Conner Smith releases his new EP, Smoky Mountains Sessions, out now, August 2nd on all streaming platforms. Listen to the brand new project here.
For rising star Conner Smith, his new EP, Smoky Mountain Sessions, finds him getting back to the basics. With a stripped down approach, the Nashville native focuses on lyrics and melody on the four tracks, all of which he wrote or co-wrote.
For the Valory Music Co. project, Smith enlisted musical heavyweight Dwight A. Baker to produce the project in just four days. Working with his touring band, the EP was recorded at Echo Mountain Studio in Asheville, North Carolina.
“Smoky Mountains Sessions came from a desire to get back to the core of songwriting. With these new songs, two of which I wrote by myself, I wanted to create them in a way that felt very raw and honest,” shares Smith. “Working with Dwight Baker for the first time on this project, we took my band up to Echo Mountains in Asheville and brought these songs to life over the course of four days. This collection is just the beginning of more new music on the way I can’t wait to share!”
The EP opens with “Boys in the Picture,” a snapshot of small-town living, surrounded by friends and all the troubles boys get in as they grow up. Likewise, the catchy “Songs for Tennessee” takes Smith back to his roots in a swinging and fun celebration of Smith’s home state. Chock full of slide guitars and fiddles, the track is an immediate standout, grabbing a listener’s attention. “This song’s for the homeland, The good ol’ folks that made me,” He sings. “The song in my heart is a song for Tennessee.”
“Thousand Miles Away” is a romantic ode to a long-distance relationship, and dreaming of the day they can be together in the same place. “I won’t have to spend most my days feeling like my heart is a thousand miles away,” He croons longingly, before the EP ends with a new take on Smith’s collaboration with Hailey Whitters, “Roulette on the Heart.” While the duet itself is powerful in any form, the stripped down versions adds a new depth of ache as the pair deal with the woes of an on-again, off-again dalliance.
“Are you tryin’ to love me // Are you tryin’ to kill me // Every night with you is a shot in the dark // You touch me with a whisper, kiss me like a stranger // Holdin’ somebody shouldn’t be this hard // Oh and I know this game ends one of two ways // Are you gonna break me // Are you gonna save me // Lovin’ you baby is roulette on the heart”
On his new EP, Smoky Mountain Sessions, Conner Smith breaks things down and goes back to the basics with a simple song-focused collection that shows a different side to the rising star.
Smoky Mountains Sessions Tracklist:
A Thousand Miles Away | Written by ConnerSmith
Song For Tennessee | Written by ConnerSmith
Boys In The Picture | Written by ConnerSmith, Rodney Clawson, Jessie Jo Dillon, Matt Jenkins
Roulette On The Heart (featuring Hailey Whitters) (Smoky Mountains Sessions) | Written by ConnerSmith, Jessi Alexander, Chase McGill, Mark Trussell
Conner Smith shares new EP, ‘Smoky Mountains Sessions,’ out now on all streaming platforms.
Fans can join our Weekly Round-Up e-newsletter here, for the latest in country music and more news about future Conner Smith releases.
For tour dates and more, visit the singer-songwriter’s website here.
Smoky Mountains Sessions is available everywhere you buy or stream music. Take a listen below and check out more new recently released music on our ‘New Country Music’ playlist. Be sure to give the playlist a follow for your weekly new country music fix.
Ella Langley releases her debut album, hungover, out now, August 2nd on all streaming platforms. Listen to the brand new project here.
With a uniquely honeyed tone and an uncanny vulnerability, Ella Langley has been routinely labeled as one to watch in country music. With the release of her debut full-length album, hungover, out now, she proves why.
The collection features fourteen new tracks, all written or co-written by the Alabama native, alongside Nashville heavyweights like Will Bundy, Brett James, Rhett Akins, Laura Veltz, and more.
“This has been my dream for my whole entire life, so releasing my very first record is a really good feeling, and I’m so proud of it,” Langley says of the Sawgod Records/Columbia LP. “Before this record was even finished, I remember driving around in my car listening to ‘Hungover,’ and it hit me that it was the perfect title to encapsulate this era of my life and all the feelings I’ve poured into the songs. There’s a lot of different ways you can be hungover, but Lord knows every hangover hurts.”
That hurt is a prominent theme throughout the collection, weaving its way in different ways through Langley’s emotive grit and soulful sound. Her lyrics are smart and clever, telling incredibly vulnerable stories in a way that’s both poignant and triumphant.
The titular track is an immediate example of Langley’s prowess as both a songwriter and a vocalist, her stunning tone punctuating the mournful ballad that burns with the ache of a toxic relationship. Over bluesy electric guitars, her soulful vocals cascade through the ode to last call mistakes and the subsequent hangover that comes the next morning.
“Yeah I’m hungover // Still a long way from sober // Dammit I’m hurtin’ // This morning I’m learning // How much that Bourbon in your kiss don’t lead to closure // And yeah I’m hungover // This on again, off again is takin’ its toll // I try but I can’t seem to tell myself no”
“Love You Tonight” tackles a similar theme, as she deals with the aftermath of “doing what I swore I wouldn’t do.” It’s a modern day retelling of Lee Ann Womack’s “I May Hate Myself in the Morning,” as she proclaims, “Gonna love you tonight, gonna hate me tomorrow.”
Heartache songs are foremost on the album, but no two are alike. “I Blame the Bar” is one of the most unique lyrical breakup tracks in recent memory, blaming the place of the meet cute for her heartbreak, as opposed to the guy who did the breaking. Meanwhile, “Better Be Tough” is an almost raucous pop-rock-tinted kiss off to a cheating boyfriend that shows Langley isn’t taking a guy’s BS.
On “Paint the Town Blue,” she’s drinking to forget her pain, accepting that she needs to drown her sorrows to truly move on, while “Cowboy Friends” finds her moving up and moving on to get over a terrible ex. The song finds her channeling hints of Miranda Lambert meets Kacey Musgraves, with its unapologetic lyrics as she looks past one bad boy to the next. “So saddle up and ride away, It ain’t like it was love anyways,” She sings teasingly. “I won’t have no trouble rounding up the next when this ends, I’ve got me more than a few cowboy friends.”
Langley is sunny and optimistic on tunes like “Nicotine,” which finds her looking for a new love to be her new addiction, while “You Look Like You Love Me” is a clear stylistic standout on the album. Featuring fellow Alabama native Riley Green, the viral release finds the pair mixing spoken verses with a singsong chorus on the uniquely timeless country track.
“Girl Who Drank Wine” and “Closest to Heaven” are classic country story songs, with the former a smoky-bar Western that tells the tale of a one night stand where the girl walks away with a cowboy’s heart. Meanwhile, “Heaven” provides an especially ethereal moment, recalling the kind of eternal love between her grandparents that is the closest thing to Heaven on Earth.
Three of the album’s most special tracks come late in the album, with “Monsters” finding her both utterly vulnerable and relatable. On the introspective track, she battles the “real monsters” living inside her head, dealing with self-doubt, painful memories, and being her own worst critic.
“Inside my head I over-analyze // Let my worst critic criticize // Every last mistake I ever made // Every woulda, coulda, shoulda, on replay // I’ve got some real monsters // Livin’ inside my head // Memories I’d like to leave // Shoved up under my bed // Caught up in a bad dream // Don’t even have to sleep // To see every regret, take it from me // I’ve got some real monsters // Livin’ inside my head”
The album’s final two tracks are both sparse and acoustic, with “Cowgirl Don’t Cry” shining as an ode to a girl who has been numbed by heartbreak. Finally, “Broken In” closes the album in a stunning manner, her voice on full display as she sings that oftentimes, things are better when they’ve been used. Ranging from horses to trucks to hearts and hands, things are just better when they’ve got some miles and some scars.
For Ella Langley, that is true of the music on hungover, each song showing pain and scars that ultimately led to something beautiful.
hungover Tracklist:
Hungover (Ella Langley/Josh Kear/Chris Tompkins)
I Blame the Bar (Ella Langley/Joybeth Taylor/Chris LaCorte/Meg McCree)
You Look Like You Love Me Ft. Riley Green (Ella Langley/Aaron Ratiere/Riley Green)
hungover is available everywhere you buy or stream music. Take a listen below and check out more new recently released music on our ‘New Country Music’ playlist. Be sure to give the playlist a follow for your weekly new country music fix.
Megan Moroney’s brand new album, Am I Okay? is officially out now, July 12th on all streaming platforms. Learn more and listen to the new album below.
Following in the footsteps of her stellar debut, 2023’s Lucky, Megan Moroney is back with her sophomore effort on Sony Music Nashville/Columbia Records, Am I Okay?. Out now, the new collection is a clear next step for the rising superstar.
Produced by Kristian Bush (of Sugarland), each of the album’s fourteen tracks were written or co-written by Moroney, alongside the likes of Luke Laird, Jessie Jo Dillon, Jessi Alexander, Ashley Gorley, Liz Rose, Shane McAnally, and more. The result is an exhilarating release, proving that the Georgia native’s meteoric rise is only bound to continue.
Am I Okay? opens with its title track, a triumphant midtempo that finds her stronger on the other side of a breakup. Accompanied by a triumphant chorus of gang vocals, she’s moving on and moving up with someone better than her no-good ex. “I don’t feel like a sad song soundtrack, The old me doesn’t know how to feel about that,” She muses, chock with self-realization. “Am I okay? I think I’m okay.”
Much of the album deals with the universal themes of breaking up, making up, and moving on, without ever sounding sameish or repetitive. There’s the stirring “28th of June,” a piano-ballad about the bittersweet recollections of an anniversary after a relationship ends. “Today would’ve been a day that we’d celebrate,” She sings. “And now it’s just another Tuesday.”
“Third Time’s the Charm” finds her buoyant and optimistic as she falls in love again, hoping that the third love in her life will also be the final one. Meanwhile, the previously released “No Caller ID,” finds her eager to move on despite late night calls from an ex. Similarly, “I Know You” finds her admitting to herself that the man in her life isn’t a good one. It’s a sparse and stirring guitar ballad, her broken heart on full display.
“I know you, And you’re out sipping whiskey with some girl you barely know // While you’re texting me you miss me, say you’re sitting home alone // I’m two-thousand miles away and you can’t help that you can’t change, you’ll wake up with her in the bed I made”
Moroney can do ballads like a pro, but she can also sell an uptempo with fervor, evidenced on tracks like “Man on the Moon” and “Indifferent.” The latter is a gritty and guitar-driven anthem about moving on and no longer caring about a “guy who was more wrong than right,” finding herself happy to have found indifference. Likewise, “Man on the Moon” is a roaring rocket to the stratosphere, a surefire hit of pop-tinted country perfection. On the kiss-off tune, she’s moving on, ejecting someone from her life into another atmosphere.
“‘Yeah but he’s the kind of man I’d like a hundred thousand miles from here // ‘Cause he wants me and he needs space // Someone take this cowboy away // Somewhere far, let him fly // Out of this world and off my mind // C’mon there’s gotta be a rocket somewhere taking off soon // I think it’s time we put another man on the moon”
“Heaven by Noon” shows her contemplating life and loss, a poignant and touching wish that she had said and done more before someone passed on. “When I talked to you this morning, I said I’ll see you soon,” She sings, voice laced with emotion. “Would have said so much more, If I only knew, That you’d be in heaven by noon.” Meanwhile, “The Girls” is a true celebration of the female support system, its lyrics primed for Instagram videos and TikTok montages of special moments with the friends who can get you through anything.
Lyrically, Moroney and her co-writers truly stretched themselves on this album, notably on songs like the cheeky “Miss Universe” and “Mama, I Lied.” On the former, she’s happy that if she had to be dumped, it was for a beauty queen, while the latter finds her admitting some hidden truths to her mom. On the rootsy and old-school country ballad, she confesses many of her lies, with the most prominent being that her ex was a good guy.
“Noah” feels very early Taylor Swift, as the Georgia native teasingly sings about a high school sweetheart, while “Hope You’re Happy” is a bittersweet ballad that finds her wishing an ex well, while remaining blissfully ignorant of his life. She’s joined by the unmistakable Vince Gill here, who lends his smooth harmonies to the gorgeous track.
The album ends on a stunning note, Moroney strong yet vulnerable on “Hell of a Show.” Much like Taylor Swift’s, “I Can Do It With a Broken Heart,” the sparse ballad speaks to putting on a smile while aching inside. It’s a short and sweet ballad that speaks to the power of a performer, her vulnerable vocals floating over a sparse acoustic guitar as she pulls back the curtain between the public and private personas.
“Keep it together, I can keep it together, For the room full of people here who love me better // Than he could’ve, or would’ve, and should’ve I know, I guess you could say I put on a hell of a show // ‘Cause I’ll smile and I’ll sing and I’ll wave and repeat // And tonight I’ll cry myself to sleep”
Since bursting onto the music scene with “Tennessee Orange,” Megan Moroney has been making quite the name for herself. Am I Okay? proves that she’s much more than just okay, she’s arguably country’s next big superstar.
Am I Okay? Track List:
Am I Okay?
Third Times a Charm
No Caller ID
Man on the Moon
28th of June
Indifferent
Noah
Miss Universe
Mama, I Lied
I Know You
The Girls
Heaven By Noon
Hope You’re Happy
Hell of a Show
Country Swag Picks:
Am I Okay?
Man on the Moon
Miss Universe
The Girls
Megan Moroney shares new album, ‘Am I Okay,’ out now on all streaming platforms.
Fans can join our Weekly Round-Up e-newsletter here, for the latest in country music and more news about future Megan Moroney releases.
Am I Okay? 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.
https://countryswag.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/megan-moroney-moon.jpg6301200Nicole Pieringhttps://countryswag.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/logo-new-cs-white.pngNicole Piering2024-07-12 00:12:212024-07-12 00:12:21Megan Moroney: ‘Am I Okay?’ Album Review
Chase Matthew releases his new EP, Always Be Mine,out now, July 4th, on all streaming platforms. Listen to the brand new project here.
Warner Music Nashville recording artist Chase Matthew continues to release music that speaks to his talent and attracts more and more followers. Today, the singer-songwriter is sharing a brand new EP called Always Be Mine. The record features five new songs.
The record kicks off with the title track, a nostalgic song that feels summer-ready. Despite the bittersweet message in the song, the track feels like the perfect groove for the summer season. “Always Be Mine” fits in effortlessly with Matthew’s previous, nostalgic releases.
“You’ll always be try senior year summer // You’ll always be my can’t believe I got your number // You’ll always be that tear in a bench seat // Wine in a Dixie // First girl I told I love her // You’ll always be the one I saw forever with // You’ll always be the one my momma would picked // Yeah you’ll always be the one I’m // talking to the sun ‘bout // why’d it have to end like this”
The bittersweet feeling is evident on the next song of the project called “First.” Matthew laments on how it feels to miss an old lover; despite, trying to get over her. With lyrics like, “it’s hard to love anybody else, when I loved you first,” the song hits you right in your chest with that all-to-familiar heartache.
Matthew brings some edge to track three, “Crazy Girls.” The song is the perfect embodiment of falling in love with the wild and crazy girls aka the girls that will burn your house down. As the only song not co-written by the singer, “Crazy Girls” fits into the project perfectly.
One of the standout songs on the record is “Saltwater Cinderella.” “This Always Be Mine EP came together somewhat spontaneously, and ‘Saltwater Cinderella’ is a great example of inspiration striking me in the moment,” shared the singer in a recent press release, “I wrote that one with close friends as I was headed down to Florida for BMI’s Key West Songwriters Festival. It’s a fun summer song about those girls that love to spend time at the beach. Hope y’all get out on the water and turn it up!”
“And her nicotine // Ain’t blowing smoke / The sand on her feet // A little Toby Keith on the radio // She’s a saltwater Cinderella // One kiss is all it takes // When she’s swimming in the water // Heaven ain’t far away // She’s the beauty queen of the ocean // Hit ya’ like at idol wave // Sunshine when it’s storming // Kissing her in the rain // Saltwater Cinderella // My saltwater Cinderella”
Matthew closes out the EP with a slower song called “How You Been (Letter To The County Line Girl).” The song is a heartfelt and honest one-sided conversation to the girl the singer wrote his song, “County Line” about. Arguably the best song on the project, Matthew shows off his songwriting girt, as well as, his ability to convey emotion in his music.
“Do your friends still think I”m crazy // We never cared we were so in love // Is your car still running on empty // While my minds still running on us // I still hear your voice singing to me // As you were playing on your Gibson guitar // I’m not here to tell you something that we should be // It’s just been weighing on my heart // I don’t miss what we had back when // But how you been”
Overall, Always Be Mine solidifies Matthew’s incredible talent. While we were already fans of the singer, this EP makes us root for him even harder! Anyone who hasn’t jumped on the bandwagon yet, needs to get to it ASAP!
Always Be Mine EP Tracklist:
Always Be Mine (Chase Matthew, Jacob Durrett, Andy Albert, Jaxson Free, Taylor Phillips)*
First (Chase Matthew, Jacob Rice, Ben Hayslip, David Lee Murphy)^
Crazy Girls (Michael Hardy, Jessie Jo Dillon, Daniel Ross)+
Saltwater Cinderella (Chase Matthew, Jacob Rice, Alex Maxwell, Will Pattat)^
How You Been (Letter To The County Line Girl) (Chase Matthew, Alex Maxwell, Will Pattat, Philip Morgan, West Webb)
Country Swag Picks:
“How You Been (Letter To The County Line Girl)”
“First”
“Saltwater Cinderella”
Chase Matthew shares new EP, ‘Always Be Mine,’ out now on all streaming platforms.
Fans can join our Weekly Round-Up e-newsletter here, for the latest in country music and more news about future Chase Matthew releases.
Always Be Mine EP is available everywhere you buy or stream music. Take a listen below and check out more new recently released music on our ‘New Country Music’ playlist. Be sure to give the playlist a follow for your weekly new country music fix.
https://countryswag.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/chase-matthew-ep.jpg6301200Erica Zismanhttps://countryswag.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/logo-new-cs-white.pngErica Zisman2024-07-04 13:26:232024-07-04 13:26:23Chase Matthew: ‘Always Be Mine’ – EP Review
Lauren Watkins releases her brand new debut album, The Heartbroken Record, out now, June 2st on all streaming platforms. Listen to the new project here.
With a honeyed vocal tone that evokes a mix of the country greats with today’s modern female superstars, rising singer-songwriter Lauren Watkins is full of promise. The Nashville native’s debut album, The Heartbroken Record, out now, features 17 new tracks that take listeners on a journey.
Each track was co-penned by Watkins, enlisting Music Row heavy-hitters like Nicolle Galyon, Lance Miller, Andy Sheridan, and more, to lend their talents. Collaborators include Ashley Monroe, Sheryl Crow, Carter Faith, and Jake Worthington, each who lend their voices to the Joey Moi-produced debut.
Released via Big Loud Records / Songs & Daughters, the album centers around the universal theme of heartbreak but touches on everything from wallowing to revenge to moving on. “It’s the one thing that connects everybody, because no matter who you are, what your status is or how much money you have, we all feel heartbreak – it makes us the same,” Watkins revealed in a statement. “And I happen to think that as much as it can be sad, it’s a beautiful, necessary part of life.”
For Watkins, much of her debut project reads like an extremely well-written and poignant journal, her voice and style recalling icons like Miranda Lambert, Kacey Musgraces, LeeAnn Womack, and more. “I didn’t want to just put an album out – I wanted it to be purposeful,” she says. “It’s the past several years of my life, and that was just so much heartbreak and dramatic girl-feelings, but I think in a really deep and relatable way… and it just needs to get off my chest.”
Sonically, the album tends to embrace the influences of 90s country and a rootsy twang, with moments of singalon- worthy anthemic empowerment. “I brought all my influences to the table – from Kacey Musgraves and Willie Nelson to Miranda Lambert – and tried to cover every emotion that comes with heartbreak. The good, the bad, and the ugly,” she reveals. “It’s exactly the space in country I thought was missing and wanted to fill. It’s sweet and warm, but also gritty and tough at the same time, and that’s my favorite thing. I love it.”
The album’s opener “Leavers Leave” is an immediate attention-grabber with its mid-tempo 90’s inspired melody that finds her vocals floating over the inevitable facts of life. Likewise, the album’s titular track is equally poignant, as she finds herself spiraling like a broken record after a heartbreak.
While Watkins shines on ballads, she’s also right at home on up-tempo tunes, evidenced on the clever kiss off, “One Trick Pony” and “Sad Songs and You,” which finds her musing that “the only things that ever make me cry are sad songs and you.” The tune is a twangy two-stepper just made for the Opry stage, while the earwormy “Gallatin” bounces along with a summery and endlessly catchy Shanty-esque cadence.
“Mama I Made It” finds her channeling her inner Reba, cleverly turning tongue-in-cheek phrases on the lyrical disaster of her own making, while “Stuck in Her Ways” is a reflective acceptance that she’s not about to change who she is.
“I keep a six pack in the Fridge // And a rocking chair out back // I keep a light on, on the porch // And a key under the mat // I don’t park in that spot where you parked your Chevrolet // I ain’t sitting ‘round hoping you’ll come back someday // I’m just stuck in my ways // Yeah I’m stuck in my ways”
The collabs on the album provide another set of highlights, truly allowing Watkins to experiment with different sounds and styles. On “Set My Heart On Fire,” she joins forces with Sheryl Crow in an attempt to not be swayed by another bad boy. It’s rootsy and guitar-driven, much like much of Crow’s catalog. Likewise, “Pretend You’re Coming Home” finds Watkins trading verses with the ethereal Ashley Monroe, the pair longing for a simpler time when someone was still coming home. “Around five every night, I go back in time,” they sing. “Even though you’re gone, I pretend you’re coming home.”
On “Fly on the Wall,” she harmonizes with Jake Worthington, whose pristine baritone perfectly complements her emotive twang as they deal with the waltzing aftermath of moving on. Carter Faith joins in on “Cowboys on Music Row,” the pair musing over the sad state of today’s cowboys and country singers, longing for the days of the “redheaded stranger” or a “real rodeo man.” It’s a modern take on Paula Cole’s “Where Have All the Cowboys Gone?,” as they lament “Where oh, where oh, where did they go, There ain’t no cowboys on music row.”
On “Settling Things,” Watkins shows shades of Musgraves’ “Merry Go ‘Round,” musing that “we’re all kind of happy, we’re all kind of bored.” Likewise, “Burn the Bridge” has her realizing that some things just can’t be saved and it’s better to move on and move forward. It’s a catchy and lush moment of acceptance.
“Yeah I burned up a backroad // On my way outta town and // I Lit up a cigarette // To put that old flame out // Gonna burn down the bar // Burn some pictures in the yard // ‘Cause it is what it Is // If you can’t mend the fence // Burn the bridge”
Songs like “Anybody But You,” “Shirley Temple,” and “Jealous of Jane,” find her trying, with varying degrees of success, to move on. On “Anybody,” she admits that “the only way to fall out of love is to hate you,” while “Jealous” has her admitting that she “don’t want him back, but I don’t want him to want her.”
The album ends with “Too Much to Dream,” an ethereal showcase of Watkins’ gorgeous twang and brilliant lyricism. Here, she’s still trying to move on, finding an escape in her dreams.
“So if I seem like I’m a ten out of ten // I owe it to a few sheets to the wind // Tucked me in faster than I could cry // I had too much to dream last night // So if I seem like I’m a ten out of ten // I owe it to a few sheets to the wind”
With seventeen tracks centered around the central theme of heartbreak, it would’ve been easy for The Heartbroken Record to come off as same-ish and one dimensional. However, that’s not the case here. Instead, Watkins delivers a multi-faceted and humanized take on broken hearts and the aftermath in a way that shows that healing may not always be linear. It’s truly a work of art that the singer-songwriter should be proud of as she moves into her next chapter, personally and professionally.
The Heartbroken Record is available everywhere you buy or stream music. Take a listen below and check out more new recently released music on our ‘New Country Music’ playlist. Be sure to give the playlist a follow for your weekly new country music fix.
MacKenzie Porter shares her new debut album, Nobody’s Born With A Broken Heart, out now on all streaming platforms. Listen to the new tracks here.
With a slew of #1 hits already under her belt in Canada, MacKenzie Porter is poised to make a name for herself in the states. On her debut full length with Big Loud Records, the singer-songwriter promises that Nobody’s Born with a Broken Heart.
Produced by Joey Moi, the nineteen track collection is sure to take listeners on a journey. Porter co-wrote on nine of the album’s tracks, enlisting Music Row heavyweights like Hillary Lindsey, Tofer Brown, Emily Weisband, Parker Welling, and more to contribute.
Best known for duet with Dustin Lynch on the #1 hit, “Thinking ‘Bout You,” Porter is thrilled to get these new songs to her fans. “Nobody’s born with a broken heart. We all start with the naivety and innocence of youth, but then life happens. There are so many circumstances and events in a lifetime that can slowly chip away at your heart, and in the end you’re this beautiful, imperfect, cracked, mess. But isn’t that what living really is? If you didn’t have the grit, would you really know the grace?” She wrote on Instagram. “That is what this record is about. These songs are those moments in my life. I hope they maybe heal a couple of those moments in yours.”
Despite being happily married with a new baby, much of the album revolves around the universal theme of heartbreak. “Every time I tell people that [the album is about heartbreak], they’re like, ‘well, you’re in a relationship and you’re happy.’ I am, of course, but there’s a lot of different elements of heartbreak in life.”
The album opens with one of those such songs, “Easy to Miss,” a perfect slice of R&B tinted country pop that’s the perfect album kick off. The project was built around this track, allowing Porter to stretch herself vocally, lyrically, and stylistically.
Other songs centered around heartbreak include “Young at Heart,” “Confession,” and “Pay Me Back in Change.” On “Young,” Porter channels her inner “Picture to Burn”-era Taylor Swift, admitting that she can’t quite be mature in the aftermath of a breakup. On the powerful “Confession,” she’s more vulnerable, admitting she’s still in love with her ex, voice laced with sadness. Lastly, “Pay Me Back in Change” is lyrical brilliance, Porter imploring a guy to change in order to be a man who’s worthy of her.
“You can’t pay me back in sorry // Can’t pay me back with what you say // All those pretty words lose meaning // If I’m still lonely the next day // Can’t pay me back with breakfast in bed // Or a Sunday matinee // The only thing that’ll settle this debt// Is if you pay me back in change”
Likewise “Strong Things” finds her drowning her sorrows in the bottle, while “Foreclosure” cleverly compares the end of a relationship to losing a house. “Sucker Punch” leaves her breathless after an infidelity, remembering both the good and bad moments that managed to take her breath away.
“Thought we were the champions// Thought we were the type// To never throw the towel in// Never lose a fight// Didn’t hear the train// ‘Til it hit me from behind// Feeling like a fool now// ‘Cause it caught me by surprise// When you laid it on me all at once//It hit me like a sucker punch”
On “Bet You Break My Heart,” the Canada native finds herself swooning over a guy who she knows isn’t good for her, while “Wrong One Yet” is a bit more optimistic, finding hope in a new relationship. Over airy music, her heart is aflutter as she muses, “I ain’t saying he’s the right one, but hell, he ain’t the wrong one yet.”
Porter is truly content on tracks like “Coming Home to You” and “Less is More,” both which find her achieving solace in simplicity. On the latter, she admits, “They say that we got nothing, but nothing here is everything.” LIkewise, “Coming Home” is a sweet midtempo which finds her soothing lilt soaring above strumming acoustic guitars and light percussion to achieve a whimsical and airy feel. Here, she loves what she has, and realizes that the grass isn’t always greener.
“There’s always gonna be bigger houses // Longer driveways with nicer cars // There’s always gonna be whiter fences // Redder roses, in a greener yard // Most people would kill for a // Higher up hill looking down on a better view // But I don’t want no bigger house if I ain’t coming home to you”
Porter puts her own spin on truck songs with “Along Those Lines” and “Pickup,” with “Pickup” finding her wondering who’s riding shotgun now. With the catchy TikTok-able soundbite, she asks “Who’s that pickup picking up now?”
There are some country bangers here in the form of “Walk Away” and “Rough Ride for a Cowboy.” Both find her putting a cowboy in his place, with “Rough Ride” settling into a wild west, horserace musical vibe. It’s uber catchy as she proclaims, “Now he’s ‘bout to learn what lonely looks like // When I cut him loose but his hands are tied // Nothing breaks his heart like breaking his pride // When he ain’t got the reigns on goodbye // That’s a rough ride for a cowboy.”
Other pieces of earwormy pop-country include “Have Your Beer,” a kiss off track that finds her toying with the old adage that one can’t have his cake and eat it too, musing “You can’t have your beer and drink it too.” Likewise, “Chasing Tornadoes” sounds like early 2000’s-inspired country in the best way possible, finding Porter flexing sounds that could best be compared to Some Hearts-era Carrie Underwood, Kellie Pickler, or Gloriana.
Porter is as sensitive as she is tough, evidenced on songs like “Nightingale” and the title track, “Nobody’s Born with a Broken Heart.” “Nightingale” is a poignant letter of encouragement to her current self to be more like her younger self. “The song is about just being the girl that I was when I moved to Nashville, who literally thought that anything was possible and that I was going to be on the radio and a star,” She reveals. “I wanted to think like her again.”
The album concludes with its stunning title track about the innocence of youth, inspired by her own young daughter. “My little girl is gonna come into this world with no negative thoughts or preconceived notions, and she’s going to have relationships and experience heartbreak,” She reveals. “And I hope she does, because that’s what shows that you loved and that you lived.”
“I learned the hard way that growing up is hard // ‘Cause nobody’s born with a broken heart // Love’s a blade and God it’s sharp // Smooth as steel but leaves a mark // Proof of life is dying with scar // ‘Cause nobody’s born with a broken heart // Yeah nobody’s born with a broken heart.”
While heartbreak may be a prevalent theme on Nobody’s Born with a Broken Heart, MacKenzie Porter possesses a vulnerable honesty seen by the likes of early Kelsea Ballerini or Taylor Swift, sure to win over a whole legion of new fans.
Nobody’s Born With A Broken Heart Track List:
Easy To Miss (Hillary Lindsey, Emily Warren, Will Weatherly)*
Young At Heart (Tofer Brown, Lauren Hungate, Emily Weisband)
Bet You Break My Heart (Mark Holman, Chris Tompkins, Travis Wood)
Pay Me Back In Change (Emma Klein)
Rough Ride For A Cowboy (MacKenzie Porter, Lauren Hungate, Luke Niccoli, Lydia Vaughan)
Coming Home To You (Tofer Brown, Lauren Hungate, Caroline Watkins, Emily Weisband)
Strong Things (MacKenzie Porter, John Byron, Jacob Durrett, Lauren LaRue)
Visit her official website for tour dates and more.
Nobody’s Born With A Broken Heart are now 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.
https://countryswag.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/mackenzie-porter-have-your-beer.jpg6301200Nicole Pieringhttps://countryswag.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/logo-new-cs-white.pngNicole Piering2024-04-26 00:21:522024-04-26 00:21:52MacKenzie Porter: ‘Nobody’s Born With A Broken Heart’ – Debut Album Review
Wyatt Flores’ brand new EP, Half Life is out now, April 19th on all streaming platforms. Check out our full review and listen to the brand new music below.
If you haven’t heard of Wyatt Flores yet, it’s time you hop on the bandwagon; no country artist’s popularity has grown as fast as this Oklahoma-native’s. After releasing his seven-track EP, Life Lessons, he dropped another collection of eight songs just six months later. Like all of Flores’ lyrics, they are passionate, hard-hitting, and real, allowing listeners to get to know the 22-year-old on a personal level.
“These songs capture my perspective on relationships I’ve had with my family, friends, love, music, mental health, life, and death over the past couple years. I still have a lot of learning and growing to do at 22 but I’m thankful for everyone who’s ever given my music a chance,” he gratefully posted on Instagram. “I hope these songs help you with whatever you might be going through and remind you that you’re not alone in whatever it is you’re facing.”
No song is heavier than the title track. Directed to his family, he sings about the regret of leaving home to chase his dream without calling, and his addiction and how it affected his relationship with his now deceased father. He apologizes for living only a “half-life.” The opening track, “Running Out of Time,” speaks on making the most out of life. Sang from the funeral of someone close to him (likely his father), he says we have to hold the ones we love and do what makes you feel alive before we all die. Our time on this earth is short, and we must make the most of it. The most powerful lyric comes in the second verse, “Most people die at twenty-seven, get buried at seventy-two.”
The EP contains the previously released tracks, “Wish I Could Stay,” and “Milwaukee.” The former is the most light-hearted tune on the album. The singer talks about the difficulty of leaving the one you love; if he could keep her in his arms forever, he would. In “Milwaukee,” the singer feels remorse about his past relationship but wants to assure her it wasn’t for a lack of love. He also included his cover of The Fray’s “How To Save A Life” on the project. Just when you think a song couldn’t get more emotional, Flores adds his raw vocals to it, making listeners tear up almost twenty years after its initial release.
At the end of the project are “I Believe in God” and “Devil,” two extremely powerful songs. In the first, the singer confesses he is having a hard time connecting to his faith because he feels God lost faith in him. The latter is about a relationship, but not one with another human, the one with himself. He constantly fights with his inner thoughts when he’s lonely, singing in the bridge:
“Why do you find me at the worst times, just when I thought I was doin’ fine? // You wanna put a gun to my head and turn that ceilin’ red // Well, I won’t let you steal my soul // God damn lonely, just leave me alone”
At 22, most people are finishing college and discovering who they are and what they want to do for the rest of their life. Although Flores took a different route, he’s on the same path, which makes his music so relatable to others. From love, death, and mental health, there are a lot of intense themes for someone so young to explore, but they are real, and hearing someone overcome these hardships will aid others who are struggling with similar problems. The future is bright for the new singer-songwriter, and it’s only a matter of time before country fans all over the world know the voice of Wyatt Flores.
“I’m only getting one chance at life, so I try to be present,” he states in a recent press release. “There’s more to existence than what the average person experiences. No matter how old or young you are, life is here and gone. Death is always riding in the passenger seat. You can either be friends with it or make it an enemy. I choose to be friends with it. If you know that and start questioning what you’re doing, maybe you’ll go out and live a better life.”
Half Life Tracklist
Running Out Of Time
Half Life
Wish I Could Stay
Milwaukee
If I Don’t See You Again
I Believe In God
How To Save A Life
Devil
Wyatt Flores shares his brand new EP, ‘Half Life,’ out now on all streaming platforms.
In celebration of the new music, Flores will embark on his “Here, There & Gone” headline tour this summer with shows in the middle, western, and southern parts of the United States. For tickets, head to his website.
Fans can join our Weekly Round-Up e-newsletter here, for the latest in country music and more news and announcements about future Wyatt Flores releases.
Half Life 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.
Anne Wilson’s brand new album, REBEL is out now, April 19th on all streaming platforms. Check out our full review and listen to the brand new music below.
Anne Wilson is a rebel, but not in the traditional sense. While country music tends to walk the line between faith and outlaw living, Wilson has her feet firmly planted in her faith. In fact, her debut album was 2022’s Christian mega-hit, My Jesus. However, with Christian and country often going hand-in-hand, she’s committed to both on her debut country project, Rebel, out now.
“I am who I am — I’m Anne Wilson. I love God and that’s my everything, but I love Country music, too, and I can have a beautiful mix of both,” She says of the album that magically combines both.”I ’ve been working so hard over the past 15 months to write these songs, record them and get them into the world! I was raised on two things: the love of God and the love of all things Country. That’s what fuels the music I make and that’s what you’ll hear more of on Rebel.”
The Kentucky-native co-wrote all of the album’s 16 songs, collaborating with some of Music Row’s biggest names, including Nicolle Galyon, Emily Weisband, Jaren Johnston, Lainey Wilson, Trannie Anderson, and more. Christian superstar Matthew West also helped Wilson craft much of the album, co-writing 13 of the 16 songs with her.
Produced by Jeff Pardo and Jonathan Smith, Rebel is a beautiful work that shows a singer who is clearly in love with both her music and her God. The 22-year-old is not afraid to be herself, and if that makes her a “rebel” in the eyes of the world, than that’s just fine by her.
The album opens with the title track, perfectly weaving together the UMG artist’s Christian roots with a modern country sound. In some ways, it’s similar to something Gabby Barrett or Carrie Underwood might release, etched with genuine conviction. The twangy and bluesy stomp immediately sets the stage for what’s to come, lyrically revealing just who Wilson is over a twangy and bluesy revival stomp.
“Who talks to a man that they can’t see? // Who finds power in an old book they read? // In a world full of doubt, who still believes? // Who talks to a man that they can’t see? // Call me crazy, call me a fool I ain’t scared ’cause I know the truth // Ain’t gonna run, ain’t gonna hide // Ain’t gonna change my mind”
“I remember thinking ‘If being a follower of Jesus makes me a rebel, because Jesus was a rebel,’ I’m gonna stand up for my faith,” She says. “In that moment, it all kind of clicked. I wrote the song, then the whole viewpoint of the record came into focus. We had that title on a white board, and every song we wrote after came from that question: what does it mean to be a rebel?”
Like the title track, “God & Country” is an immediate standout that shows exactly who Anne Wilson is, as both a person and an artist. It’s a catchy and earwormy piece of pop-tinted country that is equal parts catchy and poignant. “I wanted to write a song that explains who I am as an artist. I was writing with Matthew, Jeff, and Trannie Anderson, and we talked about what the message was and how to put all the pieces of me in it.”
“I’m hallelujah hands high and friends in low places // Red, white, and blue and red letter pages // Back row pew and front seat Ford // New King James and old King George // I’m washed in the water and mud on the tires // I’m Friday night lights and Sunday morning choir // I’m prayers up to heaven, roots down in Kentucky // Made by God and country”
Much of the album revolves around the theme of finding strength in the Lord, as evident on songs like “Strong,” “The Cross,” “Sinners Prayer,” and “Rain in the Rearview.” The latter has her questioning how much a heart can “take before it breaks,” starting as a ballad before building triumphantly. Meanwhile, “Strong” finds her overcoming tough times by hitting her knees. “The world’s gonna try to break me,” she acknowledges, “But I know the one who makes me strong.”
The album also includes some star-studded moments including Christian superstar Chris Tomlin on “The Cross”, and country’s own Jordan Davis and Lainey Wilson. Davis and Wilson trade verses on “Country Gold,” which finds them celebrating the simple things that are important and how great it is to strike country gold. Meanwhile, Wilson (Lainey) joins Wilson (Anne) on “Praying Woman,” the incredible women trading verses about faith and the power of a devoted woman. “When she whispers ‘Dear Jesus,’ Heaven can hear it, and the devil gets back to Hell running, that’s the power of a praying woman,” they sing, backed by a female choir that helps build the song to an ethereal level.
While the album is incredibly deep and powerful, there are also moments of fun and levity, including the guide to choosing a man, “Red Flag” and the standout and twang-laden “Songs About Whiskey,” which finds her examining her place in country music.
“I’ve heard songs about Jack Daniels // Songs about Jim Beam // Heard songs about one night regrets, neon and nicotine // I guess I’m just kind of fixed on, the only thing that’s ever fixed me // That’s why I sing songs about Jesus, instead of singing songs about Whiskey.”
“Southern Gospel” is a full on call and response revival, while “My Father’s Daughter” is a beautiful love letter to her dad and the man he is. “Dirt Roads in Heaven” finds her pondering the afterlife, while “316” shares her conviction over the Bible verse, John 3:16.
The album ends with the solid one-two punch of “Milestones” and “Out of the Bluegrass.” While the latter is a fiddle and steel ode to her home state, the former is a moment of vulnerability as Wilson wonders what she’s missing out on for her career. “This four wheel spinning dream I’m living, got me feeling like I’m skipping milestones,” she sings, powerful voice laced with emotion.
“There was a moment when I wondered if I was too country for Christian music and maybe too Christian for country music,” Wilson reveals. “I felt a little afraid that I didn’t fit in any box. But then it kind of fired me up because that’s the point! I don’t want to fit into any box. I want to be uniquely who God made me to be and I’ve got to stand up for what I believe and the kind of music I believe in,” Wilson shares with the same conviction that laces her music. “I don’t want to change who I am to fit in. Not in the music industry, and not in this world.”
REBEL Tracklist
REBEL
Rain In The Rearview
Strong
God & Country
Praying Woman ft. Lainey Wilson
Song About Whiskey
Sinner’s Prayer
The Cross ft. Chris Tomlin
My Father’s Daughter
Red Flag
Country Gold ft. Jordan Davis
Southern Gospel
Dirt Roads In Heaven
3:16
Milestones
Out Of The Bluegrass
Country Swag Picks:
God & Country
Praying Woman with Lainey Wilson
Songs About Whiskey
Rebel
Anne Wilson shares her new album, ‘REBEL,’ out now 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 Anne Wilson releases.
Visit her official website for tour dates and more.
REBEL 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.
https://countryswag.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/anne-wilson-new-song.jpg6301200Nicole Pieringhttps://countryswag.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/logo-new-cs-white.pngNicole Piering2024-04-19 00:20:072024-04-19 00:20:07Anne Wilson: ‘REBEL’ – Album Review
Elvie Shane’s brand new album, Damascus is out now, April 19th on all streaming platforms. Check out our full review and listen to the brand new music below.
For Elvie Shane, his sophomore album, Damascus, is a continuation of a story that began with his debut project, Backslider. Released in late 2021, his Broken Bow debut was an autobiography of sorts, sharing his personal journey, while his new LP continues to tell that story while mixing in those of others.
“I feel like I’ve grown a lot since Backslider,” Shane shares in a statement. “I’ve attained just about everything I’ve ever dreamed of…seen the world and made a living with music. I’ve been on top and back down in the mud. In that travel and experience, I’ve paid close attention to people more than anything. I’ve seen a lot of struggle, but in that struggle, I found common ground and inspiration,” he continues. “Damascus is a record that aims to pick a fight with what holds people down. Normal everyday Blue Collar America…my people. These are not all my stories, but they are all stories I believe to be true.”
Throughout the collection, the “My Boy” singer dabbles in hip hop, blues, soul, 80’s, and of course country. He pairs his powerful voice with choirs, female background vocalists, unexpected instrumentation, and even Little Big Town.
Produced by Oscar Charles and featuring thirteen songs written or co-written by Shane, Damascus is truly an album that makes a statement. “It’s just so raw. It makes me feel like I felt when I was a kid, pissed off at the world and rocking headphones on the school bus,” he says. “I don’t wanna ever be put in a box where I can’t explore the craziest music. And this way I had an excuse to put it all on one record.”
The album opens with “Outside Dog,” unexpectedly pairing twangy guitars with a hip-hop-meets-scat-inspired melody that finds Shane an outsider. “I’m an outside dog howling along,” He growls over thumping guitars, comparing himself to a pup who never quite fits in. It’s the perfect opener for Damascus with its unexpected sounds and message of nonconformity.
Much of the album finds Shane exploring similar themes, appreciating his Appalachian roots, while also escaping them. “What Do I Know?” is a clear example of this, a slow and moody track that finds him looking back at his raising over a downtuned guitar. The song builds to an incredible climax as the singer-songwriter growls in an almost prayerful passion, “What do I know?”
“I think red lipstick on a woman’s lips look sexy // I think coke’s okay, but it’s way damn better with Jack // I think the outlaws, Waylon and Johnny are gone forever // I think Jesus // He’s coming back // Oh, but what do I know // what do I know // I’m just a hard-working, beer-working, son of an average Joe // Like to think there ain’t nothing that I can’t fix with a hammer and crescent wrench, oh, but what do I know // what do I know // what do I know”
“Appalachian Alchemy” and “Forgotten Man” are also nods to his upbringing, with the latter a soaring Springsteen-esque anthem. “The color of my neck is still the same as my blood,” He proclaims. “Send me off to school // Try to turn me to a scholar // Can’t unpaint the blue on my collar”
Throughout Damascus, the background vocalists often shine, adding incredible depth to these already-powerful songs. While the vocalists are not always known to the listener, there’s one exception: Little Big Town. The harmonic quartet join Shane on “First Place,” a driving uptempo that finds him drowning his sorrows in the bottle. Here, he’s drinking to forget but this is a song to remember with its incredible vocals. Shane blends seamlessly with the synchrony of the iconic band, providing an epic moment that would be a live show-stopper.
The Kentucky native also touches on more sensitive topics on the album, including prison, addiction, and seeking out a fix. “Jonesin” is a wild up-tempo that finds him on the hunt for what’s next, and what’s bigger or better to give a quick fix. Meanwhile, “215634” is a tune about one’s time spent behind bars. “These 4 cold walls, they don’t change much,” He sings. “Oh My name ain’t my name no more…it’s 215634.”
“Pill” is truly a powerful and poignant moment on the album, dealing with the Opioid crisis and the effect it has on families. “’Pill’ is my story, told from the perspective of a note to me from my little brother in my most trying times. It’s an apology to those I love for the turmoil I put them through,” Shane said in a statement. “But for me this goes way beyond just what my family and I have gone through. I want to be a vessel and share other people’s struggles and experiences, even if it helps one person, that means I did my job.”
“Fan on High” offers a moment of levity on the LP with its dancehall inspired music and incredible sliding piano. Meanwhile, “Winning Horse” is a love song that features driving percussion meant to emulate a horse running as he implores someone to “take this love to the finish line.”
“Baptized” also offers a clever take on a love song, bluesy and punctuated with powerful choir-like background vocals throughout the slow groove of a track. Frankly, Shane is in no rush to discover heaven if it can’t top what he has on earth.
“If this ain’t heaven on earth // Not sure what heaven is worth // ‘Cause I damn sure ain’t in a hurry to get there // If there ain’t moments like this // Lost in the rush of your kiss // Found in the touch of your skin, out somewhere // Down that same Wild Creek Road // Where sins get set afloat// Washed by the want in your eyes // Baptized”
The album ends with the powerful “Does Heaven Have a Creek,” which also finds the singer grappling with the afterlife. It’s a Gospel-inspired piano ballad that came from questions he struggled with after the passing of his grandmother. It’s “simply the wondering mind of a believer,” shares Shane. “A testimony of hope that Heaven has a few of the simple pleasures we enjoy here on earth. Is Heaven only for A-List Christians? Is there room for a prodigal ‘Good Ole Boy’ from Kentucky just trying to live a decent life and be a good man?”
Elvie Shane is truly unapologetic yet triumphant on Damascus, blending styles and sounds with incredible vocals and honesty that creates a must-listen for music fans.
Damascus Tracklist
Outside Dog (Elvie Shane, Oscar Charles, Jonathan Sherwood)
What Do I Know (written by Elvie Shane, Oscar Charles, Dan Couch, Jonathan Sherwood)
Jonesin’ (feat. Jenna McClelland) (Elvie Shane, Oscar Charles, Ryan Tyndell, Jeremy Spillman)
Baptized (Elvie Shane, Luke Preston, Dan Couch, Oscar Charles)
Forgotten Man (Elvie Shane, Luke Preston, Dan Couch, Oscar Charles)
Pill (Elvie Shane, Lee Starr, Nick Columbia)
215634 (Elvie Shane, Adam Wood, Ben Chapman)
Appalachian Alchemy (Elvie Shane, Luke Preston)
First Place (feat. Little Big Town) (Elvie Shane, Adam Wood, Dan Couch, Jakob Miller)
Winning Horse (Elvie Shane, Dan Couch, Oscar Charles)
Fan On High (Elvie Shane, Driver Williams, Hayes Carll)
Chicken Shit (Elvie Shane, Jeremy Spillman, Ryan Tyndell, Oscar Charles)
Does Heaven Have A Creek (Elvie Shane)
Country Swag Picks:
What Do I Know
First Place (with Little Big Town)
Does Heaven Have a Creek
Forgotten Man
Elvie Shane shares his brand new album, ‘Damascus,’ out now 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 Elvie Shane releases.
For tour dates and more, visit Shane’s website here.
Damascus 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.
https://countryswag.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/elvie-shane-what-do-i-know.jpg6301200Nicole Pieringhttps://countryswag.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/logo-new-cs-white.pngNicole Piering2024-04-19 00:09:362024-04-19 16:10:50Elvie Shane: ‘Damascus’ – Album Review
Ernest releases his brand new album, Nashville, Tennessee, out now, April 12th on all streaming platforms. Listen to the new project here.
Country is cool again, and ERNEST proves that in his new album, NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE. Although renowned for his multi-platinum songs such as “Son of a Sinner” (Jelly Roll), “Big, Big Plans” (Chris Lane) and “More Than My Hometown” (Morgan Wallen), among others, thismarks the third studio album for the Nashville-native. ERNEST pays homage to the great city that raised him from childhood to country hitmaker.
With a healthy 26-tracks, NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE contains different sounds and themes, as well as a variety of features and covers. Overall, this album is very COUNTRY, which is especially unique for someone who has made his career off more “pop,” even “beachy” country songs.Banjo and steel guitar are littered all over the record, more notably in songs such as “How’d We Get Here,” the somber “Ain’t As Easy,” the fast-paced “Smokin’ Gun,” and “Kiss of Death.”
Humor is another trait ERNEST prominently displays. He first exhibited his comedy on “Drunk With My Friends” on his sophomore album, Flower Shops (The Album): Two Dozen Roses, and we see it again in songs like “I Went To College / I Went To Jail,” “One More Heartache,” “Honkytonk Fairytale,” and the amusing “Redneck Sh*ttt.” In One More Heartache,” the singer admits this love is causing severe emotional bruising, but he has room for one more ‘do me right then do me wrong’ situation. The lonely singer in “Honkytonk Fairytale” sits at the bar wishing his whiskey bottle had a genie inside so it can bring his ex back. “Redneck Sh*ttt” is a super catchy, hip-hop styled anthem about…well, doing redneck sh*t.
“Doin’ redneck sh*t // It’s just how all us rednecks get // When we get around other rednecks // Out where rednecks live // Y’all, it ain’t my fault, there ain’t no asphalt // Way out here in the sticks // Just a bunch of redneck sh*t”
ERNEST brought five friends and one family member on the record. Jelly Roll features in the aforementioned “I Went To College / I Went To Jail,” where the two compare their upbringings. Although they both took very different paths, they both ended up as artists on Music Row. On what might be the greatest vocal moment on the album, Lainey Wilson features on “Would If I Could.” The two lovers want to rekindle their relationship, but known deep-down it is not the best long-term decision. Newcomer, Lukas Nelson provides his vocals on one of the most country songs on the record, “Why Dallas,” where he blames the city for stealing his woman away from him. What will likely be the most popular song (mainly because of the other artists on it) “Hanging On” with Morgan Wallen is a more modern-sounding track that has the man hung up on a one-night fling with a stunner at the bar.
“You left me hangin’ on // By a thread of them blue jeans // Baby now I’m wondering where it all went wrong // You got me hangin’ on on”
ERNEST included a cover of “Twinkle, Twinkle” with his son, Ryman, live at Fenway Park on Wallen’s One Night At A Time Tour. HARDY and ERNEST teamed up for a country cover of Radiohead’s “Creep.” Given his current career path, it makes sense that he chose HARDY to cover this one with, but we were shocked hearing its traditional country sound rather than HARDY’s new, hard rock vibe. He also covered another non-country song—John Mayer’s metaphoric “Slow Dancing In A Burning Room.” ERNEST recorded his own version of Cole Swindell’s “Sayin’ You Love Me,” which he originally wrote for Swindell’s Stereotype record. We wonder, out of all the songs he has wrote for other artists, why he chose this one to include on the record. Whatever the reason, we approve of his rendition!
Love and heartache are other major themes on the album in other songs such as “Never Said I Love You,” “You Don’t Have To Die,” “Too Late,” and “Summertime Flies.” The album closes with “Bars On My Heart,” and “Dollar To Cash,” with the former being an uplifting way to reflect on all that heartbreak. The singer credits this honkytonk for getting her off his mind. In the latter, the singer goes over his will, concluding that he owes his entire life to country music. So, he decides that his final dollars will go into the jukebox to play Johnny Paycheck and Johnny Cash songs.
“Play some Loretta // And dial up some Jones // Don’t rock the jukebox // Play old country songs // Can’t take it with me // When I’m six feet under that grass // So give my last paycheck to Paycheck // And my last dollar to Cash”
Although massive albums are the norm now, it’s impressive to have a collection of songs that are so different and unique. What’s even more extraordinary is that ERNEST co-wrote 20 of the 26 tracks. ERNEST did right with his tribute of Music City, and if cities could speak, Nashville would be proud of NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE.
Nashville, Tennessee Tracklist:
I Went To College / I Went To Jail (feat. Jelly Roll) (Ernest Keith Smith, Chandler Paul Walters, Rivers Rutherford, Luke Bryan)
Ain’t As Easy (Ernest Keith Smith, Dean Dillon, Jessie Jo Dillon, Chandler Paul Walters)
Why Dallas (feat. Lukas Nelson) (Ernest Keith Smith, Chandler Paul Walters, Grady Block, Jordan Merrigan, Lukas Nelson)
One More Heartache (Ernest Keith Smith, Chandler Paul Walters, Jessie Jo Dillon, Dean Dillon)
Hangin’ On (feat. Morgan Wallen) (Ernest Keith Smith, Grady Block, Rhys Rutherford, Jacob Durrett, Rafe Tenpenny)
Did It For The Story (Ernest Keith Smith, John Byron, Ryan Vojtesak, Blake Pendergrass)
How’d We Get Here (Ernest Keith Smith)
Never Said I Love You (Ernest Keith Smith, Chandler Paul Walters)
Would If I Could (feat. Lainey Wilson) (Dean Dillon, Donald Ewing II)
Nashville, Tennessee is available everywhere you buy or stream music. Take a listen below and check out more new recently released music on our ‘New Country Music’ playlist. Be sure to give the playlist a follow for your weekly new country music fix.
https://countryswag.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/ERNEST-nashville.jpg6301200Dylan Bestlerhttps://countryswag.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/logo-new-cs-white.pngDylan Bestler2024-04-12 00:17:072024-04-12 00:17:07Ernest: ‘Nashville, Tennessee’ – Album Review
