Spencer Crandall 'Western' Album Review

Colorado native Spencer Crandall found his love for country music through his parents. He started his route to stardom by posting videos of him singing on social media and he slowly gained his fan base; on Tiktok, the rising artist has racked up over 2.6 million followers and nearly 30 million total likes. After picking up and making the move to Nashville, Crandall started releasing music independently and never looked back. This journey takes us to his newest release Western.

Western is an album that takes listeners through six detailed chapters titled, Scorpion, Mustang, Revolver, Pickaxe, Desert, and Gold; each having its own unique flair.

The album starts off with a unique and suspenseful-sounding 56-second interlude “There is A Fire.” The use of auto-tune on his voice and distortion on the guitar instrumental creates a cool and different feel to the start of the project. What makes the opening of Western truly stand out on its own, is that the distorted guitar projections continue on into the beginning of the next song, “K[no]w Better.” This intrinsic, almost psychedelic notion is rarely seen on country albums and keeps audiences intrigued to listen continuously from beginning to end. Two songs bleeding into one another also help tell the story in a cohesive nature.

We usually hear girls sing about their point of view when getting cheated on or not being treated right in relationships, but it's rare to hear the same sentiment coming from the male's point of view. “Red Flags” does just that. With detailed and storied lyricism, Crandall states, “It's a small town / What did you expect / When all of my buddies know all of the guys you said that you didn't text / Saw the pictures of your so-called girls night / So who in the hell is the guy in the hoodie that's holding you tight? / It took me a while but now I see you clearly.” The heavy acoustic guitars add to the angst.

“Side Of The Stage” is a beautiful, vulnerable entry about what Crandall wants out of his singing career and the importance of having someone there at his side. He exclaims, “What's it all worth at the end of the day / If there ain’t nobody on the side of the stage?” This emotional sting gives us a glimpse into the mind of the singer.

“Future in the Past” is a breakup song that will have audiences thinking about their past heartbreaks. Crandall speaks about lovers talking about the life they'll build together but when the relationship ends suddenly, the exes now miss something that never even happened. From talking about baby names, to where they want to live together, those are future ideas that now have to be left in the past.

Crandall also brings his own rendition of two very different songs. He lends his vocals to a cover of Shania Twain's "You're Still The One." He also gives a twangy spin-off of Justin Bieber's "Anyone" that features an exhilarating buildup and stunning vocal performance from Crandall.

The debut LP rounds out with “The Getting There” and “Our Forever,” two beautifully written love songs that conclude the rollercoaster ride of Western on a sweet, high note. On "Our Forever" Crandall sings endearing lines, "Whatcha' doin' for the rest of your life girl? / Whatcha' say we go and take on the world? / Just say the word and it's you and I doing life together / This is the start of our forever."

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