We’ll admit, back when Sugarland was active, we were never too impressed with Kristian Bush’s vocal ability the few times we heard him sing, so we went into his debut single, “Trailer Hitch”, with modest expectations (at least from a vocal standpoint). The result was stunning. Not only had Kristian Bush just given a fairly decent technical performance, but he had also delivered one of the liveliest, most charming performances of 2014. It’s so convincing that you can imagine Bush strolling down the sidewalk smiling and waving at everybody around him, and when he sings “I felt so good by the afternoon I gave some guy my car” you actually believe that he walked up to a random stranger and offered him his car.
Of course, it doesn’t hurt matters that he had a killer composition to work with in the first place. “Trailer Hitch” centralizes around the theme of society’s obsession with material possessions, and how you can’t take them with you when you go, built around a clever hook of “never seen a hearse with a trailer hitch”. The lyrics hit a whole other dimension when Bush starts bringing up specific examples, such as baseball cards and vehicles.
It really is a great message. We find that too many people worry about stuff, stuff and more stuff, when really, when you go, it will be the experiences that matter. Now, we’re not saying go out and give away their cars, but maybe stop obsessing over objects, and start worrying about your happiness. Like Bush states, “the less I have to worry about, the more time I got for smiling. Preach it Kristian.
The production and melody are as bouncy as Bush’s vocal, giving the track a feeling of exuberance. It’s the type of energy that Sugarland projected when they were on their game. It’s so infectious that it instantly puts you in a good mood when you hear it.
“Trailer Hitch” is a memorable, buoyant, catchy, and downright positive song. If this is the type of music Bush has in store for us than count us in as fans.