Week of 04/05/2024
Glitter – Chayce Beckham Written By Brandon Iozzo
Though audiences are still getting to know Chayce Beckham’s music and style following his recent chart-topper “23,” the arrival of his album Bad For Me gives fans a little more to chew on. Though one of the few outside songs cut for the record, “Glitter” places the phrase “things that glitter aren’t always gold” into a new light, with Beckham paralleling this cliche to a failed relationship that only looked whole on the surface. Written by Natalie Hemby, Joey Hendricks, and Mark Trussell, the track has a timeless feel to it and hints at classic influences like George Jones and George Strait with fiddles and pedal steel that hug the heartache of disingenuous love. The production of the chorus faintly mimics that of David Cook’s “The Time of My Life” when listening closely. Though “Glitter” is one of the more somber tracks from the LP, listeners are able to see a wider scope of the newcomer’s style rather than past cookie-cutter singles like “Can’t Do Without Me.”
8.0
Last Hurrah – Sam Hunt Written By Brandon Iozzo
Infamously known for his sad-boy sound, Sam Hunt is left questioning an ex’s state of mind in the aftermath of their breakup on “Last Hurrah.” Penned by Shane McAnally, Josh Osborne, and Luke Laird, the title initially suggests a more upbeat track, possibly turning the page to a new chapter of growth, but instead, it carries depressing shades of the pain of not knowing the unknown. Fresh off of his latest EP, Locked Up, Hunt unsurprisingly adds doses of sing-talking that add to the melancholy sound; in sum, it sounds like a close cousin of the EP’s lead single, “Outskirts.” Over a decade into his career, Hunt’s carbon-copy themes of self-pity and even relationship victimization through his music are overwhelmingly repetitive and stale and have continued to force listeners to only know Hunt for this tiring style. “Last Hurrah” isn’t the most creative track to come from these Nashville hit writers either, but it would at least have more potential with a different artist on the mic.
4.2
Cowboys Are Frequently Secretly Fond Of Each Other – Orville Peck & Willie Nelson Written By Adam Delahoussaye
As the paradigms of modern country music begin to shift, nonconformists such as Orville Peck inch their way closer to the mainstream. When this happens, it’s usually a comforting sign when the storied troubadours of the genre reinforce their efforts. A cover of Latin country star Ned Sublette’s 1981 song of the same name, Sublette’s cultural commentary on rural New Mexico seems to speak on where country music has been and where it’s going under the guidance of its new stars. Peck, one of country music’s most outspoken gay orators, breathes new life and stellar bravado with the gravitas of Willie Nelson’s acoustic picking. It’s a unique marriage of ideals to have these two voices, idiosyncratic in their ways, crooning over this commentary that’s been secluded yet ever-present in the greater country music discourse. This song is both quirky and profound for Peck and Nelson, who both sport eclectic fanbases. The first single of Peck’s upcoming duet album “Stampede” invites questions that the man behind the mask feels like the perfect candidate to answer.
8.0
Solitary Road – Charley Crockett Written By Adam Delahoussaye
The Son of Davy continues to pioneer a path as rooted in old trails as it is hellbent on blazing new ones. His newest single, “Solitary Road,” takes the bare bones of a lonesome journey to some far-off, promised land, and he pulls us along for the ride with him. As interesting as his roots are, Crockett’s convictions about the stories he cuts his teeth on are his biggest strength. In some sense, he is a caricature of the cowboys he tips his hat to, yet in others, fiction and reality seem synonymous with this Creole cowboy. Crockett and Billy Horton’s writing only accentuates the piercing guitar riffs, and poignant key fills that accent his sense of nomadic duty. Wherever the trail leads Crockett next, it feels like he’s the only candidate to occupy the space he does. Whether he plays a singular character or an amalgamation of the cowboys who came before him, Crockett continues to breathe fresh life for a dying breed of man.
9.0
Take Me As I Come – Wyatt Flores & Evan Honer Written By Ryan Lippe
Wyatt Flores and Evan Honer are two of the biggest names coming out of the TikTok country scene, blazing their path infused with folk and rootsy influences. They each have stark differences in their musical brand, but they bring the best of both worlds together, delivering an anthem that celebrates individuality and staying true to oneself. The song immediately hits with a catchy guitar riff and supports the youthful vocals of both artists. Honer and Flores each have their own verse and chorus, establishing themselves on the single before coming together at the end and harmonizing for the last chorus. Written together, the parallels in the songwriting are evident in the earnest and honest word choices. They both produced the song with Austin Yankunas and are accompanied by minimal instrumentation, allowing their voices to shine. A collaboration between Wyatt and Evan feels like a long time coming, and both guys totally deliver on the winsome, confessional style they’re both known for.
8.8
Dirt Road Date Night – Brian Kelley Written By Max Buondonno
If Brian Kelley’s wife asks for a date night on a dirt road, you can bet your bottom dollar that he will take her on one. In anticipation of his album Tennessee Truth, Kelley’s latest single from the project was made to “blast with the windows down on a dirt road.” So, what is it he’s inviting us to blast? It is a tale of him and his wife embarking on one of their signature “dirt road date nights,” featuring all the country cliches you could ask for jammed into a song unique to BK’s new sound but still faceless enough that anyone could sing it. Part of the charm of Kelley’s earlier solo work was its authenticity; you had no trouble believing every word on 2021’s Sunshine State of Mind because Kelley’s delivery and penmanship were unique enough that anyone else singing it except the Beach Cowboy seemed odd and out of place. But in 2024? He’s producing music for the masses with no niche audience in mind, which is a disservice to his brand and his solo career trajectory.
5.9
Heart-Shaped Box – Nate Smith Written By Max Buondonno
For any artist to cover a song from Nirvana, your expectations before hitting the play button are, for the most, pretty low. It’s hard to match Kurt Cobain’s iconic emo delivery and the band’s trail-blazing alt-rock aesthetic that made them one of the biggest acts of all time, even to this day. Yet Nate Smith, known for relatable songs that chart well on country radio, has produced an admirable cover of the Aberdeen band’s 1993 mega-hit “Heart-Shaped Box.” Smith digs deep into his vocal range to summon a growling performance that balances well with its stadium-ready production; he gives the track a fresh life you wouldn’t expect from a country artist. It leans a bit into the same bombastic aesthetic as some of Hardy’s rock-sounding tracks while going further with an impressive vocal punch in the chorus at the famous line, “I’ve got a new complaint.” While no one can reach the same peaks as Cobain, Novoselic, and friends, Smith and his band have delivered a solid modern country-rock twist on one of the biggest songs in rock history.
8.1
Love You, Miss You, Mean It – Luke Bryan Written By Creed Miller
Luke Bryan gets in his feelings with his new romantic single, “Love You, Miss You, Mean It.” While he wasn’t involved in the writing process, it sounds like a Luke Bryan single through and through. Penned by Rhett Akins, Ben Hayslip, Jacob Rice, and Jordan Minton, the track looks back at a failed attempt at long distance with a former high school lover. Years pass after college when our protagonist’s phone lights up with a text to reignite an old flame. The song’s premise is sweet and relatable to many, but it certainly doesn’t stand out by any means. Much like the rest of Bryan’s catalog, it has potential for radio success. Even so, this could be one that eventually falls in the background. It carries very similar themes to so many of his other songs that when you want to listen to him, this one will fall pretty far down the list. It isn’t a bad single; it just doesn’t have that all-important “it” factor or originality, leaving a lot of room for improvement. As influential as Bryan has been in country music in the 2000s and 2010s, “Love You, Miss You, Mean It” just wasn’t anything to write home about.
5.7
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