"New to This Town" is a song co-written and recorded by American
country music artist
Kix Brooks. It was released in March 2012 as the first single and title track from his album
of the same name, the first album released by Brooks after his departure from
Brooks & Dunn
Brooks & Dunn are an American country music duo consisting of Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn, both of whom are vocalists and songwriters. The duo was founded in 1990 through the suggestion of Tim DuBois. Before their formation, both members were solo ...
. It is his first solo chart entry since "
Sacred Ground" in
1989
File:1989 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The Cypress Street Viaduct, Cypress structure collapses as a result of the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, killing motorists below; The proposal document for the World Wide Web is submitted; The Exxo ...
. Brooks wrote this song with
Terry McBride and
Marv Green.
Content
The song is a mid-tempo where the narrator wishes that he were "new to this town" so that he would not have to deal with memories of a former lover. Co-writer
Marv Green said that he was inspired to write the song after seeing a
U-Haul truck at a café, and thinking about what it would be like to be new to a town. It features
Joe Walsh on
slide guitar
Slide guitar is a technique for playing the guitar that is often used in blues music. It involves playing a guitar while holding a hard object (a slide) against the strings, creating the opportunity for glissando effects and deep vibratos tha ...
.
Critical reception
Karlie Justus Marlowe of Engine 145 gave the song a "thumbs up", saying that it was an "original take on the small town love narrative", while comparing Brooks' voice to
David Nail.
Music video
According to Taste of Country, "the singer happens upon a variety of circumstances, which then take place in reverse."
Chart performance
References
{{authority control
2012 singles
Kix Brooks songs
Joe Walsh songs
Songs written by Kix Brooks
Songs written by Marv Green
Songs written by Terry McBride (musician)
Arista Nashville singles
2012 songs