“Hell of a View”
Eric Church
Written by Casey Beathard, Eric Church, and Monty Criswell
Is it legal these days for a country song to celebrate leaving a small town?
“Hell of a View” is a map dot love song, Eric Church style. Presenting himself as the antithesis to mama’s prayer and daddy’s dream, he was the “first and last ticket outta there” for the woman willing to break the restrictive vision of her parents, shaped by the built-in limitations of small town America.
It’s a song that celebrates living on the edge, which provides a “hell of a view.” Church delivers it with his signature, steady confidence. The only problem is that the backing track is surprisingly generic, which holds the record back from its full potential. Hopefully, his creative instrumentation will surface on the other tracks of his upcoming triple album.
Grade: B
I’ll pass on this one.
Really liking this one! In a time where most mainstream country now leans heavily towards dull pop and R&B sounds, I find Eric Church’s typical country rock/heartland rock style to be very refreshing, and he’s one of the very few mainstream guys I can actually get excited about these days. While I do agree that the arrangement on this one is a bit plain, for me, it makes up for it in the melody, which I really enjoy.