Someone Else’s Arms – Brad Paisley & Miranda Lambert Written By Will Chapman
The latest installment in Brad Paisley’s ongoing project Tacklebox sees him teaming up with another 2000s country powerhouse, Miranda Lambert, for a darkly comedic spin on a good old-fashioned cheating song. The song tells the story of a husband and wife who are running around on each other. Both call home before crossing the line, and both pay little mind to the unanswered ringing. Every time the husband reassures himself that he can trust his wife, and every time the wife convinces herself that her husband would never betray her, the listener is in on the joke. The final image of both spouses lying in “Someone Else’s Arms” serves as an inevitable punchline to a joke that has been building for over three minutes. Musically, the song leans just as heavily into its traditional country roots. Built around a prominent fiddle, steel guitar, and a straightforward honky-tonk arrangement, the production matches the lyrical content nicely. Where some modern country collaborations can feel like nothing more than clout-chasing streaming boosters, “Someone Else’s Arms” feels like a true duet in the way that Paisley and Lambert are playing specific roles. This makes the narrative’s mirrored structure easier to follow and more entertaining as the irony unfolds. The home-phone premise may take a moment to click for listeners in 2026. Once it does, however, the joke lands perfectly, turning an already clever cheating song into a genuinely hilarious piece of dark comedy.
9.2
Drinkin’ And Dancin’ – Jon Pardi Written By Joel Reuben Pauley
It’s hard to understand why Jon Pardi ever would have shelved the three new songs from his original tracklist of California Sunrise. On the 10-year-anniversary version of the record, the tracks are finally available to fans, and they come with a serious hit of nostalgia. “Drinkin’ And Dancin'” matches the energy of the 2016 album, channeling the charming spirit of Pardi’s earliest work without feeling like a skippable filler track. The drunken chanting and playful alcohol themes feel similar to Toby Keith’s “Red Solo Cup,” with a listening experience that feels like you’re hearing Jon sing around a campfire rather than to a sold-out arena. Elements like the sassy fiddle in the verses and the carefree spoken intro work to make this one of the most entertaining drinking songs in Pardi’s catalog. Although the lyrical messaging doesn’t inspire much other than what the straightforward song title implies, it effectively captures the essence of a perfect summer evening after drinking a million beers in the sun.
7.5
Hey There Son – Charles Wesley Godwin feat. Wyatt Flores Written By Aishwarya Rajan
The concept of speaking to a younger version of oneself, or to a child, isn’t uncommon in country music. This format has always been a two-sided coin: a haven of depth in storytelling or a wellspring of comical genius. We have “He Didn’t Have to Be” by Brad Paisley and “I Hope You Dance” by Lee Ann Womack as testaments to that parent-child bond. For his part, Charles Wesley Godwin brings new life into this concept with “Hey There Son.” He guides listeners through the stages of fatherhood: experiencing the moment a son enters the world, to watching him fall in love, build a family, and ultimately say goodbye. What sets this apart is the tenderness at its core in Godwin’s vocal and lyrical approach. The devotion he has towards his son, embodied here by Wyatt Flores, is palpable in every aspect. The production in this ballad itself is cinematic. Godwin’s voice echoes throughout the track, sometimes elevated by gentle, airy banjo strumming or by powerful kickbeats set against a string ensemble. Other times, the melody matches the devastating lyricism when Flores offers his final words to his dying father. Taking its place as track five on his upcoming album, Christian Name, Godwin offers listeners a beautiful, vulnerable story that should touch the hearts of many.
8.3
Match for Your Memory – Conner Smith Written By Max Buondonno
It’s difficult to tell where Conner Smith’s heart lies with the direction he wants to take his music these days. An artist shouldn’t limit themselves to strictly telling winding tales, turning up, or drowning in whiskey for their entire lives. Still, when it comes to chasing something authentic and new or veering off in commercial-friendly territory, Smith seems to be wildly confused. His latest single, “Match for Your Memory,” is about as good as any burn-it-all-down heartbreak track designed to encourage higher volumes on FM radios. The track carries a very similar production style to Smith’s 2024 debut LP, Smoky Mountains, with much crisper instrumentation and pitch-perfect vocals. It’s a sharp left turn from the acoustically focused sound he was chasing just moments ago. “Match for Your Memory” follows a run of singles and unreleased cuts that gave Smith a far more complex artistic presence, one that seemed far more genuine to him than most of his earliest work. He’s demonstrated his writing ability and artful storytelling numerous times, and it’s clear that it was left on the back burner for this single. Granted, the song has some catchy elements, with an easy-to-hum chorus and relatable lyrics. But Smith is much more capable than what this track lets on, making it seem like commercial success was at the forefront of his mind when he penned it. Whether it’s to make country radio or Spotify’s playlist department happy, “Match for Your Memory” is a low-glowing ember in the grand scheme of Smith’s discography.
6.1
Valerie – Ty Myers Written By Joel Reuben Pauley
Like his hero John Mayer, the unbothered energy that Ty Myers wields always seems to come naturally. More than just an attitude, this swagger infiltrates the infrastructure of every song he performs. This weekend, he joined the group of artists who have released covers of “Valerie” by The Zutons, alongside artists like Amy Winehouse and a whole bunch of new bands that have all recently adopted the track for some reason. Now, “Valerie” is a banger with a serious history, but Ty’s version is packaged in a way that feels totally different than others. In a slower, half-time tempo, Myers and his band fill the space with tension and tenacity. To call this country isn’t entirely inaccurate, though it’s much more geared toward R&B. As usual, Myers’s effortlessly graceful voice sounds incredible. The organ, drums, electric guitar, and bass play together in a totally tight way, but show no signs of trying to please country radio. Overall, the selection of this cover feels like a decision made with plenty of self-awareness, not just because it was already a favorite among the mostly female front-row fans of bands like The Runarounds and Congress The Band.
8.9
SIPPIN’ – Graham Barham Written By Jack Humphrey
Plenty has been made about Graham Barham’s hedonistic disregard for country music’s norms and standards, and the fact that his stated primary goal as an artist is to get the club hopping, rather than craft enduring, poignant country songs. With that said, it’s okay to acknowledge that on his best days, Barham has the charisma and melodic sensibility to compete with the best of them in that category. “SIPPIN'” may be wildly outside even the most progressive pop-country listener’s definition of “country music,” but as a pop song, there’s plenty to begrudgingly appreciate. Producers Sam Bergeson and Sam Martinez found the sweet spot to channel Barham’s loud-mouthed excesses, with a devilishly infectious hook and a punchy beat ripe for the rooftop of a Broadway bar. From the bass-heavy post-chorus to the woozy, distorted drop, “SIPPIN'” is a gleefully drunken romp that far surpasses Kane Brown and Thomas Rhett’s timid efforts to make full-on dance music. Yes, Graham Barham might be a bit less contentious if he directed his pursuit of becoming the Gen-Z will.i.am outside of country music, where he remains a confusing presence. Even so, he’s carved out an unmistakable niche in a sea of monotony, and when he’s not defensively venting about his haters, you can usually count on Barham for a fun pop song or two.
5.2
Let the Country Music Play – LOCASH feat. Parmalee Written By Aishwarya Rajan
Lazy yacht rock lyricism might’ve worked in the early 2010s bro-country nostalgia, but it doesn’t today. Especially when an artist rips off multiple classics to formulate their discography. LOCASH’s faint re-imagination of “Isn’t She Lovely” by Stevie Wonder was just the start. Joined by Parmalee, the group attempts to pay tribute to the country music that generations have been raised on through their new single, “Let the Country Music Play.” The track quickly reveals itself as not entirely its own, as it leans so heavily on Rupert Holmes’ “Escape” in both melody and lyric. It is so uncanny that Holmes holds a co-writing credit, and it’s not hard to see why. Lines like “bring me two piña coladas” and “if you like old Shenandoah, a little Haggard and Hank” are examples of this mirroring in the lyricism and melody of the original. Getting the co-write of the originator through legal clearance isn’t a creative justification, and that lack of originality bleeds into everything else. Re-imagining a famous work demands adding something unique: production, sonic identity, or lyricism, compared to the original. This storyline is cheap and unfulfilling, especially against the backdrop of the original. Part of what makes “Escape” timeless is Holmes’s classic and rustic vocals, the wailing electric guitars, and its groovy R&B accents. Credit where credit is due, the backbeat here is funky and emulates the fun twang that underlies music meant for days under the sun. But that’s about where the praise ends. Rather than building on a classic, LOCASH and Parmalee are swallowed by it. When over half the tune echoes the original, you’re left asking what the point was at all.
2.3
Happens Every Time – Redferrin Written By Jack Humphrey
The infamous “Mossy Oak” aside, Redferrin’s biggest kryptonite is generally not that his songs are bad. Most of them range from inoffensively “just there” to reasonably catchy and worthy of a spin or two. Time and again, it’s Redferrin’s own execution that sabotages his otherwise passable radio offerings. Yes, the laid-back Morgan Wallen drawl is very en vogue these days, and has been appropriated by untold numbers of young up-and-comers, but Redferrin’s languid squawking crosses the line into the nearly unlistenable. There’s a lot about “Happens Every Time” that works; the organic, nylon-string guitar melody evokes a vibrant sunset on the beach, as Redferrin slyly slides from one crafty cadence to another. Even so, when the chorus hits, and he caterwauls the titular phrase like a nasal rubber chicken, the suave atmosphere is ruptured for good, and it’s impossible to take the song very seriously. Redferrin’s sloppy, slurred diction can be masked pretty effectively on more upbeat tunes like “If I Was California,” but when he’s forced into a vulnerable moment like “Happens Every Time,” the bitter lovesickness just doesn’t land. In today’s country music landscape, when “rawness” and “edge” are so in demand, it’s easy to conflate those qualities with muddled discordance, which has unfortunately plagued Redferrin’s output.
3.7