Spanish Moss

Over a decade into his career, Cole Swindell is not the same man he was when he released his hit debut single, “Chillin’ It”, in 2013. The Georgia-born singer-songwriter has lived a lot of life in the intervening years, ascending to country stardom and, more recently, getting married and becoming a father. The 21 songs composing his fifth studio album reflect this more mature stage of life, digging into vulnerable topics like marriage, parenthood and grief. And with assists from 11 producers and a veritable who’s who of Nashville songwriters, Swindell turns in one of the more stylistically varied projects he’s done yet. <i>Spanish Moss</i> opens with “Kill a Prayer”, a laidback, midtempo track with deceptively loose production, as Swindell acknowledges his hard-partying ways could have landed him in dire straits if “a mama’s amen” hadn’t helped him see the light. “Dale Jr.” was inspired by a real-life meeting with the NASCAR star, during which Swindell and Earnhardt connected over having both lost their fathers. “Georgia (Ain’t on Her Mind)” gives Swindell a chance to celebrate his home-state roots, turning in a smooth and sturdy vocal as he traces a relationship from its Peach State roots to its highway-bound dissolution. “Forever to Me” is sure to soundtrack many a future wedding, with sweeping production and sweet, romantic imagery. Closing track “Heads Up Heaven”, a tender and sparsely adorned ballad, ends the collection on an especially emotional note, paying tribute to Swindell’s late mother, who died in 2021.