A breakthrough single that’s as notable for what it isn’t as for what it is.
“Friday Night” is nothing special in terms of lyrical content, and while Paslay is a competent singer, there’s nothing on the track that indicates he’s the next Keith Urban, or even the next Blake Shelton. But he’s learned a few lessons along the way about what not to do. The arrangement is simple, the musicianship clean and crisp, and the banjo drives the hook, rather than loud electric guitars or cumbersome percussion.
But I think what I like the best about “Friday Night” is its brevity. Clocking in at just under three minutes, Paslay’s single ends a little abruptly, just when you think it’s going to devolve into an endless chorus with louder vocals and busier instrumentation. It’s a production approach that makes a great song go on for too long, and a tolerable one become insufferable.
So kudos to Eric Paslay for not wearing out his welcome the first time around.
Written by Rob Crosby, Rose Falcon, and Eric Paslay
Grade: B
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BhQbhDjtreI
I absolutely agree. Brevity is this song’s strongest asset. I don’t care for run on songs.
I saw Paslay last June along with Alyssa Bonagura (daughter of Kathie Bailie & Michael Bonagura) and the great Striking Matches duo. Paslay’s vocals were fine. The material, including Friday Night, was mediocre at best.
It’s pretty sad that country music has gotten to the point where part of the reason you reward a song is because it’s not as terrible as the rest.
I do like the song. It’s not the best thing I’ve ever heard, but I would still like it if the stuff on the radio around it was better.
Meaning, if radio was playing it in between Kacey Musgraves and Brandy Clark, I wouldn’t change the station.
I pretty much agree. He didn’t let the production destroy the track and that deserves recognition these days.
I think radio is reaching a saturation point with young male artists and less established acts like Paslay, Tyler Farr, Cole Swindell and Thomas Rhett may have trouble moving past opening shows for the kings of bro-country. But Paslay has a good track record of writing hits so he might stick around.
Agreed. It’s fluff, but it’s good fluff.
Eh…………..this just doesn’t work for me.
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Firstly, I just find Eric Paslay’s voice (at least with this release) utterly unremarkable. It lacks the heft and sturdiness to elevate even pedestrian material like Chris Young and Billy Currington often succeed at achieving, for instance. His performance comes off as flat, even if he sounds likeable.
Secondly, the lyrics can’t help but sound sloppy and unfinished at points. It strikes me as though the main point in writing the lyrics was just so each line in the chorus would rhyme. And is it just me, or is there something disconcerting about that “(I wanna be your) money in your pocket cause you just got paid babe!” lyric? =/
Finally, the song’s main riff bludgeons the ear drum after a short while. Isn’t the point of the song to alleviate the stress the subject feels connoted to a Monday morning drive to work and tiresome errands? A heavy, blistering riff baked in an otherwise listenable melody line doesn’t really bring all the imagery of a Friday night to mind! ;)
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I agree the brevity is refreshing, and Paslay comes across as quite likeable and charming. But that’s probably where my praise of the song comes to an abrupt conclusion.
I’m feeling a flat C with this.
This is one of the songs on the radio that I’m digging right now. “Friday Night” was also an album track in Lady Antebellum’s Own the Night and I thought that it should have been released as a single, instead of sappy “Wanted You More”. But I’m glad that Eric Paslay decided to sing it.