OLD DOMINION

                                                               "Hawaii" 

                                                               RCA Records Nashville

With their brand-new album Time, Tequila & Therapy releasing just around the corner on October 8, 2021, and with their current single “I Was On A Boat That Day” making its way up the country airplay chart, Old Dominion continues to tease their fans with another new song; “Hawaii.”

Following, “All I Know About Girls,” this song (as expected) carries a laid-back vibe that is akin to the groove of the big island they are singing about.

However, instead of singing about being on the island and living the chilled-out vibe that it’s known for, “Hawaii” is a song that is more so about reminiscing to when you were visiting paradise but it’s told from the point of view of the not so glamorous real world back on the mainland as is displayed on the opening lines of the second verse, “Back on mainland things ain’t the same and I wish we could go back to island time.”

There is great imagery and play on word phrasing scattered throughout the song that juxtaposes the mainland way of life with that of the island as he sings of putting a pink umbrella in his Miller High Life to make it look like a Mai Tai, painting a palm tree picture of Hawaii when telling the story of being there, drinking pineapple rum out of a coconut, and being happy as a ukulele (the traditional instrument used in Hawaiian music).

There is also a wonderful nod to music icon Elvis Presley’s film Blue Hawaii in the chorus when Matt Ramsey sings, “Living life in a movie just like Elvis and Priscilla.”

“Hawaii” is another in a line of summer titled songs from Old Dominion, but by cleverly twisting the tale into the here and now and the looking back on a great time you once had, the song is actually better suited for the colder weather months and will connect strongly with the listener who is wishing they were back to being carefree again (maybe like they were last summer).

Old Dominion releasing some teaser songs ahead of their new album release is an incredibly smart marketing move that is serving its purpose to heightening the anticipation, while also offering a solid look into the groups evolving style as they dip a toe into some new waters.

(Review Written By: Jeffrey Kurtis)

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