“Hate You Like I Love You”
Granger Smith
Written by Granger Smith
Granger Smith’s current single portrays a narrator trying to move on after a breakup by cultivating negative feelings toward the love he left behind. He tries to convince himself that he’s better off now, but at the same time realizes that he’s just trying to “sell myself a bad lie”.
The song includes enough first-person details to make the story feel interesting and believable. The chorus and title hook don’t strike me as particularly clever, but the melody is strong enough to carry the song. I actually found myself starting to sing along with the chorus after about a listen or two – a rarity for me when listening to today’s country radio releases.
Ultimately, Smith’s vocal delivery is what leaves me cold. It never quite rises above competence enough to connect on an emotional level. Instead, I find myself imagining how much better this song would sound if it were sung by Keith Urban or Tim McGraw.
Grade: B
Happy to see a new single review from you, Ben. :)