"Talladega" is a song about last memories as kids before becoming full adults. "It was the summer before the real world started" the song begins, and then moves into a story of five friends taking an old Winnebago to the Tallagega racetrack.
At first listen, there doesn't appear to be much to the song: it sounds like just another summer memory song. And maybe in the end, that's what it is, but there is a good deal of substance here. There's a knowledge that as much as adult responsibilities take over, it's important to hold onto the memories that made us who we are.
The song is also well produced. The instrumentation in the chorus is heavier, but for this song, it actually fits, but it gets toned back for the verses, so it strikes a nice balance. And even in the chorus it isn't overdone.
Is it a candidate for best song of the year? Not by a long shot, no, but it's a song that is what it is for its time. It's a strong end of of summer song that avoids a lot of the cliches that usually come with songs of that type.