You Get What You Give

Zac Brown Band | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (September 21, 2010)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Atlantic
• ASIN: B003V6L94Q
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (115 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #450 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #32 in Music > Country > Today's Country
  • #41 in Music > Pop > Adult Contemporary

Editorial Reviews

'You Get What You Give' features a genre-defying collection of songs that the band has been testing on the road over the past year.

Praised for the ability to blend 'down-home country with bits of reggae, bluegrass and rock to create a high-quality musical stew' (USA Today), front man Zac Brown notes that the new album 'is representative of where we are right now. It combines elements of our southern rock and country roots, but also stays true to our jam-band style musicianship from the live show.'

'You Get What You Give' is the follow up to the band's double platinum-certified, major label debut 'The Foundation' (Atlantic), which is one of Billboard's Top 20 albums of 2009 and features the band's first four #1 singles.

Also available in a Deluxe Edition with 2 bonus tracks and special embossed packaging.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

47 of 50 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This Album Owns - Best Band in last 5 Years, September 26, 2010

By 

Pat - See all my reviews

This review is from: You Get What You Give (Audio CD)

Let me preface by saying that I love all kinds of music. From Country to Hip-hop, I love everything. My favorite band in the world is Dave Matthews Band, a band who much like ZBB is better live than in the studio. It took me a while to listen to "The Foundation" album because I wasn't immediately a fan of "Chicken Fried," but "Whatever it is" brought me on board to the idea of listening to it, and when I heard "Highway 20 Ride" for the first time I knew it was an album that I needed to listen to. But let me get to this album. There are 18 tracks available. The deluxe edition has 16, and the iTunes version carries an additional two tracks.

Now to the music.... WOW. Zac Brown Band is the best band to come along in the last 5 years and "Colder Weather" is possibly the best song I have heard in the last 5. I remember hearing it for the first time. I was watching the ZBB webcast from Bonaroo on Youtube live, and they were playing a fantastic show. About half-way through Zac took a breather and told the crowd that he was about to sing a song that he considered the best he had ever written. I wasn't sure what to expect, but from that beautiful piano intro, I was hooked! I was so upset that I didn't have a copy of this song that I went looking everywhere for it. I finally discovered that the song was available on a Live CD that the band had released entitled "Pass The Jar" so I immediately scooped it up. And that's how this crazy ZBB fan was born.

This album is incredible! I don't know how else to say it. From the catchy and single worthy opener "Let It Go" to the upbeat jamboree of "Whiskeys Gone" to the INCREDIBLE "Martin", a song about a man of music and the importance of his guitar, this album shines. It is not a country album. It is an album with some country songs, but mostly this is an album of unadulterated music. This is music. There is no genre, there is no box to place this band in, they are simply musicians and they present themselves as such. Lyrically this album is astounding, and much like Dave Matthews, Zac Brown WRITES all of his songs. You just don't find that often these days. So here's my take, song-by-song. Listen to this album! It is AMAZING!

1. Let It Go (10/10) - A catchy, singly worthy tune with a great hook. One of the best on the album

2. Knee Deep feat Jimmy Buffet (9/10)- this is more of a"toes" type song. It'll be great by the pool or on the beach next summer. Jimmy Buffet adds an increased island feel. Love it.

3. No Hurry (10/10) - Just a beautiful intro. I was hooked from second number one. Great lyrics, great musicality, very chill feel. Catchy chorus once again.

4. I Play the Road (9/10) - Another feel good song by the ZBB. Nothing sounds the same with this band, and the whole thing is filled with hooks that are memorable and delightful.

5. Cold Hearted (10/10) - Fantastic song about caring for someone who only hurts you with their cold heart. It reminds me of something from Motown almost. I'm not sure why, but it sounds familiar and different at the same time.

6. Whiskey's Gone (9/10) - The "Chicken Fried" of this album. This is one of the country songs on this album, but it's as great as most of the album.

7. Quiet Your Mind (10/10) - This song has a rock edge to it with this gospel inflection that's just amazing! QUIET YOUR MIND!

8. Colder Weather (20/10) - As I said above, it's the best song that I have heard in the last 5 years. It's perfectly written, produced, sung. Everything about this song is perfect. It's haunting, uplifting, full of imagery and essence. Absolute perfection. This song should be #1 for WEEKS.

9. Settle Me Down (9/10) - Another great "toes" like summer/beach song. Fun, funky, reggae like. This band is not afraid to try different sounds.

10. As She's Walking Away - (9/10) This song features Alan Jackson and is the first single off the album. Great harmonizing, nice gospel feel to it. Great song, but not the best on the album.

11. Keep Me in Mind (10/10) - Just a jazzy/bluesy/reggae feel good love song. Can't stop listening to it. One of the album's best. It's unlike other ZBB songs.

12. Who Knows (10/10) - The ZBB loves to jam out in concert, much like DMB, and this is their foray into a jam sesh on a studio album. 10 minutes long. It's freaking amazing, and you can tell the band LOVES playing this song. I feel like I would hear this song somewhere on Beale Street in Memphis from a band that simply loves playing music and exciting a crowd. This song does that for sure!

13. Martin (11/10) - WOW! I play guitar (as best I can haha). I've have my depressing moments in life, and there's this feeling when times are their worst that your guitar is the only thing that has your back. I've written songs, poetry, and even tried to write my own song about my guitar that I thought was good, but this song blows it away. When he says "He is a good friend, And he has his own voice. And you get what you give; Sometimes it's just noise. But if you treat him well, He will last your life long. And if you're honest and open Well, he will write you a song." Beauty and perfection

14. Make This Day (9/10)- This is my least favorite song on the album, but I understand why it might not be for others. Very upbeat. It's a catchy tune, but it just can't compare to the rest of this album.

21 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars ~refreshing sound~, September 20, 2010

By 

Joey Sciarra (Connecticut) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: You Get What You Give (Audio CD)

Song to check out: "Colder Weather" (track #8)

"You Get What You Give" is another solid album, which again is filled with impressive and widely diverse music. It's clear that Zac Brown Band refuses to fit into the same mold of most other pop-country groups, as their music is versatile, and sounds much different than anything else on the radio. Listening to this CD will take you for a wild ride on a musical roller coaster. Zac Brown Band continues their style of genre blending by throwing in elements of Reggae, Island, Bluegrass, Acoustic Rock -- along with a pinch of Traditional Country. It has a very laid-back and stripped down style throughout the album, with minimal production. Their silky smooth harmonies are soothing and very refreshing.

Their fresh and pure harmonies are very evident on the first single from the album, "As She's Walking Away," which also features vocals and harmony from Alan Jackson. This huge hit single has lots of sweet fiddle, along with a great melody, and lyrics that almost everyone can relate to. It has a very traditional feel to it, but at the same time, is breezy and refreshing. Another colorful song is the crisp "Let It Go" -- an upbeat and catchy song which is just waiting in line to become a hit single. Even though it's upbeat, it still has a laid-back and acoustic-driven feel. One of the most laid-back and carefree songs on the album is the very tropical, "Knee Deep" -- a song which features Jimmy Buffett, and almost certainly will become a monster summer hit. It's a bit similar to "Toes," but even more catchy, and soothing... close your eyes, and just imagine yourself in your own paradise. It's a simple song, but perfectly executed. The amazing and abundant acoustic guitar and fiddle playing throughout the album make it clear that these guys are true musicians.

Perhaps the best song on the album is a powerful and haunting ballad, "Colder Weather." This masterpiece of a tune starts with an amazing piano melody, adds a catchy hook, and finishes with their tremendous harmony. The lyrics are deep, and tell a story of agony that a "ramblin' man" is facing -- I love you but I leave you / I don't want you but I need you. The fantastic vocals in the song are slightly reminiscent of classic James Taylor style hits. "Colder Weather" sounds like a blockbuster hit just waiting to be released.

Overall, You Get What You Give is a refreshing CD, loaded with impressively polished harmony. It seems clear that Zac Brown Band is here to stay -- I think their momentum will only keep on growing, and this will likely become one of the top selling albums of the year. I'd highly recommend giving this CD a listen, especially if you were a fan of The Foundation. If it's true that "you get what you give," I can see substantial things coming their way, as the Zac Brown Band have given an extraordinary set of songs here!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Would love to see live, November 13, 2010

By 

murphinnc - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: You Get What You Give (Audio CD)

These guys must be a blast to see live. Great music and they seem to have fun playing it. My new favorite band.