Issue #60: 2024 So Far, in 10 Country-ish Albums and 5 Songs
Issue #60: 2024 So Far, in 10 Country-ish Albums and 5 Songs
A slice of all the great music out this year so far!
By Natalie
We’re halfway through 2024 (cue the cheers and jeers) — and there has been so much excellent music released already. A blessing and a burden for those of us who, like myself, are terrible at keeping up with and keeping track of it (yes, in spite of the fact that it is literally my job). But I’m embracing the challenge and chance for reflection that this…new fiscal year (?? sorry) brings because amplifying the work awesome artists are making against the odds is basically the only point of having a newsletter.
These lists are not exhaustive, they are not The Best or the only ones I liked or ranked or anything — just some tunes that I think deserve another spin if you haven’t listened to them yet! We’ve done a little self-aggregation here, pulling burbs from behind the paywall and adding a few new ones :)
Lizzie No, Halfsies: “A deep, raw, conceptual journey through No’s own experiences with trauma and healing via a character named Miss Freedomland that also happens to be catchy as hell…” [Read our interview with No here!]
Adeem The Artist, Anniversary: “Stellar from front to back, with meaty songs that almost recall James McMurtry and production that really draws you in. You'll hear horns and synths that blend seamlessly into Adeem's outside-the-lines country sound, and deeply felt love songs right alongside working people's anthems and outspoken laments of injustice at home and abroad (including specifically in Palestine; Adeem contributed to this compilation raising funds for the Palestinian Children's Relief Fund, also). Many of the songs touch on all those themes at once, better reflecting our broad, messy, wonderful and painful lives for it. — NW”
Corb Lund, El Viejo: “All killer no filler vibe with this one; a veteran songwriter flexing his range, from a twangy song about the Fort Worth Stockyards to a gypsy-jazz styled story song about fighting alongside Lawrence of Arabia called "Insha'Allah." A lot of meat on the bone here, making it more than worthy of a front-to-back listen. — NW”
Sarah Shook & the Disarmers, Revelations: “Revelations is born of brutal honesty and strikes the perfect balance between rock and country…that kind of work that explores weakness and redemption, fucking up and healing, love and the trouble with it…and what to do if an asshole guy tries to screw you over” [Read our track-by-track interview with Shook here!]
Brittney Spencer, My Stupid Life: “From posting covers of “Crowded Table” on Twitter to a major label deal - you couldn’t write this story any better if you tried (well, you could make country radio play these fucking songs, that would be better! But I digress). Best part of this whole journey is that the album totally delivers - “My First Rodeo” has a sensual western quality, “First Car Feeling” is a fresh take on the car/truck song that would work perfectly on radio (again, SIGH) and “If I Say So” is breathy mid-tempo perfection. Plus there’s +1 minutes of Brittney just calling her friends to plan a night out/night in. - MM”
Hurray For The Riff Raff, The Past Is Still Alive: “This is so pretty, dense with musical and lyrical ideas and a real grounded country flair. (Also, The Past Is Still Alive is such a great name for a country album!) "Ogallala," "Hawkmoon" and the title track are standouts for me… — NW”
Kelsey Waldon, There’s Always A Song: “New-old-fashioned country music that’s steeped in tradition without being strangled by it…” [Read our track-by-track interview with Waldon here!]
Kaia Kater, Strange Medicine: Fearlessly pushing towards the front edge of indie/folk/experimental/country/music, Kater demands attention and offers exhilaration in return — imploring us through bold and deeply-felt music to take nothing for granted. — NW
Brittany Kennell, Pink Collar: For fans of Maren Morris, I think — a remarkably consistent album's worth of spunky, bright, poppy country music. Instead of an '80s Mercedes, for example, we've got a "Grand Marquis," but I'm having too much fun to mind the similarity. The smart title track we've already covered in this newsletter, and Kennell extends the broadly girl-powerish theme with jam-worthy "Trophy Wife." — NW
Dawn Landes, The Liberated Women’s Songbook: “…a must-listen, with songs spanning over a century that all push with renewed urgency (thanks to Landes) towards a brighter future…” [Read our full interview with Landes here!]
Five Song-Of-The-Year Candidates
“Dollar Bill Bar,” Sierra Ferrell: If I’m not as high on the new Sierra album as some, I am over the moon about this song — which I have listened to about a zillion times since it was released. So hooky it could be a chart-topping single but with too much heft and compelling casualness for radio, Ferrell absolutely knocked this one out of the park. — NW
"Enjoy The Silence,” Wild Earp: This has 1700 streams on Spotify. Not acceptable! I told you all about it in February! And it still rules! Go listen, because there hasn’t been a better country cover released this year!
“A Bar Song (Tipsy)," Shaboozey: Impropably, impossibly, and yet undeniably, Shaboozey is having the year that was promised to Beyoncé. A crossover monolith with all the promise in the world, he created the best country hip-hop song since “Old Town Road” with this expert, irresistible track — and turned the BET Awards stage “into a honky tonk.” Can’t wait to see what he does next, but will be relishing this in the meantime. (also, this performance is so much better and more original than anything I’ve seen on the country awards shows in ages!!)
“Count The Days,” Swamp Dogg ft. Jenny Lewis: Bright, gospel-inflected twang, with a hook that I don’t think anyone can resist. Sweet and fun and original!
“Johnny Moonshine,” Maggie Antone: Have I spent half the summer so far with this song in my head because I am married to a man named Jonny who loves it? Maybe! But that time has been entirely pleasant. A rock n’ roll earworm that showcases Antone’s distinctive voice to great effect.
The Past Is Still Alive is AOTY for me already... and it was released in February. So much other good music has been released, but it's also been difficult for me to not compare it to Alynda Segarra.
Other favs for me are Emily Nenni's Drive & Cry and Leyla McCalla's Sun Without the Heat.
And to cheat a little bit, I hadn't listened to Louis Michot's Reve du troubadour last fall until I saw him perform live in New Orleans a month ago. It's since become one of my most played albums this year. The way Louis takes Cajun music and modernizes it while paying respect to the past and innovating at the same is beyond impressive.
TYBDRTI (Thank You Based Don’t Rock The Inbox) for showing me that corb lund album 🙌