Luke Combs' "Fathers & Sons" Reviewed
An Emotional Country Music Gut Punch for Modern Dads
If you're a dad in need of a good cry, consider this your warning: Luke Combs’ album Fathers & Sons hits hard. This week on the podcast, the Country Music Dads give a full, unfiltered review of Combs’ seventh studio album because, honestly, it was inevitable. The Dads weigh in on the best and worst songs and the overall impact of this album on country music, modern fatherhood and their emotional state of mind.
Plus: Dave goes full throttle in an impassioned “Minivan Rant” and tries to change Donnie’s mind once and for all.
Listen to the episode on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Regarding the album, it is absolutely worth a listen, especially for dads. It’s not perfect and, in our opinion, could’ve been more effective as an EP. But it’s still a good album that packs an emotional punch, features some clever songwriting and is perfect when you’re in a reflective mood or when you’re conveniently slicing onions.
What makes it truly unique, though, is that while it is 100% a country music album, it describes and models remarkably modern approaches to fatherhood and masculinity in a genre that is traditional and conservative on those topics. We were hard-pressed to think of another album that is as unambiguous about fatherhood as this one or that features country songs that take similarly open-minded views on masculinity.
If you think of any, let us know in the comments, shoot us an email at countrymusicdads@gmail.com, or reach out on Instagram.
These are the types of topics that epitomize what we are trying to say as Country Music Dads. And we have a feeling that future newsletters (see below) and future episodes of the podcast will touch on similar themes.
If you enjoyed the show, have any feedback for us, or want to share your reaction to Dave’s minivan rant, we’d love to hear that too.
Coming Up Next
Inspired by the Fathers & Sons discussion, our next newsletter will further explore the definition of “modern fatherhood” in relation to country music. How do we balance the evolving expectations and shifting norms about fatherhood -- many of which we believe are good for dads and their kids -- with country music’s nearly orthodox belief in static authenticity?
And in the next episode of the podcast, we discuss the recent news about Jason Isbell rescheduling shows to attend his daughter’s school play. When should artists choose family over fans? And how could a stay-at-home dad ever side with the fans on this one?
Until next time, have a great week; whether you’re “Front Door Famous” or “Huntin’ By Yourself.”
- The Country Music Dads
