Here are some of the top new Country and Americana releases for the week of 26/06/2020.
All of this week’s new tracks are also on our New Release Round-up 2020 playlist on Spotify, along with every other song we’ve included in this feature during the year so far. If you’re a Spotify user, give it a follow so you can keep up to date!
Eric Church – Stick That In Your Country Song
Eric Church is back, and he’s got something to say. As responses to current events go, it’s hard, edgy, loud and angry. Where others have invited comment by quoting specific events in their lyrics, Church uses more general themes without naming names to keep the focus on the issues at hand and avoid the conversation getting bogged down in the detail. It’ll be interesting to see to what extent his fellow country artists take up the challenge.
Caylee Hammack – Redhead (ft. Reba McEntire)
Caylee has had this cautionary song around for a little while now, and fans have been asking when it was going to be released. Turns out she was saving it for her debut album, If It Wasn’t For You, which Caylee announced this week would be hitting the shelves on August 14th. Not only that, but she recruited Reba McEntire to duet with her on Redhead – and who better? The album will also feature contributions from Ashley McBryde and Tenille Townes. One to watch.
Brett Eldredge – Sunday Drive
The title track to Brett’s new album, set for release on July 10th. Recoreded in Chicago and produced by Daniel Tashian and Ian Fitchuk, who performed the same duties on Golden Hour for Kacey Musgraves, the album promises to be a step change for the artist. The track Sunday Best is a tender, piano based scrapbook song looking back on childhood memories, delivered with a stirring and emotional vocal performance.
Lainey Wilson – Sunday Best
Lainey has had a seriously good run of releases in 2020, and Sunday Best continues that strong form. As breakup songs go, it’s sassy, slinky and ever-so-slightly naughty over a playful guitar-led rhythmic groove underpinned by a timeless bass guitar riff.
Tennessee Jet – Stray Dogs
Tennessee Jet is Oklahoma born and raised, but transplanted to California a few years ago. You can hear that mix of traditional country and west coast singer-songwriter influences in Stray Dogs – and maybe a bit of mid-60’s Dylan in there too. The semi-biographical track is the first to come from TJ’s upcoming third album, The Country, out on September 4th.
Lauren Alaina – Getting Good (ft. Trisha Yearwood)
Getting Good first appeared in 2019, and became the title track to Lauren’s EP release earlier this year. For this release, she’s joined by Trisha Yearwood on a song that encourages us to stop chasing after the material things that we think will make life better, at the cost of enjoying the important things we already have. “I’m thinking once I learn to soak up every moment, I’ll realise my life’s already good.”
Robert Counts – What Do I Know
Previous releases from Tennessee’s Robert Counts have tended to play to the soulful side of his voice. With What Do I Know we see another side to him as he leans into his rockier influences. Robert was due to make his UK debut at the C2C Country 2 Country festival in March this year, and he was one of our “one’s to watch” for the weekend. Fingers crossed that he’ll be over for the next C2C – or any other time he can get over here.
Mo Pitney – Local Honey
Mo’s new album Ain’t Lookin’ Back is slated for release on August 14th, and here’s another teaser track. It’s a sweet tale (see what we did there?) of a romance found at a farmer’s market, played out over a lilting, playful groove. That new album is shaping up very nicely…