Luke Combs’s New Music Is Marked With Growing Pains

The latest in pop-culture news, recaps, and reviews, plus close reads, profiles, interviews, and more from Vulture.com. [Brand Logo]( close reads [Luke Combs’s Growing Pains]( The singer has swung so far into “mature music” that he’s forgotten what makes his songs fun. Photo: Terry Wyatt/WireImage [“When It Rains It Pours,”]( one of [Luke Combs](’s first hits, portrays the opposite of a family man. The country star watches as his “bitchin’ and moanin’” girlfriend walks out, later pockets a waitress’s number at Hooters, and celebrates never having to see his “ex-future mother-in-law” again. On that single and the rest of his debut album, 2017’s This One’s for You, Combs quickly developed a reputation for loud, spirited songs about drowning your troubles in a cold beer and having a good time. But a few years later, he was shunning that image for a more grown-up Combs: a wiser, calmer man who knows when he’s had one too many. [read more]( Devour pop culture with us. [Subscribe now]( to save over 40% on unlimited access to Vulture and everything New York. The Latest TV Recaps • Interview With the Vampire: [Trial by Liar]( • House of the Dragon: [Brothers In Arms]( • The Real Housewives of New Jersey: [Push Comes to Shove]( [Learn more about RevenueStripe...]( Stories We Think You’ll Like [Three-Sister Harmony in Find Me Here Plus an array of short-run summer shows to watch for if they return.]( By Sara Holdren [House of the Dragon Scorecard: Double Trouble So far this season is two for two on bungled murder plots.]( By Brian Grubb [Paramount+ Is Asking for More Money Unless you’re an existing subscriber, sort of.]( By Savannah Salazar [Will Smith Is Picking Back Up the Mic Getting jiggy at the BET Awards in addition to Sexyy Red, Ice Spice, and more performers.]( By Zoe Guy [The Dog Days of Summer House In the post-Scandoval era, it seems like every docusoap dude is a villain just waiting to be exposed.]( By Brian Moylan [A Ranked Guide to John Wick–Inspired Movies Hollywood has been trying to make the next John Wick for the past decade with a new generation of stunt-heavy, fistfighting action movies.]( By Tim Grierson and Will Leitch [Miss Americana Had a Good Run in London She wasn’t the only royalty at the Eras Tour.]( By Jason P. Frank [Learn more about RevenueStripe...]( Vulture Games [Today’s Crossword]( 9-Down, Four Letters: Peggy Olson’s department Photo-Illustration: Vulture; Photos: Paras Griffin/Getty Images, Hulton-Deutsch Collection/Corbis via Getty Images, Everett Collection [Today’s Cinematrix]( Can you name an Idris Elba movie based on a book? Photo-Illustration: Vulture; Photos: Jeff Spicer/Getty Images, Vinnie Zuffante/Getty Images, Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images A newsletter about the perpetual Hollywood awards race, for subscribers only. [Sign up]( to get it every week. [Get the Newsletter]( [logo]( [facebook logo]( [instagram logo]( [twitter logo]( [unsubscribe]( | [privacy notice]( | [update preferences]( This email was sent to {EMAIL}. Was this email forwarded to you? [Sign up now]( to get this newsletter in your inbox. [View this email in your browser.]( You received this email because you have a subscription to New York. Reach the right online audience with us For advertising information on email newsletters, please contact AdOps@nymag.com Vox Media, LLC 1701 Rhode Island Ave NW, Washington, DC 20036 Copyright © 2024, All rights reserved