Morgan Wallen – I’m A Little Crazy Written By Adam Delahoussaye
If the past year with Morgan Wallen has proven anything, it’s that the reigning CMA Entertainer of the Year has no issue in admitting the existence of, and maybe even capitalizing on his loose screws. It’s become tiring and redundant to keep citing his rap sheet. Still, it’s also hard to avoid his externalities altogether; they so clearly contrast with the way he’s weaponizing those demons continuously in preparation for his forthcoming LP, I’m The Problem. Much like the record’s opener and title track we got a few weeks ago, “I’m A Little Crazy,” as his exit song strikes a chord in tune with that ‘who amongst us’ attitude that this behemoth of a record will most likely orbit around. This stripped-down, chilly observation of Wallen’s psyche yanks away all the noise on Broadway and big arena lights to see him siloed back in the hills of his hometown. Sadly, it seems there’s still a healthy dose of reality to be found in his holler. A lot of the writing on this one utters what his fellow stars have somewhat desperately screamed at us countless times: the world is a scary place, and responses to that fact aren’t entirely uncalled for. Wallen’s interpretation of that fact presents as far less hostile and more at the mercy of those facts than some of his contemporaries, maybe making it a little easier to digest, especially when placed next to his brash persona. That’s also what makes this track extremely poignant. Having the superstar place trap drums and snap tracks on the back burner gives us an intense look at his helplessness. This is where the world leaves him when the party’s over and the bars all close; desperately wanting us to know he’s still on the same crazy, confusing, messed-up planet as the rest of us.
9.0
Hands Of Time – Eric Church Written By Creed Miller
With expectations through the roof, Eric Church has released long-awaited music with “Hands Of Time.” This track encompasses many different eras of Eric Church’s music as it is fueled by an electric guitar and mixed in with more unique instruments. Church worked with a longtime producer, Jay Joyce, and the wide array of sounds makes the song exciting. The horns and choir elevate the song and ultimately make it interesting. The bridge is also intriguing with the clock ticking sound, which obviously feeds into the idea of “Hands Of Time,” but it also brings a different percussive element to play. It’s very different so it easily captures the attention of the listener. From a production standpoint, there are many positives, but every blessing has a curse. Since there are so many instruments, there are points where it feels like it’s a bit too much, and they drown out the Chief himself. The track, written by Church, Scooter Causoe, and Jay Joyce, considers how music can turn back the “hands of time.” It’s a cool concept, and they found a way to make it more unique, but it still feels like something is missing. While it’s quite good, there is nothing that takes this song from good to great. That being said, there is definitely room to meet expectations ahead of the Chief’s upcoming record Evangeline vs. The Machine, slated to drop on May 2nd.
7.4
Never Call Again – Gavin Adcock Written By Creed Miller
Gavin Adcock is back again with his whopping fourth release since mid-January. He has shown off a tamer side to his music in 2025, and “Never Call Again” is no different. Penned by Adcock, Colton Venner, Jack Rauton, and Joybeth Taylor, the track focuses on getting over a breakup. The protagonist continues to call his ex, and he wishes he could avoid the things that trigger him to reach for his phone. This is a concept that’s nothing new to country music, but the slick sound is what makes it more interesting. Jay Rodgers’s production is smooth, and the slide guitar immediately grabs your attention from the first note. On top of that, the writers don’t feed into the same old boring tropes but instead get creative with lines like comparing her blue eyes to the burning desert winds. Adcock’s improvement as a vocalist should also be recognized. His recent releases display so much more range than he has had in the past, and as a result, his music has greatly improved overall. While “Never Call Again” has been done before and can feel cheesy at times, there is no doubt you’ll find yourself bobbing your head to the beat. A lot of times, artists have focused on quantity over quality, but in early 2025, it seems like Adcock is focused on both.
7.8
Paul. – Ryan Hurd Written By Max Buondonno
In track 11 of Ryan Hurd’s sophomore album Midwest Rock & Roll, the “Chasing After You” singer implies that Paul McCartney is like Jesus Christ, except a bit taller. Reflecting on the time Hurd met his idol from the legendary rock band The Beatles, “Paul.” attempts first to be an anthem for anyone who’s met someone they admire, yet blissfully ignores that mission and plays more into Hurd’s shock and bewilderment that he shook McCartney’s hand. Mind you, no one will believe that he actually met a Beatle since there is no photographic evidence. To accommodate, he wrote a song about it. To stress further that meeting your idol is totally worth it, Hurd also mentions running into Foo Fighter’s frontman Dave Grohl, who was talking to Survivor host Jeff Probst at the same time. These moments have been playing vividly in Hurd’s mind, it seems, which ultimately led to the creation of this 5-minute 9-second song on his latest album. The overarching narrative? It’s cool meeting famous people. Sure, McCartney is one of his idols and was undoubtedly an impactful moment in Hurd’s life, but the story feels shoe-horned into this track despite it being called “Paul.”. The lyrics read like the worst Taylor Swift poetry imaginable, and where emotional moments could lie, they’re replaced with references to clip-on ties and his ex-wife. The entire track is straight-up awkward. If Hurd had worked on it more to polish the rough edges, it could work as a reflective moment on the album. Instead, it’s a collection of random thoughts about meeting a Beatle, a Foo Fighter, and a Survivor cast member and how cool it was, accented by a boring rock instrumental that could’ve easily been ripped from Hardy’s pile of scraps from Quit!!.
4.5
Just in Case – Morgan Wallen Written By Max Buondonno
Morgan Wallen’s next project, I’m the Problem, seems more emotionally driven than his previous two albums, focusing on self-reflection. At least that’s the picture he’s painting with the album’s title, the marketing materials, and the tracks he’s released thus far from the massive 37-song collection. One of these latest releases, “Just in Case,” highlights his inability to fully commit to someone he has feelings for, just in case his previous relationship mends itself out of the blue. Against a gentle mid-tempo instrumental, the song references late nights with girls whose names remain a mystery, drinking whiskey to numb emotional pain, and other country music cliches that fail to help this track stand out among others Wallen’s released from the album. The song plays well to his vocal abilities, and it certainly fits the narrative we’re all being led to believe, which is woven through this overtly long tracklist. Yet the song itself feels a bit too much like filler as if the topic wasn’t covered already and needed to be highlighted before the album was mastered. While it stands as a fine Morgan Wallen song his fans are already beginning to latch onto, it’s far from the most artistic thing he’s created. If anything, “Just in Case” feels like generic heartache for the sake of generic heartache because this is supposed to be The Sad Album. Watch it grow on the charts and pop radio with its catchy chorus and “Last Night”-esque vibe, but it’s a weaker example of Wallen’s pen game and is far more exemplary of other mainstream singles than as a deep-cut or fan-favorite.
7.0
God Bless the West (ft. Cleto Cordero) – Ian Munsick Written By Ryan Lippe
Hailing from the gorgeous state of Wyoming, Ian Munsick has always carved out space in his music to commemorate the scenery and land he left behind in pursuit of music. Written by Jeremy Spillman, Casey Beathard, and Munsick, the trio has developed a tribute to a unique part of the country that hasn’t been overtaken by urban sprawl. While Munsick’s unique voice has always been one that fans adore or can’t stand, his collaboration with the highly respected Cleto Cordero on this track may attract a wider audience. Although Munsick seems to sing nearly an octave higher, they sing with similar tones, making it difficult to distinguish the two vocalists. Cordero offers a soothing tone that pairs perfectly with Munsick’s broad falsetto. The collaboration is an entertaining combination of their two music scenes, though Cordero doesn’t necessarily add much to the overarching story of the song. Produced by Munsick, Spillman, and Jared Conrad, the track has whimsical guitar and steel throughout, making it a pleasant experience for listeners. The chorus arrangement is arguably the most memorable moment of the song, with a very catchy cadence and Munsick satisfyingly traveling up and down scales. Going into his next album, Eagle Feather, this track will certainly stand out.
8.6
Muscadine Bloodline – Way Too High (2010) Written By Joel Reuben Pauley
In country music, a good song is determined by the lyrics, the sound, and how it makes you feel. By those metrics, Muscadine Bloodline’s new song is out of this world. The imagery used in “Way Too High (2010)” clearly shows what life in 2010 was like for the duo. They flood this song with nostalgia, making you feel like you were with them. Rather than pretending that their everyday life was full of nineties country vinyl, Gary and Charlie write about times gone by when they listened to Lil Wayne on a burned CD, unafraid to cross the lines of the genre norms. Opening with Gary on the harmonium, the song feels complete, with their signature harmonies smoothly layered throughout the track. Previously released on their exclusive SoundCloud EP “The Supply Drop,” this new song has only gotten better with time. Now, with its official release on all streaming platforms, fans finally have the chance to add it to their playlist.
9.2
Naomi Johnson – Bricks Make HousesWritten By Joel Reuben Pauley
You may not relate to growing up in a cult, living on a school bus, or helping raise ten brothers and sisters, but relatability isn’t what makes Naomi Johnson’s “Bricks Make Houses” special. As the first song in her journey as a solo artist after parting ways with the band Runaway June, the singer-songwriter truly opens up for the first time with a simultaneously heartbreaking and heartwarming tone. Lyrically, this song is rock-solid, showing her open vulnerability and her talent with songwriting. In the bridge, Johnson uses the metaphor of a house to show that “the way they look out front” isn’t always “what’s going on inside.” Paired with her soothing voice, “Bricks Make Houses” plays out like a movie, giving you a piece of her life story and leaving you wanting to hear the rest.
8.8
Hudson Westbrook – Weatherman Written By Adam Delahoussaye
Bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, Hudson Westbrook is only a year into his career, and through that time, has continued to act as a sort of spiritual continuation to a sappier take on the red-dirt scene that’s seen a majority of its A-listers fading out of the limelight. While Westbrook’s meteorologist on “Weatherman” may suggest otherwise, the forecast for Texas seems to be a breakaway of storm clouds into the sunshine from here on out. His latest urges for warm sun and blue skies in its arrangement despite the dreary predictions Westbrook has been given by his local newscaster. Guitar licks swirl through this spring air as the signature fiddle duets our singer’s cry with wails of their own. It is, by all accounts, a Texas country song in its songwriting and signature progression. His ability to manipulate those tropes tastefully into the current mainstream trends makes Westbrook more palatable and homogenized with his radio tennant counterparts, regardless of geography. The outer coatings of his voice scream popstar, while his soul and sensibilities resonate with that of his outlaw idols and contemporaries. A blend of new-age McCollum mixed with the wit and wisdom carried down by generations of Texans make Westbrook’s catalog just as easy to throw on at the bonfire as it is the barroom.
7.5
Wish You Well – Avery Anna Written By Ryan Lippe
A rising star with potential who has been widely recognized, Avery Anna has one of the most powerful voices of any artist in her generation. Throughout the song, her stellar vibrato builds each verse to a powerful chorus and a climactic bridge at the end. However, she swerves in and out of verses too fast, making it difficult to understand each word clearly. With anthemic drums backing her up, the listener can feel the passion and emotion behind this track about discovering self-worth after a difficult breakup. Written by Anna and David Fanning and Jon Hume, the track details a failed relationship that left a great deal of emotional trauma, but the narrator is looking to move past the difficult mental state she’s left in. Produced by Fanning, the song blends soft rock, pop, and country elements, creating an enigmatic, genre-defying sound. With an incredibly bright future ahead of her, Avery Anna continues to pump out songs jam-packed with stories that feel authentic and true to any listener.
8.3
