Early Morning Shakes
Whiskey Myers · 2014
52 min · 12 tracks · country music
A blend of Southern rock and honky-tonk, layered with gritty vocals and heartfelt storytelling.
Top tracks — play these first
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Early Morning Shakes — The title track embodies the album's spirit with a catchy melody and relatable themes of life's struggles, establishing the overall tone for the record.
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Hard Row to Hoe — This track captures the essence of perseverance through its raw lyrics and driving instrumentation, showcasing the band's rootsy sound.
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Home — Offering a reflective narrative about longing and belonging, this song highlights Whiskey Myers’ penchant for storytelling within their music.
Elevation
Our rating, out of 100 — and why.
AI-generated from five scored dimensions. An opinion, not a measurement.
The album features strong storytelling and solid musicianship but lacks a cohesive flow in its sequencing.
What we noticed
- The first three tracks maintain a steady mid-tempo pace, while the fourth track introduces a slower ballad that shifts the album's energy.
- Several songs feature prominent guitar solos that serve as transitions between verses, enhancing the Southern rock influence.
- Composition 25% of the score
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7/10
- Craft 20% of the score
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6/10
- Durability 25% of the score
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6/10
- Distinctiveness 18% of the score
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6/10
- Sequencing 12% of the score
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5/10
the writing — melody, harmony, structure, lyrics
production, performance, arrangement
whether it rewards returning to it
whether it sounds like itself
running order, pacing, length
Known within its scene. Reported but not counted — how far a record travelled describes its reception rather than the record, and a newer release has had less time to travel than an older one.
Is this for you?
Good fit if you like
- heartfelt storytelling with grit
- easygoing vibe for morning drives
- short tracks for breaks
- reflective moments of solitude
- warmth that invites sing-alongs
Maybe skip if you
- prefer fast-paced music
- want heavy production
Where this album fits
- Career context
- Released on February 4, 2014, 'Early Morning Shakes' is Whiskey Myers' third studio album, following their 2011 self-titled release. At this point, the band was gaining momentum, having established a solid fan base in the burgeoning Texas country music scene. This album further solidified their signature sound and showcased their growth as songwriters and musicians.
- Stylistic neighbors
- Chris Stapleton· Sturgill Simpson· Jason Isbell
Moments worth listening for
Where the writing does something specific.
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Home
In this song, the imagery shifts from distant memories to immediate feelings of nostalgia and yearning for comfort.
The structure contrasts external landscapes with internal emotions, emphasizing the personal nature of what 'home' means.
Tracklist
Best experienced from track one — press play and let it unfold.
- 1 Early Morning Shakes 3:17
- 2 Hard Row to Hoe 4:26
- 3 Dogwood 4:14
- 4 Shelter From the Rain 3:37
- 5 Home 3:31
- 6 Headstone 4:19
- 7 Where the Sun Don’t Shine 3:29
- 8 Reckoning 4:29
- 9 Wild Baby Shake Me 5:52
- 10 Lightning 5:48
- 11 Need a Little Time Off for Bad Behavior 3:27
- 12 Colloquy 6:13
Reference: Wikipedia · MusicBrainz · Wikidata
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