Riley Green - Don't Mind If I Do

Listening to Riley Green’s latest album, Don't Mind If I Do, is a lot like fishing. Not because of the angling tunes it contains – and there are a handful – but more so because the collection requires a great deal of patience and a real desire to wade through its 18 tracks. You either get a bite or you don’t, and in the long run, it’s the outlook that determines the outcome.

Opening with the shuddering bass of ‘That's A Mistake’, rippling through the stark tune like a lure shattering sunrise waters, the record begins at a leisurely pace. It isn’t until the chorus of the following ‘Change My Mind’ that listeners are awoken, washed in sultry steel and dress-shedding sensuality. Don't Mind If I Do continues to ebb and flow in this way, trading lulling ballads for explosive anthems over the course of an hour.

To the seasoned Green fan, the album may showcase the Alabama-bred artist’s impressive range. In the span of six minutes, a track like the Ella Langley-assisted ‘Don’t Mind If I Do’ proves his ability to shoot for the heart, whereas its smutty follow-up, ‘Worst Way’, is directed much lower. To the casual listener, though, it’s a release that could come off as a little scattered. Especially with offerings like the goofy Luke Bryan-backed ‘Reel Problems’, the sluggish ‘Too Early to Drink’ and the predictable ‘Turnin’ Dirt,’ the album’ can too easily be chalked up as a collection of just-because songs.

There are, of course, undeniable highlights, like the swaggering, nostalgia-fueled ‘Chip Off The Ol' Block’ and the heat-flecked ‘Waitin’ All Day’. However, when hidden beneath repeat releases like the downcast ‘Jesus Saves’, the uninspired ‘Pick A Place’ and the seemingly inescapable ‘Damn Good Day To Leave’ – y’all, the song made an appearance on his last two releases – it feels like a lot of effort for an album we’ve no doubt heard before. On the other hand, folks do love these hits.

Again, with this album, as with fishing, it’s all about perspective. Some may think Don't Mind If I Do is an absolute catch, a brilliant showcase of where Green is at this point in his career. Others may just toss it back, fearing the fish isn’t worth the fry.

6.5/10

Riley Green's 2024 project, Don't Mind If I Do, is available everywhere now via Nashville Harbor.

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