Zach Bryan’s surprise EP we didn’t know we needed

Zach Bryan has wowed us again with his new EP “Boys of Faith,” which was released not even a month after the release of his self-titled album “Zach Bryan.”

On Sept. 22, Bryan’s fans woke up to a release that, to no surprise, brought his usual authentically folk and country sound to the ears of his listeners, featuring big artists such as Justin Vernon and Noah Kahan.

The tone and perfect harmonies between Bryan, Vernon and Kahan shows us where Bryan fits within the music community, and really proves the growing popularity in alternative/indie folk mixing with country sounds.

In the track “Sarah’s Place,” Bryan’s soft rasp and subtle southern twang blend very well with Kahan’s warm and inviting tone. “Don’t come back, lover, I'm proud you’re under the skyline/ We always knew you were the better half of our good times,” the duo sings as the optimistic guitar rises in volume in the background.

With no warning in between, we’re hit with an emotion filled track, “Boys of Faith,” where Bryan and Vernon show off the power of perfect harmony. They sing, “But you stuck around while I was down / and I’ll owe you all my days.”

The voices of the two move together in synchronicity until Bryan’s deep rasp shows off its power in his “them boys of faith,” line just before the track fades out.

Along with the powerful duos, Bryan showcases his powerful tone in three solo tracks. “Pain, Sweet, Pain” in particular sticks out with its initially slow and soft tone before the track picks up with a swift guitar strum accompanied by violin.

Every element works together perfectly behind the unique vocals Bryan brings to the table.

With three big names in the music industry packed into a five-track EP, it would seem impossible to let each other shine without pushing one’s talent to the side. But these three proved it could be done. Just as well as their voices work together, so do their voices apart, in a peaceful yet emotional harmony.

As Bryan continues to rise and thrive in the music industry, he shows us that country music is much more than beers and trucks, and is in fact more deeply rooted in folk. We can confidently hope that more emotional and exuberant releases are yet to come.

Rating: 9/10

Wackerj@miamioh.edu