Thinking Too Much changed my life – Bonus Disc #1

BONUS DISC #1

Okay, I know the title of this is a little click-bait-y, but I’m not lying.

Thinking Too Much (Live) by Joshua Slone is a masterpiece.

The original studio version of this album was released on October 29, 2026 and it ended up my most streamed album of the year. Note that Spotify stops counting data mid-November, meaning I listened to the album a lot.

The live version was released today, March 27, 2026. There’s a tinge of sadness as I begin my listen-through, knowing that I missed out on early tickets to see him (on my birthday weekend no less!), and likely won’t be able to attend the just-announced “Thinking Too Much Tour” (which is already apparently sold out, at least for the Chicago show).

Similar to my relationship with Noah Kahan, I first discovered Joshua Slone on TikTok, before the release of his breakout album. Yes, this means I’m equating Thinking Too Much to Stick Season, and yes, I absolutely intend the comparison as weighty as it may be. I’m trying to say that you should love Joshua Slone!!

Part of me, of course, wants to keep him a secret, but he already has over 500,000 listeners on Spotify, so my chances of him falling in love with me are slim. Joke! (But no seriously. If you’re seeing this Joshua, please message me).

If you’re a fan of Noah Kahan, Zach Bryan, or other alternative country/contemporary folk artists, you’ll absolutely love Joshua Slone. As a poet & writer, his lyrics are where he most shines, but I absolutely adore the melodies, too. I’m not a music expert, though, so I won’t be diving into intricacies in composition beyond I really like it!

Here’s my track by track reaction.

Favorite Lyric:

“You don’t hate me, you just wish that you could blame me for another lonely day. Oh, but love’s a scary train you can’t get off”

Thoughts:

The live album is ordered differently than the studio version, but I like opening with this song. It feels like acceptance and reckoning and the way love can change in the blink of an eye. It’s a mantra for moving on, for taking care of yourself, and for still honoring the past. There’s less sadness or anger at its core than expected, more so confusion, proven through repeated questions.

Personally, I don’t vividly relate to the sentiments of the song regarding romantic relationships (shoutout my lack of experience). However, I think this can be applied to any relationship, and for me I apply these words to friendships that are now over for various reasons. Adding this layer makes me love the song more.

Favorite Lyric:

“He might be one hell of a guy but I see fire in your eyes when you’re with me”

Thoughts:

This song following the first is so beautiful in its display of duality. Here we have a struggle to move on, a story of (potentially) unrequited love. For anyone that’s a fan of friends to lovers, this is the song for you. It’s giving Belly x Conrad for sure. This one’s adaptability to fictional couples is definitely part of why I love it.

Sonically it feels really simple, and the lyrics reflect that simplicity. I love the fourth-wall breaks Slone tends to incorporate in his lyrics (if they can even count as such). In the case of this song it’s the line “I write a real mean breakup song” that I really love. Mean here is in the sense of really good not as in evil, because in truth most of his songs are filled with love and kindness, despite any heartbreak he’s feeling.

Favorite Lyric:

“I’m homesick for Adeline, and she only left town last night”

Thoughts:

I love his little “I’m Josh, and this is Adeline” statement before singing. Maybe it’s just the recording, but the bashful way it sounds makes me smile for some reason. It was really hard to choose a favorite lyric for this one, as they all have a similar sentiment but are somehow also so individually good. I chose the opening line as I feel it lays out exactly what to expect from the song.

This is a representation of the significant other as home. It feels lonely despite the active relationship depicted, because they’re doing long distance to some degree. The level of devotion this song depicts Slone having to this girl is really beautiful.

Favorite Lyric:

“I’m still hurting, but I’ll be fine, ‘cause I’m done working to make you mine”

Thoughts:

This is the opener to the studio version of the album. It definitely encapsulates the tone of the entire project, but I think I prefer it in this position, especially after “Adeline.” It feels like not only an admission of guilt, but also like a final giving up after working really hard to keep something good.

This one I surprisingly can relate to on a personal level. It feels like the ending of an on-and-off situationship, which I unfortunately am familiar with. It’s tune is softer than some of the other tracks, completely aligning with the feeling the lyrics inspire.

Favorite Lyric:

“And if you ever want me you can have me, honey. If you ever say you want me to leave, I can do that too” OR “you asked me if I was alright, you said you can hear it in the songs I write”

Thoughts:

He starts this one by saying “alright, here’s a little love song,” which is so cute but also evil because I hear this as sad despite the adoration the speaker has for the subject. It’s again a tale of unrequited love––“but I know you’ve got a boyfriend honey”––but there’s definitely a sense of reciprocation there, too. This is perhaps another friends to lovers anthem.

As a writer, this song is one of my favorites on the album. Not only for its great lyricism, but also the direct acknowledgement of writing as an outlet for your emotions. This song is, as the title suggests, literally Slone realizing he’s in love. It feels like he absolutely wrote it the morning after they spent time together.

Favorite Lyric:

“Have I told you that I miss you when you’re gone? Have I told ya that I’m barely holding on?”

Thoughts:

This feels connected to “Adeline,” again about a long-distance relationship. It’s as if this is the final breaths of their relationship, the longing to hold on but the slow disappearance of their love and time spent together. I really love how this song isn’t degrading the subject, it feels like Slone is admitting guilt just as much as he is stating facts about what the other person did.

This is another one I don’t particularly relate to. If you have had a long-distance relationship, or a super complex situationship, this could totally be the song for you. I find this song getting stuck in my head the most, the tune always popping into my mind at random times. I love the way his voice sounds on this live track, especially at the end.

Favorite Lyric:

“Cause we were so close to what we wanted I can taste it”

Thoughts:

This is a short one, with short lyrics, but it’s super emotionally impactful. It’s about the end of a relationship, something that faded and left bruises on both people. Slone can’t find it in him to care who was in the wrong, even if it was the subject of the song. There was so much love there that it’s disappearance is unfathomable.

His vocals here are so great. Especially on “So tell me why?” in the third verse. I love this one but I’m very glad I don’t relate to it. If you do, I really hope you can find a way to move past the love you thought could’ve been great but wasn’t.

Favorite Lyric:

“Cause you look like rain and you smell like love, honey I’ve been talking to the God’s above. Have you thought about forever with a heart like mine? Might not be perfect, but I’d always try”

Thoughts:

This was the second song of his I ever heard, and it’s absolutely one I listen to most. Every single lyric in it is one of the most beautiful pieces of poetry I’ve heard. This is one of those things that if you’re a writer you’ll be really upset you didn’t write it yourself.

Hearing the crowd echo these words back to him is so beautiful, and I might might like the live version more than the original. I’ll have to give them both more listens to really decide. I heavily relate this song to characters in a novel I’ve been cooking up, so I picture specific people and it makes my experience somehow even better. I really truly adore this one.

Favorite Lyric:

“Got a long list of everything you did to me, but I don’t wanna miss you, don’t wanna miss you again”

Thoughts:

This one is so fun. It’s probably the most pop out of the whole album (though I’ve never been good at classifying genres). The shark attack metaphor throughout is so vivid I can see the blue and gray and red throughout my listen. It’s one of the catchiest tune’s on the album, definitely a recipe for an ear-worm.

I think I prefer the studio version of this, only because I feel the crispness of the lyrics and instruments hits harder with that precise production as opposed to live. This track is about a relationship hitting rocky waters, to keep with the metaphor.

Favorite Lyric:

“And I love the way you laugh, you don’t do it very often, sometimes you just tell me that my joke wasn’t funny”

Thoughts:

This song is a love song. It’s sweet and slow and it feels like Slone knows the subject so intimately, despite the entire premise of the song being the desire to get to know the girl further. The lyrics are so simple but incredibly impactful, and the melody reflects that.

Personally, I really relate to this one, but not from Slone’s perspective. Instead, I relate with the subject of the song. Despite perhaps never being wanted this much (I don’t know!) it seems these traits he’s describing really could apply to me. This is a great delusion song for me, though I love it so much I’ll never associate it with a future partner at risk of ruining it.

Favorite Lyric:

“your love’s like a heater, and I’m a thousand degrees with a fever” OR “she’s a little more than water, she’s like sweet ole cherry wine”

Thoughts:

Another love song! The placement after “To Make You Mine” is perfect. This is a delicate song, with really striking imagery that I just love. I get this song stuck in my head all the time, especially the line I quoted above. The way he sings it is so satisfying and beautiful. I think this is one of the most vulnerable songs on the album, truthfully.

The instrumentation behind the lyrics is really simple and repetitive, while the lyrics are more complicated. This seems to perfectly encapsulate the love he’s feeling: it’s a simple fact that he’s in love with her, but he’s so in love he could describe it in a million ways. It’s gorgeous.

Favorite Lyric:

“All was equal in your eyes, to you a rock is just a pebble, and your smile can take me to some supernatural level”

Thoughts:

This is another in the long-distance relationship saga. The way he sings it on this live version is softer than on the studio track. It feels more romantic here, though it still is romantic in it’s studio version. I don’t like the sounds of the crowd in this one, but I really love the rawness I can hear in his voice. This will evidently be a crowd pleaser on tour.

It’s about wanting to end up with someone, the anxiety that they’ll leave again and the desire for them to return to your side. It doesn’t feel like a breakup song because of the way in which Slone continues to love the subject, like a denial of separation or a sense that it’s never really over with this person.

Favorite Lyric:

“I never was one to spend money, but there’s no way your love is free”

Thoughts:

This song is about an innocent love, from when Slone was “sixteen.” It feels nervous but certain, completely safe and happy in this relationship. The way he captures love on this album, and this song especially, is as if in reverence. There’s a holy respect for the powers of love, which is so beautiful and unique to Slone’s work.

The echo of the crowd on this one is really gorgeous as well, it feels like a choir singing behind him as he chants about how much he loves this girl. As with a lot of live versions, there are some random crowd screams though which I’ll have to get over for reason the rest of this is stunning to listen to, specifically the “but if the sky falls” chorus. His vocals are awe-worthy here, too.

Favorite Lyric:

“or when I think I’m just not thinking hard enough, like how I call you when I think of making love and not ever making up”

Thoughts:

The narrative of this song is really interesting and more readily graspable than the other tracks on the album. The opening verse, in its lyrics, give major country vibes, but then Slone goes into the personal and relationship discussion, adding his signature spin of unique and gorgeous lyricism.

Don’t be scared of the specifics in this, it’s actually a really accessible and relatable song. If you’ve ever gone back to an ex, felt like you cared for others more than they care for you, or regretted a choice in general, you’ll find a home here. This live version is brilliant; the instrumentals and vocals are both so so strong in a concert venue. It’s one of the longer songs on the album and rightfully so.

Favorite Lyric:

“She can make a mess of me, she don’t know it gets to me, I just wish she’d figure out everything’s so different now”

Thoughts:

This is a more pop-oriented song, like “Shark Attack.” It has short, snappy lines with great rapid-fire images. It’s wonderful, really. It seems to directly parallel lyrics from “To Make You Mine,” specifically in the lyrics “I joke, and you don’t even laugh.” The live vocals here are incredible once again, and the crowd echo and cheers both add to it for me.

Just like with “To Make You Mine,” I relate to the subject of the song here. Another delusional moment! But, really, I think part of me loves every song Slone releases so much because of his reverence for these women and his delicate way of describing his love for them

Favorite Lyric:

Thoughts:

The final song of the live set, which makes perfect sense as it’s Slone’s “Stick Season” in that it first went wild on TikTok and brought him lots of fans. The crowd goes crazy during this one, so I probably would choose to listen to the studio version instead, however the collective singing is so cathartic. The crowd taking over for Slone near the end genuinely puts me on the verge of tears.

If I had to tell you only one song from Joshua Slone to listen to, this would be the one. It has every great element you’ve grown accustomed to reading about, and it’s popular for a reason. The bridge is one of the greatest I’ve ever heard. Taylor Swift level. This entire song is stuck in my head all the time.

In case you were curious, my top 3 songs on this album are…

in no specific order…

drumroll please…

“Your Place At My Place,” “To Make You Mine,” and “Last Night I Realized I’m In Love With You” !!!!!

Really, though, this changes every time I listen.

The album is beautiful, both the live and studio versions. I highly highly recommend you take a listen if you haven’t already––you won’t regret it (wink wink: song title reference). Joshua Slone writes love and heartbreak so brilliantly that you’re sorely missing out if you never give the album a listen. He’s absolutely going to be a star, someone whose name you’ll want to remember.

The album cover of the live version is really great. I love the colors, the tiny white frame, the seemingly intimate setting. It gives the same vibe that the music itself does.

I hope you enjoyed this review, and if you did please consider subscribing to follow along with more Normal Girl Field Guide & Bonus Disc content!