Andrew’s Judgmental Album Reviews: Cole Swindell – Stereotype (2022)

This is another one of those cases of stumbling on the album a little late in the year. So as some of you may have realized, I do partake in a little bit of country (and yes, a little bit of rock and roll); as I was flipping through the radio, Heads Carolina, Tails California has been in the rotation quite often the last few weeks. It’s a catchy song, as is a bunch of his previous work, so I figured I’d check it out.

Much like he says in the afore mentioned song, he’s a 90s Country fan, and so am I…so lets see if this stacks up to Luke Combs‘ album which has a lot of 90s influence!

• Artist: Cole Swindell
• Album: Stereotype (2022)
• Label: Warner Music
• Total Track Time: 43: 34

Stereotype okay kicking off with the titular song is what a lot of people like to do. Its a slower song, but the lyrics play on stereotypes. All about this country girl who seems a little wild since she likes to speed down the highway, out drink the boys, and generally is an assertive type…but that just turns up his stereo-types. That idea of the girl isn’t always the perfect country girl, but she’s totally his type. Every Beer takes the storytelling approach that many Country songs love about an old man in a bar doling out advice. The idea of making things last because ‘every beer could be your last one’. So its fine, just a slightly played out formula. Never Say Never w/Lainey Wilson this is an interesting take on the complicated relationship in duet form. Interesting because the arrangement isn’t a ballad, its got symphonic elements and a nice drum drive. Almost like an arena rock song; plus the chorus is really well done, “I never say never with you, I end up together with you, It’s Hell and it’s Heaven with you, baby, Anything’s possible, the highs are unstoppable, It’s so uncontrollable, it’s crazy, We say we won’t and then we do, You’re all I want, I never say never with you”.

She Had Me At Heads Carolina, so this song is a response to the 1996 song Heads Carolina, Tails California by Jo Dee Messina. It keeps that same 90s guitar drive that nearly sounds like Rick Springfield. This is a very nice homage and a way to tie in two songs without just doing a cover. Plus its a catchy and solid song on its own merits, so no real complaints. Sayin’ You Love Me has a title that makes you wonder if we’re gonna get a boring Country ballad, but nope! This is a guitar driven mid tempo song that goes into different ways she says she loves him, without sayin’ it. Which we’ve all been there, little glances, passionate kisses, crazy hugs because they miss you without saying it…those are all better than words. I’m Gonna Let Her this has more of that 90s ballad twang. A cute little song about a relationship getting closer and how he’s okay with settling down with this girl. Again, not new ground, but its a pleasant song.

Down to the Bar feat HARDY isn’t a funny bar song with the boys, we get an interesting request during a break up; “Well, take my broke heart down to the bar, Down, down to the bar, yeah, down to the bar, Let me get to grievin’, baby, I’ll even, Throw your bag in the trunk, There’s somewhere new where the night made you, That you’re getting off to, but before you do, Take my broke heart down to the bar, Down to the bar to get drunk, yeah, I mean, seriously”. There’s something amusing and wholesome about asking your now ex to drop you off at the bar, you’ll even pack her stuff, just a request for one last kindness. How Is She another song about being broken up, with a slightly different spin. Bumping into the ex and getting roped into catching up, but really just wondering how is she moving on when he isn’t. Miss Wherever okay this…is a bad song. While the concept I guess is okay about admiring the girl and trying to figure out where she’s from, it makes really dumb frat boy assumptions like “Wherever she’s from she’s gotta be the one the boys miss”. Maybe if this was written in the 90s and not 2022 it would be less cringe…but this is something I will never listen to again, just straight cringe.

Single Saturday Night is another one of the singles I know I’ve heard a few times. With the payoff to the chorus is who would’ve thought when they met would’ve been his last single Saturday Night. It adds a nice tone to the song and he applies a few different meaning for single Saturday, so its just a solid bar song with sing-a-long potential at a concert. Some Habits starts with him trying to break bad habits because he met a good girl who makes him want to be better; and then turns into talking about some habits shouldn’t be broke…meaning her. Again the song as the open chord twang on the guitar, and its got some charm to it, though the redundancy of topics is starting to not just be a stereotype and really starting to grind on me. Girl Goes Crazy relationship song but at least this takes the girl’s perspective, which makes the song at least a little unique on the album. It doesn’t say anything overly profound, but seems to hit most notes that break up songs hit. Walk on Whiskey while this starts off as yet another sad lost love song, the concept twists when its heavily implied the girl died. So the concept of ‘she walked on water, but I can’t even walk of whiskey’ makes a pretty poignant point. So while I am a little tired of these types of songs from the album, it is more somber for deeper reasons instead of just silly break up crap.

Let me say this first, for an album called stereotype there wasn’t a lot of stereotypes and mostly just break up songs. What about fishin’, huntin’, muddin’, this album could’ve hit a lot more notes than feeling sad for yourself. That’s not to say it’s a bad album, because aside from the one awful cringe dripping pile of garbage, the other 12 are tolerable to damn good. There does seem to be a theme with a lot of albums this year where the second half is just much weaker than the first. So I’m trying to keep a balanced perspective, but whenever you backload weak stuff, the prevailing vibe is what you ended on (ask any wrestling company if you don’t understand that).

So all that being said, if you need an album to commiserate with, or aren’t nearly as annoyed with excessive similar themes; you’ll enjoy the album more than I do, but this is still a pretty decent album.

Final Judgment: 6.8/10