Bury Me – Jason Isbell Written By Adam Delahoussaye
Jason Isbell is nothing if not intentional. The frontman and half the namesake of Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit recently announced that his upcoming album Foxes in the Snow will be his first without the group since 2015. The move raised some eyebrows, but it felt like a beckon for longtime fans and headline readers for the songwriter to lean back in and listen closely. Recorded over five days at New York’s Electric Lady Studios, you get the sense that the build-up to this new solo LP has been culminating to a point of combustion. Its lead single, “Bury Me,” doesn’t divulge many of them, making it so haunting. Here, the Alabama native is consecrating his legacy, weaponizing the minimalism this track and future record will presumably abide by. Its twangy feel paired with that solemn and gospel-infused melodic pattern makes these lyrics feel funerary on a level that extends past the song’s subject matter. A rich, oak-soaked tone from his 1940 Martin guitar does everything but nail the coffin on any hopefulness we might find as a silver lining. It’s painfully isolated, desperation reverberating as if through the halls of a creaky and dust-ridden chapel. Though Isbell isn’t twisting the knife just yet, “Bury Me” is an intriguing first exposure to this new record, rich in texture despite a lack of sonic layers. You have to imagine that even the emptiness has its purpose.
8.0
Make Me Wonder – Solon Holt Written By Adam Delahoussaye
Even if his mysterious mistress doubts him, “Make Me Wonder” doesn’t leave much of Solon Holt or his immense talent up for interpretation. These raw, visceral vocals draped over Anderson East’s thrumming production yank at your ear and your heart from the first note and keep that white-knuckle grip in place for the next three minutes. A thickness to his gravelly tone populates his voice as if it were hundreds of emotions clamoring to be heard all at once. Soulfulness is a language he’s fluent in, with the gospel groups he played in as a teenager still a very apparent influence on the attitude he’s bringing to the table here. His rasp relates to the production’s shine and is such a fun contrast. Maybe it’s the heaviness and desperation Holt is responding to these mixed signals with, but there’s a playful dichotomy with these elements he’s employing. Beady meets brutal with his pain-strained timbre at the forefront of an arrangement that could just as easily have been spun into a slow dance on prom night. While you do hope the girl eventually gives him a straight answer, there’s no need to rush her if the torture sounds this pretty.
7.8
Gavin Adcock – Loose Strings Written By Joel Reuben Pauley
On Friday, Gavin Adcock released a new cover of Brent Cobb’s “Loose Strings.” Previously covered by Hailey Whitters, this song carries a deeply sad meaning from the perspective of someone who can’t do much to help the slow decline of a waning relationship. While the lyrics provide that dark element, they match an upbeat acoustic sound. Gavin’s vocal delivery helps tie that contrast together and makes the song believable. Like his song “As He Could Be,” this is another example of Adcock’s versatility as an artist. He’s more than just the guy singing “A Cigarette” while taking his shirt off on stage. Despite being the second notable cover of this song to date, nothing feels unoriginal; Gavin made this song his own.
9.4
Chase Matthew – DRIVES MY TRUCK Written By Joel Reuben Pauley
Right now, country music is having its moment with all sorts of new styles in the genre, and while everyone loves that acoustic, lyrical vibe that’s so popular right now, Chase Matthew knows that sometimes, the world needs a truck banger. In his new single, Chase does a good job of maintaining intentionally clever writing while not letting it get too deep. Following his last single, “Dancing in The Rain,” there seems to be an upward trend in his lyrical skill, making his music more listenable for people who may only like the Jason Isbells and the Zach Bryans of country music. This could be the summer of “My baby drives me crazy when she drives my truck.”
7.9
Honkytonk Hollywood – Jon Pardi Written By Adam Delahoussaye
Where other acts duck their tail between their legs when you ask them of their origin, afraid the answer won’t be “country,” enough, Jon Pardi has always worn his heritage like a badge of honor. The Californian king has been setting trends and living in jukeboxes for a decade as he does a delicate dance between modernity and traditionality. “Honkytonk Hollywood” continues on that line of thinking, veering into far glitzier waters than many mainstream acts would dare to go. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, either. Pardi has always been upfront about his love for his home state, and Tinseltown shine has rubbed off on him throughout his career well before this. While the writing is a bland, regurgitated list of similes about Pardi’s golden girl, the production surrounding it asks plenty of interesting questions about the genre. As country music creeps further into the zeitgeist, “going Hollywood” has become a much more viable future for those at the top of the food chain. We’re getting that unabashed vision from a guy already in Hollywood. Like La-La-Land, “Honkytonk Hollywood” is as vapid as it is glamorous.
6.3
Casseroles – Hailey Whitters Written By Creed Miller
Hailey Whitters is one of the most overlooked artists in country music, and her latest release, “Casseroles,” is yet another testament that she can hang with some of the genre’s best. The deeply emotional track, written by Hillary Lindsey, Tom Douglas, and James Slater, examines coping with a terrible loss. It leaves the story’s protagonist wondering how they will deal with that loss when “the casseroles stop coming.” Despite the struggles, you learn that the “world keeps on turnin’” and the “love keeps on lovin’” even when it feels like it won’t. Jake Gear produced the track and did an incredible job matching the song’s mood with the soft acoustic guitar taking charge, beautifully accompanied by the dobro and the fiddle. The instrumentals also accent Whitters’ vocals, which make a major stand out on the track. Her voice emphasizes the song’s emotion and brings the listener in. Hailey Whitters first captured attention with her viral TikTok hit “Everything She Ain’t,” but as the platform faces a potential ban, the Iowa native is proving she has far more to offer.
8.9
Easy Does It – Emily Ann Roberts Written By Creed Miller
After months of teasers, Emily Ann Roberts finally released a fan favorite, “Easy Does It.” Penned by Autumn Buysse, Jason Haag, and Roberts herself, the track looks at the beauty of an easy relationship. It highlights growth from previous relationships rooted in the belief that “it ain’t real if it doesn’t hurt.” The mindset shifts once a positive relationship begins, and you no longer wonder where your partner stands and instead learn that “easy means it’s workin’.” The song has a nice, calm vibe reminiscent of 2000s country music. A large reason for that is Roberts’s voice, which is extremely pure and even resembles Faith Hill. The production by Derek Bason is soothing and focuses on some light guitar, but that helps feed into the wholesome lyrics and creates that smooth, easy-going vibe. “Easy Does It” is another impressive song from the 26-year-old and is another reminder that Emily Ann Roberts should be on your radar.
8.4
Comin’ in Country – Drew Green Written By Max Buondonno
Drew Green continues to cement himself in the mainstream Nashville conversation with his modern-leaning take on country, and his latest single is yet another desperate plea for the same type of attention that songs like Morgan Wallen’s “Cowgirls” get. Called “Comin’ in Country,” the song trots over the similar territory of other “girl walks into a bar” storylines we’ve heard in the past, telling the tale of a woman who’s ready to party with her down-south-inspired fit and ready-to-play attitude. Coupled with generic instrumentals interlaced with hi-hats and drum machine percussion, this is the type of song you’d hear during Club Night at a bar in downtown Nashville and never on your own Spotify. It would barely even make waves on country radio, which has been consumed lately with surface-level dance tracks like this. If Green’s goal is to rule the dancefloor with some of his music, he’s on the right path. However, as an artist who should be doing more to show the world what makes him unique, this song does very little to stand out.
3.5
