TRAVIS DENNING - Roads That Go Nowhere - Mercury Nashville

On the same day that he announced his debut album Roads That Go Nowhere will release on May 24, 2024, Travis Denning gifted his fans with its autobiographical title track.

Written by Travis, James McNair and Ben Foster, the softer pacing of the waltz infused melody allows the honesty of Denning’s voice to wrap around the acoustic led instrumentation as he roadmaps a rearview mirror look back at the determination that got him to where he’s at today.

Reflecting on a list of advice given to him about all the different wrong roads to take in life, the opening verse sees him touching on how his momma warned him that nothing good happens after midnight, several people lamented that playing guitar and singing was a nice hobby that doesn’t pay the bills, etc.

But as he strolls to the chorus, the lift of the melody matches the elevated tone of his voice as he respectively smiles his way through how he promptly ignored those well-meaning pieces of advice, leading him to some of his best moments thus far:

“But one got me to Music City

One got me a kiss from a pretty smile shotgun riding

Now she's wearing a left hand diamond

Some dead end didn't turn out wrong

Hell there's some that I'm still on

But looking back at that rearview man I swear

I've gone pretty damn far on them roads that go nowhere”

As the song shifts into its second half, Denning intriguingly doesn’t shy away from the fact that the road he’s taken has certainly had its difficulties, transparently sharing of how it’s been full of potholes, mud, and breakdowns. But embedded into the never give up spirit of his story, he expertly reaches through the speakers to talk the dreamers who are navigating that same road right now, encouraging them to hold on and not give up.

Every dreamer’s road is paved with stories like Denning’s, making “Roads That Go Nowhere” a songwriter’s song at its core. However, it’s also the perfect stamp on the heightened anticipation for his debut album as it offers an inspiring look at who he is, how he got here, and why his debut album needs to be on our must-listen playlists this spring.

(Review Written By: Jeffrey Kurtis)

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