Sam Hunt’s latest single “Take Your Time” has hit radio, coming in at #40 on Mediabase this week, up from #46. “Take Your Time” is the lead single from Hunt’s debut album Montevallo, and if Hunt’s track record is any indication, has a promising rise ahead of it. Hunt’s EP X2C, which preceded the album, contained four songs: #1 single “Leave the Night On,” which went platinum in October, and “Ex To See,” “House Party,” and “Break Up In A Small Town,” each of which peaked in the 30’s on Hot Country without any sort of individual promotion. Hunt’s song “Speakers,” also got some chart love, peaking at #40 on Hot Country.
“Take Your Time” is much more quintessentially Hunt than “Leave the Night On,” with verses that are half spoken, half sung leading into choruses that are reaching and melodic. The instrumentation is sparse and percussion-heavy, something that’s a signature of Hunt’s sound. Hunt’s music is heavily influenced by other genres, including hip-hop, but “Take Your Time” retains country roots with the style of the hook and the specific lyrics that draw heavily on the principles central to the genre raised on storytelling.
With so much to choose from, “Take Your Time” might seem a surprising choice as a second single, but we’re calling it now – Montevallo has the x factor of a country Teenage Dream (which yielded six massively successful singles, “California Gurls,” “E.T.,” “The One That Got Away,” “Firework,” “Last Friday Night,” and the title track) and the singles will continue to flow from this track listing.