Week of 03/22/2024
Wish I Could Stay – Wyatt Flores Written By Creed Miller
After a temporary hiatus to manage his mental health, Wyatt Flores is back with a new single, “Wish I Could Stay.” The song highlights the highs and lows of a long-distance love story and how difficult it is to balance contradicting emotions. Written by Wyatt and David DeVaul, the songwriting continues to be a strength that isn’t going anywhere. They grab listeners’ attention through relatable lyrics. They also paint a clear picture through metaphors about not wanting to leave when he sings, “I don’t want to be like the sun when it rains.” He is quickly becoming one of the best songwriters in country music, and this track is a prime example. The fiddle delivers a smooth and graceful intro to the song, showing off some of Tyler Childers’s influence on Wyatt. While lyrically and vocally, you may hear the Appalachian folk hero, it still has that unmistakable Wyatt Flores sound; it’s folky and has a bold instrumental flair to give it that extra kick, especially in the last chorus. At just 22 years old, Wyatt Flores is on his way to being the next big thing in country music, and “Wish I Could Stay” is further proof of that.
9.2
Locked Up – Sam Hunt Written By Cam Greene
After taking a step forward in “Came the Closest,” Sam Hunt takes one giant leap back in his newest single, “Locked Up.” For a moment, the Georgia native seemed on the right track to staying relevant in the ever-changing landscape of country music; his past four singles have all been pretty good, though still palatable to country radio. This one works far too hard in its pursuit of radio success and will be exceptionally polarizing to the fans of his more recent music. The song sees Hunt lamenting his past mistakes and praising his wife for sticking by him when she didn’t have to. It’s lyrically lacking in more ways than one, with the word-vomit flailing around, desperately trying to find a catchy song in the source material that should be anything but. This song could’ve worked out and been great, but the execution is just a mess. It should’ve been a slowed-down, honest examination of conscience for Sam Hunt, but instead, it’s an over-the-top pop song with odd trap beats and lyrics that don’t fit the rhythm.
4.5
28th of June – Megan Moroney Written By Ryan Lippe
Fast-forwarding through the initial grieving stage of a breakup, Megan Moroney keeps a somber tone akin to her current single “No Caller ID.” Once again reflecting on a failed relationship, Moroney paints a picture of what would have been their first anniversary. Still struggling to accept the circumstances, she tries to wrap her head around a day that could’ve been so significant, but it is now just a mundane Tuesday. The first two verses are filled with the “what could have been,” but the bridge arrives with a mature understanding that while the current situation is painful, the pain will ease over time. Moroney’s delicate voice is supported by piano and steel guitar, letting her sorrowful manner add the depth of emotion needed. The arrangement, albeit simple, balances Moroney’s cadence wonderfully and creates an excellent balance to her graceful presence in the song.
9.2
Fiddle in the Band – Kane Brown Written By Ryan Lippe
Kane Brown continues to be an enigma with the songs he chooses to release. At one moment, he’s dropping R&B music under a country banner, and then he’s putting out these larger-than-life barn burners filled with energetic fiddle lines. This song pays homage to the way he refuses to fit into the typical mold of country music. The song, written by Gabe Foust, Jordan Walker, Russell Sutton, and Kane Brown, says exactly what it needs to do without trying too hard. It’s got plenty of catchy hooks and sets up the production perfectly for fun, hand-clapping moments. Musically, it’s nothing short of a good time, with plenty of clever rhythms and lively guitar lines. Unfortunately, Kane Brown’s more “country” sounding songs don’t get the recognition they deserve, much like “Whiskey Sour” in 2022. Nonetheless, it’s a serviceable jam that will end up on numerous summer playlists this year.
8.4
Pride – Sara Evans Written By Brandon Iozzo
The first few lines of her most vulnerable track to date cut deep with a lasting sting; Sara Evans doesn’t hold back recounting the emotional rollercoaster of a troubling public relationship with her ex-husband. Serving as the lead single from her upcoming eleventh studio album, Unbroke, the song scratches the surface of the abuse she endured during her tumultuous relationship. Co-written by Madi Diaz, Sean McConnell, and Evans herself, the veteran soloist describes various aspects of her life that were taken from her without her ex being able to swallow his pride. The track is unexpectedly stripped down for Evans, giving hints of 2010’s “A Little Bit Stronger” and recalling the emotion seen in her past releases; on this song, listeners are reminded that she still has that spark. Inspired and deeply personal, Sara covers the tense topic of abuse in a harshly powerful departure from what we’re used to hearing from her.
9.0
nicotine – Ella Langley Written By Brandon Iozzo
Comparing a love interest to a drug, Ella Langley longs for a guy to be her “nicotine” that she can’t live without. Penned by Jon Nite, Joybeth Taylor, Zachary Kale, and Langley herself, the track rehashes similar topics, comparing love to being as needed as a drug, and ultimately, the song lacks originality. Langley’s vocals are as crisp as ever in this Lainey Wilson-sounding song, but everything on the lyrical side concludes that there isn’t much here to leave a lasting impression on listeners. Though we’re still getting a taste of the Nashville newcomer’s fierce spunk, it seems like Langley has more to offer artistically based on her past single releases, and “nicotine” comes as a slight disappointment, knowing what the emerging artist is capable of.
6.8
Late Bloomer – Carter Faith Written By Brandon Iozzo
A subtle wave of innocence and tenderness is felt throughout this sleeper anthem for the underdogs. An ode to the ones who bloomed a little later in their adolescence, Faith dissolves the overrated reasons for developing early as a young adult while touching on traits that make late bloomers that much more unique. There’s an airy feel to the track that combines contemporary piano production with hints of dobro twang that builds a nostalgic sound, taking listeners right back to their childhood years. “Late Bloomer” has an ironically timeless effect and seems like a song that fans will be able to revisit no matter what phase of adulthood they enter.
8.5
Anywhere But Here – Silverada Written By Adam Delahoussaye
In 2024, the country music listenership has seemingly doubled its population with every TikTok trend and reformed pop artist trading in their Stilettos for Stetsons. As these sounds become increasingly saturated, our tried and true cowboys often seek solace in the places and faces they call home. For Mike Harmier, the lead singer and pen behind Silverada’s “Anywhere But Here,” that home is found in Tomball, Texas. As the subject of the group’s newest single, that town represents a return to simplicity while finding comfort in how quickly and drastically things change with the help of Father Time. Again, we see Harmier and his accompanying band take hillbilly tropes that would typically have eyes rolling and restructure them both in poetry and production to form a new look at old ideals. While trends shift and veteran acts struggle to abide by the ever-changing rules of the road, the Silverada boys seem satisfied, knowing that the roots that raised them still need to be addressed. Skipping town never sounded so good.
8.5
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