Painful experiences have naturally lent themselves to songwriting. Built-in conflict was made for dramatic tale-telling. Though, for an artist who swung with an enthusiastic tune, listeners would have been justified in applauding just as loudly, if not more during a pandemic. Cowritten with Joshua Murty, Alyssa Vanderhym, Anna Moon and Steven Lee Olsen, “No Sad Songs” hit that groove.
Long-time songwriter Niko Moon burst onto the scene with his hip-hop/country sound for “Good Time” back in 2020. This newest track sipped from his glass half-full ethos, one which distinguished kindred spirit Big Gigantic on its album Free Your Mind.
Raised in Greater Atlanta, the ever-smiling Moon has been the kind of guy who could walk into any room and ten minutes later, there would be a party nine minutes deep. His upbeat radiance would have newfound partygoers complying with his request to join in the fun.
“Play something we can sing to, Play something we can raise hell and drink to, Don’t get me going just to go and slow me down, Pour up another round.”
-Niko moon
Bubbling under the surface while kitchen cleaning, checkbook balancing, or completing most other mundane tasks, will have been people’s dormant desire to have fun. With an intuitive grasp for that urge, Moon went on to suggest songs bound to break listeners out of their shell.
“Come on, play that ‘Wagon Wheel’, Turn up that ‘Sweet Home Alabama’, give me all the feels, Don’t forget the ‘Chicken Fried’, I want it served up with a little ‘Sweet Caroline’, so…”
-Niko Moon
While traditionalists may have critiqued his style, country music has needed a performer in the stereo-pumping vein of Moon, who along with singers like Kane Brown, Upchurch, and Blanco Brown, have pushed the genre forward by expanding it outward. An experimental mixture of country’s storytelling and hip-hop’s movement-imbuing rhythm.
Working alone from home without a party to speak of? The (21+) listener can play this track with an adult beverage of choice to cap off their day.
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