Song Review: "Whatcha Drinkin' Bout" by Ryland Fisher

As the lyric suggests, Ryland Fisher literally slowed the jukebox down when recording his own version of the hit he co-wrote with Joey Ebach and its first artist, Stephanie Quayle. The original version of ‘Whatcha Drinkin’ Bout’ is playful, sassy, and flirtatious—but Fisher’s version on Sleeping with Ghosts: Volume I is gentle, inviting and, well, sad. The guitar echoes with heartbreak, and the way Fisher approaches the title question seems to come from a place of recognizing sorrow in a fellow broken heart. Fisher is the master at taking an idea and wrestling it into a feeling that transcends age, gender, and background. In this case, fans will be thrilled that he’s taken the same song and completely reimagined it into something that feels brand new.