It’s no secret that Flatland Cavalry is one of the hottest bands coming out of Texas right now. Touring with Luke Combs on his 2023 World Tour, the band has quickly gained both mainstream and independent fans throughout the past few years. From appearing on Yellowstone to joining forces with The Panhandlers, Flatland Cavalry is, without a doubt one, of the best in the independent country scene today.
Here are 10 of their best tracks.
10. Summertime Love
Appearing on their debut EP, Come May, Summertime Love is a track that simply feels like summertime. It’s a light, breezy song that is bound to put you in a good mood. Frontman, Cleto Cordero, pens the track independently, packing the nostalgic song with little details that are bound to transport the listener back to their own young, summertime love.
9. Gettin’ By
Like many great country songs before it, Gettin’ By touches on middle-class living and the simplicities of life. Cordero and Jason Nix pen the track, filling it with relatable lyrics about being happy exactly where they are in life. It’s an equally hopeful and humble song that shows off the band’s “humble folks” character effectively.
8. War With My Mind
War With My Mind is a song that beautifully captures struggles with anxiety, depression and addiction. Written by Cordero and Kaitlin Butts, the track is a beautifully somber song that sheds light on a topic that is quite taboo. War With My Mind is ultimately an extremely honest song that does not have a solution to the issue at hand. Instead, it insists the listener to “Keep fightin’ the battle, the war with your mind.” It’s honest lyrics such as these that make Cordero one of country music’s most prominent songwriters today. Additionally, the production on the track is composed expertly, serving the song extremely well with some beautiful instrumentation that doesn’t overpower the poignant lyrics.
7. One I Want
One I Want is one of the most easily recognizable Flatland Cavalry songs out there. The opening fiddle lick paired with the touches of acoustic guitar in the intro is simply country gold. Once the chorus kicks in, One I Want becomes a certified two-stepping classic. There aren’t many other songs that make you want to dance more than One I Want will; it’s simply that infectious.
6. February Snow
Cordero proves once again how great of a songwriter he is with February Snow. Unlike the previous four songs, February Snow is a classic breakup song through and through. Once again providing heavy doses of fiddle throughout, the track sounds absolutely gorgeous. The extremely melodic chorus is easily the standout of the entire song. The ending lyrics, ” ‘Cause every time I close my eyes, I’m underneath that street light in the cold as you fade into that February snow.” really put the listener directly into Cordero’s shoes and paints the painful picture of losing your love in the cold, dark winter beautifully.
5. Honeywine
Honeywine feels just about as sweet as the drink itself. The driving fiddle in the intro, first verse and chorus sound lovely before trading off for an expertly composed, breezy guitar solo that is packed with beautiful tone throughout. The upbeat track perfectly captures young love budding with the gorgeous production and sweet lyrics from Cordero.
4. Goodbye Kiss
Cordero sure knows how to write a good sad song. Goodbye Kiss plays with the idea of completely closing the door on a past relationship without leaving room for a second try. He paints such a relatable picture of the regrets of a failed relationship, singing, “Loving somebody shouldn’t have to be a means to an end.” in the bridge.
3. Mountain Song
Mountain Song simply feels like a warm blanket on a cold night. The production, composed mainly of a finger-picked guitar, is beautiful and calming before giving way to a fully produced second half. The touches of steel and fiddle in the latter half of the song are just the icing on the cake of this gorgeous ode to nature. Mountain Song feels like the perfect song to play around a campfire on a crisp autumn night.
2. Sleeping Alone
You’d be hard-pressed to find a song that captures the struggles of maintaining a long-distance relationship better than Sleeping Alone. The simply gorgeous guitar work throughout the track is picked expertly by Cordero, displaying his underrated guitar ability. The lyrics are the standout, however. Sleeping Alone feels like such a brutally honest, longing track that is bound to hit home with anyone in a long-distance relationship. It captures the longing and loneliness of the situation perfectly, filling the song full of melancholic dreaming throughout.
1. A Life Where We Work Out (feat. Kaitlin Butts)
The band’s most popular song is popular for a reason; it is simply fantastic. Though it was incredibly difficult to choose a true number one song from Flatland’s deep discography, A Life Where We Work Out has a certain magical feel while listening. It truly captures everything a country duet needs. It has incredible harmonies from real-life husband and wife, Cordero and Butts. It has fantastic production, featuring Flatland’s signature inclusion of fiddle. And arguably most importantly, it has incredibly relatable, yet longing lyrics. A Life Where We Work Out is a track that truly gets better with every listen.
