Here are some of the top new releases for the week of 29/07/2019…
All of this week’s new tracks are also on our New Release Round-up playlist on Spotify, along with every other song we’ve included in this feature during the year so far. The playlist is at the bottom of the page – if you’re a Spotify user, give it a follow!
Kendell Marvel – Hard Time With The Truth
Moody stuff from Kendell Marvel, with picked guitar and deep, rumbling piano chords setting the tone in the verses before a rocking lead guitar riff lights it up in the choruses. There’s even strings in there, in a distinct change in sound from Kendell’s previous work. “When I look into the mirror sometimes I don’t like what I see | It’s like I’m looking at the Devil, staring right straight back at me | I keep praying that one day he turns me loose | I’ve always had a hard time with the truth”
Luke Combs – Let’s Just Be Friends
Luke Combs’ bid for global domination continues apace with this track to be featured in the movie “Angry Birds 2”, which will be released later this month. Lyrically, it’s pretty standard fare for a kids movie – no mention of beer or broken hearts. Musically it’s also the kind of thing you hear in movie soundtracks. There’s nothing particularly standout about it, it’s just a decent song done well but it’s unlikely to feature high on any “Best of…” lists. Should be great exposure for him though.
Midland – Cheatin’ Songs
It seems like we’ve been waiting for months (well, we have!) but Midlands new album Let It Roll is finally released this month. This mid-tempo track, the latest to drop from the album, is almost the other side of the coin from Mr Lonely because this time it’s Mark Wystrach who’s being cheated on. Some people want to call Midland out because of their retro affectations, but you really can’t begrudge them when it’s done so well and they’re obviously self-aware about it. Just listen to the lyrics – “She’s bringing back cheatin’ songs | The kinda hurt that gets you singing along | Something circa-1973 |She’s lying with him and she’s lying to me”.
Tyler Childers – Matthew
Childer’s hot anticipated new album Country Squire is released today, and the good news is the major record label deal hasn’t knocked him off course. This, the final track, has possibly the most traditional and recognisably Appalachian sound on the album. Even so, there’s still room for a sitar on the atmospheric intro, echoing as it does military veteran Matthew’s tour of duty in Iraq. Story-telling country music of a kind we just don’t see so much of these days.
Sheryl Crow & Chris Stapleton – Tell Me When It’s Over
You’ll have to wait until the end of the month for Sheryl’s col-lab album Threads to be released, but meanwhile she’s been very generous in giving us tracks in advance. This latest one is a straight, 4/4, bluesy, rocky number of the kind that she does so well, with Mr Stapleton adding guitar and counterpoint vocals. Chris’s contribution on the whole is somewhat downplayed, you kinda wish there was there was more of him. Since he co-wrote the song with Sheryl we would imagine he’s exactly where he wants to be in the mix. But if he ever recorded his own version, well, that might be something else…
Joe Diffie – As Long As There’s A Bar
This is straight up 90’s honky-tonk country from Diffie. Plenty of familiar bar room lyrical imagery and sentiment, backed with fiddle and pedal steel. “As long as there’s a bar | You got a home away from home | Where the good times never end | You’re surrounded by your friends | And you’ll never be alone”. Maybe an album to come?
Lori McKenna – Stealing Kisses
Stellar song-writer Lori McKenna has been revisiting and re-recording songs from her early solo album Bittertown. Faith Hill also picked up this track for her album Fireflies back in 2006. It’s a poignant, heartfelt vignette of domestic loneliness and disaffection in small town America, as powerful now as it was 15 years ago when McKenna first released it.
Mike & The Moonpies – London Homesick Blues
Mike and the boys dropped their new album Cheap Silver and Solid Country Gold out of the blue today. Who could’ve predicted they’d ever do an album with members of the London Symphony Orchestra? Or hold recording sessions at London’s famous Abbey Road studios? This track from the album is a cover of Gary P. Nunn’s 70’s classic, which obviously chimed with the band.
Here’s our New Release Round-up 2019 playlist – enjoy!