Album Review: Cole Swindell’s All of It

Whether he wrote the song or not, his emotive singing shines through, leaving a lasting impression on the listener.

Written by Annie Reuter
Album Review: Cole Swindell’s All of It
Cole Swindell; Cover art courtesy Schmidt Relations

Since releasing his debut album in 2014, Cole Swindell has established himself as an adept songwriter and engaging performer. The Georgia native has amassed seven No. 1 singles as a solo artist and 10 chart toppers as a songwriter. His third album, All of It, showcases his rising star power and current single, “Break Up in the End,” is just a glimpse inside the project.

The 12-track album, out Aug. 17, includes five penned by the singer. A versatile mix of heartfelt songs, party starters and arena anthems, on All of It Swindell continues his upward climb within the genre.

The infectious “Love You Too Late” kicks off the project and sounds like something Luke Bryan could have recorded. Having toured with the singer and written songs for Bryan, Swindell was wise to keep this one for himself as the bombastic track will shine on his upcoming tour. An arena-ready anthem with soaring guitar parts, heart-pounding beats and polished production, “Love You Too Late” has Swindell singing of a relationship that ended before he realized what his girl meant to him. “I should have held her close / I should have let her know / How I felt about her about a couple county lines ago,” he laments.

Swindell does heartbreak well, and this can be heard on the yearning “Somebody’s Been Drinkin'” where he sings of two exes missing each other and trying to forget about their breakup over alcohol. A play-by-play of a night spent downing drinks only to text the other and meet up once again, “Somebody’s Been Drinkin'” is a relatable track that places the listener in the song.

While “Somebody’s Been Drinkin'” brings the feels, standout album closer “Dad’s Old Number” leaves the greatest mark. A poignant song penned by Jessi Alexander and Chase McGill, it’s the sequel to “You Should Be Here” and has Swindell confessing that he still calls his dad’s phone number in hopes that he’ll be on the other end to provide some fatherly advice.

“Sometimes I forget these 10 digits ain’t my lifeline anymore / Every now and then I dial them up when life gets tough or when the Braves score / Sorry about the one-ring hang-ups, early morning, late night wake-ups / It was just me in case you wondered / You’ve got dad’s old number,” he sings on the chorus.

Swindell has established himself on the heart wrenching ballads, but he’s also well versed in the party anthems. Tracks like the feel-good “Sounded Good Last Night” pick up the pace as does the ear-grabbing “20 in a Chevy.” The latter features forward-thinking production and a mesmerizing beat as Swindell reminisces of a past relationship. “How the hell did we have such a good thing and let it slip away?” he questions.

Additional highlights include the heartfelt “The Ones That Got Me Here” and the sweet sentiment of “I’ll Be Your Small Town,” both of which the singer penned. On All of It, Swindell furthers his reach within the genre. Whether he wrote the song or not, his emotive singing shines through, leaving a lasting impression on the listener. And, with a proven track record at radio in selecting songs that leave an impact, All of It adds to Swindell’s growing catalog of hits.