Album Review: Trent Harmon Bares His Soul With ‘You Got ‘Em All’

{Image Credit: Big Machine Label Group}

Perhaps we should have known all along that Trent Harmon would be a different kind of American Idol winner.

When the Mississippi native was crowned the show’s “last” champion during its final season on FOX, his swan song was not the inspirational ballads of years’ prior, but instead a sultry number — entitled “Falling” — penned by judge and country superstar Keith Urban. Harmon himself reportedly said, “If I win this thing, you did it” to Urban and win he did. But it shouldn’t be assumed that his victory can be wholly chalked up to Urban’s influence.

The emotional, vocal range and song writing skills that Harmon displays on his new album You Got ‘Em All, released on May 18, show that the 27-year-old had all the skills and poise for him to become a breakout country artist all along.

Despite having performed at The Grand Ole Opry and being a novel staple at Nashville’s CMA Fest every June, it feels trivial to classify Harmon as only a country artist given that he conquered everything from ZZ Top’s “Sharp Dressed Man” to Sia’s “Chandelier” on Idol and yet, at the same time, appropriate.

Trent on the set of the music video for his debut single “There’s A Girl” {Image Credit: Big Machine Label Group}

For every stereotype about pick up trucks and dogs, country music is the “every man” music genre, where complex emotions like love, longing, and loss all become accessible in the hands of the right singer and songwriter. Having penned eight of the album’s 11 tracks, Harmon knows a thing or two about translating his life experiences into relatable songs. Nowhere is this more evident than on the album’s title track, “You Got ‘Em All,” which taps into the well of nostalgia as Harmon sings to proverbial “one that got away.” The song’s music video, which debuted last month, evokes the same layers of emotions that make country music so great in its ability to tug right at your heartstrings.

In addition to his stint at the Opry, Harmon has earned himself plenty of country credibility by teaming up with big names like Keith Urban and Chris Stapleton on the album. After singing Stapleton’s version of “Tennessee Whiskey” on Idol, Stapleton decided to lend his iconic song writing skills to Harmon’s debut album with the album’s third track, “Hold On.” The song sits in a tough spot on the track listing, between Trent’s infectious debut single “There’s A Girl,” the music video for which has already cleared the 6 million view mark on YouTube; and “Her,” the song that Harmon’s fans have come to know as the one where his range seems to defy the laws of physics. But the Stapleton-penned tune holds it own as the kind of catchy song that needs to be played and sung loud with the windows down on a road trip.

Harmon’s album “You Got ‘Em All” is available now for purchase and streaming. {Image Credit: Big Machine Label Group}

In fact, one of the most appealing things about the album is how comfortable it feels. Given that Harmon has been working on this album since his Idol win just over two years ago, it should come as no surprise that these songs feel lived in.

Having personally seen Harmon live at CMA Fest in Nashville last year, it was known that even some of the songs that didn’t make the cut were great, high expectations followed for those that did. One that many will be glad made it to the record is “On Paper,” a song that shows a grittier side to Harmon’s sound. The song’s lyrics convey a defiance of a relationship that shouldn’t work “on paper” but does, a theme that anyone who has struggled for approval of their love can relate to.

What that type of ownership of his sound does is it allows Harmon to do is to deliver on all fronts. Whether it’s the butterflies that come with love at first sight in “First Five Minutes” or the second-hand pride that comes with wanting to see someone you love succeed in “Money’s On You,” Harmon nails the emotional connection and crafts lyrics that feel like they’re coming directly from him and no one else. Even the slow jams like “‘Cause I Do” and “My Somebody” channel his soulful, bluesy side — the side that the judges called “swampy” on Idol — while giving his voice the breathing room to show that his win on the show wasn’t simply because of the likable modesty of his character, but also on the merit of his talent.

The album ends with a remix of his Urban-penned Idol single “Falling” and an atmospheric studio of his iconic “Chandelier” performance that feel like a pay off for both Harmon himself to be able to get his music out in the world, and his fans to finally have their hands on it. Given the talent on display here on his debut album, it was without a doubt worth the wait to see Harmon graduate from doing justice (and then some) to covers of classics on Idol to creating country classics of his own.

Trent’s album, You Got ‘Em All is available for purchase and to stream on all platforms now. You can also check out his website to order an autographed copy, as well as his Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. Feel free to Tweet at him and let him know what you think!

You can also let us know your favorite songs from the album and what you think overall in the comments below!

Header: Shervin Lainez, Big Machine Label Group