that doesn’t just play in the background. It demands your attention and grips your heart.
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Vocally, Usrey sounds stronger than ever. His voice has always had weight, but here it feels even more lived-in and more honest. There is an ache in the way he delivers these lyrics. It doesn’t sound performative or polished for radio. It sounds real. The kind of pain you don’t just sing about unless you’ve truly lived it. That authenticity bleeds through every track and makes it impossible not to feel what he feels.
One of the things that sets These Days apart is how Usrey confronts personal struggles head-on. He sings openly about mental health, the highs and lows of love, and the internal battles many people are too afraid to talk about. But he does it with a balance of grit and grace, never leaning too far into despair. Instead, the songs are about endurance. They’re about surviving the weight of everything and learning how to carry it without letting it destroy you.
Tracks like “Bad Love” and “Do It to Myself” bring out that Southern rock edge that fans of Cross Canadian Ragweed will recognize instantly. The gritty guitars, the driving rhythms, and the no-nonsense lyrics give these songs a punch that hits in your chest. Usrey doesn’t just borrow from that sound. He makes it his own. There’s an urgency and passion behind his performance that makes these tracks feel fresh and timeless at the same time.
Then come the quieter, more intimate moments. The songs that feel like they were written in the middle of the night when the world was still and the weight was heavy. “With You” is one of those. It’s gentle but emotionally loaded. The kind of love song that doesn’t just sound good—it feels true. “These Days,” the title track, leans more into reflection. It’s about feeling lost, looking around, and trying to make sense of the mess. It’s simple, honest, and quietly devastating.
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Usrey shares, “‘With You’ is one of those songs that’s always stayed close to me. I first released it on my SÕL Sessions EP in 2021, but since then, the way we play this song has changed a lot, and it’s become a staple in the live show. It’s always been a song that I really believed in, so I wanted to properly re-record and release it as a single to give it the life I felt like it always deserved. Lyrically, it’s about when the dust settles after an argument and all you really want is to hold the person you love and make things right. I think we nailed that feeling in the studio, and this new version sounds exactly how I always wanted it to.”
But if I had to name personal favorites, which is incredibly difficult with a tracklist this strong, it would come down to “Don’t Let Go” and “Gasoline and Adderall.” These two songs could not be more different in terms of sound, yet both hit you in the same emotional core. “Don’t Let Go” is full of desperation and honesty. You can hear the ache in every word. “Gasoline and Adderall” is more chaotic and wild. It captures the storm of emotion that comes with bad choices and fast living, but somehow, it still feels vulnerable. It’s not just about the rush. It’s about the pain that comes after and the numbness you try to outrun.
That’s the heart of These Days. It’s about surviving, even when you’re not sure how. It’s about feeling everything, even when it hurts. Tanner Usrey has crafted something here that feels necessary. This is music that doesn’t hide behind clever lyrics or overproduction. It lays it all out and dares you to feel it with him.
Tanner Usrey These Days: Tracklisting
1: Do It To Myself
2: If You Call Me Again
3: Better Weather
4: 4th of July
5: Smoke in the Air
6: Bad Love
7: Don’t Let Go (Hold Me Close)
8: These Days
9: With You
10: Gasoline and Adderall
In a world where too much music feels manufactured and safe, These Days is a reminder of what real songwriting sounds like. It is honest. It is powerful. And it will stay with you long after the music stops. These Days is set to release on July 11th and is one you will want to pre-save and have on repeat once it’s out.
