REID HAUGHTON

                                                              "Day You Don't" 

                                                              Independent Release

Though there’s not a clear-cut blueprint for a new artist to follow that will undeniably equal success in country music, you’ll often hear that the first step is making the move to Nashville; a step which Haleyville, AL native Reid Haughton has proven to be immensely accurate since landing here in 2021.

His most recent singles, “Got the Girl” and “Break Up Goin’ Down,” both heightened the buzz surrounding him as he delivered two modern-branded, mid-tempos that not only got stuck in your head and stayed with you long after their final notes were played, but also showcased his ability to craft a song that is perfectly suited for today’s mainstream radio.

Continuing to lay the foundations on his buzzworthy status, he now gives us his first release of 2023, “Day You Don’t.”

With its gospel like chant through it’s opening few lines, Haughton immediately perks your ears with something a little bit different before the instrumentation gives way to an ultra-addictive mood organ that pulls you straight into a feel-good vibe that recalls a classic 70’s rock style in a sense, as it builds progressively, pacing perfectly through the verses as he begins to unravel the unassumingly flirtatious story of noticing a girl at the bar who is settling on someone who is less than she deserves.

Admitting instantly that he wasn’t purposely listening in their conversation, is a quick display that tells you he’s one of the good guys and not necessarily trying to interfere; something he also does later in the song when he fully admits that it isn’t like him to come on so strong with an outsider’s opinion.

Haughton’s crisp, clean vocal fits perfectly over the groove as he assumes the role of the guy who is rightly reading the girl’s body language, and then kindly offering bold pieces of advice to her through a bit of praise and unassuming encouragement, mixed with a little bit of flirtatious aura as he sings lines such as: 

“I get the feeling that you’re feeling something’s missing, but you’re too scared to let him go.”

“it’s a shame you think he’s as good as you’ll be getting.”

“If it were me, you wouldn’t be barely hanging on, no…cause that ain’t what you deserve.”

Wrapped around his admitting that he’ll be waiting for her on the day that she doesn’t feel like where she’s currently at is all she deserves, is an incredible underlying groove that makes you turn this up loud and roll down your windows as you sway along with it.

"Day You Don’t” absolutely shows us a bit of a different side of what Haughton is bringing into his next chapter in comparison to what we’ve previously heard from him, but he’s also smart enough within this growth spurt to retain all the signature feels that brought him up to this point while exploring the new possibilities within it.

(Review Written By: Jeffrey Kurtis)