New Music Roundup & Reviews Featuring Zach Bryan, Charles Wesley Godwin, Megan Moroney & More

What a day for new music.

Independent country fans are eating well this week with new releases from some of the best and brightest stars the genre has to offer. From the highly anticipated, major label debut from Charles Wesley Godwin to a surprise EP from Zach Bryan to Sam Barber’s debut EP, this Friday, September 22, has been one of the most exciting weeks of music all year. The week has been so packed that I decided to highlight more than five of the most exciting releases this Friday had to offer.

Another Leaf – Charles Wesley Godwin

It felt like an impossible task only choosing one song from this brilliant album. However, Another Leaf has a certain spark that begs you to roll the window and bask in the musicianship present on the track. In an already dynamic album, Another Leaf still feels special in comparison to the great songs present on Family Ties. The tempo changes, the incredibly melodic chorus and the final breakdown in the latter half of the song make it feel like a must-have on any of Godwin’s live shows. The euphemism, “add another leaf on the tree tonight” is such a fun, unique way to say “let’s make a baby” while still tying (no pun intended) the theme of family together. 9.5/10

Deep Satin – Zach Bryan

Deep Satin has been a song that has been over a year in the making for Bryan. First debuting in August 2022 on TikTok, fans of the Something in the Orange singer have been patiently (as patiently as Zach Bryan fans can be that is) for the song’s release. It absolutely did not disappoint. The moody verses give away brilliantly to the crescendoing chorus. The heavy use of saxophone in the latter half of the song makes the song feel triumphant, almost as if he’s overcoming this lost love through the writing of the song. Like many Bryan songs, he’s obviously reconciling with this lost love. However, he keeps the subject matter fresh with strong imagery of Manhattan and a West Coast road trip that reminds him of the titular “deep satin” nights. 9/10

Million Eyes – Sam Barber

It’s no secret that Sam Barber is the biggest indie artist since Zach Bryan, seemingly growing at an exponential rate. With the release of his debut EP, it seems like there’s no looking back for the Missouri singer/songwriter. As for Million Eyes, it feels like a critical reflection of the past year of Barber’s life. It’s a delicately penned track reflecting on his upbringing, his sudden rise to fame and finally a love letter to his partner. The acoustic production with a hint of fiddle is the perfect backing to this lyrics-first track. 8/10

West of Tulsa – Wyatt Flores

In what feels like his most mainstream-sounding song yet, Flores explores the emptiness of traveling from town to town and constantly being under the bright lights. In the self-reflective song, he wishes how he wants to “be somebody to somebody else.” It’s a very simple lyric that says so much. Though I wouldn’t say it has the same punch as Please Don’t Go and Losing Sleep, it’s still a very solid track from the budding indie star that shows his experimenting with more instrumentation and production. 7.5/10

Two Dozen Roses – Shenandoah & Luke Combs

In a surprise pairing, Shenandoah and Luke Combs team up for a brand new rendition of the band’s 80’s country classic, Two Dozen Roses. There’s not much to say that hasn’t been said about the track as a whole; it’s a certified country classic. The mid-tempo track is a sweet, simple one that truly has lasted the test of time. Comb’s vocals are a great addition, appearing in the second half of the song. His harmonies with the band sound great, blending extremely well. While I wouldn’t say it radically changes the song, it’s still a fun spin nonetheless. 7.5/10

Reasons to Stay – Megan Moroney

As someone who admittedly hasn’t been completely swept off their feet by Moroney’s discography, I have to say that Reasons to Stay is a solid entry from the Tennessee Orange singer. Her raspy vocals pair extremely well with this wistful track. She’s grappling with moving on from her failing relationship or staying, noting how she loses more than just her lover if they separate. The final lyric in the chorus, “We know that I ain’t one to walk away, but I’m running out of reasons to stay.” is such a simple yet effective one that cements her conflicted feelings in the track. 7/10

Work Boots – Cody Johnson

In a bit of a change of pace compared to his recent releases, Cody Johnson decided to provide an extra twangy, fun track with the release of Work Boots. The entire song hinges on the clever chorus. Instead of the titular boots being “work boots,” Johnson is quite literally telling his boots to work and go ask a girl to dance (“So come on work boots, we’ve got a little work to do”). It’s a clever song; however, I don’t think I’d find myself coming back to it much unless I’m listening to the album all the way through. 6/10

Other singles/projects released today include:

• Hello From The Road – Kolby Cooper
• I Can Feel It – Kane Brown
• Map Dot Missing You – Triston Marez
• Arkansas Kid – JD Clayton
• Burn – Luke Grimes
• Gonna Love You – Parmalee
• Southern Star (album) – Brent Cobb
• Speaking of Georgia – Peytan Porter
• Drunk & Hungover – Carrie Underwood
• Stay – Rich O’ Toole