Quavo, Luke Bryan and Teddy Swims – Georgia Ways Written By Joel Rueben Pauley
If Ranch on Spaghetti was a song, it would be “Georgia Ways” by Quavo, Luke Bryan, and Teddy Swims. The new collaboration uses imagery like “Waffle House, soaking up the alcohol” and “shotgunnin’ back-to-back Natty Lights” to show what growing up in Georgia really means to each of them. Somewhere tonight, somebody is responsible for the line “peanuts rollin’ down a backroad,” which is included in Luke Bryan’s rap verse along with several adlibs from Quavo in the traditional Migos fashion. If the song was ironic, everyone must have forgotten to tell Teddy because his verse carried the song with exactly zero corny phrases. Seriously, this song looked like a 1.0 before his section. Sonically, this is just a Migos beat with some twangy guitar and less-than-mediocre rapping, which wouldn’t have been so bad if it had missed a certain feature in verse two. Free Teddy…
3.0
Chase Matthew – Dancing in the Rain Written By Joel Rueben Pauley
Chase Matthew has dropped another single, and fortunately, it feels like the opposite of his last release. Unlike “Missin’ Me Missin’ You,” “Dancing in the Rain’s” lyrics are actually pretty clever. The whole hook is catchy and thoughtfully written, which is a notable improvement from most of his other songs. The production sounds strong, even featuring steel guitar, until the beat drops, when a jarring, tacky trap kit comes out of nowhere and kills all of the song’s good energy without adding any dynamic boosts. Although the writing on this song provided a satisfying departure from the drastic number of clichés included in his other music, the production brings the song back down to ‘underwhelming.’ On his last two songs, Chase has been halfway to a well-written track that pleases the ear. If he can combine the two and deliver a crafty track with the right production, he could have a hit on his hands, but then again, so would anybody.
5.0
Can’t Hold Me Down – Ty Myers Written By Ryan Lippe
On the first single from his upcoming debut album, The Select, Ty Myers begins to diversify his catalog with a tune full of soul and funk with a neo-traditional country flare. This song feels like John Mayer meets Sturgill Simpson with some energetic production and a soft growl in his voice. Producer Brandon Hood has a lot of songs under his belt that lean in a more contemporary, pop-centric direction, but here, he’s able to hone in on Myers’ talent and develop a sound that fits his mold perfectly. A solo-write by Myers, the lyrics are full of pride and independence but are sure not to cross a line into arrogance. The narrator goes from town to town, meeting a plethora of women, but stresses how, regardless of who he encounters, he’s his own man, and no one can keep him tied up in one place. With his upcoming tour in 2025, this tune will surely be a staple in the setlist that will get the crowd moving.
8.7
Last Call – Josh Meloy Written By Adam Delahoussaye
Josh Meloy is in the business of imbibement. Most of his catalog thus far sits his listeners around a campfire while smoke percolates the frigid December air, making its way into the lungs of our songwriter and all those willing to listen. That’s evident again here on “Last Call,” another creaky croon from the Oklahoman that harps on being left with those feelings in the dark as the neon signs turn off and barstools are put up. Also, like much of his previous catalog, the subject is clear, while the brunt of the messages leaves a lot to be desired. Meloy’s voice, filled to the brim with rasp, leaves so much open air at points that it becomes a struggle to find where he (or we) even fit into this wide open space. A lack of variation paired with those shouts into the void ultimately leaves much to be desired as far as where Meloy is headed in this vast terrain. There’s plenty of room to grow; the hard part is knowing where to start.
6.0
Country Till I Die – Dylan Scott Written By Creed Miller
No one needs to prove how country he is more than Dylan Scott, and he’s back at it with “Country Till I Die.” Produced by Joe Fox, Scott sticks to his bro-country roots with some heavy electric guitar relatively reminiscent of Florida Georgia Line. One of the main issues with the production isn’t necessarily the bro-country qualities; it’s more so how those qualities drown out Scott’s voice, and it all just blurs together. The track had four writers: Ben Johnson, John Byron, Ryan Vojtesak, and Taylor Delmar Phillips, who, together, drive every country stereotype into the ground. The opening line, “I weighed about as much as the biggest bass I’ve got, I took my first steps with a pair of boots on,” should tell you just about all you need to know about this song. The entire thing feels so forced, and it’s a narrative that Dylan Scott has pushed harder than a car salesman to give you a “once-in-a-lifetime deal.” If there were one word to describe “Country Till I Die,” it would be annoying, and it’s another miss from the biggest bro in the country.
2.7
Place to Leave – The Castellows Written By Creed Miller
In the last year, The Castellows have become one of the most compelling groups in country music. “Place to Leave” is the opening track to their mini EP, Alabama Stone, and it has a cool 2000s vibe. While it has slight similarities to Little Big Town’s early days or even The Chicks, this is the furthest thing from a “karaoke” song. The trio of sisters took their influence from that 2000s sound and created a whole product, highlighted by their phenomenal harmonies. The chorus gives that Alabama sound through the alternating lines, with the lead singer, Lily Balkcom, quickly followed by her two siblings. There’s a nice touch of the steel guitar to accent their voices beautifully without overpowering them. They show off a lot of confidence within the song, but the musicians still harness their softer side through the verses. The trio’s chemistry is second to none, which makes sense, given they’ve been singing together their whole lives. The Castellows have been impressive early in their career, and “Place to Leave” will only help them build that momentum in 2025.
7.9
