No matter how loyal you are to the old Nashville, there’s no denying it – hybridity is becoming absurdly common in country music these days, if not a new standard in the genre’s alternative faction, but there are still a handful of singer/songwriters around ready to answer prayers for old school purities. One of them is none other than the Tim Raybon Band, an outfit whose new single “Can’t Get Away from This Broken Heart” is rocketing into the headlines thanks to its bittersweet melodies and tuneful leading man, whose charm is undeniable from almost every angle in the track. He’s a purist from an aesthetical point of view, but more than this, he’s someone who wants to make quality country music.
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As many have already noted about this kind of work, the harmonies are the treasure in Tim Raybon’s sound, and they’re anything but bland in “Can’t Get Away from This Broken Heart.” Here, they set up an emotional theatre in which the verses will play out a story that doesn’t feel weighted with props. The lyrical protagonist is facing something that doesn’t come down to metaphors and platitudes, which is not exactly common in country anymore. The harmony between our singer and the instrumentation from his band amplifies the tone of these words and truly makes this performance feel like more than just another millennial-made country song.
These lyrics aren’t overly straightforward, which is becoming an increasingly difficult middle ground to find in any style of music. Though his words are always the central focus in “Can’t Get Away from This Broken Heart,” I feel like Raybon wants us to pay just as much attention to the way he’s framed them with the hook. If this wasn’t the case, I don’t know that the arrangement would be as meticulously fluid as it is here, nor would the chorus sound as robust as it does regardless of where the volume level is.
This instrumental setup is inarguably a simple one, but anyone who might say Raybon’s approach is a little stripped-down for what the modern country sound requires isn’t seeing what the main centerpiece of the composition at hand is. There’s already so much force to this black-and-white ballad without the introduction of external elements that I think adding anything else into the mix would have muddied the narrative beyond recognition. This isn’t amateur songcraft at all – in fact, it’s the exact opposite.
If you haven’t yet explored the music of the Tim Raybon Band in 2023, “Can’t Get Away from This Broken Heart” will have you very intrigued at the prospect. Raybon has a voice that can melt your heart without even singing anything particularly insightful, but that’s the thing about this kind of country singer – it seems like he has something meaningful and enchanting to share with the audience beyond what lyrics can account for. His voice is something the mainstream needs more of, and if exposed to a wider audience I think he’s going to make the most of every chance he gets.
Troy Johnstone