Dove Shore
Ten years after Meat and Candy introduced a scrappy five-piece band made up of witty Nashville songwriters, Old Dominion has become one of the most successful bands in country music history. And in all that time, they have never lost their playful edge.
With their sixth studio album, Barbara (out August 22), the reigning record holders for most consecutive Vocal Group of the Year wins at both the CMA (7) and ACM Awards (8) push every boundary of their fearless approach. Once again “firing on all cylinders,” 13 fresh songs find creative ways to mix the country, rock, and pop behind their nine Number One singles while the mischievous OD spirit remains alive and well. Just check out the sardonic title.
In fact, front man Matthew Ramsey says his multi-Platinum band of brothers – which also features guitarist/vocalist Brad Tursi, keyboardist/ vocalist Trevor Rosen, bassist/vocalist Geoff Sprung, and drummer Whit Sellers – is tighter, and more boldly self-assured than ever.
“We are definitely a better band than we were [on Meat and Candy],” the star says. “Back then, we were kind of floundering our way through this. We were definitely songwriters first and certainly not studio-musician caliber, but that played to our advantage because that’s how we created this unique sound – our chemistry together.”
That sound is no longer just “unique.” It’s a signature fans love, and others aspire to; a bright, energetic blend of rock-coded country with a wry, prankster’s grin. Barbara has all that and more, adding everything from the syrupy synth melodies of Huey Lewis & The News to the laidback spirit of jam-roots royalty like The Band, or even some piano rock à la Billy Joel.
According to Ramsey, the group never goes into an album cycle with a goal in mind, except to avoid being boring.
“The only thing that I can say is we don’t want to repeat ourselves,” he says. “In some ways, it’s going to happen anyway – we’re a band, so it’s going to sound like us. But that’s also to our advantage. We can creatively stretch a little bit, and it’s going to wind up still falling under the Old Dominion umbrella. We just make sure there are no skippable moments.”
The intrigue starts from the title. Old Dominion has always had a penchant for a whimsical title (who names their debut album Meat and Candy?) But Barbara is next level. A tip of the hat to the bold characters of the world, it speaks to OD’s proudly one-of-a-kind attitude, complete with vibe-setting cover art. Focused on a striking socialite in a pink fur jacket, sitting under a salon hair dryer with her Jackie-O shades, pearl bracelet, and Virginia Slim cigarette, she could be getting ready for a gala, or a garage sale. And Ramsey likes it that way.
“When you look at her, she’s someone who has lots of stories to tell. She’s a little classy, she’s a little trashy. She’s definitely someone you’d want to hang out with,” he says with a laugh. “She looks like someone who could party but would go to church the next morning. And that to me is what this album is.”
Fans have already begun enjoying the first single, “Making Good Time.” Mixing a digital hook and deeply nostalgic theme with Ramsey’s quick-talking delivery, the feel-good tribute to long-gone days of endless summer lands right in the OD wheelhouse. He notes a culture has built up around songs like this, which has even led to their buzz-making bar in Midtown Nashville, Odie’s.
Elsewhere, tunes like “Break Your Mama’s Heart” feature an “acoustic ‘Jack and Diane’ kind of feel,” while the surging “Talk Country” includes a chorus of epic romantic passion, and “Crying In a Beach Bar” sways with a casual, coconut-country breeze, picked up from the band’s days on the road with Kenny Chesney.
Longtime listeners will definitely find some new sounds, though, as OD explore their less-obvious influences. Tracks like “Sip In the Right Direction” feel like a woozy second coming of The Band, and while “One of Us” pumps heartbreak through a muted, lo-fi pop-country pulse, the exuberant “Late Great Heartbreak” feels like a Billy Joel-style arena rocker — a joyful starting-over jam, with a sentimental core.
Tracks like that should bring fresh excitement to the aptly named How Good Is That World Tour. As one of country’s only true bands, Old Dominion is still doing what they do best on stage, visiting cities across the U.S. and Canada through fall, before heading to Europe in October.
“It’s called the ‘How Good Is That Tour,’ and that’s kind of the vibe we’re trying to put out there,” Ramsey explains. “We prepared very hard for this tour, probably more so than any other. We did so much rehearsing and so much planning for the production. It’s really an amazing look and a really fun, just a big, fun, happy party. So, we’re having a blast already.”
Back on Barbara, the band also gets a bit emotional, which is understandable, as they look back on their 10-year journey. Tunes like the tender “Miss You Man” tribute the band’s late friend and songwriting pal Andrew Dorff, who passed away in 2016. And with the probing “Man or the Song,” Ramsey opens up about the “transactional” nature of fame, wondering what happens when the hits stop coming. “It becomes hard to know who your real friends are. … You can lose yourself in there, too,” he admits.
But if the album's closing “Goodnight Music City” is any indication, Old Dominion still remembers who they are. A warm-hearted tribute to the town that has given them so much, Ramsey calls the soulful tune a “big love letter to Nashville and the songwriting community,” offering a “glimpse of what it’s like to chase this dream and have it come true.” Full of local landmarks and monumental milestones, it has the feel of a chapter ending, yet this band seems far from done.
Ten years after Old Dominion took a creative leap of faith, mixing serious country music with a sarcastic smile on hits like “Break Up With Him,” Barbara shows they’re still comfortable in freefall. There’s really no need for a grand plan, just to keep making music they enjoy, and let fans do the rest.
“If you need [Barbara] to get you through something, or just to feel good driving down the road, that’s what we want you to take from it,” Ramsey says. “There are no directions, this is yours.”
"The only thing that I can say is we don’t want to repeat ourselves. In some ways, it’s going to happen anyway – we’re a band, so it’s going to sound like us. But that’s also to our advantage. We can creatively stretch a little bit and it’s going to wind up still falling under the Old Dominion umbrella. We just make sure there are no skippable moments."