Tyler Childers – Nose On the Grindstone Written By Jack Humphrey
Tyler Childers has never had a reputation as a people-pleaser, but keeping his fans waiting nearly a decade for the official studio version of this fan-favorite track is almost Machiavellian. Finally, “Nose On the Grindstone” will be included in a Childers album. Little effort is made to deviate from the time-honored acoustic version from OurVinyl (currently sitting at 340M streams on Spotify alone), but that proves to be for the best in more ways than one. Crucially, Tyler demonstrates that he still has a connection to his past; with his recent stretch of short LPs being more indebted to blues and gospel than Appalachian folk music, Childers diehards should breathe a grateful sigh that our favorite Kentuckian luminary still has a part of the “Purgatory” era with him deep down. As far as the recording itself goes, it certainly doesn’t feel quite as jagged and downtrodden as its predecessor. Even so, with this being such an unexpected release, it wasn’t necessary for the older, more established Childers to show up his 25-year-old self. Much like Taylor Swift’s “Taylor’s Versions,” the most important thing was that “Nose On the Grindstone” retained a special place in Tyler’s catalog; as the lead single of his next full-length record, it serves as a welcome sign of things to come, even if it won’t replace the OurVinyl version on most fans’ playlists.
7.9
Broken Wing Bird – Kashus Culpepper & Sierra Ferrell Written By Adam Delahoussaye
Kashus Culpepper has adopted about a dozen different personalities in only a year. He darts from blues-laden to pop-ready to fireside folk, all trapped in his psyche like the sweat in his headband. It’s been a journey of many detours, not unlike his previous stages of life. The Alabama native went from putting out fires to laying cement to keeping his shipmates entertained in the US Navy, all before landing on one of Nashville’s top rosters. In both instances, he’s been enigmatic, hard to pin down, yet sleuthy enough in his creative maneuvers to warrant an enticed gaze. But on “Broken Wing Bird,” where the soulful singer rids himself of everything but the bare necessities, the watchful eye we’ve kept in the past year becomes a full-on trance. Burrowing himself into a more siloed sound, finally baring all his scars bandage-free in a place of refuge, is where his talent finally gets some breathing room. It’s gently written, delicately arranged, and sparsely polished, finally focusing where it needs to. His big, brawny bass vocals blend effortlessly with fellow folkie and aesthetic anomaly Sierra Ferrell. The two trade hoarse croaks, flirty chirps, and fairy tale disguises for the healing and hurting are bartered throughout this summer lullaby. It’s a humid heartbreaker and maybe Culpepper’s biggest triumph, ironically coming to us with a whisper rather than the bang we were promised. Add fable maker to his long list of occupations.
9.0
Carolina Honey – Marcus King Band Written By Adam Delahoussaye
At the very least, his retreat into Rick Rubin’s fortress of sonic solitude last year seems to have urged Marcus King to zoom in and analyze his many facets in the micro. Like a lot of former wunderkinds, he’s often scatterbrained. In the past, it’s been hard for King to latch onto one idea before another car derailed the train of thought moments later. While his two singles post-Rubin revolution is practically an apple and an orange, the dichotomy is arguably as impressive as the delivery. If “Honky Tonk Hell” echoed the voices of redneck rebels like Charlie Daniels, “Carolina Honey” is informed by an equally fervent group on the other side of the aisle. Acting as a sort of meet-cute between him and his now wife, a controlled sense of funk is found in this cold, rigid strut that breaks into a knee-buckling sprint before a fire in his gut leaves us out of breath. It’s closer to Al Green than Gregg Allman, a mode he’s grazed yet rarely sunk his teeth into. A choir of voices and trumpets chant him to the finish line as he pushes to the top of his register, seemingly carried there by some invisible force. It’s straining, though never oversing, so microscopic in its focus that there’s virtually no room for distraction. Now that new mantras are burned into his brain and reunited with a group poised to realize them, King’seclectic tastes and abilities are simply at the mercy of where he wants to direct the lens.
8.4
Broken Branches (feat. John Anderson & Riley Green) – Dierks Bentley Written By Max Buondonno
The title track to Dierks Bentley’s 11th studio album may not be the most riveting on the project, but its entertainment value is admirable. “Broken Branches,” a collaboration between Bentley, John Anderson, and Riley Green, opens with an electrifying, rock-leaning instrumental that has been the driving factor behind many of Dierks’s hits in the past. Unraveling the details of familiar traits between friends’ drinking habits and carefree attitudes, the song is a traditional drunk and rowdy anthem engineered to play late at night at a bar or in a stadium. Lyrically, the song has little substance other than its clever play on words to describe the reckless ones of the family tree (a.k.a. the broken branches). There’salso an awkward exchange of words at the end of the song; banter like this has been toyed with numerous times in country songs, yet it never seems to land without being corny, leaving a lasting cringeworthy feeling after the song wraps up. Riley and John’s contributions play nicely throughout the song but aren’t as memorable as you’d hope a collaboration like this would be. Beyond that, “Broken Branches” is a solid track highlighting Dierks’ willingness to have fun in his music. It doesn’t take itself too seriously, which makes it a song worthy of kicking off a Friday night.
7.1
2 Pair – Kane Brown Written By Max Buondonno
Would you like to feel like Nelly this summer? If so, Kane Brown recommends spending your entire paycheck on two pairs of Lucchese boots and singing about it. His latest single, “2 Pair,” is a vision of a summer anthem so lazily sewn together that the noise it produces will convince you to spend June, July, and August with Nikes on your feet. Overstuffed with an inbred hybrid of country, hip-hop, R&B, and whatever parasitic drum rhythm Shaboozy infects, “2 Pair” is too long by exactly two minutes and 31 seconds. It took six people to write this song, Jordan Schmidt to produce it, and Kane Brown to shrug his shoulders and record it, all to give his fans “a song they can blast at full volume and sing along to all summer long.” Of all the songs you can listen to this summer, playing this one is a bold choice. If spending all your money on white shirts, blue jeans, and Lucchese boots means summer is here for you, great, your new anthem is here. If you don’t match one of those criteria, an entire catalog of music from a duo named Florida Georgia Line is somehow better than whatever this is.
2.3
Cheatin’ On My Honky Tonk – Randall King (feat Braxton Keith) Written By Creed Miller
Randall King and Braxton Keith have been individually crucial in the resurgence of traditional country music, so it only makes sense for the two of them to team up. “Cheatin’ On My Honky Tonk” is an instant toe-tapper that will teleport you to the nearest honky tonk. This track sounds straight from the 90s, which makes a lot of sense when you learn that it was penned by one of the decade’s biggest stars, Ronnie Dunn, alongside Ira Dean and Phil O’Donnell. It honestly sounds like a song Brooks & Dunn would’ve cut back in the day, only further proving the authenticity of the style. There have been many cases where artists attempt the steel-laced honkytonk sound, which ends up sounding like karaoke. That’s not the case with Braxton and Randall; they make their ‘90s influence clear while bringing an authentic edge through their personalities and vocals to make it their own. King and Keith were the perfect duo for this track, not just because of their similarities but because the chemistry they built on the road shines through. They work super well together, and it doesn’tfeel overwhelming. Accenting each other beautifully as they both show off great range. “Cheatin’ On My Honky Tonk” didn’t have the most hype prior to its release, but it will be on repeat throughout the summer.
8.4
Dale Jr. – Cole Swindell Written By Creed Miller
Cole Swindell gets emotional in his latest release. Swindell has never shied away from the hardships he’s faced from losing his dad; in fact, it’s scored him some of his biggest hits like “You Should Be Here.” This time around, Swindell tells the story of meeting Dale Earnhardt Jr. backstage after a show, but they didn’t find themselves talking about gold records or big wins. They talked about their late dads and the fond memories they had with them. Cole Swindell worked with Greylan James and Matt Alderman to write this track, and it’s a cool concept, however niche. A notable aspect of the song is that it showcases Swindell’s personal life and the fact that it’s a real-life experience. It shows the true authenticity of the artist and the music. However, every blessing has a curse, and in this case, it’s the fact that this song isn’t fullyrelatable. Unfortunately, many people can relate to Swindell when it comes to losing a parent. Still, as the song progresses, it becomes awkwardly specific to the Georgia native’s chat with the racing legend and neglects to give the listener something really emotional. They try to sell this as a deep song, but at its base, it’s really just a hokey recap of Cole Swindell meeting Dale Earnhardt Jr and talking about their dads. This song had the chance to help people through losing a loved one and dealing with grief, but instead, “Dale Jr.” just feels like wasted potential.
5.7
Dillon Carmichael – She Gone Written By Joel Reuben Pauley
If you’ve ever wanted the perfect mix of early Rodney Atkins and 2019 Luke Combs, don’t skip “She Gone” by Dillon Carmichael. His new single brings back elements of the best eras of country music. With a classic country double-meaning of the hook, Carmichael delivers a fun yet compelling story of heartbreak and tragedy. In the best way possible, this song sounds straight out of a Bass Pro Shops store playlist, giving life to a less serious, though still emotionally grounded, side of country music that’s been missing lately. Although lyrically, there isn’t much depth here; it doesn’t feel like the kind of song that needs some underlying messaging; anything under the surface of a slightly romanticized broken heart banger like this may take away from its impact. Between an increasingly popularized, evolved pop country and a new wave of ’90s country clones, the middle ground has become increasingly empty, making Dillon’s new track a refreshing listen.
8.7
Parker McCollum – Killin’ Me Written By Joel Reuben Pauley
Right off the bat, Parker McCollum’s latest single sounds like some of his best work. From the intro alone, you can tell it’s nothing like he’s ever made, with new grooves and sounds that lay the groundwork for a mature, reflective take on love and heartbreak. From the imagery of a “black dress” and “dim lights” in the first verse, you can start to pick out the beginnings of a story set between “real love” and “true lies.” By the chorus, if you’re not listening closely, when Parker describes his love interest as the “last thing in this world that I need,” you might be caught off guard. Aside from the first line, “One more last time,” there isn’tanything up to that point that implies anything other than the purest form of love. However, after taking all of his hints, the entire reality of the song changes. The final chorus reveals the complete storyline, where Parker lays it bare, singing,“Just love me like the devil, then lay me down six feet deep…” Here, the heartbreak takes a darker turn, framing the entire song not as a plea for reconciliation but as a last dance with something already gone. Written by Parker, Randy Rogers, and Monty Criswell, this track was carefully composed to match the soul-crushing feeling of watching love burn out before your eyes.
9.8
