Mitchell Tenpenny 'This Is The Heavy' Album Review

Mitchell Tenpenny has released his anticipated new album titled This Is The Heavy. The singer-songwriter proves he has the staying power with this 20-track project.

“This isn’t a hobby for me. This is my job: to get people to love and believe my songs. I have a responsibility to make music that people latch on to. That’s what songwriting is to me,” Tenpenny shared via a press release. While he may have fun drinking songs, Tenpenny has shared in past interviews that he hopes to be taken more seriously as an artist.

The album beings with the title track "This Is The Heavy," and it acts as a short intro to the record. It's moody and mysterious, evoking the kind of sound Tenpenny hopes to achieve. Immediately following the intro, "Good Place" counteracts the uneasy feeling with a slightly more upbeat sound as he sings, "I'm not in a good place, but I'm in this bar / So I'm in a good place for a broken heart."

A large part of the makeup of this album feels to stem from early 2000s rock that Tenpenny blends with a contemporary country sound. "Sleeping Alone" is a song that adds to this idea; this nostalgic-feeling song deals with wanting to know what someone is up to. "If I called you and you picked up / Would I really wanna know, are you sleeping alone?" "Happy And I Hate It" possesses a similar sonic feel. It contains lyrics about feeling slighted that an ex has found a way to move on.

"More Than Whiskey Does" shows Tenpenny's fragile, vulnerable side. He describes the memories a person can have about someone they once loved. This track also has a unique pop element to it that allows it to stand out. "Cry Baby" has more depth than the title might suggest. Tenpenny narrates the urge to be there for someone at their lowest point. The lyricism is filled with gentle patience. "If you need to cry, baby, / Something's been on your mind, baby / Go ahead and take your time, baby."

This collection has the makings to take Tenpenny to new heights. It's adventurous enough to draw new fans in and is authentically Tenpenny enough for his existing following. Whether he's singing about not wanting to see an ex, drinking through a heartache, or being lost in memories, he is able to tell the descriptive stories he wants to.

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