Author: Brennen Kelly

After seemingly months of speculation, Zach Bryan’s brand new album has finally received an official release date of Saturday, August 19th, according to an Instagram story from Wesley Schultz of The Lumineers. Schultz took to Instagram to share a Reel of a recording of the new collaboration between Bryan and the band. In a shocking turn of events, he added “honored to do this sick tune with you” and proceeded to drop the bombshell, “His album drops August 19!” This is the first indication of an actual release date from anyone. While no one knows if Schultz was supposed to…

In independent country, you’d be hard-pressed to find a more underrated, talented band than Mike and the Moonpies. The band, known primarily for their excellent live performances and heavy emphasis on steel guitar, often receives comparisons to indie giants such as the Turnpike Troubadours and Flatland Cavalry. When you browse the Moonpies’ discography, one thing that may stick out to those who pay attention to genre classifications is that the band labeled their last album, One to Grow On, as Americana. This marks a slight pivot for the Moonpies given that their first four studio albums were labeled as country.…

Before Tyler Childers was the indie powerhouse he is today, he was a relatively unknown independent singer/songwriter from Lawrence County, Kentucky. With only one studio album, Bottles and Bibles, under his belt, the release of Purgatory on August 4th, 2017, sent shockwaves through the independent country scene. It’s no stretch to say that Purgatory is a modern-day classic from the Appalachian singer/songwriter. Coming in at 10 tracks and 37 minutes, Purgatory is arguably a perfect record. It traverses plenty of ground in the tight tracklist, containing songs about murder, religion, love, loss and even cocaine. Not a single song, lyric…

The wait is finally over. One of the fastest-rising stars coming out of the independent country scene, Charles Wesley Godwin, is back with his first major label release. Godwin returns with four brand new songs off of his upcoming album, Family Ties, slated for a Sept. 22nd release. After signing with Big Loud Records back in March, many were curious when the Cranes of Potter singer would release his first song under the label. Godwin took to Instagram on Tuesday to tease the song’s release with the simple caption, “8.4.23”. Though he gave no title for the track, many of…

With the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) throughout the past year, artists and critics everywhere have been concerned about its impact on art, the creative process and the authenticity and ethics of the work created through these AI programs. In between discussing the Bud Light boycott, Travis Tritt, performing at festivals and even aliens on The Joe Rogan Experience, Zach Bryan expressed his concerns about AI in the music industry, specifically how it scares him, “People fu*king every day, man, 20 people send me a song by an AI bot that I wrote. And it’s almost insulting because I see…

Following the success of 2017’s Purgatory, Tyler Childers returned with his third studio album, Country Squire, on August 2, 2019. Coming in at a tight nine songs and 35 minutes, Country Squire is filled top-to-bottom with incredible, bluegrass-inspired tracks. One thing that will stick out to keen listeners who listen to the album from start to finish is that every song transitions perfectly into one another. It’s little details and production choices like these that make Childers’ records stand head and shoulders above his contemporaries Like Purgatory, Country Squire is also produced by fellow independent star, Sturgill Simpson, and David…