After months of teasing new music on social media, McCollum officially announced Never Enough along with its title, release date, and album cover art.[1] The announcement was accompanied by the release of the promotional single "I Ain't Going Nowhere."[1]
The project continues McCollum's collaboration with producer Jon Randall, who produced McCollum's previous album Gold Chain Cowboy and his major-label debut EP Hollywood Gold.[2] He said working with Randall gave him the opportunity to refresh his sound while staying true to his roots: "I didn't reinvent it, but I tried to be fresh and almost entertain myself with the songs I was writing and the direction I was going this time."[2]
McCollum emphasized that creative control was a priority when signing with MCA Nashville.[2] "I passed on all the advance money...I just tried to leverage that and get as much creative control as I could," he said.[2] He retains full authority over what songs he writes, cutes, or leaves off the record, crediting MCA for honoring his autonomy.[2] McCollum hoped the new album reflects that authenticity: "All of these songs come from a super authentic, genuine, and real place...I love to get lost in a song, so I really hope [listeners] get lost in these and it does something for them."[2]
McCollum said he drew from a wide range of influences while shaping the album's sound, including traditional country artists such as Keith Whitley, The Judds, and George Strait.[3] Although inspired by older country records, he admits that only a few of the songs achieved the throwback sound he initially set out to create.[3]
With the album's release, McCollum began his headlining tour alongside supporting Eric Church on select dates of Church's The Outsiders Revival Tour.[4]
Themes
McCollum co-wrote most of the album's 15 songs with a mix of longtime Texas collaborators and top Nashville writers, including Ashley Gorley, Hillary Lindsey, Lori McKenna, Liz Rose, Brett James, and Monty Criswell, as well as Texas country artists such as Randy Rogers and Wade Bowen.[2] McCollum described the experience as a step forward creatively, saying, "I've really enjoyed that. They're the best songwriters in the world and now they're my good friends."[2]
Never Enough set a personal goal for McCollum as it was the first time he used the word "beer" in any of his songs, with McCollum highlighting it as a personal milestone.[4] He clarified that the song in question was not a typical "beer drinking song," but nonetheless includes the word, which is a common trope in country music songwriting.[4] McCollum remarked, "I'm proud that it took this long. Probably won't ever happen again."[4]
The album also features emotionally intense ballads like "Tails I Lose," co-written with Bowen and The Warren Brothers, Brad and Brett Warren, about heartbreak and fate—"It's heads you win, tails I lose," McCollum sings.[2] Another standout, "Have Your Heart Again," was written around a melody McCollum had held onto for six years and became his first piano ballad.[2]
While McCollum had gained fame for writing "sad and terrible" songs, Never Enough also showcased more energetic tracks.[2] "Burn It Down," written with the Love Junkies (Lindsey, McKenna, and Rose), and "Speed" represent the rock-influenced side of the album, while "Wheel" closes the album on a more upbeat, reflective note.[2]
The album also features one outside cut, "Things I Never Told You," a song about McCollum's parents that resonated deeply with him and his family.[5]
Singles
Prior to the album's release, two singles and one promotional single were released.
"Handle on You," the album's lead single, was co-written by McCollum and Criswell and became a number-one hit on the BillboardCountry Airplay and helped set the tone for the album.[2] "The song was what I was trying to go for more than anything else," McCollum said, though he added that his creative restlessness led him to branch out stylistically across the record.[2]
The lone promotional single, "I Ain't Going Nowhere" was released the day the album was officially announced.[1] In the song, McCollum sings to his wife, Hallie Ray Light, whom he married in 2022, expressing his devotion to her despite a life spent chasing dreams and living on the road.[1] "'I Ain't Going Nowhere' really is kind of a testament to where I'm at in my life right now," McCollum explained.[1] The track was co-written by McCollum, Randall, Rose, McKenna, and Lee Miller.[1]
Never Enough received positive reviews from critics. Stephen Thomas Erlewine noted that McCollum keeps himself planted in country music, but he can't resist the "siren call of the wide-open roads of middle America".[6]
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