In "This World's A Giant," Zach Bryan plunges headfirst into the turbulent waters of self-doubt and resilience. He opens by describing himself holed up in a quiet room, guitar in hand, shrinking back from the world as though it were an oversized, formidable creature. He's got a girl, he tells us, who's not too fond of some aspects of his lifestyle. The song feels like Bryan's open letter to his partner, a humble confession that he's flawed and fully aware of it. He paints the world as a "giant," a fitting metaphor for its daunting enormity and relentless challenges.

The chorus is a half-spoken pep talk straight from the heart: You're beholden to no holders, boy I heard breathin' in this world is the thief of joy You're better off fightin' than you are dead The time for rest ain't now 'cause the kids need fed It's part existential musing, part working-man's philosophy, and the song rolls along with a gruff kindness, reminding us that even when things get murky, there's something worth holding onto.

On backup is Heaven Schmidtt, the lead vocalist for New York indie band Grumpy, whose harmonies bring a gentle indie-folk edge to Bryan's gritty warmth. Schmidtt's and Bryan's voices intertwine, creating a soundscape that's intimate and slightly otherworldly, thanks to the subtly jazzy brass in the background - a nod to Bon Iver, a longtime influence and sometime collaborator of Bryan's.