Carrie Underwood: ‘My Gift (Special Edition)’ – Album Review

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Although it’s only September, country music’s queen, Carrie Underwood put us in the holiday spirit today (September 24) with the release of the deluxe version of her Christmas album, My Gift. Check out our full review and listen to the brand new music below.

Underwood has proved she is a superstar in any genre, recording number-one songs and albums in country, pop, Christian, and holiday. My Gift debuted #1 across multiple global charts and remained at #1 on the Christian album chart 11 weeks after it was released. It consistently remained in the Top 5 throughout the 2020 holiday season, and even hit #5 on the all-genre Billboard Top 200. She plans on continuing this success with the release of this special edition project. 

The new version adds “Favorite Time of Year”, which was actually released last year, but only available to Amazon Music subscribers. Underwood performed it during her HBO Max holiday special last holiday season. It’s a fun, up-tempo jingle in which she expresses why Christmas is her favorite time of the year. She loves the decorations, the snow, holidays movies, cinnamon and sugar cookies, and of course, the wishes that turned into presents under the tree.

“Love pouring out like the snow from the sky // Snuggled up together sitting by the fire // Oh, it’s magical, it’s my favorite time // Pretty little wishes tied up in a bow // And every little kiss is like we’re underneath the mistletoe // It’s music to my ears // Christmas is my favorite time of year”

Another new track, “All Is Well” is a brand-new gospel song written by Michael W. Smith and Wayne Kirkpatrick. Although there is only three verses total, the song is almost 4 minutes long, as Underwood lets her voice shine, extending notes beautifully.

The album concludes with the live recordings of “Let There Be Peace” and “Something In The Water.”

Between Christmas albums, Underwood released her debut gospel album, My Savior in March, which went to number one on the Christian Albums chart. It’s now been over three years since she released her last country album, Cry Pretty, which came out on September 14, 2018. She has released singles with Jason Aldean and Dan + Shay, however—“If I Didn’t Love You” and “Only Us” for the new movie, Dear Evan Hansen, respectively.  

My Gift (Special Edition) Tracklist

  1. Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee (Traditional)
  2. O Come All Ye Faithful (Traditional)
  3. Let There Be Peace (Carrie Underwood, Brett James, David Garcia)
  4. Little Drummer Boy (featuring Isaiah Fisher) (Harry Simeone, Henry Onorati, Katherine Davis)
  5. Sweet Baby Jesus (Carrie Underwood, Brett James, David Garcia)
  6. Hallelujah (with John Legend) (John Stephens, Toby Gad)
  7. O Holy Night (Traditional)
  8. Mary, Did You Know? (Buddy Greene, Mark Lowry)
  9. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas (Ralph Blane, Hugh Martin)
  10. Away In A Manger (Traditional)
  11. Silent Night (Traditional)
  12. Favorite Time Of Year (Carrie Underwood, Hillary Lindsey, Chris DeStefano)
  13. All Is Well (Michael W. Smith, Wayne Kirkpatrick)
  14. Let There Be Peace/Something In The Water (LIVE From HBO Max’s MY GIFT: A Christmas Special From Carrie Underwood) (Carrie Underwood, Brett James, David Garcia, Chris DeStefano)
Carrie Underwood's holiday album, My Gift (Special Edition) is out now

Carrie Underwood’s holiday album, My Gift (Special Edition) is out now

Fans can join our Weekly Round-Up e-newsletter here, for the latest in country music and more news about future Carrie Underwood releases.

To keep up with Underwood, follow her on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

My Gift (Special Edition), is available everywhere you buy or stream music. Take a listen below and check out more new recently released music here on our ‘New Country Music’ playlist. Be sure to give the playlist a follow for your weekly new country music fix.

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RaeLynn: ‘Baytown’ – Album Review

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RaeLynn’s brand new record Baytown is officially available now, September 24th on all streaming platforms. Check out our full review and listen to the brand new music below.

Back in August of last year, we continuously praised RaeLynn’s Baytown EP. The six song project perfectly showcased the singer-songwriter’s  confidence, clever wordplay, and amazing vocals like no other project had before. Today, the new mom expands on that collection of songs with the official Baytown album, out now.

The record features fourteen tracks in total. Previously released songs like “Keep Up,” “Judgin’ To Jesus,” and “Bra Off” anchor the project with the sassy and fiery tunes we have come to love from the songstress. Similarly, RaeLynn’s new collaborative song with Mitchell Tenpenny “Get That All The Time” further exhibits her flirty personality.

“I know that you could have anyone in here tonight // But you’d be better off mine // I bet you get that all the time // All the time // You’re probably getting pretty used to me // I bet you memorize the lines // And this ain’t nothing new to ya”

RaeLynn also collaborates with country superstar, Blake Shelton on “Why I Got A Truck.” The new song centers around the singer’s country upbringing and the importance of a truck in her life. Although a truck is a familiar focal point on many country songs, the singers portray the subject in a new and girl-power-like light.

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“Rowdy” is another fun new song off the new record. Once again, RaeLynn leans into her country, Texan roots. Singing lyrics, like “I get rowdy, I get mouthy,” the songstress is unapologetic about her upbringing. “Only In A Small Town” shares the sentiment of pride for her hometown in a humorous way.

“Only in a small town does your ex get locked up and knocked up your best girl friend // Spending every bit of my $10.25 an hour to throw a shower // Hell, only in a small town”

Despite the fact that Baytown is full of sassy hits, it is also the home to many vulnerable songs by the rising artist. While the touching ballad “Fake Girl Town” sheds a much needed light on the detrimental culture that exists between girls, “Small Town Prayer” reminds us all of the importance of hope, faith, and community.

“It all sounds simple coming off our lips // Cause we’re so little // and he’s so big // can’t find it in a bible // but Lord I swear, nothing hits heaven like a small town prayer”

RaeLynn continues to let fans into her heart on songs like “Me About Me” and “She Chose Me.” The former is a full-fledged confession about the details of a break-up and a one-sided relationship. The heartbreakingly stunning mid-tempo song conveys a type of honesty that we only get from country music. The latter is an incredibly honest story about a woman getting pregnant and keeping the baby, written from the perspective of the child that was born. RaeLynn calls it the prequel to her song “Love Triangle.”

“That’s one hell of a choice to make // If it went the other way, nobody would have blamed her // Think of all the small town talk it would have saved her // She could’ve chosen one quick fix // To get her out of one big mess / She could have tied a different ribbon to the ending of the story”

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The record ends with “Made For Me To Love (Demo).” The song is clearly a personal one to the singer. It tells the story of her getting pregnant with her daughter Daisy Rae, who was born earlier this month. Arguable the most poignant RaeLynn song to date, it is the perfect way to end the exquisite full-length album.

Baytown Tracklist

  1. Keep Up
  2. Still Smokin’
  3. Fake Girl Town
  4. Judgin’ To Jesus
  5. Me About Me
  6. Bra Off
  7. Neon Cowgirl
  8. Small Town Prayer
  9. Get That All The Time ft. Mitchell Tenpenny
  10. Only In A Small Town
  11. She Chose Me
  12. Why I Got A Truck ft. Blake Shelton
  13. Rowdy
  14. Made For Me To Love (Demo)

Our Picks:

  1. “Why I Got A Truck”
  2. “She Chose Me”
  3. “Fake Girl Town”
  4. “Judgin’ To Jesus”
Raelynn-new-album

RaeLynn’s new album ‘Baytown’ is officially out now.

Fans can join our Weekly Round-Up e-newsletter here, for the latest in country music and more news about future RaeLynn releases.

To keep up with RaeLynn, follow her on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

Baytown, is available everywhere you buy or stream music. Take a listen below and check out more new recently released music here on our ‘New Country Music’ playlist. Be sure to give the playlist a follow for your weekly new country music fix.

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Kidd G: ‘Down Home Boy’ – Album Review

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Kidd G’s debut album Down Home Boy is out now, September 24th, on all streaming platforms. Check out our full review and listen to the brand new music below.

With almost one million followers on TikTok alone, Kidd G is leading the pack in this new wave of country music. His eclectic sound and honesty is attracting fans across the world. Today, the singer released his debut full-length album, Down Home Boy.

Featuring fourteen original songs, the artist, whose real name is Jonathan Gabriel Horne, is a writer on all of the tracks. The record kicks off with some of the songs that started it all for the singer, including “Down Home Boy,” and “Paper Hearts (F-150).” The former is an ode to his upbringing, a common theme on the record. On the other hand, the latter is an introspective song that has fans flocking to him.

“Paper hearts in the glovebox of my F-150 (F-150) // And I might just take one out and light it up // And throw it out the window //Because I’m tipsy”

Similarly, Kidd G’s previously released song “Summer In A Small Town” has become a fan-favorite. The new song has summer romance, fun, and living the good life written all over it. Visually appealing both lyrically and within the music video, Kidd G makes every listener want to live in a small town. His country boy vocals are on full display in this fun-loving and sweet country song.

Kidd G leans into his romantic side even more on “What It’s Like,” “I Think I Love Her,” and “Ordinary Girl.” “What It’s Like” is a clever confession of liking someone. He utilizes country music staples with lyrics like “how does it feel to have a country boy’s heart racing,” as he professes his love for a special someone. On “I Think I Love Her,” the singer expresses his adoration and love for a girl yet again. If the first two songs are precursors to love, “Ordinary Girl” is a true-blue declaration of true love in a more modern and funky approach.

Leaning into his emo-music roots, “If Heaven Had A Phone” is one of the most poignant songs off the project. Anyone who has ever lost someone and missed someone can relate to this heartfelt and touching single. Kidd G leans into the vulnerability again on “Whiskey & Wine,” a fan-favorite song.

Kidd G puts words to a different kind of heartbreak on “Break Up Song.” The song starts off melancholy, but quickly reminds us of all the things that are waiting for us on the other side of a break-up. He is all of us on this catchy tune.

“The truth is I don’t believe a word that you said // The hard part is that I knew that you’re gone // The worst part is that I gotta move on // Yeah, the worst part is that I even had to make this song // Cheers to a break-up song”

On “Folks Back Home,” Kidd G clearly shares his story of growing up in the country. He shows pride for his small-town upbringing yet again. Finally the record wraps with the pensive song, “Last Call.” Kidd G struggles with his demons from a broken relationship on the moody, yet captivating song.

Overall, Kidd G’s debut release is like nothing you have ever listened to before. And that’s a good thing! Clearly influenced by hip-hop, emo, and country music, Kidd G’s sound is a one that’s all of his own. Fans should definitely give this record a listen.

DOWN HOME BOY Official Track List:

  1. “Down Home Boy” | Chris Destefano, Rhett Atkins, Jonathan Gabriel Horne
  2. “Paper Hearts (F-150)” | Jesse Frasure, Ernest Smith, Jonathan Gabriel Horne
  3. “What It’s Like” | Kyle Fishman, Ben Hayslip, Jonathan Gabriel Horne
  4. “If Heaven Had A Phone” | Bonnie Dymond, Jake Saghi, Jonathan Gabriel Horne
  5. “2000 & IDK” | Johann Elliot, Bonnie Dymond, Jonathan Gabriel Horne
  6. “Break Up Song” | Simon Jonasson, Nicole Spooner, Juan Guerrieri-Maril, Jonathan Gabriel Horne
  7. “Whiskey & Wine” | Bonnie Dymond, Christopher Luc Nyhus, Dantavius Walker, Jonathan Gabriel Horne
  8. “I Think I Love Her” | John Charles Reno Prentice, Jake Rose, Jonathan Gabriel Horne
  9. “Summer In A Small Town” | John Thomas “J.T.” Harding, Rhett Atkins, Jacob Rice, Jonathan Gabriel Horne
  10. “Ordinary Girl” | Morgan O’Connor, William Keating, Blake Hubbard, Jarrod Ingram, Jacob Saghi, Jonathan Gabriel Horne
  11. “UNKNWN Number” | Bonnie Dymond, Jonathan Gabriel Horne
  12. “You Could Use Me” | Bonnie Dymond, Jonathan Gabriel Horne
  13. “Folks Back Home” | Bonnie Dymond, Lawrence Stoll, Ryan Jeffrey Anderson,  Jonathan Gabriel Horne
  14. “Last Call” | Bonnie Dymond, Jonathan Gabriel Horne

Our Picks:

  1. “If Heaven Had A Phone”
  2. “What It’s Like”
  3. “Ordinary Girl”
  4. “Break Up Song”
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Kidd G’s debut album ‘Down Home Boy’ is out now, September 24th. 

Fans can join our Weekly Round-Up e-newsletter here, for the latest in country music and more news about future Kidd G releases.

To keep up with Kidd G, follow him on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

Down Home Boy, is available everywhere you buy or stream music. Take a listen below and check out more new recently released music here on our ‘New Country Music’ playlist. Be sure to give the playlist a follow for your weekly new country music fix.

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Mickey Guyton: ‘Remember Her Name’ – Album Review

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Mickey Guyton’s new album Remember Her Name is out now, September 24th on all streaming platforms. Read our full review and listen to the new music below.

For years, Mickey Guyton has been deservedly buzzed about within the country music industry. With a powerful gift and an even more powerful message, the golden voiced songstress has repeatedly been named “one to watch” and a “rising star.” However, over the last year, Guyton’s star has continued to ascend to a much deserved level, with a historic Grammy nomination and a performance and co-hosting gig at this year’s ACM Awards.

Today, September 24, the singer-songwriter released her full-length debut album, Remember Her Name, a sixteen song collection that serves to make listeners do just that. Guyton had a hand in writing fifteen of the album’s tracks, and each tells a different side of her story. “It’s crazy that the album is a story essentially,” says Guyton in a statement. “I was just writing and writing. I didn’t even know what the album meant or what it was going to be when I was writing these songs, I just started writing songs about my feelings.”

For the Capitol Nashville recording artist, Remember Her Name shows Guyton embracing everything she is, as opposed to everything Nashville thinks she should be. This theme weaves its way throughout the LP, shining through on songs like the peppy up-tempo “Different,” “Love My Hair,” and “Words.” On “Different,” she proclaims that it’s her differences that make her unique, “I love my skin // I love my hair // and if it bothers you // I really don’t care,” she assures us. “I’m just me // take it or leave // I’m just trying to be who I was born to be.” Meanwhile, on the vulnerable “Words,” she shows her softer side. “What can I say // I’m only human // Sticks and stones will never break my bones // But words still hurt me.” 

It’s not all heavy themes on Remember Her Name with Guyton showing her country side on the likes of “All American,” her sexy side on “Dancing In the Living Room,” and her flirty side on “Rosé.” “All American” is the most typical “country” song on the album, celebrating the Texas native’s upbringing in “one big small town.” Meanwhile, “Rosé” is an ode to everyone’s favorite cheap wine. She’s not here to sing about whiskey or tequila, but on the fun track, she’s looking for something “pretty in pink,” reminding the listeners that “Everything is gonna look brighter // When you see it through rose colored glasses.”

One thing Mickey Guyton has never shied away from is tackling the tough subjects, whether that’s on social media or in song. This is most evident on songs such as “Black Like Me,” “Remember Her Name,” and “What Are You Gonna Tell Her?” Each tackles various subjects including social injustice and the adversity she’s faced as a black woman.

“I want people to feel loved and accepted and seen when they listen,” she reveals of her main goal for the album. “I know what it’s like to feel unseen and I want people that feel that way to hear this and say, ‘Man, that’s me.'”

For Mickey Guyton, Remember Her Name was a project a decade in the making, and it was certainly worth the wait.  The LP is the triumphant celebration of a woman who knows exactly who she is, and is proud to show it.

Remember Her Name Official Track List:

  1. Remember Her Name (Mickey Guyton, Parker Welling, Blake Hubbard, Jarrod Ingram) 
  2. All American (Mickey Guyton, Victoria Banks, Emma-Lee, Karen Kosowski) 
  3. Different (Mickey Guyton, Emma-Lee, Karen Kosowski) 
  4. Love My Hair (Mickey Guyton, Anna Krantz) 
  5. Lay It On Me (Mickey Guyton, Jaden Michaels, Gavin Slate) 
  6. Higher (Mickey Guyton, Nathan Chapman, Fraser Churchill, Preston Glass, Narada Walden) 
  7. Dancing In The Living Room (Mickey Guyton, Karen Kosowski, Victoria Banks, Emma-Lee)
  8. Do You Really Wanna Know (Mickey Guyton, Melissa Fuller, Andy Skib) 
  9. Black Like Me (Mickey Guyton, Emma Davidson-Dillon, Fraser Churchill, Nathan Chapman) 
  10. Words (Mickey Guyton, Abbey Cone, David Kalmusky)
  11. What Are You Gonna Tell Her? (Mickey Guyton, Karen Kosowski, Victoria Banks, Emma-Lee)
  12. Smoke (Mickey Guyton, Nathan Chapman, Balewa Muhammad) Produced by Karen Kosowski
  13. Rosé (Mickey Guyton, Karen Kosowski, Victoria Banks) 
  14. Indigo (Mickey Guyton, Jimmy Robbins, Laura Veltz, Mozella) 
  15. If I Were A Boy (Toby Gad, Brittany Jean Carlson)
  16. Better Than You Left Me (Fly Higher Version) (Mickey Guyton, Nathan Chapman, Jennifer Hanson, Jenn Schott)

Our Picks:

  1. “Remember Her Name”
  2. “All American”
  3. “Rosé”
  4. “Different”
mickey-guyton-new-album

Mickey Guyton’s new album ‘Remember Her Name’ is out now, September 24th.

Fans can join our Weekly Round-Up e-newsletter here for the latest in country music and more news about future Mickey Guyton releases.

To keep up with Mickey Guyton, follow her on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

Remember Her Name is available everywhere you buy or stream music. Take a listen below and check out more new recently released music here on our ‘New Country Music’ playlist. Be sure to give the playlist a follow for your weekly new country music fix.

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Larry Fleet: ‘Stack of Records’ – Album Review

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Following the success of “Where I Find God,” Larry Fleet is releasing his album, Stack of Records, featuring collaborations with Jon Pardi and Jamey Johnson. Check out our full review and listen to the brand new music below.

With a humble everyman attitude and an unmistakable country voice,  Larry Fleet is a walking contradiction. He’s far from a newcomer to the music industry, yet to many, he seems like an overnight sensation. He’s got a crystal clear country baritone, and yet most people would mistake him for a next door neighbor as opposed to a rising superstar. 

With his single “Where I Find God,” the buzz about Big Loud Records’ Larry Fleet began, and now with the release of his album, Stack of Records, it’s time for that buzz to grow even louder. Out today, September 24, the album features fourteen tracks co-written by Fleet and others including Eric Paslay, Brett James, Josh Thompson, Rhett Akins, and Jamey Johnson. 

Despite considering himself a songwriter first, Fleet told Country Swag that he never had any intention of writing every track on his album, but that it happened authentically. “There are so many good songwriters in Nashville, and my thing is that you don’t have to write every song, but it just worked out that way,” he says. “I’m trying to put out honest, simple songs that mean something and connects with people. The way it worked out, we cut all the ones I was a writer on because it fit me for who I am.”

In fact, Fleet says he never really wanted to be an artist, and considers himself a songwriter first, as it is his true passion.  “I always take a lot of pride in writing a good song,” He tells us, saying that the key elements of his songs are honesty and simplicity.

Honesty and simplicity are two themes that carry through Stack of Records, as Fleet explores themes that everyone can relate to, but manages to do so in an honest country fashion. Often described as “classic country for a modern fan,” that sums up Fleet as an artist and a songwriter, evidenced throughout this album.

Opening with the title track, Fleet gives listeners an autobiography of the music he listened to growing up that inspired him to initially pick up a guitar. Co-written with Ben Hayslip and Eric Paslay, the song tells of a literal stack of records in Fleet’s Tennessee home. Here, he sings of being “a little bit Bakersfield and Memphis // And a whole lotta Muscle Shoals.” He continues, “Take some country, soul, rock and roll // And mix ’em all together // Yeah I’m what you get // When you’re raised on a stack of records.”

Fleet’s famous friends can also be heard flexing their musical muscles throughout the LP, including Jon Pardi on “In Love With My Problems” and Jamey Johnson on “Highway Feet.” Of the former, Fleet tells Country Swag that his friendship with Pardi began on the road, and seemed almost clandestine. Once the country traditionalist heard Fleet’s take on the song, he loved it and laid down his vocals, the pair musing, “If I could fall in love with my problems // Maybe they’d leave me too.” 

Meanwhile, Fleet collaborated with Jamey Johnson over Zoom due to a bout of Covid. Johnson contributed the title “Highway Feet,” an ode to missing the touring life due to the restrictions of the pandemic. Fleet likens the twangy track to the Willie Nelson classic “On the Road Again,” and it’s truly a highlight of the LP. The song serves as a bonus track to the project, available only on physical album and album downloads.

Fleet’s dedication to appealing to the average man is abundantly clear throughout this album, evidenced in the lyrics of songs like “Lifetime Guarantee,” “Where I Find God,” and “Quittin’ Ain’t Working,” a clever take on an attempt to stop drinking. Meanwhile, “Never Wanna Meet Another Girl” and “Heart on My Sleeve” seem to be semi-autobiographical. Of the latter, he says, “I wrote this about my younger days, when I was just running wild, and how it’s led me to the point I’m now at in my life, where my marriage and family matters more than anything else.”

Another highlight of the album is the brutally honest “Hurt Feelings,” with Fleet musing that he “never felt a hurt that felt worse // Than her // Hurt feelings.”

On “Three Chords and a Lie,” Fleet puts a unique spin on the old adage that country music is three chords and the truth, hoping a lie someone told him about an ex is actually the truth. “If everyone knows the truth but me // I still wanna believe,” He sings. “That she’s just down in Mexico with a few of her girlfriends…Tonight I’m getting by // On three chords and a lie.”

In the end, Larry Fleet says that he hopes his unconventional road to success will inspire others who are struggling to break into the industry. In many ways, he owes his rising stardom to Jake Owen who befriended the singer back in 2017 before taking him on the road. Ultimately, this led to Fleet signing with Big Loud Records in 2019, and releasing his major label debut today.

He says, “After years of trying to do something in music, I was like ‘it’s just not working.’ I’m going to do something that is going to make me a living.” Yet, after leaving music for a more steady living in construction, fate and Owen stepped in. “Quitting my job and going out with Jake, and giving this thing a go, I think has inspired people, because ya gotta take chances. You gotta go for it, if you have something you want to say.”

On Larry Fleet’s album Stack of Records, he has a lot to say, and he says it oh-so-well. With his honest lyrics, staggering vocals, and country grit, he’s sure to be appearing in many people’s stacks of records (or Spotify playlists) for years to come.

Stack of Records Tracklist

  1. Stack of Records (Larry Fleet, Be Hayslip, Eric Paslay)
  2. Lifetime Guarantee (Larry Fleet, Chris Gelbuda, Brett James)
  3. Where I Find God (Larry Fleet, Connie Rae Harrington)
  4. Quittin’ Ain’t Workin’ (Larry Fleet, Rhett Akins, Will Bundy)
  5. Different Shade of Red (Larry Fleet, Lindsay Rimes, Michael Whitworth)
  6. A Life Worth Living (Larry Fleet, Will Bundy, Brett James)
  7. Hurt Feelings (Larry Fleet, Will Bundy, Brad Warren, Brett Warren)
  8. Church Parking Lot (Larry Fleet, Lindsay Rimes, Michael Whitworth)
  9. In Love With My Problems ft. Jon Pardi (Larry Fleet, Jake Mitchell, Josh Thompson)
  10. Three Chords and a Lie (Larry Fleet, Will Bundy, Brett Tyler)
  11. Never Wanna Meet Another Woman (Larry Fleet, Will Bundy, Lydia Vaughan)
  12. Heart On My Sleeve (Larry Fleet, Will Bundy, Jeff Hyde)
  13. One For The Road (Larry Fleet, Emily Fox Landis, Logan Wall)
  14. “Highway Feet (feat. Jamey Johnson & Bryan Sutton)” [Bonus] – (Larry Fleet, Jamey Johnson)**
    **Bonus track available on physical album and album download

Our Picks:

  1. “Stack of Records”
  2. “In Love With My Problems
  3. “Highway Feet”
  4. “Hurt Feelings”
larry-fleet-new-album

Larry Fleet’s brand new record ‘Stack of Records’ is out now.

Fans can join our Weekly Round-Up e-newsletter here, for the latest in country music and more news about future Larry Fleet releases.

To keep up with Larry Fleet follow Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

Larry Fleet’s album, Stack of Records, is available everywhere you buy or stream music. Take a listen below and check out more new recently released music here on our ‘New Country Music’ playlist. Be sure to give the playlist a follow for your weekly new country music fix.

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Jackson Michelson: ‘Back To That Summer’ – EP Review

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Jackson Michelson’s new EP Back To That Summer is out now, September 17th on all streaming platforms. Check out our full review and listen to the brand new music below.

A few months ago we fell in love with emerging artist, Jackson Michelson. The singer-songwriter’s knack for crafting a catchy, yet heart-centered song is unparalleled. After introducing himself with his single, “Tip Jar,” Michelson is back with a brand new project. His new EP Back To That Summer is officially out.

The record features six original songs. Kicking off with “Tip Jar,” the singer catches listener’s attention right away. The song is all about using a night out with some live music to get over a break-up. Laced with pop-rock influences, the track is heartfelt yet still an absolute jam.

“I’ll toss a 20 in the tip jar // I gotta keep ‘em playing all night long // Tell all my buddies I won’t miss her // If I just keep ‘em playing all our songs // Ain’t reckless behavior, I gotta replace the // Memories we made here in this bar // And if the band can fix my broken heart // I’ll toss a 20 in the tip jar”

Michelson continues to keep the energy up on the next two songs, the title track, “Back To That Summer” and “Amplifier.” The former is a nostalgic tune all about reminiscing on a young-love romance. It is also one of our favorites off the project. “Amplifier” is a song primed for the stage. The singer professes his love for a one-of-a-kind lady on the upbeat track.

Similarly, Michelson expresses the buzz you get from falling in love on “Love High.” The previously released song compares love to all the things that get us feeling warm and fuzzy inside. It features cleverly-strung together lyrics that really paint a picture for listeners throughout the track.

“I don’t ever want to come down // Caught up in your blue eyes // I can’t even see the ground // Don’t need no shot of something // There ain’t nothing stronger than your kiss // I’m long gone and drunk off your lips // Girl you got me love high”

On “Call Me No One,” the singer slows down the beat to share an honest and truthful anecdote about love. The vulnerable song expresses to a girl that if no one is going to treat her the way she deserves to be treated, he will change that. Michelson creatively utilizes the idea of ‘no one’ and flips it on its head, creating a new, romantic meaning of the word.

“If no one is going to drive you home // If no one is going to kiss you all night long // If no one knows how to love you right, I’ll be no one tonight”

The record ends with “Stay Over.” Arguably, the most relatable song on the track, Michelson digs in to the messiness of break-up. Although the ex’s know that the last thing they should do is get back together, they are fighting to stay away from each other. Despite that, they “never stay over.” The song would make a great radio single for Michelson, and is one of our favorites.

Overall, the artist delivers an EP that has something for every music lover. Each of the six songs are easy and fun to listen to. At the same time, you are sure to find hidden meanings within the lyrics after each listen. Congrats to Michelson on a great project!

Back To That Summer Tracklist

  1. Tip Jar
  2. Back To That Summer
  3. Amplifier
  4. Love High
  5. Call Me No One
  6. Stay Over
Jackson-michelson-ep

Jackson Michelson’s new EP ‘Back To That Summer’ is out now.

Fans can join our Weekly Round-Up e-newsletter here, for the latest in country music and more news and announcements about future Jackson Michelson releases.

To keep up with Jackson Michelson, follow him on Instagram, Twitter,  and Facebook.

Back To That Summer is available everywhere you buy or stream music. Take a listen below and check out more new recently released tunes on our ‘New Country Music’ playlist. Be sure to give the playlist a follow for your weekly new country music fix.

Jameson Rodgers: ‘Bet You’re From a Small Town’ – Album Review

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Jameson Rodgers’ debut album Bet You’re From a Small Town, features “One Day,” “Some Girls,” and “Cold Beer Calling My Name” with Luke Combs.  Check out our full review and listen to the brand new music below.

For Columbia Nashville/River House Artists rising star, Jameson Rodgers, his debut album has been a long time in the making. The singer-songwriter moved to Music City from Mississippi over a decade ago, and has been waiting on this moment ever since. “Being from a small town in Mississippi, I’m well aware that not everyone gets to do music for a living,” says Rodgers. “I’ve been waiting to announce and release my debut album ever since I moved to Nashville 11 years ago. I’m extremely grateful for this day to be here and I can’t wait to see and hear how people react to these songs and this album.”

Co-writing 14 of the album’s 15 tracks, the newlywed singer explores themes of love, loss, small towns, and drinking beer, but manages to cover each of those tropes in a way that is new and unique. 

The album opens with the anthemic “One Day,” a tongue-in-cheek ode to that feeling of never quite getting over a breakup. With its driving guitars, the well-written and perfectly crafted mid-tempo, the song is a fantastic introduction to the album. “One day I’ll get over you,” Rodgers muses of his attempts to move on. “One day I’m gonna die.”

Other highlights of the album include “Merle Haggard,” “Missing You,” and “You Won’t. On “Merle Haggard,” we find Rodgers reminiscing about someone that his mama warned him about. “You’re the leaving story // You were good but no good for me // Mama tried to warn me // That you’d break my heart in two // Merle Haggard would’ve wrote songs about you.”

Meanwhile “You Won’t” is about accepting a breakup, while “Missing One” is a perfectly-crafted, radio-ready breakup-moving-on-missing-someone-track that we can’t get enough of. “I wanna want somebody else,” Rodgers admits. “The girls in here can’t help tonight // Because I’m missing one.” 

The theme of small town life weaves its way through the album, which is fitting considering the LP’s title. While the title track is another standout country anthem, songs like “Bars Back Home” and “Porch With a View” continue that vibe. On “Bet You’re From a Small Town,” Rodgers is truly celebrating life in a small town without being too cliche. “If you got a buddy that’s always got your back // If you’ve got a mama who prays for you no matter where you’re at // If you don’t give a damn how fast the world spins around // I bet you’re from a small town.”

Rodgers also explores topics of the opposite sex on songs like “Girl with the Broken Heart,” “Girls That Smoke,” and his chart-topping “Some Girls.” On the former, he encourages those dealing with a breakup, reminding them to “drink that wine // It’s gonne be fine.” Meanwhile, “Girls That Smoke” is about those girls who are just a bit too dangerous, wrecking hearts and weekends in one fell swoop.

Just as the album starts strong, it also closes strong with some of the best songs coming on the album’s second half. There’s “Cold Beer Calling My Name” featuring Rodgers’s labelmate, country superstar, Luke Combs. “Good Dogs” is a beautiful love song to the beloved pets that are gone too soon, while the album’s final track, “Desert,” is a sparse yet twangy song of hope about getting through tough times. “‘Cause life’s kinda crazy // Can’t predict the weather // But the cold and the rain and the pain don’t last forever,” he reminds us. “You know the lows sure make the highs so much better // Yeah sunshine all the time just makes a desert.”

It may have taken Jameson Rodgers over a decade to release his debut album, but after a few listens, we can absolutely say that it was well worth the wait.

Bet You’re From a Small Town Tracklist

  1. One Day (Jameson Rodgers/Smith Ahnquist/Will Bundy/Lynn Hutton)
  2. Merle Haggard (Rodgers/Hutton/Jake Mitchell)
  3. Close to Anything (Rodgers/Brent Anderson/Mitchell/Hunter Phelps)
  4. Bet You’re from a Small Town (Rodgers/Ahnquist/Bundy/Hutton)
  5. Missing One (Rodgers/Ahnquist/Phelps)
  6. You Won’t (Rodgers/Ahnquist/Bundy/Hutton)
  7. Girl with the Broken Heart (Rodgers/Michael Hardy/Mitchell)
  8. Bars Back Home (Rodgers/Ahnquist/Ashley Gorley/Phelps)
  9. Porch with a View (Rodgers/Anderson/Mitchell/Phelps)
  10. Bringing It Back (Rodgers/Mitchell)
  11. Girls That Smoke (Rodgers/Ahnquist/Anderson)
  12. Cold Beer Calling My Name feat. Luke Combs (Rodgers/ Phelps/Brett Tyler/Alysa Vanderheym)
  13. Some Girls (Hardy/Mitchell/C.J. Solar)
  14. Good Dogs (Rodgers/Anderson/Mitchell/Phelps)
  15. Desert (Rodgers/Ahnquist/Josh Miller/Mitchell)

Our Picks:

  1. “One Day”
  2. “Missing One”
  3. “Cold Beer Calling My Name”
  4. “You Won’t

 

Jameson Rodgers’s debut album ‘Bet You’re From a Small Town’ is out now.

Fans can join our Weekly Round-Up e-newsletter here, for the latest in country music and more news about future Jameson Rodgers releases.

Jameson Rodgers will be headlining New York City’s Bowery Ballroom as part of his Cold Beer Calling My Name tour on October 13. Tickets are available here.

To keep up with Jameson Rodgers, follow him on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

Bet You’re From a Small Town, is available everywhere you buy or stream music. Take a listen below and check out more new recently released music here on our ‘New Country Music’ playlist. Be sure to give the playlist a follow for your weekly new country music fix.

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Carly Pearce: ’29: Written In Stone’ – Album Review

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Carly Pearce’s third studio album, 29: Written In Stone is available today, September 17th. Take a look below as we dig into the record.

Carly Pearce has had a whirlwind of a year to say the least, she’s experienced the highest of highs and the lowest of lows. Some might choose to only acknowledge the pretty, but on 29: Written In Stone, Pearce embraces her pain with grace and it has resulted in what will be a career-defining album.

The project is undeniably country, and the Kelsea Ballerini co-write “Diamondback” is the clever opener where fiddles fly and diamond ring promises die.

“Take the bed where you used to lie // Keep the friends I never liked // And the happy-ever-after welcome mat // But you ain’t gonna get this diamond back, no never ever ever getting this diamond back”

It’s an empowering message to people everywhere that they shine brightest when they stay true to themselves. “I hope [this] shows you can stand in your truth and stand confidentially in whatever life gives you and to accept that”, Pearce shared with us in a recent interview.

“What He Didn’t Do” is one of the strongest moments on the record both vocally and lyrically: it’s honest in the most dignified way. Pearce proves why less can be more, even if “we both know I could run him out of this town”. Her voice shines beautifully on the chorus and establishes such composure and class that runs deep throughout the rest of the 14 songs.

There are two duets on 29: Written In Stone, one with the iconic Patty Loveless and one with the incomparable Ashley McBryde. “I’ve never been somebody that’s been like ‘I have to be in my own lane and you stay over there and we can’t collaborate’”, Pearce told us. “I think it’s super fun to collaborate with [other artists].”

The aching waltz that is “Dear Miss Loretta” has Pearce and Loveless asking Loretta Lynn for some advice. “Never Wanted To Be That Girl” is one of the more modern-sounding songs on the album, and it’s a welcomed difference. It’s not an overdone-feminist anthem, but the story never puts blame on either woman, refreshing to hear in a cheating song. Their voices blend so wonderfully together and it is bound to be a huge hit. On how the duet came to be, Pearce tells us, “I just asked her if she wanted to write a song, and she did! And we got in the same room and I was hoping that she would want to write a duet and she later told me that she was hoping the same.”

Closer “Mean It This Time” is a stunning letter-to-self that truly encapsulates the project and its finality. This is where fans will get to understand the title of the album on a new level. Pearce shares what the writing process was like of the song. “It was almost like I didn’t even notice that I was ready to think about that kind of hope. I certainly had not thought about dating at this time, and was just like “I know what this means to me” and we wrote it so fast, and when we were trying to do the demo, we were all laughing because I could not physically sing it.”

“When I say forever, I’m gonna write it in stone // 100 years wouldn’t be long enough, it would never get old // And when I give my heart away, and lay it all on the line // When I tell the world I’m yours and baby you’re mine // I wanna mean it this time”.

Throughout all of 29: Written In Stone, Carly Pearce brilliantly and sincerely tells a story while still taking the high road. This is an album that will be listened to by country fans for years to come. This chapter sets Carly Pearce on the road to be one of country music’s greats.

29: WRITTEN IN STONE TRACKLIST

  1. “Diamondback” | Carly Pearce, Kelsea Ballerini, Tofer Brown, Shane McAnally
  2. “What He Didn’t Do” | Carly Pearce, Ashley Gorley, Emily Shackelton
  3. “Easy Going” | Carly Pearce, Natalie Hemby, Josh Osborne
  4. “Dear Miss Loretta” (featuring Patty Loveless) | Carly Pearce, Brandy Clark, Shane McAnally+
  5. “Next Girl” | Carly Pearce, Shane McAnally, Josh Osborne
  6. “Should’ve Known Better” | Carly Pearce, Jordan Reynolds, Emily Shackelton
  7. “29” | Carly Pearce, Shane McAnally, Josh Osborne
  8. “Never Wanted To Be That Girl” (Carly Pearce & Ashley McBryde) | Carly Pearce, Shane McAnally, Ashley McBryde
  9. “Your Drinkin’, My Problem” | Carly Pearce, Nicolle Galyon, Sasha Sloan, Ben West
  10. “Liability” | Carly Pearce, Shane McAnally, Josh Osborne
  11. “Messy” | Carly Pearce, Sarah Buxton, Jimmy Robbins*
  12. “Show Me Around” | Carly Pearce, Emily Shackelton, Ben West  
  13. “Day One” | Carly Pearce, Shane McAnally, Josh Osborne, Matthew Ramsey
  14. “All The Whiskey In The World” | Carly Pearce, Jordan Terry Minton, Jordan Reynolds, Emily Shackelton
  15. “Mean It This Time” | Carly Pearce, Jordan Terry Minton, Jordan Reynolds, Emily Shackelton

Produced by Shane McAnally and Josh Osborne
* Produced by Jimmy Robbins
+ Produced by Shane McAnally, Josh Osborne, and Tony Brown

Our Picks:

  1. “What He Didn’t Do”
  2. “Mean It This Time”
  3. “Day One”
  4. “Never Wanted To Be That Girl”
carly-pearce-new-album

Carly Pearce’s new album, ’29: Written In Stone’ is available now

Fans can join our Weekly Round-Up e-newsletter here, for the latest in country music and more news about future Carly Pearce releases.

To keep up with Carly Pearce, follow her on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

29: Written In Stone, is available everywhere you buy or stream music. Take a listen below and check out more new recently released music here on our ‘New Country Music’ playlist. Be sure to give the playlist a follow for your weekly new country music fix.

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Alana Springsteen: ‘History of Breaking Up (Part 1)’ – EP Review

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Alana Springsteen’s new EP, History of Breaking Up (Part 1) is out now, September 17th on all streaming platforms. Check out our full review and listen to the brand new music below.

We have been huge fans of up and coming artist, Alana Springsteen since we first featured her in our Spotlight Series. Her ability to craft a lyric paired with her beautiful voice keeps us in awe of her talent. Today, Springsteen released her brand new EP, History of Breaking Up (Part 1). Simply put: it’s everything we hoped it would be.

The new EP features seven perfectly crafted tracks, all co-written by the songstress. She even co-produced five of the seven songs. The poetic project uncovers the layers of emotions as one falls in love and experiences heartbreak. Although some may call love messy, Springsteen says, “isn’t it miraculous.” She later calls all her experiences “magic” in the co-title of the project.

The record kicks off with her previously released song “California.” The track is one of those songs that makes you feel like you are floating on a cloud. Between the effortless lyrics and the smooth quality of Springsteen’s voice, you truly feel at ease. Through the song, the singer expresses how it feels to have that spark with a person that sometimes blinds us from the truth that the relationship is not meant to be. It adds a double play element as a love letter to California, a place she has always felt called to.

“Maybe it’s us or maybe I’m just falling in love with California // I can’t decide if it’s in my mind // Or just the way the lights in Santa Monica // Shine on you maybe it’s just the view // Baby I’m confused, I can’t tell // maybe it’s us or maybe I’m just falling in love with California”

Similarly, Springsteen explores the theme of wanting something that’s not meant for you on her duet with Roman Alexander, “Trying Not To.” The song taps into those feelings of when you are trying to stay away from someone, but you just keep getting pulled in. That magnetism you feel is undeniable; despite, what your brain is telling you. “My heart has wanted one thing, but my brain has known better,” shared Springsteen about the song.

On “Girlfriend,” one of our favorite songs on the project, the singer-songwriter gets deeper and even more vulnerable. The heartbreaking, yet relatable ballad explores the idea that although you are with someone, you are not the one. It is full of self-doubt and insecurity, but it feels pure and honest – something country music is all about.

“Cause she’s still the one in your head // I’m just the girl in your bed // She’s got a hold of your heart // I’m just the one in your arms // When you’re with me, you ain’t with me // I feel her name on your lips when you kiss me, it kills me // You’re gonna end up with her in the end // Cause she’s your girl, I’m just your girlfriend”

Springsteen continues to showcase her undeniable vulnerability on the beautiful ballad “God Must Be Mad At Me.” The desperation and the anguish that the artist conveys in this beautiful song is unmatched by any new artist in country music right now. Springsteen finds a new way to convey how it feels to be in love with someone who does not love you back.

The singer continues to tackle that story on “Homesick.” The word usually describes a gut-wrenching feeling of missing a place, but Springsteen flips the term and uses it to describe the ‘home’ you find in a person. On the contrary, “I Blame You” is a more cheerful song that showcases how it feels to see places you love through the eyes of someone you love.

Springsteen ends the collection of songs on a lighthearted note. Having dug through the depths of heartbreak, “Zero Trucks” seems fitting to end the project with. It is clear that she really embodies the message that the song conveys. Sometimes, endings can feel freeing and right, it does not always have to be sad.

Overall, Springsteen outdoes herself on this EP. She perfectly crafted each song on the project. The singer is one to look out for, and we predict that her career is truly just getting started.

History of Breaking Up (Part 1) Tracklist

  1. California (Alana Springsteen, Jerry Flowers, Jared Ray Keim)
  2. Girlfriend (Alana Springsteen, Travis Wood, Pete Goode)
  3. Trying Not To ft. Roman Alexander (Alana Springsteen, Roman Alexander, Jerry Flowers, Jared Ray Keim)
  4. God Must Be Mat At Me (Alana Springsteen, John Byron, Lauren Larue)
  5. Homesick (Alana Springsteen, Andrew Deroberts, Ryan Beaver)
  6. I Blame You (Alana Springsteen, Tyler Filmore, John-Luke Carter, Will Weatherly)
  7. Zero Trucks (Alana Springsteen, Walker Hayes, Joe Clemmons)
Alana-springsteen-ep

Alana Springsteen’s brand new EP ‘History of Breaking Up (Part One)” is out now.

Fans can join our Weekly Round-Up e-newsletter here, for the latest in country music and more news and announcements about future Alana Springsteen releases.

To keep up with Alana Springsteen, follow her on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

History of Breaking Up (Part 1) is available everywhere you buy or stream music. Take a listen below and check out more new recently released tunes on our ‘New Country Music’ playlist. Be sure to give the playlist a follow for your weekly new country music fix.

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Ray Fulcher: ‘Larkin Hill Mixes’ – EP Review

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Ray Fulcher’s brand new EP Larkin Hill Mixes is out now, September 17th on all streaming platforms. Check out our full review and listen to the brand new music below.

Ray Fulcher is a name you should take note of! Fulcher is the man behind many hit songs, including many tunes for Luke Combs. Throughout the last couple of years, Fulcher has been establishing himself as an artist in his own right. Back in June, he released a three-song bundle project. Today, he is re-releasing those three songs, as well as, two new tunes in a brand new EP he titled Larkin Hill Mixes.

Keeping with his traditional take on country music, each of the five songs are ones that scream nostalgia. Beginning with the new song, “Compliment,” Fulcher unapologetically stays firm in who he is and the way he was raised. The fun and cheeky song is essentially all about laughing at your haters and just being you. Plus, it is fun and perfect for a live show!

Similarly, “Girl in It” is primed for success on the stage! The song has become a fan-favorite, and for good reason. Fulcher sings about a guy always having a girl on his mind on the new single. Specifically, it seems that a girl is the reason for almost everything in a man’s life.

“They’re why they make porch swings and half-carat rings // Carolina sunsets and California Kings // If your heart’s on fire // If everything’s spinning // If you’re going out of your mind // I bet there’s a girl in it”

 

Next up, “Way Out” takes us back to growing up. With clear imagery of the streets we grew up on and the people that made us. The song fits in perfectly with Fulcher’s catalog of music. The singer-songwriter has us all yearning for the good old days on this perfectly executed song.

“Bucket List Beers” is the final previously released song on the EP. It is all about celebrating life’s little moments. Fulcher reminds us that there has truly been a beer for everything, cleverly marking our lives through the years. This is a true-blue country song if there ever was one!

“That’s one of those // That you’ll never forget // That’s one of those // You’ll be glad that you did // One of them once-in-a-lifetime // Drink-em-while-you-can-kind // Six-pack souvenirs // Yeah, so raise ‘em up high // That’s some of my // Bucket list beers”

Finally, the record ends with the second brand new song, “Damn If It Didn’t Hurt.” Continuing to keep us on nostalgia lane, Fulcher shares all the experiences that stung a bit and a hurt a little. Ultimately, the singer wisely shares that things are not worth it if it didn’t hurt a little bit. Anything that is worth having is worth taking the risk. 

In just five songs, Fulcher will make you a believer in his talent. Larkin Hill Mixes is a perfect reintroduction to the singer-songwriter’s one-of-a-kind talent and heart.

Larkin Hill Mixes Tracklist

  1. Compliment
  2. Girl in It
  3. Way Out
  4. Bucket List Beers
  5. Damn If It Didn’t Hurt
ray-fulcher-new-ep

Ray Fulcher’s new EP ‘Larkin Hill Mixes’ is out now, September 17th on all streaming platforms

Fans can join our Weekly Round-Up e-newsletter here, for the latest in country music and more news and announcements about future Ray Fulcher releases.

To keep up with Ray Fulcher, follow him on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

Larkin Hill Mixes is available everywhere you buy or stream music. Take a listen below and check out more new recently released tunes on our ‘New Country Music’ playlist. Be sure to give the playlist a follow for your weekly new country music fix.