Rolling Country 2023

That’s the Zach Bryan & Kacey Musgraves song

No discussion on the excellent Ashley McBryde album? It makes up for last year's blah concept album even if the rawk guitars cause the strong tunes to shudder slight, as if confronted by halitosis.

I should give it a listen. This positive review on the saving country music website is a bit annoying, but he is a fan of Mcbryde

https://www.savingcountrymusic.com/album-review-ashley-mcbrydes-the-devil-i-know/

and I see xgau just awarded an A.

xp they always are

Not going to defend this dude or everything here but I also have to admit I kind of agree with a lot of it? Morris's "exit" seems like a bit of a marketing play, and the songs are still awfully country to my ears.

https://www.savingcountrymusic.com/on-the-maren-morris-exit-from-country-music/

Every time he comes up on here, I can't believe it's not in the worst music writing ever thread.

Both of the Morris songs are fantastic: Her sharpest writing and best vocals on record to date.

Lol @ the savingcountrymusic writer trying to do some high-minded writerly thing about how MM has "personal issues" that she's projecting onto a perfectly healthy country music industry, when his comments section is just 100 people calling her ugly.

Setting SCM aside -- I am no fan of his or his writing but do check it ~1x a month to see if I've missed anything important and appreciate the light he shines on under-covered artists...

"The Tree" is a major retread. Sounds identical to many of her other songs, the allusion is heavy-handed, and the multi-tracked vocals are unnecessary for a singer of her caliber. Agree the vocals are good -- she's an extraordinarily talented vocalist. Best to date? I don't hear it.

"Get the Hell Out of Here" is much better and a promising direction for her. The song itself reminds me a lot of Kasey Musgraves (in a good way), and I'm excited to see what Antonoff and her do together -- the strings and arrangement are really lovely and a more organic sound than I have heard from her. I'm intrigued to hear what the "jam band" and "prog" moments sound like.

The bigger issue I have is how this is being rolled out. She says in the LA Times interview, "I think I needed to purposely focus on just making good music and not so much on how we’ll market it," yet that seems to be the focus of the interview! If she wants to pivot to pop, that's fine -- make great music and let it speak for itself. I don't remember Taylor's Red-era interview with the LA Times announcing she was "walking away" from country.

Speaking of under-covered artists promoted by SCM, this new Margo Cilker record is superb.

Boy, I shouldn't have read a few of those SCM comments before lunch.

Solid profile: https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/margo-cilker-new-album-interview-1234820795/

Can't read it (paywall) but really like Bernstein's writing, and he has never steered me wrong.

lol another Margo, another M.

From that profile detailing Margo Cilker history:

She traveled back and forth from northern Spain for a period of several years, at one point forming a Lucinda Williams tribute band called Drunken Angels in the Basque country city of Bilbao.

Really enjoying the Margo Cilker album too.

Anyone heard the new Lillie Mae? I liked her first two albums a lot.

Me too. Margo Cilker is the best musician name I've heard lately, will check her out---not that I'm prejudiced against names like Casadee Pope, or even the self-named Honey Harper,
who is now more than ever a dyad, as ATO Records heralds:

with Honey Harper co-founder and keyboardist Alana Pagnutti taking on a far greater role in the songwriting process alongside frontman William Fussell, adding a palpable new depth to their lyrical output.

The 12 song collection (Honey Harper and The Infinite Sky) also marks their first time recording with their stacked band, The Infinite Sky, featuring their longtime bassist and contributing writer Mick Mayer, pianist John Carroll Kirby (Solange, Steve Lacy), Spoon keyboardist Alex Fischel, guitarist Jackson MacIntosh (Drugdealer, Jessica Pratt), pedal-steel player Connor Gallaher (Black Lips, Calexico), and TOPS drummer Riley Fleck. The album was mixed at Wowcat Studios in Los Angeles by Joel Ford (yes/and, Ford & Lopatin).

How is the Buddy and Julie Miller record?

Oh wow, you're remynding me of my old CD store regular who heard Julie as the late 20th Century Emily Dickinson---

first time listening to zach bryan with the new album and i'm impressed. songs like "east side of sorrow" are closer to manchester orchestra than the stuff i hear on country radio so the emo stuff checks out

Maybe she *is* the latter-day Emily Dickinson! Now's the time to listen more than I ever have, though that isn't saying much in itself.

Margo Cilker album sounds great

how do you pronounce the name?

Adjacent news from New West Records: the NMAS albums that I've heard tend to be weak in the vocals, when they don't feature just the right guests---looks like it might not be a problem here, at least not all the way through:

Luther Dickinson of North Mississippi Allstars will release his new solo album, Magic Music For Family Folk on November 17. An all-star list of support showed up for the new record, including Yola, Allison Russell, Lillie Mae, Sharde Thomas, Sharisse Norman, as well as Dickinson’s Mother and Children.

The album features Dickinson’s rendition of favorite songs from his childhood by The Meters, Staple Singers, John Lee Hooker, Mississippi John Hurt, Doc Watson and more.

Dickinson delivers an album of songs from his community that run four generations deep. The 10-time GRAMMY Award-nominated producer, solo artist, and North Mississippi Allstars co-founder creates a record worthy of its own traditions.

A couple albums I've gone back to throughout the year that I haven't yet repped for -- neither will light your hair on fire but are rather lovely and worth a listen:

Amanda Fields - What, When and Without. Slow burning, patient country waltz that has a quiet beauty to it. Her singing is serviceable and familiar.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=13QOo3hpxJ4

Rachel Baiman - Common Nation of Sorrow. Rootsy Americana in the vein of Gillian Welch, impressively self-produced albeit with a strong supporting cast (Erin Rae, Miles Miller, Sean Sullivan). C
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S7vOHRHvY4U

I don't know anything about country music but this guy is cool & he has a new live album out

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dU_qVO-aTTA

he's bigger than ya think if you haven't seen him live, and getting bigger fast.

his shows are a blast.

I have friends who are only into Real Country who are into that guy so I've kinda held it against him and ignored him but I probably shouldn't huh

Never listened to this dude before but this a good record

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S58avwJXG5M

late to the Morgan Wade party but goddamn i am all the way on board! she brings a real Joan Jett vibe w her raspy voice & attitude, such good songwriting too.

we just watched her set on ACL Fest & she killed it. great band too.

circling back to our Zach Bryan Is Popular discussion:

"See all new tour dates below, which include second stadium shows added in Atlanta, Denver, & Foxborough."

Morgan'sReckless Deluxe is a raspy rehab-to-romance-to-rolling country way of life, candles and tattoos and all: "Ah spoke mah truth, and yew got so upset," but so be it, it's a start.

apparently she’s embroiled in some irl Real Housewives tabloid drama now so uh good luck girl

I had no idea Wade had a new album out! Also, she's apparently getting a double mastectomy after learning she has that genetic mutation, so probably no live dates for a while.

O shit!
Be sure to get the Deluxe: bonus tracks are totally justified, and she may need the extra bucks more than ever.

oh man yeah, buying up the Deluxe for sure

(I didn't know about the new one either, still talking about Reckless Deluxe, from Jan. '22.)

Great to know there's a new one too.

Psychopath:
Meet Somebody
3:20
27 Club
3:44
Alanis
4:27
Want
3:33
Psychopath
3:29
Phantom Feelings
3:53
Outrun Me
3:47
Guns and Roses

Hopefully there are more tracks but computer's going out and can't shake this coughing fit

Maybe your computer has covid.

Psychopath tracklist:

1. “Domino”
2. “80’s Movie”
3. “Losers Look Like Me”
4. “Roman Candle”
5. “Guns and Roses”
6. “Alanis”
7. “Phantom Feelings”
8. “Psychopath”
9. “Outrun Me”
10. “Want”
11. “Fall In Love With Me”
12. “Meet Somebody”
13. “27 Club”

Had not heard about the new Laura Cantrell album

https://lauracantrell.bandcamp.com/album/just-like-a-rose-the-anniversary-sessions

After a 9-year hiatus, Laura Cantrell is back with a new studio album. Featuring her guests, Steve Earle, Buddy Miller, and Paul Burch. It was produced by Don Fleming (Sonic Youth, Teenage Fanclub), David Mansfield (Bob Dylan, T-Bone Burnett), Rosie Flores & Ed Stasium (Talking Heads, Ramones).

From New West---his originals are purty traditional, in that smokey Canadian Cowboy way, & can be appealing, though haven't heard this one yet:

Corb Lund
Our favorite Canadian songwriter is back with a full album of new original tracks. El Viejo will be released February 23 of next year. Check out the first video single, "Old Familiar Drunken Feeling" via Holler.

The 11 tracks on the album were produced by Corb, and recorded entirely in his living room in Lethbridge, AB with his band The Hurtin’ Albertans. Lund & Co. tapped into his most cherished musical influences of acoustic tone and lyrical aptitude — Marty Robbins, Kris Kristofferson, Bobbie Gentry, Jerry Reed. There is a common theme — possibly even a character thread — of the gambler, the outlaw who roams from place-to-place with no direction home.

El Viejo is Lund’s first album of original material since 2020’s critically acclaimed Agricultural Tragic, which was named an album of the year by the readers of No Depression.

xxpost had not heard about the new Cantrell either, thanks. I favored this one for Scene ballot re 2014 (when she ended a previous 9-year hiatus):

Laura Cantrell, No Way There From Here:
Pretty and spooky without being Southern Gothic, the current Cantrell vibe is "that's just how it is," cos love & music will only take you so far, no matter through what and for what (while incl. "Turn Down For What," cos this music's into pleasure too). Sounds like she knows she's on a roll, so why stop now, pick up some more sorrow and happiness on the way. Also sounds like she might be mildly surprised that I'm surprised at her unpretentious mastery and ambition (no dis on Brandy Clark, but those who think she's the best should hear the way Cantrell does less-is-more, vocally: "I'm gonna get these ol' clothes clean, do you know what I mean?")
Also, despite the shifting songwriting credits (which I haven't checked), it's seamless, without being too smooth. A touch of the old Hoboken denim lilt in there too, so one for us bravely ageing & still appealing Amy Rigby fans (first track even has a dBs feel).

i saw Corb live over the summer and he was amazing

Mount Mariah's H.C. McEntire released a new record in January that I completely missed:

https://hcmcentire.bandcamp.com/album/every-acre

Love this slow burn with S.G. Goodman

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=afS99vgbLus

*Moriah

Thanks Indexed---do you know SG's 2022 Teeth Marks? OMSGG:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IQGxjdHaGW0

oh yeah I did hear H.C.'s 2020 release, as mentioned on ballot, soon after Goodman:

H. C. McEntire: Eno Axis----title refers to North Carolina's Eno River, though the Brian is also apt: as w Goodman, there's a psych-country quality, here more horizontally spacious, a luminescent river plain, with those little changes all along that river boat pilots factor in---it's earthy and fluid, watchful and ruminating and confident, like a bit more propulsive Cowboy Junkies effect, gathering around a strong voice with a lot to say, which will also take a while to sink in, but appealing sound right off, and she doesn't keep her players on too short a leash/does know when to shut up, always preacheated. https://hcmcentire.bandcamp.com/album/eno-axis

(that SG link is to the whole album, not just the video, she's got some hellacious mountain gothic video though)

Another one I am better late than never on, Jess Williamson’s resplendent Time Ain’t Accidental sounding utterly magnificent this evening. A typically excellent write up from Laura Snapes:

They became Williamson’s fantastic fifth album, a mid-career arrival. The confident, breezy Time Ain’t Accidental sounds as wide and fresh as a dewy dawn horizon, pairing classic country choruses with strikingly spare production. Many songs feature the iPhone drum machine that Williamson demoed on, kept at the encouragement of Bon Iver producer Brad Cook, who also did Plains’ album. The lightning-strike artwork nods to Smog’s spooked Knock Knock and the Judds’ glorious River of Time, references that encapsulate the sound well; you might also imagine Taylor Swift’s take on Lucinda Williams’ Car Wheels on a Gravel Road.

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2023/may/31/i-did-not-want-to-be-small-any-more-jess-williamson-on-fate-plains-and-her-breakout-fifth-album

Have not heard any of Williamson’s prior solo albums but liked a lot of her record with Waxahatchee under the name Plains a year or two ago.