After flirting with some light twang on 2023's guitar-laden
Austin
,
Post Malone
commits to the pivot with his full-on country foray,
F-1 Trillion
. His signature trill, vocal stylings, and lyrical blend of internal struggle and fast living are so well-suited to this genre that one might wonder if he had been working his way up to this all along. Having broken records with his rap, pop, and rock albums, it was only a matter of time until he embraced the sounds of his Texas surroundings. To really prove he's got the clout and support of the genre, he recruited an eye-popping guest list of superstars who help him capture the freewheeling, fun-loving spirit of contemporary country.
Luke Combs
duets on the breezy, carefree "Guy for That," while fellow hitmaker
Morgan Wallen
joins in on the upbeat, chart-topping international radio smash "I Had Some Help." Album-opener "Wrong Ones" with
Tim McGraw
is a rousing stomper fit for massive arenas, energy that is matched later in the set with the album highlight "California Sober" with
Chris Stapleton
. Meanwhile, the piano twinkles of the nostalgic "Have the Heart" with
Dolly Parton
inject some sweetness into this mostly bro'ed-out, Solo-cup party. Elsewhere,
Hank Williams, Jr.
Blake Shelton
Brad Paisley
Jelly Roll
ERNEST
, and
Billy Strings
deliver very serviceable and irresistibly simple but catchy tunes to soundtrack a tailgate, pool party, barbecue, or any other opportunity for revelry and no-frills celebration. In addition to the yearning "Nosedive" with
Lainey Wilson
, a pair of solo
Posty
tracks -- the touching ode to his daughter, "Yours," and the sweet romance of "What Don't Belong to Me" -- digs into an even deeper emotional well, showcasing how much he's matured and shifted life priorities in such a short span. As 2024 was a banner year for country pivots (
Beyoncé
Yung Gravy
Lana Del Rey
) and Hot 100 crossover hits (
Shaboozey
's "A Bar Song [Tipsy]"),
Post
's stylistic move could have either been a very calculated strategy to rack up more platinum certifications or simply a natural evolution for an artist who excels at whatever he tries. Regardless, this exercise works surprisingly well and, if one is a fan of this genre,
knocks it out of the park. ~ Neil Z. Yeung