Here are some of the top new releases for the week of 16-09-2019.
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!
Jon Pardi – Old Hat
We really like what we’ve heard so far from Pardi’s new album Heartache Medication, and this slow-roller is no exception. The title refers to certain manners and social conventions that have become “old hat” – things like guys holding doors open for ladies, sealing deals with a handshake, keeping promises. It’s a song that shows a great melding of the old and the new, in its sound and its words.
Travis Denning – Heartbeat Of A Small Town
The latest release from Georgia’s Travis Denning is a hark back to his roots with evocative imagery of small town American life. “Southern wind blowin’ though pine trees | Coke can poppin’ in the back seat | Nothin’ like that middle o’ nowhere sound”. You have to hand it to Travis – he knows how to put a catchy song together.
Lady Antebellum – Ocean
A gentle, tender ballad that pulls at the heart strings. A very simple arrangement with Hillary Scott singing lead over Dave Haywood’s piano, and a barely-there harmony from Charles Kelley.
Cody Jinks – William And Wanda
Jink’s grandfather William died earlier this year, and Cody began writing this song with his wife Rebecca shortly after the funeral. It’s an imagined conversation between William and Jinks’ grandmother Wanda, who has been waiting in heaven for him. It’s something that could have been mawkish or a little too Hallmark channel, but in Jinks’ hands it’s a very moving, deeply personal tribute to people he clearly loved and respected greatly.
Ronnie Dunn – Long Cool Woman (In A Black Dress)
Following the success of the Brooks and Dunn Reboot album, Ronnie is releasing his own Re-Dunn album in January 2020. It’s a covers album featuring songs that have soundtracked his life and as such it’s a real mixed bag of styles. There’ll be tracks on there from George Strait, Albert Hammond, Eric Clapton, The Eagles, Van Morrison… and this track originally from The Hollies. It always had a country rock feel to it (very out of keeping with the pop style of other Hollies songs) and Ronnie does nothing to diminish that here. A lot of people are hoping and wishing for an appearance at Country 2 Country 2020 – who knows, maybe this track from a legendary British band would be one for the setlist….?
Darrin Bradbury ft Margo Price – The Trouble With Time
Taken from Darrin’s album Talking Dogs and Atom Bombs, released today (20 Sept). The Trouble With Time has quite a dark arrangement, and the lyric ruminates on how memory and reflection can take you to places you maybe hadn’t intended and wish you hadn’t gone to. Margo Price’s counterpoint harmony lifts the track in all the right places. Bradbury will be touring the UK later this year with Jarrod Dickenson – some venues have sold out but you can find ticket information on our UK Tours page.
Here’s our New Release Round-up 2019 playlist – enjoy!