Will Hoge may be playing to the band with his new single 'Another Song Nobody Will Hear,' but that takes nothing away from his impactful message. The singer-songwriter's ode to struggling musicians is a sharply-written statement about mainstream country music, sung with unique blue-collar spit and gravel.

"I wake up in the darkness, the clock says 3AM / There's a war raging inside me, so I reach for my old friend," Hoge sings to begin the song. An organ emphasizes the importance of a story that will surely resonate deeply with anyone who has tried to "make it" and struggled or failed.

Wade Bowen joins Hoge for an equally sharp second half to the first verse. Together, the two men trade lyrics like a pair of tired and frustrated friends sipping beers at their favorite tavern. "This damn guitar knows all my secrets, all my hopes and dreams," Bowen sings, adding extra emphasis to the word 'damn.' "All the joy and all the laughter that I have ever seen / The one who stood beside me, been together all these years / Let's write another song, another song nobody will hear."

Hoge penned the 2013 ACM-nominated 'Even if It Breaks Your Heart' and recorded it himself long before Eli Young Band turned it into a mainstream country hit. It's a rare example of an autobiographical song working on country radio -- but sometimes great writing can overcome all obstacles. The shot he takes at the Nashville machine won't help him follow up with this hit of his own, but he doesn't sing with excess vitriol or animosity. It's more frustration and some truth.

"I came down here to Nashville with a million tales to tell / The first thing that I found out was that the truth don't always sell / They want songs about the back roads, and tractors trucks and beers /While I write another song, another song nobody will hear."

'Another Song Nobody Will Hear' lacks a hook, catchy melody or any of those other things that cause songwriters to roll their eyes even though it's ultimately what puts bread on their table and beer in their fridge. Hoge has always worked independently and has been more than successful doing so. This single is approaching the top of the Texas Music Chart, an irony that is too good to go without mentioning. Music Row doesn't often think that joke is funny, however.

4 Stars
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Listen to Will Hoge, 'Another Song Nobody Will Hear'

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