Single Reviews – Week of 10/27/2023
Fool’s Gold – Kimberly Perry Written By Brandon Iozzo
Extending her EP Bloom from earlier this year, Kimberly Perry leads her full-length project Superbloom with “Fool’s Gold,” a track that pays homage to a younger Kimberly’s naive dreams and career ambitions, even hinting at the seemingly overnight success of The Band Perry. Co-written by Perry and A-list Nashville writers Nicolle Galyon and Jimmy Robbins, the song maintains a “be careful what you wish for” theme throughout. Perry alludes to the struggles Nashville has thrown her way from the rise and fall of her band to the hardships of making a comeback with fruitless singles. Superbloom is a deeper version of its predecessor, and the twang and outlaw sound of “Fool’s Gold” takes us back to early The Band Perry recordings. Once again, you hear wisdom and growth in Perry’s delivery as she looks back on her life in hindsight.
8.6
Last Fall – Matt Schuster Written By Brandon Iozzo
Recalling memories and pastimes of his ex, Matt Schuster finds himself reliving carefree moments of last fall before enduring a failed relationship. Comparing the change of seasons and leaves turning to the changes in his romantic life creates a restless, wistful feeling that can strike a chord with anyone who’s been through the ups and downs of love. “Last Fall” is a somber, acoustic track without a lot of bells and whistles in the production, which goes a long way to showcase Matt Schuster’s most interesting, expressive self. After a series of flat singles that made him seem like one dude among millions chasing a radio-friendly sound, this song may just be the one to set him apart from the pack.
8.0
Kiss of Death – ERNEST Written By Cam Greene
“Kiss of Death” is perhaps one of ERNEST’s best outings since the original Flower Shops LP back in early 2022. Immediately, the bluegrass-leaning production is a big standout and gives the song a rolling, dangerous feel. In ERN’s hands, a story about a bad girl who takes control of our narrator’s heart feels both dark and exciting. Musically, it’s obviously very country, but ERNEST reaches into a folk-pop sound similar to artists like Noah Kahan, which marks an exciting start to the singer-songwriter’s next era. Only time will tell if this song will reach the success of “Flower Shops,” but with its unique sound and awesome pacing, it wouldn’t be a surprise if this ends up being ERNEST’s biggest solo hit yet.
9.4
A Love Song – Lady A Written By Creed Miller
Lady A is back with their second single in just over a month after a year-long hiatus. Despite the title, “A Love Song” is a sad song about a relationship that just didn’t work out. The track looks at the best parts of a love song and highlights how those qualities were never a part of the relationship. Their story-telling abilities allow Lady A to convey the emotion in the song in a really sharp way; they paint a clear picture of the hurt and sadness our protagonist is feeling. Like much of their output, it’s a little Hot-AC, but the bluesy banjo keeps things from feeling bland. Lead vocalists Hillary Scott and Charles Kelly trade verses, and make this a surprisingly compelling duet. Lady A has been in the shadows as of late and they are off to a good start as they make they’re way back to country radio.
8.0
Boys Back Home – Dylan Marlowe & Dylan Scott Written By Creed Miller
Dylan Marlowe has proved himself as one of country music’s most interesting up-and-comers, and he teamed up with contemporary star Dylan Scott for their latest single. Written by Dylan Marlowe, Joe Fox, and Seth Ennis, the track pays homage to their beloved small-town lifestyle and friends back home. The neo-bro country vibe mid-tempo song works really well for both artists and it puts their fun, loose energy on display. While there are good attributes to the song, it is undeniably pretty corny overall. Wholesome as these lyrics are, they aren’t very creative; the song is most padded out with cliche isms about drinking beer around the fire and hanging out in the country. To summarize, “Boys Back Home” doesn’t have an “X factor” that makes it great. Even so, it sounds like a moderate hit-in-waiting, and could certainly have radio potential.
6.3
Dylan Gossett – Flip A Coin Written By Ryan Lippe
Since his original three singles took off, Dylan Gossett’s soft yet strong voice has taken the indie-country world by storm. Written and produced by Gossett himself, “Flip a Coin” sounds polished, but still channels a suspenseful energy adding a mysterious vibe to his young career. On this gut-wrenching track, Gossett talks about wanting to explore and spend time with his lover but doesn’t feel the same feelings reciprocated. Gossett’s choice of ending this story with a verse makes this feel more like a poem put to melody than a conventional song. The only drag to the song is how heavily Gossett leans too much into each lyric and sometimes slurs notes, making it difficult to follow the narrative. However, Dylan’s biggest allure is his storytelling, and his inflections set an appropriately desperate tone here.
9.3/10
400 Horsepower Sleigh – Jon Pardi Written By Ryan Lippe
It’s definitely an oddity to be putting out a Christmas album before Halloween, but diehards for the holiday will be quick to appreciate some original songs with Pardi’s neo-traditional flair. Written by Joe Fox, Lydia Vaughan, and Rhett Atkins this cheeky track is simple yet very enjoyable. The funky rhythm and energetic production gives this song a specific livelihood that diminishes how cheesy it is. Bringing in his band for short call-and-response bits and harmonies during the chorus, it’s certainly meant to evoke that rowdy vibe. While this isn’t Pardi’s most groundbreaking song by any means, it wasn’t supposed to be, and it’s still miles better than most recent Christmas projects in mainstream country.
8/10
Can’t Cry Anymore – Aaron Waston feat. Bri Bagwell Written By Christina Bosch
The focus track of Aaron Watson’s collaboration cover album Cover Girl “Can’t Cry Anymore” pays homage to a young Sheryl Crow and the budding impact of her debut album. The original version was released in 1995, but Watson and his collaborator Bri Bagwell reworked the song as a duet. With plenty of chemistry between the pair, “Can’t Cry Anymore” recalls the magic of 1990s country music with countrified production, which separates a bit from Sheryl Crow’s singer-songwriter roots. Watson’s signature Texas “cool factor” is a great match for Bagwell’s powerful vocals, and when they harmonize on the chorus, it’ll make you question why the original wasn’t a duet too.
7.9//10
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