Zach Bryan’s With Heaven on Top is a 25-track, 78-minute album about the cost of being heard. It is the sound of an artist who has spent years building a following and now wants to talk about everything that comes with it — America, love, belief, and the simple act of staying honest when the whole country is listening. The record is ambitious, emotionally heavy, and often sprawling. It is also the longest album of Bryan’s career, and it asks listeners to sit through some of it twice.
Opening With the Title Track
The album starts with “Down, Down, Stream,” a 1:59 instrumental intro that sets a quiet, reflective tone before the band kicks in. Then comes “Runny Eggs,” a song about a broken marriage that critics have pointed to as one of the record’s highlights. “Appetite” follows, a track that deals with hunger and excess, and “DeAnn’s Denim” brings the narrative back to a specific person and place.
“Say Why” is a shorter, sharper song about confrontation, and “Drowning” slows things down with a sense of desperation. “Santa Fe” picks up the pace again, and “Skin” is another standout, a song about identity and belonging that critics have praised. “Dry Deserts” is a brief, atmospheric interlude, and “Bad News” shifts the mood with a more direct, urgent feel.
The Middle Stretch
“South and Pine” is a song about home and memory, and “Cannonball” is one of the record’s most dynamic tracks, built around a driving rhythm. “Slicked Back” is a slower, more reflective piece, and “Anyways” is a song about perseverance. “If They Come Lookin’” is a short, tense track that critics have singled out, and “Rivers and Creeks” is a more expansive, descriptive song about natural landscapes.
“Plastic Cigarette” is a darker, more cynical entry, and “You Can Still Come Home” is a warmer, more welcoming one. “Aeroplane” is a brief, almost spoken-word track, and “Always Willin’” is a slow-burning, blues-influenced song. “Miles” is a mid-tempo track about distance, and “All Good Things Past” is a more reflective, nostalgic piece. “Camper” is a short, folk-tinged song, and “Sundown Girls” is a final, gentle track before the title song closes the album.
The Verdict on Length
The problem with With Heaven on Top is not that it has too much to say. It is that it says it too often. At 25 tracks and 78 minutes, the record loses focus in its middle stretch, where a handful of songs feel like filler rather than additions. Some of these tracks are brief and atmospheric, useful as transitions between the stronger pieces. Others feel like ideas that were not fully developed.
The album’s best moments are its strongest songs, and those moments justify the sprawl. “Appetite,” “DeAnn’s Denim,” “Drowning,” and “Skin” are the tracks that critics have returned to, and they are the ones that make the record worth hearing from start to finish. The weaker songs do not sink the album, but they do dilute its impact.
What Works Best
The album’s strengths are its ambition and its emotional honesty. Bryan is not afraid to tackle big subjects, and he does so with a willingness to be vulnerable. The music behind him is solid throughout, with a band that can shift from delicate acoustic moments to full-throated rock arrangements without losing cohesion. The production is clean and clear, letting every instrument and vocal sit where it belongs.
The record’s weakness is its pacing. A 25-track album is a lot to ask of a listener, and the middle portion drags. Some of these songs would work better as bonus material or as standalone singles rather than as full album entries. The sequencing could be tighter, and the album would benefit from a few cuts.
The album’s best songs are the ones that critics have highlighted, and they are the reason the record holds together. Here is what stands out:
- “Appetite” — a song about appetite in all its forms, landing with real force
- “DeAnn’s Denim” — a character study showing Bryan’s skill at writing specific detail
- “Drowning” — a song about desperation that captures genuine struggle
- “Skin” — a song about identity and belonging, one of the record’s most emotionally resonant tracks
These four songs are the core of With Heaven on Top, and they are why the album is worth hearing despite its flaws.
- Down, Down, Stream1:59
- Runny Eggs3:52
- Appetite3:05
- DeAnn’s Denim2:41
- Say Why2:24
- Drowning3:05
- Santa Fe2:54
- Skin2:55
- Dry Deserts2:31
- Bad News3:16
- South and Pine3:22
- Cannonball3:58
- Slicked Back3:51
- Anyways3:24
- If They Come Lookin’2:28
- Rivers and Creeks3:35
- Plastic Cigarette3:06
- You Can Still Come Home3:41
- Aeroplane2:20
- Always Willin’4:05
- Miles3:31
- All Good Things Past4:02
- Camper2:15
- Sundown Girls2:03
- With Heaven on Top3:53
