Justin Mattock looks back on his life with the utmost fondness on the boisterous ballad of “Seventeen.” An excellent embodiment of country pop meets just the right kick of rock; the whole thing has this sense of hope to it. The arrangement works wonders, for it begs to be played as loudly as possible and should be. He sings with such fire, for this song has a familiar tone, like having a conversation with a dear old friend. Riffs, too, have a strength, showing the future of where country pop can go.

The banjo gives way to a gigantic, arena-filling sound from the first moment. Drums have a sheer force of nature to them. Everything about it has a thin wall of sound quality. Best of all, his vocals soar above the rest of the atmosphere, as this sense of purpose drives the track forward. Instrumentally varied, the song nicely brings the acoustic, electric, and more into the mix. Melodies make sure to effortlessly waft on by adding to their living, breathing aspect. Justin makes sure to hold nothing back, for the song constantly builds itself into a rather beautiful final crescendo.

“Seventeen” shows off the powerful storytelling of Justin Mattock with a highly personal quality that gives it a vivid, visceral feeling.

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