Luke Combs' "Fathers & Sons" Reviewed: An Emotional Country Gut Punch for Modern Dads

If you're a dad in need of a good cry, consider this your warning: Luke Combs’ album Fathers & Sons hits hard. In this episode, the Country Music Dads give a full, unfiltered review of Fathers & Sons because, honestly, it was inevitable.  The Dads weigh in on the best and worst songs and the overall impact of this album on country music, modern fatherhood and their emotional state of mind. 

Plus: Dave goes full throttle in an impassioned “Minivan Rant” and tries to change Donnie’s mind once and for all.

Show Notes

03:11: First Reactions to the Album as a Whole: After Donnie recovers from "snot-bubble crying" during his passive listen, we discuss the songwriting quality, sincerity of the lyrics in a "songwriting-by-committee" approach and how "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" doesn't seem to fit (even though it is very sad).

14:01: The Dad Life Sound Check: Donnie is a better parent thanks to "Huntin' By Yourself" (even though he doesn't hunt), and Dave finds a pillar of his parenting philosophy in "Whoever You Turn Out to Be."

25:06: The Best Tracks from the Album: The Dads share more of their favorites, including "Front Door Famous" and "The Man He Sees in Me," and how those songs inspire us to live up to the higher expectations that modern dads rightfully (and finally) are measured against.

32:36: The Worst Tracks from the Album: The Dads discuss the songs, like "All I Ever Do is Leave" and "Little Country Boys," that seem more like filler material to get an LP out of this concept album.

36:00: "Fathers and Sons" Album Rating: The Dads wrap up the album review by rating "Fathers and Sons" on a scale of 1-5.

37:50: Change My Mind About Minivans: Dave launches into an impassioned and memorable "Minivan Rant" to change Donnie's mind about the classic and highly versatile “FUV,” the family utility vehicle.

Thank you for listening. The best way to support us is to subscribe to the show on Spotify, Apple podcasts, or whatever podcast platform you use. If you want to see new episodes and more content delivered straight to your email inbox, please subscribe to our newsletter: countrymusicdads.substack.com. You can find everything we do on our website: countrymusicdads.com. And we’d love to hear what you think, so send us comments, suggestions, friendly banter on Instagram @countrymusicdads, or via email [e-mail].

References

• Intro Music: "Dark Country Rock" by Moodmode
• "Hurricane" by Luke Combs
• "When It Rains It Pours" by Luke Combs
• "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" by Luke Combs
• "The Grand Tour" by George Jones
• "Huntin' By...