Showing posts with label Chapel Hart. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Chapel Hart. Show all posts

Jan 8, 2025

Bobby's Top 20 Songs of 2024

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By Bobby Peacock



20. "You Look Like You Love Me"

by Ella Langley and Riley Green

This one immediately got me by its spoken-word approach. (What was the last song to take that route? Was it that cringe duet between Tommy Shane Steiner and Bridgette Wilson? I bet you have no idea what I'm talking about.) The barroom encounter is so common, but I think this is one of the few that is shown from the woman's perspective on the first verse. And I admit, I did genuinely giggle the first time I heard the hook: "Excuse me, you look like you love me." Hearing the second verse from the guy's perspective is pretty interesting, too; it shows they're on similar wavelengths, and she has some agency in the situation. The honky-tonk shuffle of the production and catchy chorus are worth your time, but its spoken-word narrative is really what made me put it on this list. Sometimes, just having a unique energy can greatly elevate a song, and this one is up there as one of the most unusual hits of 2024 in my book.



19. "$10 Cowboy" by Charley Crockett

According to a quote I found online, a "$10 cowboy" is "anyone who has hustled to get by, who didn’t fit in, who has slept on other people’s couches, or the street, who has fallen down, gotten up, and ventured from home chasing a paying gig, or a new start." Charley Crockett has indeed played music on the streets to get by, and his life story took him to northern California, France, Spain, and Morocco, among other places. He's also a hell of a performer, with a cool cowboy swagger the likes of which I cannot find a direct comparison. Charley's ability to convey lines such as "If you're a $10 cowboy / Then you already know / That there never was a rider / Who couldn't be thrown" shows that he's open to others' struggles because he's been through his own, too. His smooth, laid-back delivery fits in with the honky-tonk guitars and Wurlitzer electric piano for a delightful little slice of country-soul with a highly relatable message.



18. "She's Somebody's Daughter (Reimagined)"

by Drew Baldridge

I think my sister's marriage left me more vulnerable to wedding songs than before. Either way, this is an interesting extrapolation of existing country music themes. The woman wearing tight jeans in the bar, the subject of many a one-night stand, the one unfairly objectified in the worst of bro-country? She's got her own life story, and someone else loved her first. (Remember Heartland?) I think it's surprisingly convincing in how he's able to build off existing themes and expand on the relationship the woman in question has to her father. Even if images of her learning how to drive, getting her heart broken for the first time, or going off to college aren't the most inspired, they still fill in a lot of blanks and make the woman in question feel real. I also like the line "If you don't treat her right, hers won't be the only heart you're breaking," which shows the father's protection of his daughter is empathetic. My sister actually grew up without a father figure in her life (she was adopted at birth and raised mostly by our then-divorced mother), but that doesn't mean I relate to this song any less. She's still somebody's daughter.



17. "Hang Tight Honey" by Lainey Wilson

I've been highly critical of Lainey Wilson, as I feel her music is bland and lacking in identity. But this is her first solo outing that I genuinely liked. Jay Joyce instantly brings a funky drum beat and interesting guitar textures, giving Lainey a sense of energy that has been sorely lacking from everything else she put out. It's a common-place lyric about a touring musician who can't wait to get home to their lover, but there are some very clever lyrics such as "Just know they're singing along to all them songs I wrote about you / And I'll be saving all my love for you come Sunday afternoon" (which I would love to believe is a reference to Pake McEntire). But what ultimately bumps this song up for me is just how engaged Lainey sounds -- the production is an unrelenting driving beat with Jay Joyce's usual sonic wizardry, and Lainey finally puts a degree of spunk to her voice that reminds me of Shelly Fairchild's debut album (aka "what if Gretchen Wilson were actually good?"). I wish she had more songs like this, and fewer like "4x4xU" or the dreadful "Whiskey Colored Crayon."



16. "Little Bit Crazy" by Blackberry Smoke

This one is a delightful little Southern rocker; if it's not breaking much new ground lyrically or sonically, it's too damn fun for me to care. I hear a little bit of Skynyrd mixed with "Honky Tonk Women" and "Keep Your Hands to Yourself." But other than the occasional Kentucky Headhunters album, who else is really making old-school Southern rock like this anymore? What's old is new again, and it makes me tap my toe every time. Charlie Starr has the right level of grit and cocky playfulness to sell such a clever lyric as "I gotta be a little bit crazy, or you would drive me outta my mind." We don't know what it is that makes her the way she is, but he sells the hell out of it. It's light-hearted, catchy fun, and it definitely got my attention on first listen -- while still being strong enough to hold up to repeated listens. I was a latecomer to Blackberry Smoke, but they've definitely won me over time and time again.



15. "Rough Around the Edges" by Exile

A few months ago, I did a deep dive on Exile that resulted in me buying a couple books about them and expanding the hell out of their Wikipedia article. (I also became Facebook friends with keyboardist Marlon Hargis, who's a really cool guy.) I can still remember hearing "Kiss You All Over" in a grocery store and being shocked by the fact that this was the same band who did "Woke Up in Love" and "Give Me One More Chance." So I'm pleasantly surprised to hear they're still out there recording, and sounding as great as ever. I've seen critics even at the time pan their eighties work as bland, samey yacht-rock, but I don't get that vibe at all. This manages to be a lot looser and rawer, but still identifiably Exile -- the same five guys from the mid-80s lineup. (It's Les Taylor on lead vocals, but you can still hear J.P. Pennington's un-diminished pipes on harmony.) This is a similar concept to "Real Good Man" by Tim McGraw, in that the unpolished guy is still the right one for his woman. If it's not the most original concept on paper, it's aided by clever lines such as "I don't shine like some pin-up poster cowboy / And neither does a diamond when you dig it up." He doesn't sound like a blustery meat-head when he says he's "I ain't interested in being politically correct / I stand right up and say what I believe," either. Just like Girls Next Door on last year's list, this one makes it by merit of proving that time has not yet run out for some of these eighties country acts to keep reminding me why I liked them in the first place.



14. "Think I'm in Love with You" by Chris Stapleton

Another year, another great Stapleton song. This one is a wonderfully laid-back groove underneath his trademark voice -- that same passionate gravelly tone you've heard on just about everything he's put out. But it never tires for me, because he can mix it up. Unlike the thundrous "White Horse," this one is more of a slow-burn, but it still feels like an extension. The conflicted narrator of "White Horse" seemed to be hesitant to fall in love, and here, a lot of that same emotion is in play: "I think I'm in love with you / I didn't know it at the time." I also like the turn in the second verse to elaborate on the "power" she has over him, boiling over into a scream of "woman!" There's also some fantastic muted guitar work, and a string section on that intense second verse. Every second of this song just sounds amazing in that unique Chris Stapleton way. A purist might say this is a straight-up soul song with zero concessions to country, but when it sounds this damn cool, what's there really to complain about?



13. "Sounds Like the Radio" by Zach Top

Zach Top is the dark horse of 2024. A new guy on a new label, born in 1997 yet looking and sounding like the radio, back in '94, you know. As crowded as the market is for '90s country nostalgia, Zach captured one of the things that I think made that era stand out: a sense of fun. The loosely shuffling melody reminds me of a slightly refined version of Neal McCoy's "The City Put the Country Back in Me," and it's got nods to "Chattahoochee," "Party Crowd," and "Jukebox Junkie" to boot. If it looks light on the surface -- indeed, its main theme is just having a good time listening to some '90s country gold -- it's elevated to greatness by how thoroughly he captures the vibe. This isn't some Midland-level cosplaying; this is a guy who has a genuine admiration for an era he wasn't around to witness first-hand. And the fact that he has other killer songs on the album is proof that this isn't some fluke; expect "I Never Lie" to rank high on my 2025 list. This song sounds like a damn good time, indeed.



12. "I'll Pay the Price" by Dwight Yoakam

New Dwight in 2024? Hell yeah. I went to see Dwight in October, and I swear, he hasn't aged a day since 1993. He's still got that swagger and talent, and he can still shake his ass in tight jeans. Oh yeah, and he's still got that eclectic blend of all the coolest forms of country out there -- rockabilly, Bakersfield sound, alternative, Americana -- that still sounds fresh the zillionth time I've heard it. This is a twist on the usual "I know it's wrong, but I want to be with you one more night" formula, with a delightfully less-is-more lyric ("..take any deal thrown by your hand / And pay the price to hold it again"). It's on the more honky-tonk side of production, leaning heavily into steel guitar and tic-tac bass, twisting its way left of center with a few funky drum patterns, seventh chords, Hammond organ, and a layered Eagles-style chorus. I never tire of his mix-and-match approach, and Dwight has never once felt to me like he's come even close to running out of ideas. Dwight's character in the song may regret his actions later on, but there's nothing to regret when listening to another song off Dwight's extremely crowded top shelf.



11. "Bigger Houses" by Dan + Shay

I know you're all looking at me funny now: A Dan + Shay song on the favorites list? Yeah. It turns out that when they drop the simpering vocal tone and hyperbolic romance, they can really surprise me. It also helps that this is probably the countriest they've ever sounded. I love the prominent mandolin and Dobro; there aren't even drums or programmed percussion! Their vocal tone is gentle, relaxed, and beautifully harmonized. It's also got a relatable message of how material goods aren't as important as being around loved ones. Maybe circumstances are making me more receptive to this message than it would have at any other times. This year, my stepfather's death resulted in my mother moving back in with me, and my sister got married. It's easy to get all emotionally bent out of shape over changes like this; to look around at the fixer-upper with drafty windows and a broken bathtub that my mom and I are currently living in, and feel like I should be much better off at 37. (Especially after I read about the 34-year-old real estate broker who bought a local mall for $5 million and managed to successfully turn it around...) But by making the focus of this song "happiness" and not "love," I think they hit on a more broadly relatable message that I'm unafraid to admit cheered me up, too.



10. "Backseat Driver" by Kane Brown

As I said on the worst list, my pivot toward liking Kane Brown is not just a bit I do to get a rise out of Trailer and/or Farce the Music readers. While I still found "Miles on It" to be his worst single by far, I'm willing to accept that as a momentary aberration if this is the follow-up. This song immediately caught my attention by being framed as a conversation between father and child during breakfast at McDonald's -- reminding me of my own childhood breakfasts with my dad at McDonald's. (I can still remember him setting me on the counter and asking me to spell "railroad crossing," to which I would respond "R-X-R.") The child in this song is a delightful stream of consciousness, ranging from questions about squirrels and bees, or how the car she's in even runs, to harder-hitting views on why he gave money to a homeless man... or why he's holding in emotions when he gets cut off in traffic. And I think it's that balance of the whimsical and the meaningful that keeps the song grounded. Everything here sounds like something a small child would ask a parent; I wouldn't be surprised if some of these lines actually did come from his daughter. Kane has a smooth delivery that sounds like he's both entertained and doing a little self-reflection, and I love the production -- mandolin, fiddle, and Dobro, with actual drums! This sounds to me like a realistic portrayal of an imaginative, curious child who is allowed to be that way because she's got a parent willing to engage with her. (In other words, I'm reminded not only of my younger self, but also of my nephew.)



9. "Break Mine" by Brothers Osborne

Brothers Osborne never let me down. This one has a slow, spacey, somber vibe that reminds me of "21 Summer." Unlike that one's love nostalgia, this is a take on the commonplace one-night stand. I love TJ's ability to rock out ("Shoot Me Straight"), be meaningful and sympathetic ("I'm Not for Everyone"), and yet be every bit as compelling when he cools things down. In a way, this reminds me of Kenny Chesney's "Come Over" in how it conveys the mix of melancholic desperation. (I also really dig those high synths on the second verse.) It's a hell of a hook, too: "If you're looking for a heart to break, then get here in a straight line / And break mine." But more fascinatingly to me, this is another time where a BrOs song can be interpreted as having gay themes. There are no pronouns, and "baby" is neutral enough to also apply to another man. This interpretation is all the more plausible in that both TJ and co-writer Shane McAnally are themselves openly gay, and TJ has confirmed that "21 Summer" was itself about a relationship with another man. Perhaps I'm reaching a bit, but the fact that such an interpretation is even remotely plausible is that little extra bit that makes this song for me. And either way, it's still another great song by my current favorite major-label country act.



8. "A Bar Song (Tipsy)" by Shaboozey

Yeah, I know; this one's everywhere. But I have yet to burn out on it. Shaboozey's soulfulness feels so refreshing and un-forced, and his genre fusion is a definite pleasure to me. Unlike most artists who straddle pop, rap, and country, he feels like he came across his sound naturally -- and even better, found a way to manage adding the other influences without subtracting country. Sure, his girl may want a fancy handbag, but she also wants groceries and he's burnt out from the daily grind -- who can't relate? Just like anyone else, he's got problems, and he and his buddies want to grab a few drinks. The J-Kwon sample is completely seamless, aided by his easy-going vocal delivery, acoustic guitar and hand claps. In an era where hip-hop influences feel limited to programmed beats and Auto-Tune, this is refreshingly organic. By tying the party to real-world troubles, it instantly feels more substantial than other party jams of its ilk. It's also catchy in all the best ways, and just has an overall chill, positive vibe that clearly resonated across almost all boundaries imaginable. By the way, did you know that if you Google this song, the page rocks back and forth?



7. "Three Days" by Michael Reynolds

Remember Pinmonkey? If you answered yes, then you're my kind of people. For a long time, I wondered what happened to these guys. It doesn't help that the lead singer had such a generic name as "Michael Reynolds." But a chance encounter online with Chad Jeffers (another member of the group) pointed me to this song. His high lonesome bluegrass tenor is still gloriously intact. This guy is so low down that he's just sitting in the darkness and silence; he's stuck in a small town, chasing other dreams, and drinking his sorrows away. Even the love of a woman wasn't enough to pull him out of his funk. But it seems he's turned to more spiritual sources for a more positive outlook: "three days and redemption draweth nigh" is clearly a nod to Luke 21:28. The imagery is clever -- even when he moves away from the religious and into more conventionally colorful terms such as "tarnished nickel sky" -- and moving, illustrating a broken man trying to find a ray of hope at his worst times. It's very chill on the production, with mostly just a couple guitars, allowing for Michael's voice to take the forefront. He sounds like the kind of weary soul he's playing in the song. In a way, it reminds me of Pinmonkey's bluegrass-y take on the Staple Singers's "Stay with Us" in terms of delivering a message of hope in dark times, using obvious Christian backing without ever being judgmental or ham-fisted. If we will never get another Pinmonkey album, then an equally strong solo outing from their former lead singer is every bit as welcomed.



6. "2033" by Chapel Hart

I still remember discovering Chapel Hart via Country Universe. I was floored by the sincerity, warmth, and fantastic harmonies of "I Will Follow," to the point I ranked it my favorite single of 2021 and have given a spot to them on every subsequent year-end best list. I thought for sure the America's Got Talent appearance would boost their profile, maybe get them picked up by a major label. But they still seem to quietly exist under the radar. I can totally see how the question of "will we ever hit the big time?" can be on the minds of any country music artist who's worked for years and years -- but especially a group of three Black women trying to break through in a genre that's historically been overwhelmingly white and male. Danica has always had a very emphatic voice, but here, her tone is more hushed and vulnerable as she asks her future self, "does it ever change and do we overcome the fear?" The harmony arrangement is fantastic, with some counterpoints and echoes that flow naturally against the melody. (Another great line: "My thoughts lost in the wind, it's killing me / God, I sure wish I had a time machine.") It's easy to extrapolate a sense of "will things ever get better for me?" from these lyrics, which feel like an inversion of Brad Paisley's stunning "Letter to Me," and find comfort in Chapel Hart's hopefulness. But I think the added subtext of who's singing it makes it all the more fascinating. I really do hope things are that great in 2033 for Chapel Hart, because they deserve it.



5. "16 CARRIAGES" by Beyoncé

For the longest time, I've just never liked Beyoncé. I think part of it is the constant exposure and hype; the buzz of the Beyhive is very loud. I also found her to have an "everyone is beneath me" level of emotional imperviousness both on and off the record, combined with songs such as "If I Were a Boy" that really rubbed me the wrong way. I'll admit these factors made me initially unwilling to dig deeper into her catalog, although I do like "Irreplacable" and "Halo." In short, I had no freaking clue what to make of her doing a country album. Was Cowboy Carter trend-chasing, or using her position to elevate lesser-known Black country artists? (The inclusion of Linda Martell alone has me inclined to believe the latter.) Todd in the Shadows touched on how he thought Lemonade showed a previously-unseen level of vulnerability from her in the wake of Jay-Z's infidelity. Though I know even less about Jay-Z than I do Beyoncé, I can see how even the biggest power couple in the world might get rattled by the revelation that they, too, are not immune to being cheated on just like any other couple. So I think that left the door open just enough for me to get my first glimpse at Queen Bey off her throne. It's a look back at the teenager being famous as a member of Destiny's Child before she even gets a chance to have a normal teen life ("at fifteen, the innocence was gone astray"), sleeping on a bus, and still grinding away in her 40s; she's still stressed out, sorting through decades of emotions that she's fought to keep under wraps. And most importantly, she understands how much harder she had to work to get there as a Black woman. Her vocal tone sounds just this side of breaking down and crying, up against a production style that's emphatic but never overpowers her -- and works in some delightful steel guitar. So not only is this a great, emotionally charged song on its own merits... it's also the song that finally made me understand just who Beyoncé actually is.



4. "Called You by Your Name" by The War and Treaty

As a church musician, some of my favorite songs to play are Black spirituals. They're meant to be simple, easy-to-sing, uplifting messages, their origins hold a very high point of cultural relevance, and they're just so damn fun to perform. This one looks so very simple on paper -- two four-line verses, one of which is sung twice, and a chorus that consists of one line sung four times. But just on lyrics alone, I think the choice of Isaiah 43:1 (."..do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by your name, you are mine") is an inspired one. It's a passage of comfort in times of fear, and a message I think will resonate with anyone who hears it. Of course, as is common with War and Treaty songs, this one rises to greatness with an absolute barn-burner of a performance. Tanya Trotter starts off with a slow, soulful cry of "you can definitely feel it," which then drops into a blisteringly fast toe-tapper of a chorus. The driving tempo doesn't let up throughout, aided by Tanya and Michael's soulful deliveries -- both solo and unison, they just tear it up! I also really dig that muted trumpet. I may be an agnostic, but I do know when the spirit is moving.



3. "Dirt Cheap"/"The Painter" by Cody Johnson (tie)

A while back, I was playing around on an aerial photograph website and found a picture of my mom's childhood home (later the home of my grandmother) as seen in the 1980s. Within a mile radius are my uncle's house, my sister's former house, my stepdad's childhood home, and tons of former farmland that I watched get claimed by condos and retail stores. And I just happened to be riding in my sister's car down a road not far from here when I first heard "Dirt Cheap." Calm, sympathetic, twangy, Cody recalls a story of an old man politely declining to sell his land to developers. The narrator is never angry, nor does he hold a sense of country-boy superiority; he gently recalls all the vivid memories in that piece of land. And that's the way it is with Grandma's house: even after all that's changed around it, the memories remain of watching CMT in her living room and using tuna fish cans to build a mini-golf course in her backyard. So why did I make this a double entry with "The Painter," when I usually limit these to one per artist? Well, remember how I mentioned my stepdad? After he died in October, his family recalled his long battles with alcoholism, and how unfulfilled he felt until my mom came into his life. My mom -- the one who, just like in Cody's song, "finds the beauty in the thrown away and broken things" and takes pictures of the sunset every night -- took a chance on an alcoholic former boxer blinded by early-onset dementia, and no doubt made his last few years far more vivid than they would have been otherwise. Between this song, "'Til You Can't," and "On My Way to You," I think there are fewer mainstream artists who understand me more innately than CoJo right now.



2. "I Am Not Okay" by Jelly Roll

I respect Jelly Roll for being candid about his personal life and his efforts to improve the lives of others (most notably, his testifying before Congress to push for anti-fentanyl legislation). He is an extremely unique figure in country music, and I'm glad he found his way in even if his music. While he had a few songs that I thought lacked the magic of "Son of a Sinner," this simple yet effective ballad is his best yet. We don't know within the context of this song what is causing his internal anguish, but I think he more than capably keeps the lyrics open-ended enough to have broad appeal without sacrificing any emotional stakes. Lines like "I know I can't be the only one who's holding on for dear life" and the subtle shift from "it's all gonna be all right" to "we're all gonna be all right" show a level of empathy, underscored by his impassioned gravelly voice and the subdued production. Right after my aforementioned stepfather's death, my mother had to move back in with me for a time. She heard this song and said immediately it was how she felt after his death. After doing so, she shared it with friends, and they immediately had the same reaction she and I did. I had heard it a couple times on the radio at work, but once I paid full attention to the lyrics, I knew this was a song for the stepchild, the widow, the recovering addict -- for anyone who is "not okay." We're all gonna be all right.



1. "Rotations" by Adeem the Artist

Adeem the Artist wrote this song about parenthood, and specifically about their becoming a parent during their "Saturn return" (when Saturn returns to the location it was at the time of a person's birth). I don't follow astrology, but I immediately understood the parent-child dynamic expressed and the symbolism behind changes in one's life. Their daughter is playing ukulele, drawing, and making potions out of plants in the yard. When I was young, I would haphazardly strum a cheap guitar along to the radio, draw road maps on almost any surface imaginable, and play with every dandelion I found in the yard. But what I lacked for the most part was a father figure; my parents divorced when I was only 4, and I saw my father with increasingly less frequency until he died in 2016. Around the same time, my stepdad entered my life: first, mom would only see him sporadically, but as his dementia progressed, they moved in together so she could take care of him. I knew his time was limited, especially after they married in July 2023. But I also knew he loved me and he loved music. "When I'm gone, you'll carry on and carry all that there is left of me with you" sounds like the kind of sentiment I imagine he would have expressed to me. I admire the warm, gentle read -- just vocals, guitar, and a short muted trumpet solo. But most of all, I admire Adeem's ability to weave highly specific and slightly unconventional details into an instantly relatable narrative.



Honorable mentions: "Fall of Summer," "Messed Up as Me"



These lists only cover singles; otherwise, "Jupiter's Faerie" would be #1


Jan 4, 2023

Bobby's Picks: Best Songs of 2022



by Bobby Peacock


BEST OF 2022



20. "Circles Around This Town" by Lunatic Country Music Person... I mean, Maren Morris

I've always liked Maren Morris, although I get why she's not everyone's cup of tea. The "trying to make it big in Nashville" trope is one that's been done, but Maren's take has plenty of flavor. She touches on the cliché nature of songwriting ("trying to compete with everybody else's ones that got away") and the relentless hustle needed to make it big. She even works in a couple references to her earlier hits that make perfect sense in context. Sure, you could argue it could be produced a little cleaner, but it still conveys a brightness and optimism just the same. And I've always felt Maren had a more progressive edge to her stuff that would make her stand out, so the subtext of her younger and more contemporary leanings is a perfect match for the concept of trying to write circles around stodgy conservative ol' Nashville.


19. "Something in the Orange" by Zach Bryan

The vastly lopsided way it caught on with streaming, international audiences, and just about every damn place but country radio is telling; this is quickly falling into the "Feathered Indians" pile of "Americana/alt-country song that's accessible enough to catch on with the social media and bar band crowds.” Truth is, I'll probably be burnt out on it by 2024. But taken entirely on its own merits, I love the tension of this impending heartbreak, combined with how the abstract metaphor of the title conveys that sense of unease. (I'm a very literal person, so if a more metaphorical song clicks this hard for me, you know you've done something right.) The old-school singer-songwriter approach (gruff vocals, guitar, harmonica, that's it) can be a cliché in the wrong hands, but here it feels like deliberate minimalism. In short, I'm happy that a song this different and artful has managed to reach a lot more ears.

 

18. "Don't Come Lookin'" by Jackson Dean

It's refreshing to hear a newcomer with some bite and an original premise. This guy just wants to clear his head, and he'll go anywhere that isn't "here.” I love the hook "if I don't come back, don't come lookin'" and how it summarizes that sense of wanderlust. His vocal delivery is appropriately rough-edged and he knows how to vary his phrasing a bit on each chorus. But probably the best element here is the production: with the low-tuned acoustics and hard-edged slide, the guitar work sounds straight out of Jay Joyce's playbook. If Jackson Dean hadn't gotten to this song first, I could easily see it being a new cut from Eric Church. I'm lookin' for Jackson here to have more hits in 2023 that have even a little bit of this one's grit.


 

17. "Marlboros & Avon" by McBride & the Ride

Although I'm considerably younger than the nostalgia brought up in this song, I can still relate. Even in the early 90s, my small town still had a drive-in theater; my neighbors still had wood-panel TVs; I listened to CCR; and dad drove my grandma's old 1987 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme, which isn't that different from a Mercury Marquis if you're not a car guy. Hell, even the smell of Marlboros and Avon is nostalgic to me, as our housekeeper was a chain smoker who also sold Avon products on the side. And by matching all these details to the tight twangy harmonies of McBride & the Ride -- who sound like they haven't aged a day since five-year-old me was captivated by "Sacred Ground" in 1992 -- that nostalgia buzz hits all the harder.

 

16. "Everything She Ain't" by Hailey Whitters

I admit, seeing her name on the atrocious "Happy People" was a case of starting on the wrong foot. Thankfully that was the only misfire, because everything else I've heard with her name on it since then has been great. Case in point: her first bow as a singles artist. Between the banjo and sharp twangy vocals, I'm already getting serious Chicks vibes from this in all the right ways. You don't often see the "dump the person you're with because I'm better" trope played from a female perspective, and that's probably why this one stands out to me. Some of the details are quite interesting as well, including possibly the first ever Hank Sr. name-drop that also mentions his first wife Audrey. Some have interesting contrast like "plenty of fish in the sea...only one of me" and best of all, the title hook of "I'm everything she is and everything she ain't.” Can we have more of this in 2023?


15. "What He Didn't Do" by Carly Pearce

Carly Pearce hasn't missed once for me, while her ex-husband Michael Ray has exactly one song I like. But her ex did inspire a rather clever, incisive song about a breakup. We've got the stage set with the usual "if you can't say something nice, then don't say anything at all" and admission that there are two sides in play. It all gives context to a neatly summarized list of things one would expect out of a relationship. By framing it this way, Carly doesn't seem bitter or judgmental, just matter-of-fact and even subversive. And it doesn't stop at the list, as we get further great lines like "Imma take the high road, even though we both know I could run him out of this town / That's just dirty laundry, I don't need to wear the truth.” Carly has a clean-cut delivery and the production is crisp but still stays out of her way, helping to make this sick burn really land.



14. "Fall in Love" by Bailey Zimmerman

This one works in part because of what it doesn't do. There's no petty misogyny or pleas for sympathy, and he's not too sulky or angry; we just get detailed scenes with the right amount of melodrama, building up to a great hook of "you don't wanna fall in love.” The verses tell us a lot about what both of them are doing now that they're no longer together. I especially like the detail of him meeting her mom at the store and asking about her, only for her to take his side too ("tried to go convincing you not to settle down with him"). I could see where his voice might not be for everyone (there are times when he sounds like if Morgan Wallen could stay in key without Auto-Tune). But between that rough vocal and the production -- surprisingly uncompressed, with actual bass and drums -- the result feels considerably more real than I expected from a guy who got popular through TikTok.


13. "wait in the truck" by HARDY and Lainey Wilson

Oh hey, it's the first song I've liked from either artist. Maybe the secret was HARDY finally turning off his caps lock. It's been a while since we've had a good murder ballad on radio, and this one hits all the right notes. Both vocalists give credible performances (which on HARDY's part, is saying something) that portray a man's willingness for revenge -- namely, to murder another man who is committing abuse while also protecting the abused woman. There's an almost sinister tone to the morally gray protagonist, balanced with a few well-placed lines from the victim's POV. Even the production stays out of the way (which on Joey Moi's part, is REALLY saying something), keeping the surroundings spare and moody. As often as HARDY has vacillated between decent and awful, he was bound to find "great" eventually and I'm glad he did.


12. "Damn Strait" by Scotty McCreery

I wanted to like Scotty McCreery from the beginning, but his forced aw-shucks demeanor always made him seem like a southern-fried Alfred E. Neuman to me. But between the goatee and some stronger song choices, he's finally won me over. His best radio release yet takes the shopworn trope of "make a song largely out of references to song titles" and actually comes up with something original by leaning into a pun for good measure. (I can tell Trent Tomlinson wrote this.) The songs chosen -- I especially like that more modern ones like "I Hate Everything" and "Give It Away" got worked in -- show a knowledge of Strait's material that goes deeper than average, as well as a knack for wordplay ("But do I wish I could get her back? Damn Strait") that slot seamlessly into the radio-centric narrative and an appropriately neo-trad sound. Is this Scotty's best radio single to date? Damn straight.


11. "Doin' This" by Luke Combs

For his last few singles, Luke Combs has been the musical equivalent of cranberry juice cocktail: heavily watered down, but still with just enough flavor left to remind me of the stronger taste it used to be. His first good radio single since "Even Though I'm Leaving" maxes out the humble everyman nature that has kept me from dismissing him entirely. The concept is interesting on its own, being an answer to an interview question many musicians have been asked: "what would you do if you weren't doin' this?" His answer may not be surprising -- he'd still be singing and playing music just for the fun of it. But if you were to take any mainstream artist in Nashville and convince me he's not in it for the money, Luke Combs would probably be one of the first I'd buy it from. And between his gruff yet intense delivery and that clever hook of "I'd still be doin' this if I wasn't doin' this,” I believe him.



10. "Handle on You" by Parker McCollum

Parker McCollum's first two mainstream hits didn't do anything for me, due mainly to his extremely whiny voice on them. However, his third charted single goes down much smoother. There's a laid-back Texas country vibe that reminds me of early Randy Rogers Band, and a great reminder of what the steel guitar sounds like. I also like the hopefulness of how he's finally gotten over drinking her away ("after all this back and forth, a fifth won't do"), but that's far from the only brilliant line here. Add to that list the equally sharp "I tell myself that I should quit, but I don't listen to drunks,” not to mention a subtle nod to "I Think I'll Just Stay Here and Drink" that pays off the Merle Haggard name-drop earlier in the song, and the results are a damn good country song all around. I'm glad he's finally gotten a handle on his artistry.


9. "One More Night" by Miko Marks & the Resurrectors

Especially considering she's from my family's hometown of Flint, how has Miko Marks been off my radar until the past few months? Her lyrical tour of the more upbeat sectors of Southern music culture -- New Orleans jazz, Memphis R&B, Muscle Shoals soul -- is wrapped up in a musical package that encompasses all of them. The production swings and bops in all the right places (love that slide guitar!), and Marks' vocal is a torchy belt backed by some gospel-tinged harmonies. Everything about this song just sounds so cool in all the right ways. I can see why this is the kind of sound she'd want to be hanging around with for "one more night" because honestly, with the passion she's showing here, I'd want a lot more of this too.


8, "'Til You Can't" by Cody Johnson

"If you got a dream, chase it 'cause a dream can't chase you back.” Brilliant observation. While it's easy to feel catharsis in hearing someone recall the opportunities they missed (which is why Kathy Mattea's "Standing Knee Deep in a River (Dying of Thirst)" hits me so hard), Cody takes a more upbeat approach by pointing out that a lot of opportunities still exist. I only got to see my grandfather once before he died in '93, and I'm glad I did. My stepdad is slowly losing himself to early-onset Alzheimer's, and I'm glad I can still do anything at all with him. By latching onto specific details in a similar fashion -- in particular, I like the verse about fixing up a car -- Cody Johnson and the writers find that sense of realism and accessibility that makes those emotions connect. And of course, that it sounds so country and heartwarming doesn't hurt, either.


7. "The Man from Waco" by Charley Crockett

How does Charley Crockett release like, 90 songs a year that all slap? Maybe it's because he draws from so many influences and just owns all of them. Sure, its Western flavored murder ballad plot line may bring to mind "El Paso" (one of the best country songs of all time), but if you're warranting comparisons to Marty Robbins then I'd say you're doing it right. The production here is more sinister with that big spaghetti Western guitar sound I love so much, a deep minor-key melody, and Crockett's smooth commanding baritone. It's very economical lyrically, telling its entire story in four short verses, but there's still more than enough to fill things out. And that ending line "A moment of burning anger can curse the living through the days" adds a cautionary note for extra drama. Like most of Charley Crockett's material, this one exudes too much coolness for me to ignore.


6. "Bonfire at Tina's" by Ashley McBryde with Brandy Clark, Caylee Hammack, and Pillbox Patti

Ashley McBryde doing an album inspired by Dennis Linde (my favorite songwriter) is the kind of stuff I live for. In the same songwriting universe that brought us such character sketches as "Queen of My Double Wide Trailer,” "Bubba Shot the Jukebox,” and "Goodbye Earl,” you're sure to find the same "small town women" sung about here. Sure, they don't always get along, but between the cheating lazy husbands and misbehaving stepchildren, they're able to air out all their dirty laundry together and find solidarity as "bitches that are sick of taking it.” I'd like to imagine that at least some of their husbands' possessions are in that bonfire. Maybe a stick doll effigy of one of them. Whatever the case, this is something that totally feels like it would happen in real life, and all present sing the hell out of it.


5. "Whiskey Sour" by Kane Brown

I swear I'm not doing this just to piss off Trailer (or to appease Kevin John Coyne, for that matter); I really did find Kane Brown grew on me immensely over the past year-plus. And this was the turning point: the moment Kane did a song that I'm sure even the "but Kane isn't country" crowd would say is country as hell. This guy thought he had her, but she turned into the oft-lamented "one that got away.” Kane fills us in on all the details of how this proposal went south, and he's now drowning his sorrows at the bar ("How can I get over if the love was never ours?" is a great line). While this wasn't a single, it qualifies for my list due to it having made the charts. If it ends up being a single in 2023 anyway, then I would seriously consider putting it on next year's list too -- because in the year that Kane finally won me over, this is his best song to date.

 

4. "Son of a Sinner" by Jelly Roll

Jelly Roll is a sympathetic figure: a "reformed drug dealer and active alcoholic" (to quote his own Twitter bio) who is clearly trying to right himself. Some of his hip-hop releases that I sampled fall into one of my favorite variants of that genre, where the artist just lays all their struggles on the line. So it's no surprise that his first outing as a country singer is in the same vein -- a man who's clearly dealing with substance abuse, a fixation on the past, and even a crisis of faith. With his rough-edged voice, lush production, and direct lyricism ("I'm only one drink away from the Devil"), he finds the perfect balance of realism and accessibility. And judging from the reactions to this song on social media, it's clear he's found a lot more "sons of sinners" who connected with this song.


 

3. "Here Tonight" by Banditos

"Live for today 'cause you're here tonight,” promises this unique bartender-giving-advice song. And that advice is delivered in a sassy, energetic tone by Banditos lead vocalist Mary Beth Richardson to a group of bar patrons as disparate as this song's instrument choices (baritone saxophone, güiro, banjo, Hammond organ, and what I swear is a toy piano). Between the extremely "real" feel to the lyrics and the way the production enhances the mood, this is easily one of the most interesting and fun journeys into the mind that I've had this year. And of course, a few well-placed name-drops of the lesser-known George Jones songs don't hurt, either.


2. "Made for Me" by Chapel Hart

In the wake of Chapel Hart's appearance on AGT, it's easy to forget they actually had songs sent out to radio too. Although one of their earlier recordings, it fits perfectly with their career arc. The buzz was already present before then, but Chapel Hart found a way to drastically increase their profile. Though they didn't win, they still got far more eyes on them than ever before. And that passion and drive to chase that (neon) rainbow is evident in this song's autobiographical lyrics. We learn the name of their town, previous jobs they held, and the fun times they had in small-town Mississippi before aiming their sights on the big time. And as is expected, they wrap it all up in a harmonious, tuneful package. This is probably the best song about yearning for musical stardom since "Baby Girl,” and it's made all the better by its subtext.



1. "Middle of a Heart" by Adeem the Artist

The narrator's story is a common arc that I've seen even here in the North: learning to hunt, falling in love, and going off to war. But it's that last verse -- where the narrator is so horrified by the atrocities of war as to commit suicide -- that Adeem goes where others fear. I've obviously never been in combat myself, nor do I know anyone who has, so it's hard for me to fathom the atrocities that can be seen on the battlefield or the ensuing PTSD. According to The Bluegrass Situation, Adeem wrote this song about someone they knew personally and described as "a richly problematic man who I loved deeply.” But even without knowing that, I know this song hits me hard every time, thanks in no small part to Adeem's sharp, sympathetic songcraft. I don't think any war-themed song has hit my emotions with that much force since "Travelin' Soldier.”

 

(Honorable mentions: "She Had Me at Heads Carolina,” "Joy of My Life,” "Out in the Middle,” "Going to Hell")

 

BEST NON-SINGLES OR OTHER SONGS

Note: Unlike previous years, where I only include singles or songs that charted in order to keep the list focused, I felt there was enough non-single content this year for an appendix. This is by no means exhaustive; just a selection of additional songs this year that I felt were strong enough to be worthy of a review.


6. "Suspicious Minds" by Morgan Wade

I swear, it's impossible to mess this song up. It's my favorite Elvis Presley song, and Dwight Yoakam turbocharged the hell out of it with his cover version on the Honeymoon in Vegas soundtrack to make it my favorite song of his too. Morgan Wade takes a different approach that I can only describe as "if Cheryl Crow sang lead for Electric Light Orchestra" and makes it work in a way that description alone does not do justice. Between the drums and the vocoder, there are a lot of production tricks sure to set off "not country" alarms, but the evergreen lyrics about a dysfunctional relationship keep it grounded. Now why hasn't she sent another single out to radio yet?

 

5. "Barbed Wire Boys" by Trout Fishing in America

Why no, this isn't just me trying to draw more eyes to my "Top 20 Trout Fishing in America Songs (That Aren't Children's Songs)" list (which was actually a Top 21 because I suck at copy editing). Even if I hadn't made that list, this song would be here regardless. I've loved Trout since the late 90s, and their 2022 album Safe Haven shows they haven't lost a step. As I said in the aforementioned list, it's easy to think of men -- especially "salt of the earth" types -- as not having any vulnerability whatsoever lest our society perceive them as "weak.” But Susan Werner saw that hidden depth in her original lyrics, and by actually having a male artist sing it, these lyrics feel all the more introspective. And honestly, I'd believe it just as much from these guys if I didn't already know they were responsible for songs as lighthearted as "My Hair Had a Party Last Night.”


 

4. "You Can Have Him Jolene" by Chapel Hart

This actually was a single last year, but it charted this year. And best of all, I got WATZ to play it. As I said in the singles entries, Chapel Hart seized an unconventional opportunity to get a bigger platform for their music this year -- in a way I honestly did not expect but am all the happier for having seen it happen. They already had me with "I Will Follow,” but their first song to actually chart proves it was no fluke. Sassy and hard-edged, they turn the evergreen "Jolene" on its head by telling the titular Jolene "when you think that he's in love, he'll surely leave, like he did me.” This song kicks ass in a completely different way than "I Will Follow" did, and that's ultimately its greatest asset: it proves they have range as well as talent.

 

3. "Southern Curls" by Julie Williams

This was also a single last year, and had I known about it then, it seriously would have had a shot at the top 3. I don't want my view on this song to go unnoticed, especially not after I finally found my way to a Black Opry show earlier this year (hi, Holly) and heard Julie Williams perform it live. Even as a kid, I wondered why so few Black artists (especially women) seemed to exist in country music. And the current climate of the genre has only made me all the more aware. It's a sad truth that far too many people in the world are "looked down on before [they]'re even born" simply because of who they are. Julie Williams tells of her struggles, yet offers a ray of hope through optimistic lines such as "I know that I glow, and so do you.”


2. "Carolina" by Adeem the Artist

"Some of us have childhoods that aren't poems on sight / But darlin', you're doin' alright.” So ends the first track on Adeem the Artist's White Trash Revelry. We learn a lot about their life in every richly detailed lyric, especially in the references to their "runaway" mother who withstood abuse from her parents. And while so many of these details are so different from mine, it's the sympathy emanating from every lyric -- finding one's identity (something I, a person on the autism spectrum, deal with constantly even before gender identity comes into the picture), coming to terms with life changes that didn't go your way (like the four jobs I went through this past year), and making the best of what you do have (the job I finally got by year's end that stuck). I honestly could have put nearly any song in this spot, but "Carolina" gets the slot because of that extra bit of personal connection.



1. "You'll Never Leave Harlan Alive" by Chris Stapleton and Patty Loveless

And you thought country music was dead? Well, take one of the most traditional mainstream artists out there, and match him with a '90s country icon. Have them both perform the best goddamn lyric Darrell Scott ever wrote -- you know, that haunting downer about the hardscrabble life in a Kentucky coal mining town? That one that like, six other artists have sung? Between Stapleton's bluesy growl, Patty Loveless' mature twang that I swear hasn't changed a day since "Blame It on Your Heart,” and a little harmony help from Chris' wife, the vocal arrangement is divine. The playing is professional yet never overpowering; I will literally never tire of the sound of a Dobro. I've rarely felt a song as much as I did when this performance aired. Every ingredient involved made it magical to listen to. In short, this was the best musical moment of 2022.


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