Zac Brown Band On Their New Album Love & Fear

The Zac Brown Band barely had time to shake off the jet lag before rolling into the Deni Ute Muster but even after a whirlwind arrival, they were right at home among thousands of ute lovers, campers and country diehards. “I love the people here, the energy, the way everyone just loves country music,” Brown said. “Our style of country is a little different because we’re Southern… We love getting to come share what we do and seeing people get down.”

For Brown, Australia isn’t just another tour stop, it’s part of his musical history. “I’ve been coming here since I wrote Free here like 20-something years ago,” he laughed. He even recalled sinking a ute in thick black mud during one of his early visits. “Mud coming in the doors, over the windows, completely stuck. Black mud everywhere. We were covered.”

Even with all the memories, this year marked their first-ever Deni Ute Muster appearance. The band instantly vibed with the scene. “Some of us like camping, so seeing all the trucks decked out, what we’d call Overlander rigs, was super cool,” Brown said, adding he’s still jealous he can’t buy a proper ute back home in the States.

But nostalgia and muddy mishaps weren’t the only reason the band were buzzing. Their eighth studio album Love & Fear has officially dropped, a 13-track project that digs into emotional duality, resilience and the messy-but-meaningful intersections of life. The album arrives the same week the band launches their groundbreaking Sphere residency in Las Vegas, making them the first country act to perform in the immersive venue.

Creatively, Brown says the band has never felt sharper. “I feel better now than I ever have. Physically, creatively, all of it. I’m always writing, we’re always trying to top what we’ve done.” One track on the record especially hits home: “There’s a song on this album that feels like our answer to Colder Weather. We’ve been waiting on that kind of follow-up.”

Join our community with our FREE weekly newsletter

True to ZBB tradition, Love & Fear brings a little of everything: southern rock, island vibes, bluegrass, big harmonies and some huge collaborations. Their Dolly Parton feature Butterfly is already a fan favourite. “Working with her was a dream come true, she absolutely killed it,” Brown said. “What she did on the song was straight ninja stuff. She sounds amazing, maybe as good as she ever has. And yeah… she’s still hot.” he laughs.

There’s also heavier material: Animal dives into full rock-opera territory, while the Snoop Dogg assisted Let It Run bends genres with ease. Brown says fans of Heavy as the Head will feel right at home.

But the quiet moments matter too. When asked for a personal standout, Brown didn’t hesitate: “There’s a song called Passenger, and I think that’s a really special one. It’s a slower ballad and I think you all will love it.”

Despite the global tours and constant evolution, the band insists the spark comes from a simple place: gratitude. “When you’re 16 and dreaming of travelling the world playing songs, and you actually get to do it, you never forget that,” Brown said. “Being in Australia, about to play in front of a huge crowd… it keeps you excited, keeps you creating.”

From Deni’s dust to the neon glow of Las Vegas, the Zac Brown Band are stepping into a new era with Love & Fear. An album that proves, once again, that they’re still chasing the craft with the hunger of day one.