Shock! Horror! New York-born, Texas-raised, LA-based and now living in Nashville, American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer Post Malone has released a full-on Country album! Yes, you’ve read that right. A Country album! And, do you know what – it’s pretty good! So much so, that I just had to write a review!
I’ve been a fan of ‘Post’ for a number of years (my children were listening to him when he was still unknown). His best album, to me, was his 2019 release Hollywood’s Bleeding. I saw him play at the Leeds Festival in 2019 & 2021 (when I served in the ‘God Tent’ with Festival Angels) in front of 150,000 adoring fans. Malone has great charisma which enables him to hold the attention of a huge crowd. That’s always impressive in my book. However, he’s not the type of guy you’d be happy for your daughter to bring home – although, to be fair, when he’s interviewed, he comes across as a really nice guy!
Not only has Malone released a full-on 18 track Country album F-1 Trillion but just about every song is a collaboration with some of biggest names in the genre today. He obviously has a deep appreciation for country music (in an interview he says that he’s listened to Country all of his life – who knew?). Amazingly, there are no covers on this album – and that’s a feat in itself, if you ask me! – with each song written or co-written by Malone.
The country rock of “Wrong Ones” with Tim McGraw is a heavyweight opener. Post bends the rules of Country by dropping an f-bomb in the chorus (several of the songs have an explicit warning) but that’s Malone for you!
Malone sings about hell-raising with Hank Williams, Jr. on “Finer Things.” Malone’s duet with Morgan Wallen ‘I Had Some Help’ made history as the first single to debut at #1 on both the Billboard Hot 100 and Billboard Hot Country Songs Chart, maintaining the top spot on each chart for three weeks. Malone then shares an everyman bar anthem with Blake Shelton on “Pour Me a Drink.” The Dolly Parton collaboration “Have a Heart” shouldn’t work but it does. One of his few solo’s “What Don’t Belong To Me” is more of a pop ballad than a country song.
Brad Paisley guests on melodic ballad “Goes Without Saying,” which also shows off a memorable chorus. “Guy For That,” with Luke Combs shows the two vocalists playing off each other well – especially with Combs’ signature twang offering an alternative to Post’s smoother singing (though the same could be said of all his duets). I found out recently that BBC Radio 2 made ‘Guy For That’ their single of the week not too long ago. Post Malone on R2? How times have changed. Combs returns on fiddle-led ballad “Missin’ You Like This.”
“Nosedive,” with Lainey Wilson, is one of the album’s better ballads. But when Jelly Roll shows up on “Losers,” we get the fireworks we expect. Of course, Jelly Roll is another Southern rapper turned pop and country star and “Losers” becomes an anthem for outcasts and misfits. Quite biographical you may think!
Not every collaborator is a household name. Nashville native ERNEST appears on the upbeat “Devil I’ve Been,” and West Virginia folk and bluegrass rising star Sierra Ferrell on the folky “Never Love You Again.”
The most fun moment is on the Chris Stapleton collab “California Sober,” a rootsy romp with killer harmonies. Rock-country singer HARDY (Michael Wilson Hardy) chips in on intimate ballad “Hide My Gun.” Fleet-fingered bluegrass star Billy Strings guests on “M-E-X-I-C-O” “Right About You” and “Yours.”
“Yours” is a particularly sweet track about Malone one day watching his daughter get married. “One day I’ll give her away, but buddy that don’t mean she’s yours,” he sings. It’s worth bearing in mind that Malone’s daughter is only two years old so he’s certainly planning/thinking ahead!
It would be easy to treat this album as a novelty, but it’s just not. ‘F-1 Trillion’ is a bold and successful foray into country music for Malone, blending traditional sounds with his own unique twist, and solidifying his place as a genre-bending artist with broad appeal. Malone is finding the country world to be new musical territory to conquer. There’s no doubt this is a gamble for him. He might lose the hip-hop fans. But it will have the opposite effect, introducing some sceptics to country. I’ve always liked Malone’s voice but it’s perfectly suited for Country! You forget it’s Post Malone singing country songs.
The production is also worthy of a mention. The bulk of this album was produced by his long time collaborators Louis Bell (Taylor Swift) Charlie Handsome (Drake) and Malone himself.
This album was released on 16 August 2024 and, I have to say, it gets better with each listen!
F-1 Trillion 1. Wrong Ones 2. Finer Things 3. I Had Some Help 4. Pour Me a Drink 5. Have The Heart 6. What Don’t Belong to Me 7. Goes Without Saying 8. Guy for That 9. Nosedive 10. Losers 11. Devil I’ve Been 12. Never Love You Again 13. Missin’ You Like This 14. California Sober 15. Hide My Gun 16. Right About You 17. M-e-x-i-c-o 18. Yours
STOP PRESS
Malone has just released an addition to F-1 entitled Long Bed which includes another nine original songs – all solo! Country Central have this to say: In music conversation, the word “authentic” is a bit overused, but these glossy, 90s-inspired country tunes fit Post Malone’s personality like a glove; in essence, it sounds like the music he’s supposed to make …
Long Bed 1. Fallin’ In Love 2. Dead At The Honky Tonk 3. Killed A Man 4. Ain’t How It Ends 5. Hey Mercedes 6. Go To Hell 7. Two Hearts 8. Who Needs You 9. Back To Texas.
Malone showcased his album as his debut performance at the Grand Ole Opry on 14 August 2024 – the first time he’s played these songs live. Malone moved to Nashville several months ago and there’s no doubt they’ve taken him into their hearts. The affection the artists have towards him, and he to them, in this showcase is very warming indeed. It really is well worth 40 mins of your time to watch this on YouTube. (Fast forward to 18.55)
There’s been a number of artists crossing over to Country in recent years. The most successful of these would be Jelly Roll and The War and Treaty (both of whom featured in my best songs of 2023). Not forgetting Beyonce, of course, however, her album Cowboy Carter didn’t really cut it for me! I’ve joked with a few people that it will be Snoop Dogg next!
Jelly Roll won the newcomer of the year award at the CMA Awards last year, quite ironic given he was 39 years old. His acceptance speech is something else and well worth watching here when he takes the CMA to church!
My Top Twenty Songs of 2023
revPACman 
Very interesting, Paul.
I had no idea that Post Malone was a rapper, I thought he was just a new country artist! That’s being a 70 year old R2 listener for ya!!
I’ve not heard the whole album yet but what I have heard I think knocks spots off of (what I thought) was Beyoncé’s pathetic effort of Country in her Cowboy Carter album.
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Great album and review.
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Post Malone ,I was taken to see him in Hartford Ct. at Xifinity Sept 24th ,as a surprize gift from my daughter, what a show he gives his fans 👏 Thank you for my priceless memories you gave me that night.Im 70 yrs young and look forwa4d to seeing you again .
Much ❤️ Sherry
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