Eric Church’s The Outsiders climbs back to the top of the country album chart this week. The collection sold 18,342 copies to land at No. 1 on the country chart and at No. 3 overall. Luke Bryan’s Spring Break 6…Like We Ain’t Ever follows at No. 2 on the country chart (Luke’s Crash My Party is at No. 4 on the country chart).

Eric describes the album as “more introspective” than what folks initially thought he would release as his fourth studio album. “What I chuckled about is when ‘The Outsiders’ came out and everybody thought it was going to be a progressive rock record, I kind of chuckled when it was happening. I mean, I enjoyed that, ‘cause I was sitting there going, ‘You’re judging it on the first song,’ and it’s probably the most introspective we’ve done,” says the North Carolina native. “To me, it shows maturity. It shows I’m not trying to figure out what people want me to be or want us to be. That’s just how it is right now, and at this stage in the career, I feel comfortable enough that to just say it or write it or sing it or play it.”

Eric’s latest single, “Give Me Back My Hometown,” is closing in on the top of the country charts.

Eric Church (introspective album) OC: …or play it. :41
“I think it’s more introspective. What I chuckled about is when ‘The Outsiders’ came out and everybody thought it was going to be a progressive rock record, I kind of chuckled when it was happening. I mean, I enjoyed that, ‘cause I was sitting there going, ‘You’re judging it on the first song,’ and it’s probably the most introspective we’ve done. I mean, you can take two or three tracks on the album that are just very real. ‘Dark Side’ is another one that’s very real and very introspective. To me, it shows maturity. It shows I’m not trying to figure out what people want me to be or want us to be. That’s just how it is right now, and at this stage in the career, I feel comfortable enough that to just say it or write it or sing it or play it.”