The journey is often better than the destination, and that’s certainly the case with Coleman Hell’s latest record JOYRIDE!
Coleman Hell broke into the music scene in 2015 with his hit single “2 Heads.” The song was a success across Canada and the United States, earning him a place on the Canadian Hot 100 and Billboard’s year-end charts. He chased this high with the release of “Fireproof” in 2016, followed by his debut album, Summerland. Hell’s style has hardly changed since then, and his country vocals combined with dance beats have become an expected sound from the Canadian singer.
His third album, JOYRIDE!, is as joyful as the title suggests. Packed with eighteen bumping tracks, it has a fire that refuses to be put out. Hell delightfully combines bass, drums, and electric beats to his country-style vocals and pop energy, creating an amalgamation of each genre’s very best sounds. He opens with “HOME,” a western tune that calls on you to clap and stomp along to its intoxicating beat. It’s the first of six tracks featuring La+ch, Hell’s co-writer and longtime producer. Jocelyn Alice also joins as a feature on the sixteenth track, “Better Days,” a breakup song with a hopeful twist. Even in darker moments, Hell manages to find joy.
The album’s fourth track features a live performance—and once you’ve heard it, you’ll understand why. A live recording of Hell’s “Winona” brings renewed life and energy to the track with its call-and-response-like performance. He displays his powerful vocals here which prove to be on par with his studio tracks.
Hell’s JOYRIDE! culminates in the closing and title track as he hits the road at full speed without a care in the world: “Stepping on the gas, even if we crash / I would feel no pain and just enjoy the ride.” Addictive dance beats and backing vocals add to the atmospheric sound, making it the perfect closer.
The first half of the record is strong, though the second half falls flat at times. A trim of the tracklist might have tightened and strengthened this album, but that doesn’t take away from what it does achieve. Hell artfully blends different sounds to showcase the very best of his musical capabilities—and his efforts are worth it. JOYRIDE! is one ride you won’t want to get off of.
