BY EVIE MASON

Tim McGraw’s first self-titled album was released in 1993. Thirty years later, his newest album ‘Standing Room Only’ is met with just as much anticipation. It maintains the classic aspects of 90s country music and yet still remains strong in 2023, and I predict it will be highly celebrated upon its release on the 25th of August. 

Don’t let the upbeat beginning of this album fool you. Many of the songs in this album are unbearably emotive and meaningful, in the best way possible. McGraw starts with ‘Hold On To It’ which is an upbeat country song about holding onto love. It is followed by the title track ‘Standing Room Only’, which is honestly not my favourite song on the album, but is still catchy, and features an awesome guitar solo. A personal favourite of mine is ‘Paper Umbrellas’, which is a fun and undeniably country song about helping a woman get over a breakup, which cannot be fixed by drinks, nor paper umbrellas which ‘look good on top but won’t stop the rain’. 

Now, onto the songs of emotive interest. ‘Hey Whiskey’, track five, is seemingly a reflection of McGraw’s struggles with alcoholism. According to many sources, McGraw has been sober since 2008 with the help of his wife, Faith Hill. The song begins with a light, simple and catchy guitar hook. The lyricism then explores the consequences of excessive drinking, like ‘taking every penny in [his] pocket’ and ‘helping [him] lie’, which eventually makes McGraw question ‘hey whiskey, what I’d ever do to you?’ This song is extremely deep and vulnerable, which I really respect from such a huge star with such a vast audience. Publicising his struggles with alcohol is brave and may (hopefully will) bring awareness and relatability to those who face similar issues.  

‘Nashville CA/ LA Tennessee‘ is also of emotive value, as the lyrics pensively explore the longing of two lovers that are separated by states. The guitar is finger-picked and the backing vocal in the chorus provides harmony which makes this song strong and likeable – yet again! 

Track twelve, ‘Some Songs Change Your Life’ would definitely make me cry at a concert. Close your eyes, and imagine a crowd full of people singing along, swaying, and waving their phone torches. You’ll get it. It is a whopping five minutes long, and features a rather long but beautiful instrumental outro, with a full drum kit, slide guitar and moving guitar solo. This song is simply beautiful, and I can only hope to hear it live. 

The album ends with ‘Letter From Heaven’, which is about cleaning out his ‘mee-maw’s’ house, in which he finds a letter she wrote for him. It is, quite frankly, devastating. Beautiful, but devastating. This song is not for the faint of heart. It brings a beautiful kind of simplicity to everyday life, singing about peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and raising kids. It is similar to the previously released ‘Humble and Kind’ in its message and mood. This song definitely requires tissues. 

Overall, this album captures the essence of 90s country, combined with beautiful storytelling and instrumentals. It is a roller coaster ride – from songs about mini-umbrellas in your pina colada, to cowboy junkies, to letters from your grandma. But it is so worth it. Tim McGraw has definitely still got it thirty years later. 

Track listing Standing Room Only : Tim McGraw

01. Hold On To It

02. Standing Room Only

03. Paper Umbrellas

04. Remember Me Well

05. Hey Whiskey

06. Her

07. Me Again

08. Small Town Kings

09. Beautiful Hurricane

10. Cowboy Junkie

11. Nashville CA_L.A. Tennessee

12. Some Songs Change Your World

13. Letter From Heaven

Keep up with Tim on his socials – TW/IG: @TheTimMcGraw, FB: TimMcGraw, timmcgraw.com