A day before his Dallas show on March 24 during his “Middle of Somewhere ” tour, country superstar Luke Combs dropped his newest album “Gettin’ Old,” a companion to his 2022 album “Growin’ Up.” 

The album is composed of 18 songs without any featured artists. 

With a record of two back-to-back CMA (Country Music Awards) Entertainer of the Year awards, a Grammy performance, along with multiple nominations, and an album with every song hitting number one on country charts, Combs had a reputation to defend with this album. Of course, there were teasers of the album’s sound, building anticipation with the songs “5 Leaf Clover” and “Growin’ Up and Getting Old” released before the official release date. The album was nothing short of remarkable, exceeding expectations. I didn’t skip a single song when I heard the album. In fact, it took me longer to listen, because some songs required an instant repeat.

As a Combs fan, I immediately noticed the difference in sound from the previous album. Like The Post said, “It was a leap”. Grown’ Up has more radio sounds, while Gettin’ Old has a mixture of both radio and long car ride hits. The previous album was great, but this one feels like old Combs (acoustic guitar and better storytelling).

Listening to Luke Combs made me fall in love with country music. His authentic and soulful voice creates the perfect melody for an old country track over a modernized beat. If you don’t listen to country music but are looking for an album to introduce you to the genre, Gettin’ Old is a superb gateway.

After listening to the album countless times I was finally able to narrow down the top five songs that would be great for new Combs listeners.

Hannah Ford Road: This song tells the story of a forbidden love between young lovers. It’s fun and automatically catches the listener’s attention. Combs begins with a raspy voice, complemented by the guitar and drums leading the song. Rate: 10/10

5 Leaf Clover: Like “Hannah Ford Road”, this song opens with a great instrumental. Combs mentioned in an interview with Esquire, this song is simply what its title portrays it to be about: luck. Written after his friend found a five-leaf clover, Combs relates the random luck to finding the love of his life and a flourishing career. The song features amazing lyrics and bluegrass vibes. Rate: 9/10

Fox in the Henhouse: This song reminds me of Combs’ earlier work because it shows maturity in his writing and is easy for listeners to relate to. For new listeners, this is a good song to start with because it jumps right into the crux of Combs’ music. This song is essentially a metaphor for not feeling safe in your own space. His powerful vocals over the guitar set this song apart from the others. Rate: 10/10

Fast Car: The cover of Tracy Chapman’s 1988 song is beautiful. I had not heard of this song before, but after listening to Combs’ version I was hooked. Justice was served with this cover. This song is also on the list because it highlights Combs’ roots of covers and how he is able to take a song and make it his own without changing its foundation. Rate: 8.5/10

Still: This could not be a Luke Combs guide without a love song, and this one is perfect. From the heartwarming lyrics to their execution over the rush of the guitar in the background, there is no doubt this is a classic love letter written by Combs to his wife. Rate: 8.5/10