There’s been a slew of good music released this year, and I haven’t listened to close to half of it. But with that being said, here’s what’s been on my heart to share, or at least to write down, for the benefit of myself and anyone who may happen to stumble across this post.
And just for fun, I’m going to rate each of these artists on scales of 1-5 for Marketing/Style, Songwriting, Vocals, and “Countryness”. Understand that I am not a professional in any way, shape, or form, and these are all my personal opinions which I will proceed to double guess at great length.
Cody Johnson
Marketing/Style - 3Songwriting - 2 (this is not a songpicking score)
Vocals - 5
“Countryness” - 5
Human
The title track off of CoJo’s new album, this song is one of those confessional, bittersweet songs that I love, especially since it focuses a lot on restless tendencies, something I strongly relate to. It’s a love song and an apology, a self-derogatory assurance of growth, and straight down the middle country. I love some of these lines, from the “I’m sorry if I get kind of careless with your heart” in the first verse, to the chorus’s crowning, “Well I guess all I’m sayin’ is forgive me, if I don’t know what I’m doing. I’m still learning to be human.” Some of my favorite words, and the most interesting, are these in the second verse: “Bless your heart for never trying to fix me, or quit me, or slow me down.” CoJo doesn’t write all his own music, and he didn’t write this one, but he can pick the best of them.
I Always Wanted To
In this song, Cody Johnson sings the words of a 95 year old man who’s stubbornly hanging onto life, despite not being able to drive or change his own sheets, and reflecting on all the things he’s always wanted to do but never did. I think of it almost as a parallel universe to “‘Til You Can’t,” another song on this album, which basically says do all the things you can today, because someday you won’t be able to. In “I Always Wanted To,” he didn’t. It’s an incredibly sad, well-written song that cuts right down to the heart. “I guess even pictures we never take, memories we never made still fade. I never did all the things I wanted to do, but I always wanted to.” I find myself prone to paralyzed indecision a lot. This song is kind of a wake-up call.
By Your Grace
Cody Johnson’s Gospel offering finds some of his biggest vocals on the album, solid enough not to be overshadowed by the choir eventually backing him. When he sings, “Please take my chains,” he uses a vocal agility I honestly didn’t know he had to extend and escalate that last word, until he brings it down gently with, “and set me free.” But it’s the words that I echo as a prayer, finding them more and more applicable. “You’ve already paid every debt I owe.” “Let me not take for granted the depths of your forgiveness, because the only way I’m gonna be a better man is by your grace.”
Parker McCollum
Marketing/Style - 5Songwriting - 3
Vocals - 4
“Countryness” - 4
There’s something incredibly attractive about Parker McCollum, and it’s not just his face. Unlike Cody Johnson, McCollum does write most of his own songs, and they tend to be self-deprecating songs, full of longing, regret, or often an emotional weariness, and heartbreaking resignation. He’s a feeler, and that feeling isn’t usually happiness. But he’s also (at least in his songs) tough and reckless. His fashion is the modern-day country equivalent of the old-time greasers, unbuttoned short-sleeve button up shirt over an impeccably white tee, jeans, and cowboy boots, topped off with a flat-brimmed ballcap, giving a cultivated bad-boy image that probably appeals most to teenage girls. What has music critics on board is the intelligence of the songwriting. His lyrics are fresh, well-crafted, and fit with hooks that are catchy enough to get stuck in your head, but contain too much depth to be annoying. He has mainstream appeal, and his music may be more on the modern side, but it’s also definitely country, which puts him above 75% of “country” artists you hear on the radio, even without the other benefits listed above. His style won’t appeal to everyone, but, as you may have guessed by now, it appeals to me.
Hold Me Back
This was not released this year, but I don’t think I’ve talked about it before, and it is my all-time favorite song of his, and one of my favorite songs of all time. The theme is similary to “Human.” He says, “There’s gasoline all over this ground. I strike a match and drop it down. I need someone to hold me back.” It’s a slow, gorgeous ballad about needing someone to help subdue his most reckless instincts.
To Be Loved By You
Also not released this year, this was the first song that actually got me listening to Parker McCollum. I had just gotten out of a quasi-breakup, and the best way to describe the feeling of this song is angry to tears. It fit the mood. Originally, this paragraph ended with the last sentence, but on the way home tonight I heard this announced on the radio as Parker McCollum’s new single. It’s interesting that after being out for probably about a year, it’s now getting pushed to country radio - and it looks like it’s getting traction.
Dallas
This is off of his current album, Gold Chain Cowboy, and the hook on this thing caught me the first time I listened to it. “If I don’t leave Dallas, I guess that means that I should be alone,” he says, with signature longing permeating his vocals. Stay or leave? Love or loneliness? It’s not far from a cliche, but it’s written with originality, and sounds great.
Never Loved You At All
The most truly fun song I’ve ever heard from McCollum, this has him at a honky-tonk and thinking, quite simply, “I wish that I had never loved you at all.” With the twangy guitar and rollicking piano behind his vocals, this one is kind of a guilty pleasure for me.
Why Indiana
One that caught my attention when I heard it, and continues to grow on me, McCollum looks for the humor in a breakup, asking why she had to break up with him over the phone while he’s in the middle of nowhere, instead of anywhere more significant.
Morgan Wallen
Marketing/Style - 5Songwriting - 3
Vocals - 5
“Countryness” - 4
What a guy. What a reputation. What a songwriter. Let’s dive in with some quick looks at the artist who has gone from one of the ignored offerings of mainstream radio to one of my most listened to artists.
Wasted On You
When I listened to “To Be Loved by You,” I usually followed it up with this song. But please, whatever you do, listen to The Dangerous Sessions acoustic version of this, and not the studio version with the poppier production.
Wondering ‘Bout the Wind
In this song, the wind represents this girl’s wandering, and the way she’s always blowing in and then leaving out again. He’s not blaming her, instead he describes it more as just one of those unknown things in nature. Where does the wind come from, and where does it go? He doesn’t know. It’s poetic and existential, and does almost have a gusty feel to it.
Sand In My Boots
This tells the story of a trip to the beach and a fling that ends in nothing. Instead of taking her back to TN with him, he comes back with just some sand in his boots. It’s beautifully written, and contains this wonderful set of lines: “Yeah, but now I’m dodging potholes, in my sunburnt Silverado.” A picture may be worth a thousand words, but these ten words give a pretty clear scene.
Neon Eyes
Morgan Wallen is an adroit storyteller, and he shows it in this song about showing a girl the darker things in life, like jukeboxes and cigarettes, using the color of her eyes as a metaphor for her growth out of innocence.
Livin’ the Dream
“Mama don’t pray for my success anymore, yeah, but Mama still prays for me.” Morgan Wallen has had great success, but it’s come at a cost, and one that he feels. “Livin’ the Dream” finds him on the bottom of the highs and lows that come with fame (or at least that fame allows access to); drinking, partying, traveling nonstop. It’s honest and well-written, but again, please listen to The Dangerous Sessions version.
Don’t Think Jesus
One of Wallen’s unreleased songs that I stumbled across recently on YouTube, “Don’t Think Jesus” is humble and confessional in it’s approach. Echoing the previous song on this list, he starts by quickly describing his rise, but focusing in this song more on the vices, and the disapproval from those back home. Then, with raspy, rising vocals he describes what he would say to himself if he was in Jesus’ position, ending with an acknowledgement that he’s not Jesus, and Jesus doesn’t do it that way. I hope this ends up on the next album, because it’s really a beautiful song, and shows a side of Morgan that I wish he exposed more often.
In Came You - Mikele Buck
I first heard Tyler Hatley’s of this song, which was endearing in a sly, quirky way, but Mikele Buck’s original rendition has a more full-bodied country sound, which gives this fun, interesting song more bite and depth. It’s a very enjoyable listen. It’s also funny, because most songs of this type (“I was living life all wrong before I met you”) are semi-believable, but also feel exaggerated. I tend to think, okay, maybe you were drinking too much, but I’m sure you still had good friendships. The stretch from bad person to “good” person doesn’t seem so far. But this one is impossible to think that about. He’s drinking non-stop, fornicating flagrantly, feeding addictive habits with people he thinks are his friends, and “feeling pretty good about some pretty bad living.” Not only is his lifestyle terrible, he’s not ashamed of it.But as a Christian, I’m reminded that this is the path we would all go down if left to our own corrupted human nature, and it would get even worse. The only thing that keeps us from it is God’s grace. And by his grace, we are changed when he saves us, fundamentally all at once, and gradually grow more and more like Jesus in every way. “For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.” (Titus 2:11-14)
In came you, indeed.
Hardy
Marketing/Style - 5Songwriting - 5
Vocals - 4
“Countryness” - 3
Hardy has written a fair bit of Morgan Wallen’s songs, so they often have a similar sound, and I would guess that a Venn diagram of their audiences would almost just be one circle, but Hardy has kept some of his Hardy-est songs for himself, songs that use smart writing to talk about those cliches that people who hate country music complain about. You know what I’m talking about: trucks, girls, beer. You’re going to find all that in a Hardy song, but it’s going to have more detail. Hardy doesn’t just make bro country. Hardy makes bro country cool.
A Rock
This is my favorite song by Hardy. He takes the idea of a rock and moves it through life with the simple refrain of “A rock, a rock.” It’s both simple and profound, both down-to-earth and surprisingly sophisticated.
One Beer
“One Beer” is not just a good song, it’s an interesting story. It tells about an unplanned pregnancy that leads to a shotgun wedding and a family being formed. It’s not anything too surprising in this day and age, but the way it’s told is impactful. One beer sets this massive snowball of events rolling, but this is life. Things change. It’s not about fighting that change, or trying to control it, but rather learning to accept it. And it doesn’t turn into a perfect life either. The last line of the song is, “Here we go again, drinking alcohol.” Yet life goes on.
If you’re interested in Hardy and would like to know more, I would highly, highly recommend watching Grady Smith’s video, “How Hardy Hacked the Bro Country Code.” It is a tremendously informative and well-made resource, as is most of what Grady Smith makes.
Flatland Cavalry
Marketing/Style - 2Songwriting - 4
Vocals - 3
“Countryness” - 5
Life Without You
This is the inverse of a previous song featuring Kaitlin Butts called “A Life Where we Work Out,” where a broken-up couple take turns imagining what life would be like if they had stayed together. Now married to lead singer Cleto Cordero, Kaitlin Butts is back to help imagine not being together. Cleto describes it as, “A Tuesday at the motel by the Denny’s on the dingy side of town.” Simply depressing. And yet the silver lining in this song is that the fact that they’re singing it proves they are together.
...Meantime
The harmonies on the chorus are what set this aside for me. Also a duet, this one with Hailey Whitters, "...Meantime" discourages anticipating the future at the cost of enjoying the present.
Tilt Your Chair Back
Everyone needs some time to rest, and get out of the grind, to “let your worries for tomorrow fall amongst the leaves.” This is a beautifully written and sung call to do just that, with simple instrumentation that almost makes you feel like you’re sitting on the front porch in a rocking chair, letting your cares go.
Cody Jinks
Marketing/Style - 4Songwriting - 4 (this score would have been higher in years past)
Vocals - 4
“Countryness” - 4
If you’ve read my previous music posts, you know that I love Cody Jinks. I’ve never related to an artist more, despite the obvious differences that he’s a 30 year old married man with two kids and a full-time country music career out of Texas. His latest album, Mercy, is not my favorite of his, but it has some solid songs.
Roll
My favorite off of Mercy, Roll says, “Yeah, I know life ain’t easy. Man, believe me, I lose more than I win. You just gotta roll with the flow and the punches.” Despite the whole “life’s not fair,” message, this is one of the most relaxing songs I’ve ever heard from Jinks, and just plain enjoyable.
How It Works
Despite seeming more like rock than country at some points, the rhythm and love story behind this song make it well worth a listen. Cody’s love songs are often expressed in negative terms, like in my favorite one, “No Words,” where he starts the song by proclaiming that he no longer believes there’s good in every man. In fact I believe the only love song he has that doesn’t turn negative at any point is “Dreamed With One.” “How It Works” shows the doubts of everyone around, asking how his relationship with his wife works. And yet, it does.
Nobody Knows How to Read
This song is both discouraging and smartly written. Jinks takes a hand at vague social commentary, talking about agendas being sold to the masses, and being cut into classes. It’s the final lines of the chorus that really show the strength of this song though. “Keep your ear to the ground, there’s signs all around, and nobody knows how to read.”
I Don’t Trust My Memories Anymore
You would almost think this is an old Merle Haggard song. Unlike “How It Works” this song doesn’t venture into the rock realm, and instead remains squarely, steadily country, with steel guitar and dobro swelling at key moments to elevate it to sounding like a modern day country classic. This is one of the things I love about Cody Jinks; he may have his love for the rock genre, and take some of his own music in that direction at times, but he also sincerely loves real country and takes the time to show it.
Birds
This is from a few years back, but I wanted to include it because I’ve started listening to it in the past few months with renewed interest. When I first heard “Birds” I didn’t think much about it. It didn’t have the emotional heft for me that something like “Heavy Load” or “Head Case” did. But my anxiety has been a steady theme for the past year, and it’s been a comfort to hear the patient guitar, steady drum, and sympathetic steel guitar behind this solo write by Jinks. “I know one day there’ll be solace, so I’ll just live ‘til then. If I could only leave my worries with the birds of the wind.”
Blacksheep
Off of Jinks’ 2013 album (EP I guess?) of the same name, this song depicts a black sheep giving his wool away to different people, including his family, a dead man in an alleyway, and Jesus Christ. It’s one of his most incomprehensible songs in my opinion, but also one of the most interesting from a lyrical standpoint. It moves slowly, but if you listen to the words, the repeating chorus of “I stand naked and cold as a crowd gathers ‘round,” packs a real punch.
Other Cody Jinks songs to listen to:
- Fast Hand (from Black Sheep)
- Thunderheads (from 30)
- Prairie House Redemption (from 30) (very interesting sonically)
- Give All You Can (from I’m Not the Devil)
- Tell 'Em What it's Like (from After the Fire)
There's only so much I can say...
This post is far longer than I thought it would be, and even if I kept it going for another three thousand words, I wouldn't be able to list all the music I've had the pleasure to listen to in the last year, or even the last three months. I love music, and I hope this post helps at least one other person find at least one song that means something to them.
So long,
Anna
