Rocky Mountain Low – Corey Kent feat. Koe Wetzel Written By Adam Delahoussaye
A suspiciously curated duo, yet a fast-cliquing one all the same, the black bandana and the biggest party animal in Texas seem to share similar woes and pressure points at varying ends of their respective careers. Kent, a rough and tumble newcomer to the mainstage, is keen to keep his soft palette radio tendencies front and center, even if his demeanor is a little rough around the edges. Wetzel, realizing his hangovers of least resistance are probably behind him, has leaned into a less brash and brazen sound while still trying to retain some of his glory day shuffle at the house party. It’s a duo that, when paired up in what feels like a surprisingly symbiotic relationship, feeds off of each other in ways that are reminiscent yet not rearview-bound. There are big, Guitar Hero-molded riffs and drum runs that rise and fall with brute strength over these two voices that echo a master and apprentice relationship in ways that feel earnestly ragtag. Those vowel-heavy, undulating vocal varieties in the chorus are already a concert sing-along for either act whose setlist could benefit from an easily digestible shot in the arm.
7.5
Dookie – Pat McAfee Written By Max Buondonno
From the moment you hit play on the first original song from one of the most popular sports commentators in modern history, you fear for your life. Not because Pat McAfee told you the song was going to be bad, but because you can tell from the second it starts – and there’s over 90 seconds left to listen to. With an absolutely massive production in the background that tries its best to mask McAfee’s terrible singing voice, the song is dependent on high energy and lots of build-up to distract you from the baffling lyrics. From feeling like a new school dean to having three jobs and questioning why you thought he – a spooky boogeyman – could be cancelled, McAfee says a lot of words that all rhyme and prays you won’t care when he randomly starts saying “DOOKIE!” Whether it’s throwing excrement at his opps, calling them such, or simply saying “dookie” for the hell of it, McAfee at least sounds like he’s having fun, despite that meaning he made a bad song. After weeks of build-up, hinting he’d been working with ERNEST on a music career, and expressing his deep love for writing songs, hitting everyone in the face with “Dookie” out the gate is certainly a way to make a name for yourself in the music world. It’s not worth saying he should stay out of it since it seems like he’ll do whatever he wants anyway, but that doesn’t mean you should listen to it, especially if there’s more “Dookie” to come.
2.0
Giving Her Away – Luke Combs Written By Adam Delahoussaye
Luke Combs has thrived as a canvas for the everyman throughout his career. There’s not really any singular trait that defines him, but more so his earnest projections of the blanket beats of life that have catapulted his booming tenor to dominating heights. But it became more than superficial charm once he started walking those more coveted trails. Getting married, having kids, and watching little ones grow up as parents got older solidified his sense of stability, even in wavering circumstances. Even when he’s not credited with a pen on tracks that illustrate that, like here on “Giving Her Away,” that curation is still purposeful and precise. The vision is apparent from nothing more than those sunbeam chords that start to make your heart flutter, bright and beaming with the mixed mass of emotions that come as all parties trot down the aisle. There’s a tinge of that mid-2000s sap in the breathless, repetitive chorus that buttons itself up for the occasion, with Combs’s “just add water” demeanor bringing a little extra character to an otherwise motionless mix. Like most moments in his career, it’s a safe route, but one that feels as earned as any moment we’ve had with the superstar up to this point.
8.0
Without a Fight – Josh Meloy Written By Aishwarya Rajan
Josh Meloy’s grueling three-year hiatus from music development has finally come to a close, with the long-awaited release of “Without a Fight.” It’s another campfire-esque addition to his growing discography. While his new tune does not showcase any skills or features unknown to his listeners, it perfectly exemplifies the concept of “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” Much of the melodies feel familiar and is used from his previous hits. “Without a Fight” itself appears to be the sister to “You Here Tonight” and “Porch Light,” except it’s dressed up in steel-toed boots and is ready to stir up just a touch of trouble. The familiar gravel in Meloy’s voice carries a softened exhaustion, one that is both tender and worn-out. It soaks the listener’s ears with a shakiness and desperation that brings us deeper into his storytelling of someone who risks losing the love of his life and seeks redemption. From the opening of the song, he sings as though he’s discovering the heartbreak in real time: grappling with what it means to lose the love of his life, to unlearn her presence, and to stand alone in the silence he helped create after “giving her the best” of the man he’s become. Maybe this song is proof that Meloy doesn’t have to stray too far into the driveway, and away from a porch to create music that can keep his listeners asking for more.
8.4
Proving Me Right – Tucker Wetmore Written By Aishwarya Rajan
From the moment you hit play, the crackle of an old and muffled stereo slips into your ears, filling them with a familiar nostalgia from songs such as “Got What I Got” by Jason Aldean. Tucker Wetmore has never been a stranger to catchy melodies. His artistry lives comfortably in that sweet spot between simple prose and subtle rhymes that loop around in your brain with a kind of irresistible persistence. While many tracks on Waves on a Sunset leaned on bare-boned melodies, Wetmore’s velvet-smooth vocals and unique drawl have always done the heavy lifting. His new single, while a testament to this same pattern, presents itself differently as it shows that while Wetmore might’ve been shrouded by the “Wallen 2.0” identity, he can play the game of a killer hook better than the prototype. Much like Wallen, his production always felt muted and cloudy, but not this time. On “Proving Me Right,” Wetmore leans into a razor-sharp hook and proves he knows exactly how to turn a fleeting night’s experience into a country radio hit. It’s the making of a hit song, and maybe it will take going platinum for a certain blonde to regret switching from red to crimson.
8.6
Teenage Dirtbag – Brendan Walter Written By Ryan Lippe
Everyone on the planet has been humming this tune since it first graced the radio waves back in 1999. However, few are familiar with Brendan Walter’s version, which has been something of a cult favorite amongst his followers this year. He continues to dive into the early 2000s pop-rock, infused with a ‘hipster honky-tonk’ vibe rooted in Austin, Texas. Produced by Lake Wilkinson and Monty Miller, the duo worked with Walter to perfectly capture the youthful, rowdy edge of the original track while elevating his voice to give his version its own identity. This specific cover allowed Walter to display the raw power and heights that his expansive tenor range can reach. The bridge’s quirky yet iconic falsetto moment is a challenging test for singers, requiring a rapid shift back to their natural register. The rendition of the iconic anthem is a great representation of the evolving Texas-country scene, which isn’t so fixated on western twangy sounds, infused with an indie-rock edge that serves as a guiding light for where the hockey player-turned-country singer’s career may be heading in the near future.
8.2
Passenger – Zac Brown Band Written By Joel Reuben Pauley
On their brand-new album Love & Fear, Zac Brown Band once again finds the familiar rhythm that made them their biggest hits. That same strong sentimental feeling found in songs like “Colder Weather” and “Free” can be heard throughout the record. On “Passenger,” the group sends a message of encouragement, centering on taking control of your own destiny and not letting life pass you by. As they explain, “You don’t get two first dances, seldom second chances,” the message is widely applicable, but the lack of specificity makes an odd impression. It’s so broadly relatable that it ends up feeling a little dull, relying on universal sayings instead of painting a vivid moment or story. While the delivery of the song’s meaning is somewhat plain, the supporting arrangement brings energy to the otherwise generic words of encouragement. As they’ve always done, the band relies on their distinctive chord choices and heart-touching melodies to elevate their new material, giving it a level of musical quality that the lyrics of this song don’t quite match.
6.6
Whiskey and Water – Rose Falcon Written By Joel Reuben Pauley
In between the buzzing of dive-bar neon, the taste of Tennessee-brewed whiskey, and the other tropes worn thin in country songwriting, you’ll occasionally find stories that feel both compelling and unique. In her new song, Rose Falcon does exactly that. “Whiskey and Water” paints a masterpiece with words, giving voice to the quiet, aching thoughts of a casino dealer. Surrounded by the purest harmonies, Falcon portrays the life of her main character as she reflects on the dreams she never fulfilled as a child and the love she never found. Each verse and chorus reveals more of the dealer’s defeated spirit, and when the hook lands with the line “All that daddy taught her is to mix whiskey with her water so the mornings don’t come on so strong,” it hits with real weight. That single line adds layers to her story, stretching the years of disappointment and pain she has carried. While close to fully acoustic, the soft, subtle kick drum adds just enough force to the story without ever overdoing it, and it matches the song’s sentimentality with real care. With striking originality and a deeply stirring sense of detail, “Water and Whiskey” plays like an open window, opening your eyes to a world that usually stays in the background, just across the green felt.
9.6
Here for the Beer – Wynn Williams feat. Randall King Written By Max Buondonno
It’s a tale as old as time: two country boys at a bar, ready to blow off steam, and specifically requesting long-necks to get through the night. This time around, it’s not Blake Shelton or Florida Georgia Line, Luke Bryan or Morgan Wallen, Thomas Rhett or Jason Aldean. It’s Wynn Williams and Randall King who, in “Here for the Beer,” comb over all the difficulties in their lives that equate to a night of beer-drunk at a bar being not just a preference, but a necessity. The track is as fun as songs like this can be, which is to say the energy is good for background noise in a bar, but not for the focused listening of headphones. While Wynn and Randall sound fine together on the song, the boring nature of the song’s concept makes it tired before you even hit play. The instrumental is also as close to asking ChatGPT for a Nashville cover band backtrack as you can get. Even if you are “here for the beer,” you’ll be met by the audible equivalent of a lukewarm Miller Lite you’d swear is half tap water.
3.5
