There are a lot of critics who will tell you that the vast majority of the Nashville establishment wants a replay of the classic sound they’ve grown up with for years, and to some extent, I am inclined to agree with them. While the establishment types are more than cool with hearing the same kind of groove played out over and over, there’s a call for something just a little more intriguing on the underground side of the spectrum right now, and acts like Water to Wine are answering that call with music ala “We’re Gonna Have a Big Time” this September that is getting a lot of justifiable hype. Inspired as much by pop concepts as they are country’s traditional harmony drive, Water to Wine comes in hot here and delivers what feels like a crossover for the season in “We’re Gonna Have a Big Time.”
These layered vocals capture our focus from the get-go, and I think that giving them the lion’s share of the focus in this mix was wise over spotlighting the girth of the guitar parts alone. Truth be told, there’s been a renewed interest in giving the instrumental virtuosity of country-rock another shot at the centerpiece in country music today, but when I listen to something with as hearty a lead vocal as this piece has, it’s hard to argue against the traditional formula holding a bit more true to modern interests than anything in this experimental lexicon would. The substance is sourced from poetry here, which isn’t something I’ve been able to say for a lot of country singles lately.
I do wonder how “We’re Gonna Have a Big Time” might have sounded with a bit more balance between the bassline and the guitar parts in the chorus, which is where the bar rock energy begins to fade away and a more pop-friendly element takes its place on stage. If we want to get a good idea of the reserved Water to Wine, I have a feeling that they’re giving us a thorough depiction of that look in their studio recordings, which have been nothing less than the precise sort of content you would expect out of a veteran group of troubadours who know their way around the business any way you slice it. Seeing them in concert will be different, but that’s part of the allure they’re sporting in a release of this kind.
Water to Wine is just starting to really explore their depth as a band, and if we’re looking at what they could potentially release in the next few years, “We’re Gonna Have a Big Time” might be a good template for them to work off of in the future. This song features a lot of elegant chemistry between players that you can’t fake into existence, and with just a little more moxie to go out on a limb and be boisterous where others are reserved, this is an act that will be able to win over anyone they play for in the future.
Chadwick Easton