Just several weeks after country singer Zach Bryan released his extremely popular album, “Zach Bryan,” he stunned listeners on Sept. 22 with the surprise drop of his extended play (EP), “Boys of Faith.” Featuring five songs and artists Noah Kahan and Bon Iver, the EP was incredibly successful, becoming the second most popular album in America on Apple Music this past week.
The EP starts off with the song “Nine Ball,” one that seemingly is inspired by Bryan’s relationship with his father. Featuring lyrics such as “My father was a bettin’ man/But I got myself a steady hand/He’s sittin’ in the corner with a six-pack of Corona/Bettin’ that his son’ll win again,” the song alludes to the faith that Bryan’s father put in him and his music career. The song starts the EP off with a nostalgic tone, one that remains throughout the rest of the newly released songs.
The next two songs in Bryan’s EP feature artists Noah Kahan and Bon Iver, which were highly anticipated collaborations. Both “Sarah’s Place” and “Boys of Faith” have a slightly reminiscent tone. “Sarah’s Place” features Kahan and is about the process of moving on from a past love. Additionally, Iver is featured on “Boys of Faith,” a sweet and slightly upbeat song that has nostalgic tones about an old group of friends. The two songs are respectively in the top 25 most streamed songs this month and are loved by fans of all three artists due to their sentimental lyrics and calming instrumentals.
“Boys of Faith” ends with two songs just by Bryan: “Deep Satin” and “Pain, Sweet, Pain.” Both songs are emotional, showcasing lyrics like “But you in Manhattan rollin’ in deep satin was a painful and wonderful drug” (“Deep Satin”) and “Pain, sweet pain, let’s learn somethin’ from it/I see the top, brother and I might just summit/’Cause I’ve been pinin’ and pinin’ for so damn long/Thinkin’ it’s about time someone else is strong” (“Pain, Sweet, Pain”).
The EP sticks very closely to Bryan’s usual style of music. From looking back on a past relationship to struggling to be strong, “Boys of Faith” is sure to be a relatable EP for anyone that is feeling down this fall.
