Miami – Morgan Wallen Written By Max Buondonno
No one knew exactly what to expect when Morgan Wallen teased that he had flipped Keith Whitley’s legendary song “Miami, My Amy” into a rap-style song. Wallen can sound decent over trap beats, but a Whitley flip on top of that sounded questionable at best. The rest? Alvin and the Chipmunks. “Miami,” track 35 on Wallen’s behemoth new LP I’m the Problem, unravels the tale of a regretful trip to the 305. Between his feelings for a random new girl, the bars that don’t know his name, and the lack of stars in the sky, Wallen is displeased with his time spent in Magic City, and to cope, he wants to punish your ears with an embarrassing interpolation of Whitley singing the word “Miami.” Pitched-shifted higher than Snoop Dogg on 4/20, the sample sounds childish and disgustingly cringeworthy. It ruins what otherwise would be a middle-of-the-road Morgan Wallen pop track that will surely go viral on TikTok anyway. As one of the several songs on I’m the Problem with a trap beat (something Wallen lied about avoiding on this record), “Miami” is by far the weakest point on the entire record. Given it’s 37 songs long, it’s a little crazy that it wasn’t scrapped to begin with.
3.5
Morgan Wallen – Genesis Written By Jack Humphrey
The Morgan Wallen Formula has changed a lot since he first hit the scene as a force on country radio. These days, when he sets out to be clever, it’s not with cutesy double entendres like ‘Whiskey Glasses” or “Wasted On You;” this moodier, more seasoned artist has some new tricks up his sleeve, flexing his lyrical wit with a redneck pastiche of the Fall of Adam and Eve. Wallen already spends a large portion of I’m the Problem acknowledging his shortcomings, so the dark novelty of “Genesis” cements it as a legitimate standout amongst this slew of self-deprecating country-pop dirges. The sound of this track also marks a sign of the times for the country music’s biggest star. Plucky Telecasters and brash drums take a backseat in favor of breezy Fleetwood Mac-indebted indie rock production, from the dreamy, phaser-heavy lead guitar line to bewitchingly catchy minor chord progression. A lot has changed for Morgan Wallen since the If I Know Me days, but fresh, inspired cuts like “Genesis” make it hard to feel too let down, even as a longtime fan.
8.7
Repo Man – Bruce Springsteen Written By Adam Delahoussaye
Jaunty and jubilant, Springsteen’s eternal, everyman growl sounds as fresh as ever on this newly unveiled sliver of a previously shelved chapter in The Boss’s saga. “Repo Man” comes to us as a single for the forthcoming Somewhere North of Nashville LP. An assumed hodge-podge of the cutting room floor crumbs from across time, when the artist reached a creative fork in the road. This track, in particular, was written and recorded around the same time as 1995’s The Ghost of Tom Joad, and is a testament to versatility and split consciousness more than anything. Rather than read Steinbeck on a soapbox, Springsteen is sliding across the saloon in true honky-tonk fashion. Again, reciting a tale about a name and a face everyone has seen yet no one can pin down, it instantly fits into that eclectic repertoire his late 80s and early 90s era showcased. A rockabilly jumpstart catapults his fine wine vocals straight over slinky pedal steels into this bar fight of a track. It’s a story that’s comically authentic, lived and breathed despite its cartoonish composition and lack of initial exposure. There are shades of Springsteen in almost every American music genre, and “Repo Man” almost feels like it’s informing the current country culture despite being 20 years late to its own party. How easily could this version of himself have impacted the Zach Tops of today, or gone pound for pound with the Vince Gills of yesteryear? Despite its cataloged nature, it may still reach tomorrow’s talent.
8.5
Brent Cobb & The Fixin’s – Even If It’s Broke Written By Adam Delahoussaye
We’re only two tracks into this Georgia boy’s rock revival, and Brent Cobb is already owning his new niche. The territory isn’t unfamiliar to any of his live patrons, or even crate diggers deep in his catalog, but this rollout has a juice that’s entirely his flavor. On his latest, he’s prescribing his personal staples and philosophies to sounds intrinsically tethered to his southern culture. “Even If It’s Broke” is swampy, murky, and a perfect synopsis of Cobb’s artistic go-tos since the beginning. He knows what he likes and what sounds he thinks can speak the most truth; the rest of it is for the birds, and all he cares about. True north is true north, regardless of what the world or the slick-haired suits on the top floor may tell him. As for his way around an electric and his rapport with his backing band, they speak for themselves. These ‘fixin’s’ are served family style, filling up eardrums on shrieks and thumps that build and bubble into a deep delta gumbo infusion. Its lyricism is just as classic, not only to the lore of southern rock, but maybe more so to Cobb himself. His repertoire has always championed truth over trend, and in that sense, it’s fairly subjective to say whether one can bend or break. Some things never change, and this recipe has lasted for generations with guys like Cobb wanting to keep it that way. Safe to say he knows his way around the kitchen.
8.7
The Actor (feat. Charles Wesley Godwin) – Willow Avalon
Written By Ryan Lippe
First released on her debut album Southern Belle Raisin’ Hell, Willow Avalon continues on a steady upward trajectory, showing no signs of slowing down. Two of the most unique and interesting voices in country music have paired up for a dynamic combination like no other. The delicacy that each of them has in their vibrato creates a haunting experience. When the two finally come together after the second verse, their harmonies create a cinematic tone, adding a strong culmination of the two sounds. In a world of music that’s so over-saturated with the unnecessary, here lies a tune that has been reimagined to add another layer of heart-wrenching pain. The redesigned verse provides extra context for a story that takes an introspective turn, analyzing the parties involved in a failed relationship. Produced by Avalon, JR Atkins, and Tofer Brown, it stays rooted in southern rock, featuring an anthemic guitar solo leading the bridge. With a pair of such distinctive voices in their own right, it was concerning that they’d overpower one another, but both are balanced to perfection, giving this track a true life of its own.
8.6
Hudson Westbrook, Miranda Lambert – House Again Written By Will Chapman
Hudson Westbrook has teamed up with Miranda Lambert to release a new version of “House Again.” Outside of the backing vocals courtesy of Lambert, the track remains virtually untouched. Lyrically and melodically, “House Again” has all the makings of a great, old-fashioned, sad country song. The imagery is vivid, haunting, and perfectly cliché, telling the age-old story of a house that no longer feels like a home. The chorus paints a picture of love so strong that it turns a house into a home, only for absence to turn it cold again. The addition of Miranda Lambert’s drawn-out backing vocals balances out Westbrook’s grounded, matter-of-fact cadence, adding an additional twang to the track that Westbrook’s solo version was lacking. Where this song stumbles is in its production. It would have felt refreshing had it leaned into that twang a bit more. The lyrics are begging for a pedal steel-soaked ballad, but instead, it gets wrapped up in the same clean, bluesy, John Mayer-esque vibe that just doesn’t fit. The laid-back electric guitar tones and glossy rhythm section feel at odds with the heartbreak in the lyrics. A more traditional arrangement would have served the song much better and really capitalized on Miranda Lambert’s signature twang. The song’s heart is solid, and the performances are strong, but the sonic choices feel dull and don’t bring anything new to the table.
6.7
Drayton Farley – Carving of a Dove Written By Will Chapman
Dayton Farley’s “Carving of a Dove” is a haunting, minimalist ballad that lives in grief. With only an acoustic guitar and a bare, intimate vocal, the song captures the raw, disoriented emotional state of someone trying to process the death of the person they loved most. There’s no production gloss, no metaphorical detours, just a person unraveling in real time. The lyrics are brutally honest and bordering on confessional as Farley walks through the motions of grief: visiting a grave, sorting through belongings, trying to make sense of an unbearable absence. It’s not clean or poetic; it’s messy and real. Lines like “What’s a rope burn to a heartache?” stop you in your tracks, not because they’re clever, but because they’re devastatingly morbid. This is a song that stares directly into the void and refuses to blink. What makes this song so powerful is its simplicity. There’s no sweeping string section or dramatic climax, but Farley finds a way to build tension with his raw delivery. Every pause, breath, and silence between lines pulls you deeper into the narrator’s world while the lyrics make you uncomfortable. “Carving of a Dove” is not an easy background listen or playlist filler. It demands your attention, and doesn’t let go. Drayton Farley has created something brutally human with this gut-wrenching portrait of loss that doesn’t flinch, and in doing so, it reminds us how rare that kind of honesty is.
8.9
Avery Anna – skinny Written By Christina Bosch
“I’ve never been thinner, I’ve never been sicker” – one of the many powerful lyrics that cut deep to the core of “skinny,” a standout moment on Avery Anna’s latest album. The uncomplicated production, which layers Avery’s haunting vocals as she spells out ‘s.k.i.n.n.y’ reverberates, seemingly representing the millions of people grappling with distorted self-worth. When the dressing room mirror, the number on a scale, or the perfectly curated social media highlight reel can dismantle one’s confidence, this track helps to carry the invisible weight. The entirety of this project, titled let go letters, allows Avery Anna to step into uncomfortable terrain, taking the confessionals her fans wrote over the course of her career and weaving them into intimately commanding songs. She gives her fans a voice, and by being vulnerable and incredibly intentional in sharing these heavy moments, she proves that even at the tender age of 21, she is poised and primed for a prolific career.
8.9
The Jack Wharff Band – Richmond’s Most Wanted Written By Jack Humphrey
Though this youthful Virginian quartet has come to be known for fast-strumming country-folk barn-burners in their short time together, “Richmond’s Most Wanted” adds a gravely new dimension of versatility to their growing brand. With a bluesy swaying groove that recalls Chris Stapleton’s From A Room LPs, the band sets the mood for an intoxicating barroom romance. As catchy as the slow-rolling hook is, the real show-stealer on “Richmond’s Most Wanted” is a smoldering, overdrive-heavy guitar solo, which immediately asserts that The Jack Wharff Band has a powerful second gear when they feel like it. Even on a sweet, lovelorn ballad like this, the band offers a bit of soul and grit that should stoke curiosity for their future output. Last year, it might’ve been fair to say that this ragtag outfit was still finding their footing creatively, but in 2025, they seem established, witty, and confident, even with only five tracks out so far.
8.3
