Half The Man – Wyatt Flores Written By Adam Delahoussaye
Coming home weathered and weary from the road is a tale as old as the plains themselves. While the themes may not be new, Wyatt Flores often offers an interesting perspective on his relationship with home. The 24-year-old is surprisingly open and honest when recounting his struggle and the push-and-pull between staying at home and heading out for greener pastures. The dream looks rose-tinted on the inside of the bubble his buddies are in, but then again, they’ll never know he missed their wedding to play at an empty bar in pursuit of the dream. The writing style and tone are a perfect match for the Okie’s vocal tics, soul-scratching yet as familiar as a next-door neighbor. That low hum and steady melody put us in a sort of sonic comfort zone, where Flores can reflect on his past and plan his future with a little patience. It feels good to finally hear the songwriter back in cruise control, especially as he takes a beat and continues to learn how to navigate the map. It’s nice to see he already had a final destination in mind.
7.2
say anything – Evan Honer Written By Adam Delahoussaye
Evan Honer’s newest reads like a Notes app confessional, his stream of consciousness spilling out onto the page as his fingers find the chords in time to match the melody. It’s a pretty big gut spill for a song packaged as a brief interlude, with spurts of much deeper-rooted issues sprouting from what Honer delivers, like it’s almost a footnote. There’s a profundity in that, though, to realize that all these swirling thoughts are just sitting at the bottom of the brain, only to sprout up again when a certain setting causes them to. As always, his warbly, vulnerable vocal ring weaves through these ideas halfway between a smile and the verge of tears. “Well, baby, it’s bad, but I bet it gets better,” he croaks through stifled sobs, sounding incredibly exposed yet cautiously optimistic. The song doesn’t really require any grand gestures, thankfully. It works better as a check-in with an old friend, where the full brunt of their feelings may be behind the few words and phrases they’re able to get out before breaking down completely. The awkward middle ground is arguably the mode Honer works best in. Somewhere between an uncomfortably honest outburst and the words you’ve been hoping someone would say, yet never realized how to articulate yourself.
8.3
Phone, Keys, Wallet – Lainey Wilson & John Mayer Written By Aishwarya Rajan
In an atmosphere of country music that constantly disparages males for the sake of clickbait music akin to concepts like that of “Paul Revere” by Elizabeth Nichols or Taylor Swift’s “no body, no crime,” it’s a breath of fresh air to find a woman who isn’t scared to say she relies on and needs her person. The newly married Louisiana native, Lainey Wilson, gives us a rare, stated tribute to her husband: someone she likely couldn’t survive without. In fact, she goes so far as to say she’d be lost with him among a short list of things: Jesus, Jones, mama, her phone, keys, and wallet. While his importance may feel less than that of material objects like her phone, keys, or wallet, it’s no surprise that she feels her survival requires these modern-day essentials. Together, a large team of producers and performers laid the layered groundwork for this track. The polite whines of a steel guitar are balanced by the sustained, groovy strikes of a synthesized guitar sound before closing with the bluesy swipes from John Mayer’s electric guitar solo. By utilizing Mayer’s distinct approach to guitar, her track features many playful, unique melodic attributes that propel it to the top of music tracks.
7.0
Ethereal Redneck Shit – Laci Kaye Booth Written By Aishwarya Rajan
One rule that should exist for most country music songwriting is the general preclusion of expletives like “bitch” and “shit.” 90% of the time, they sound cheap, lazy, and unnecessary. Laci Kaye Booth’s newest single, “Ethereal Redneck Shit,” is a new example of why. However, the problems with the lyricism extend far beyond the tryhard use of curse words. The title itself sets up a high bar: she’s defining “ethereal redneck shit;” hence, the songwriting should prioritize defining these ideas. However, the concept falls short of execution. Only two aspects can be obviously parsed out as potentially “redneck” and “ethereal,” while the others feel random. Sure, if you romanticize riding a mechanical bull or kissing someone with Skoal in your lip, that fits the stereotypical imagery of a redneck, so those lines do earn their place. But what about smoking a cigarette is redneck specifically? And a motel with a pool? The song makes a conceptual claim that is not always supported by the descriptions it conjures. If Booth is trying to describe her premise through a vibe, it would benefit her to use adequate, specific terminology rather than loosely redefining what it means to be redneck in an off-handed way. It has the potential to be something fresh, but the meaning and descriptions come closer to lines like Katy Perry’s “feel like a paper bag floating through the wind” than to tight, understandable ones. Thus, the only thing “ethereal” in the song is her angelic tone elevated by the simplicity of brushes of percussion and a wailing electric guitar. Booth is usually a storyteller, as we’ve seen through “Damn Good in a Dive Bar,” “I Let Him Love Me,” “Visions,” etc., but this cut unfortunately misses the mark.
5.9
Woulda Been It – Tyce Delk Written By Aishwarya Rajan
We know Tyce from his unique powerhouse vocals on the single “Adaline.” He’s skilled at making powerfully brutal and utterly sad songs sure to cause a pair of eyes to well up. However, hearing his voice on something sweet and sultry is equally tantalizing, which he explores on “Woulda Been It.” It’s a song seemingly inspired by an almost-right relationship, or a “shoe that almost fits,” with references to aspects of his everyday life as a rancher. He describes a yearning for the simplicity of life with a partner: sitting on a porch swing as the sun sets, waiting for the ranch cows to be herded back home every evening. In his story, they were supposed to have forever, but they don’t. When relationships end, human nature settles into a coping mechanism riddled with what-ifs and reliving memories while forced to be alone, which he adroitly captures in this 3:51-minute runtime. His team of producers nails the setup for the powerful hook; by using a synchronized punctuation of the melody before a downbeat into the chorus, listeners are reeled into this earworm about a heartbroken gentleman. We already knew that Delk was capable of extreme ranges in his register, but this latest cut proves that he can also bring smooth restraint to his vocal craft, which is equally enticing.
8.2
Camels In The Console – Cody Lohden Written By Joel Reuben Pauley
Anyone who spins Cody Lohden’s latest single should be delightfully surprised by what they find, which stands alone as his best work to date. In the downtime when he isn’t trying to bring nostalgic bro country back, Cody writes truly present and heart-gripping stories in songs like “Camels In The Console.” With the highly polished production, catchiness, and delivery, it feels like a male take on the style of music Ella Langley has made in recent years, windswept, smooth, and confident. This song plays on the playful similarities between the drunk appeals to cigarettes and regrettable hookups, never letting the metaphor feel like overkill. Like a shameful vice that his love interest “hides in her bronco,” Lohden expresses his anguish in a fashion that comes off as totally believable. One of the most notable high points of this song comes in the quick walking chord changes during the chorus. Fans may not rave on about profound lyrics that changed their lives or helped them heal on this track, but that’s not what this song was written to achieve. “Camels In The Console” doesn’t need to be your favorite songwriter’s favorite song, and that’s because sometimes the perfect mix of vibe and catchy melody is enough to make a worldwide hit.
7.5
Cowgirl – Shaboozey Written By Joel Reuben Pauley
As an artist, no title is less desirable than “One Hit Wonder.” There’s also no easier way to condemn yourself to that position than to remake cheap copies of your most popular song, hoping to relive the moment of hype and attention that came from that previous success. In Shaboozey’s case, no one is asking for a replica of “A Bar Song (Tipsy),” though on Friday, that’s exactly what his fans got. “Cowgirl” immediately gives away Boozey’s intentions, stating, “Got another bar song for you and your friends.” Although it’s unfair to judge any subgenre or branch of country music as “inauthentic,” there’s plenty of reason to classify this track more as a poorly executed rap song with a cowboy hat slapped on. Vacuous phrases like “bunch of steppers in here stepping” and “Baby, you got something in the back, something serious” provide nothing for fans who respect the history of country music or follow the genre even slightly closely. Even as background music at a bar, the lyrical flow and general quality of the backing track don’t compete with Shaboozey’s previous work, giving fans who actually enjoyed his hits nothing to love about this new material.
1.1
I Knew It, I Knew You – Taylor Swift Written By Max Buondonno
If you’re contracted to record an original song for the Toy Story franchise and your name is Taylor Swift, there’s a good chance you’ll wind up with something over-simplistic yet still very darling. After all, the sheer concept of a Toy Story song must be shouted from the mountaintops for Swift to return to her early writing days and make the song approachable for audiences of all ages. This isn’t exclusively a kids’ song or one that’ll get on your nerves like Pharrell’s “Happy,” but “I Knew It, I Knew You” does fall in the bucket of passable entries in Swift’s discography. As it unravels, the charming, harmonica-laced production gives way to a story about reuniting with someone you love. It’s a clever double entendre for a story about a child finding their favorite toy and finally being back with their favorite person. As an original for one of Disney’s biggest film series to date, you can almost see the credits roll in your mind as it plays. On its own, though, it fails to leave a lasting impression, thanks to its understated tone and soft vocals. Taylor Swift has certainly delivered catchier, more memorable pop-country tracks in the past, making “I Knew It, I Knew You” feel like a missed opportunity for a true chart-topper. Still, it’s a cute little ditty that’ll leave you feeling warm inside as you leave a showing of Toy Story 5.
7.0