Classic Rewind: Johnny Cash – ‘One Piece At A Time’

Single Review: Zac Brown Band feat. Alan Jackson – ‘As She’s Walking Away’

The Zac Brown Band are one of the most interesting groups around at the moment. Certainly not traditional country, they more or less successfully incorporate various musical influences into an organic sounding whole which is not over-produced. Each of their singles to date has brought out a different side to their music while managing to please radio each time, a feat which has helped to propel their debut album, The Foundation to almost two millions sales and counting, and the band to a slate of nominations at the upcoming CMA Awards, including an unexpected nod for the biggest prize of all – Entertainer of the Year.

Their likeable guitar and fiddle led new single is the first from their second album, You Get What You Give, which has just debuted with encouraging early sales. It has an attractively lilting tune and a neatly constructed storyline, apparently based on a real life incident. Written like the majority of the band’s work by lead singer Zac Brown and Wyatt Durrette, the straightforward story has the protagonist too shy to make a move on an unknown girl he like the look of, only to feel the pangs of regret as she disappears:

Now I’m falling in love as she’s walking away

Alan Jackson (with whom the group shares producer Keith Stegall) has been recruited to play the wise older man at the bar advising the protagonist to take a chance and not risk regretting the one that got away, as he did himself. His warm sincere vocal is very effective as he proffers the words of wisdom,

Roll the dice and have some faith

The story is not actually resolved in the song. The video, which otherwise interprets the song rather literally, does end with the boy approaching the girl, but leaves the payoff hanging. But the song itself is all about the snapshot, the regret of the moment, and the old man’s advice. It is all very charming and is deservedly doing well on country radio.

Grade: B+