After a massive New Music Friday last week that included releases from some of the brightest and biggest stars in Zach Bryan, Charles Wesley Godwin and Megan Moroney, I thought this week may have been a bit of a letdown. I couldn’t be farther from the truth with that assumption. Though there aren’t many full album/EP releases, there are still plenty of singles to satisfy independent and mainstream fans alike.
Mornings With You – Flatland Cavalry feat. Kaitlin Butts
While I don’t think Mornings With You will ever reach the popularity of their first collaboration, A Life Where We Work Out, the track is certainly another great outing from Cordero and Butts. It’s an incredibly subdued, loving song that showcases the obvious chemistry of the husband and wife duo. Their harmonies, per usual, sound great. The minimal production present on the track really lets you sit in the tender moment between the pair. It’s a bit more subdued than the aforementioned A Life Where We Work Out, but it serves as an excellent addition to the band’s growing collaboration with Butts. 8/10
Son Of The Mountains – Brad Paisley feat. Dan Tyminski & Jerry Douglas
Is the old Brad Paisley finally back? After some questionable song choices over the better half of the last decade, it seems like the Letter to Me singer is finally getting back to what made him so successful in the 2000s. People tend to forget how versatile Paisley is as an artist, and Son Of The Mountains is an excellent reminder of this. His legendary guitar skills lend itself incredibly well to this bluegrass-inspired track. The mix of Paisley’s electric guitar, the heavy inclusion of banjo and some great harmonies between the trio make the track a must-listen even for some of the most mainstream-hesitant music listeners. 8/10
Slow Dancing In A Burning Room – ERNEST
While I don’t think anyone is ever going to top the absolute perfection that is John Mayer’s original version of Slow Dancing In A Buring Room, ERNEST puts an incredible country spin on one of the greatest rock ballads ever recorded (in my opinion, of course). The steel guitar that replaces the electric guitar in that iconic opening riff sounds lovely. ERNEST’s vocals are also stellar here, providing a bit of a bluesy spin throughout. 8/10
They Don’t Make ‘Em Like That No More – Riley Green
They Don’t Make ‘Em Like That No More is about exactly what you’d expect from Riley Green. There’s some solid instrumentation with touches of steel throughout. In typical Green fashion, he laments how much better the past was compared to the present. There’s some solid imagery and detail present in the lyrics that elevate the song and make it wholly Riley Green. While I can’t say it’s reinventing the wheel in any way, it’s a solid track that proves why he is one better acts in the mainstream today. 7/10
Mamaw’s House – Thomas Rhett feat. Morgan Wallen
Interestingly enough, this song feels more like Wallen’s song than Rhett’s with Wallen controlling the first half of the track before Thomas takes over in the latter half. The song itself is a little bland, essentially wishing that every town had a home that showed hospitality and generosity like the titular “Mamaw’s house” does. While this is a sweet, reverant song in honor of the duo’s grandmothers, the lyrics ultimately feel a bit cliché. Bibles on the nightstand, front porch swings and screen doors all make appearances on this lyrically-contrived track. I do have to give it credit for sounding much more traditionally country than many of Rhett and Wallen’s singles lately, however. 6/10
Cancel – Randy Houser
With 2019’s Magnolia and 2022’s Note To Self, Randy Houser turned over a new leaf artistically. Instead of pandering to the radio or the culture surrounding his music, he was making music for himself. Here, Houser is lamenting about how he thinks the world is going in the wrong direction. While I think many will agree, the song itself falls flat lyrically, as he doesn’t point to anything concrete that he sees wrong with the world. Given the heavy emphasis on religion throughout the song, I would have liked to see a little more fire and brimstone from Houser so-to-speak. I think the concept of the song is quite strong; I just wish that he would have given a few more examples of tangible issues he sees in the world today. That being said, however, his vocals are incredibly strong and highlight his soulful voice extremely well. 5/10
George Strait. Jr – Dustin Lynch
As far as Dustin Lynch’s current input goes, this song is definitely one of the better tracks he’s released lately. While it is extremely referential like many country songs seem to be nowadays, George Strait Jr. feels like it was crafted with more respect for the King himself. There are plenty of references to Strait, yet they don’t feel too ham-fisted into the song. Though I could have done without the prominent back-beat present throughout, the touches of steel were a welcomed addition. 5/10
Stetson – Walker Hayes
I feel like it’s a bit of a moot point criticizing Walker Hayes at this point, but I have to ask, “What are we doing here?” What genre is this supposed to be? It certainly isn’t country; it certainly isn’t rap. It exists in this deep, dark, seemingly bottomless pit of abhorrent genre amalgamations that simply has me scratching my head and wondering why Hayes continues to produce these types of songs record after record. References to George Strait and Willie Nelson aren’t going to make your song sound country. 1/10
Other singles/projects released today include:
- Pill – Elvie Shane
- Scared to Go to Church – Chris Ryan feat. Jelly Roll
- Dusk (album) – Boy Named Banjo
- How I Remember Us – Bryce Mauldin
- Something’s Gonna Kill Me (Piano) – Corey Kent
- Lonely Hour – Colin Stough
- The Boy Who Cried Drunk (The Demo) – Meghan Patrick
- The Grays Between – Shane Smith & the Saints
- Dear Me – Maggie Baugh