Albums
Kelsea Ballerini- Rolling Up the Welcome Mat (Black River)
Folks, Kelsea Ballerini is riding quite the beautiful artistic crest at the present moment. Already enjoying the success of her most recent LP, the plum-perfect peak moment of her brand of country-pop to date, she fittingly dropped this stunning conceptual EP on Valentine’s Day. A seamless foray into rainy day, sad-girl pop, Rolling Up the Welcome Mat excavates every gloomy, gripping detail of her recent divorce in a no-holds-barred fashion that was only merely hinted at on Subject to Change. It reads like a confessional diary and chronological timeline of the emotions that the artist faced as she grappled with throughout a year of marital discourse, from the early warning signs of disintegration through the final split. Further complimenting the release is the short-form film that covers all six tracks, a visual achievement that ranks among one of the most remarkable in the music video medium (yes, that’s still a thing) in recent memory. From the emotional emptiness of “Just Married” to the brutal reality-check of “Penthouse” to the unbridled bitterness of “Blindsided”, this project is another impressive evolution for Ballerini across all categories: vocally, sonically, thematically, and lyrically. She’s becoming one of my favorites to watch.
Dierks Bentley- Gravel & Gold (Capitol)
With a career that now spans twenty years and half as many records, Dierks Bentley remains one of the country chart’s most unassuming, consistently reliable superstars and creatively vibrant mainstays. On opening cut, “Same Ol’ Me”, he asserts that not much has changed with the passing of time, and that’s a declaration that proves itself throughout the course of Gravel & Gold. His sturdy signature sound remains confidently in tact, melding country-rock swagger with an affinity for bluegrass-leaning instrumentation and thoughtful, atmospheric storytelling. Smash-worthy anthems like the chart-topping title track, the contemplative “Something Real”, the sing-along break up tune “All the Right Places”, and the honky rave-up “Beer at My Funeral” are balanced with moody, introspective, road-weary gems like “Sun Sets in Colorado”, “Heartbreak Drinking Tour”, and the beautifully wistful “Walking Each Other Home”. Great collaborative selections, also a deep tradition in Bentley’s catalog, abound as well with guests Ashley McBryde (“Cowboy Boots”) and bluegrass wunderkind Billy Strings (“High Note”), once again illustrating Bentley’s natural ease at marrying the mainstream and underground worlds of roots music. Bentley’s remained a Music City beacon throughout all eras of his career, first as a scrappy new traditionalist, then as one of his generation’s more artistically daring radio darlings, and now as a resilient, gate-keeping veteran. Gravel & Gold provides emphatic assurance that he doesn’t plan to relinquish such status any time soon.
Iris DeMent- Workin’ On A World (Flariella)
Three decades ago, Iris DeMent barreled onto the indie country and folk scenes with the brash twang and pointed lyricism of Loretta Lynn, combined with the politically tinged protest spirit of Joan Baez, and in the process became one of the most underrated and vital voices of the modern music world. This is her first record since 2015, a time many of us would romanticize now as quaint and ideal compared to the eight years that have followed. Regardless, DeMent is the type of narrative voice made to sing about the troubled times defining the late 2010s and early 2020s, so she has plenty of matters to unpack on Workin’ On A World. This album immediately demonstrates that the best and most graceful qualities of DeMent’s work have not faded. She doesn’t just bitch about the world’s problems with a bemoaning doom & gloom outlook. On the soul-garnished opening title track, she vows and encourages us all to put in the work necessary to improve our societal circumstances, reminding us that our predecessors did the same with equally challenging barriers, not to mention fewer resources and opportunity to see their results. She manages to tackle the issue of gun violence with her trademark Prine-inspired morbid humor on “Goin’ Down to Sing in Texas”, while still getting her important and heavy point across. This segues into the poetic “Say A Good Word”, a plea for kindness in a culture where there are very few of us left that haven’t allowed our politics or social views to damage at least one of our otherwise close relationships. As is standard for DeMent’s music, these tracks successfully evoke emotions of anger, laughter, fear, and hope. And that’s just the first three tracks. These high standards continue throughout the heady, human material that follows as World progresses, with many other cornerstones abounding, among them the sardonic pledge to live life to the fullest in “Nothin’ for the Dead”, and “Warriors of Love”, a stirring homage to everyday people who have sacrificed their own priorities for the greater good of society. It’d be remiss to not also mention the sheer greatness of the pure musicality of this record as well. The musicianship captured here by DeMent and her producers and players, a rich blend of beautiful country steel, charming parlor piano, and glowing soul brass, sounds positively marvelous and boldly enriches the stories being told. Contemporaries from DeMent’s generation (Mary Chapin Carpenter specifically comes to mind) should take note for their latter-day work, that it’s still possible to craft folk-tinged music with a message that is also sonically fulfilling. If Workin’ On A World can achieve one fact that everyone agrees upon, it’s this: nobody is accomplishing that lofty feat with greater conviction and vigor than Iris DeMent.
Paramore- This Is Why (Atlantic)
The sixth studio release from alt-rock heroes Paramore smacks as hard as anything they’ve released since their 2007 debut cast them as one of rock music’s most sharply potent post-punk juggernauts. It becomes quickly and clearly evident that the cultural chaos left in the wake of the Trump era and a global pandemic pushed the band over the brink and squarely back into their more aggressive rock tendencies. The resulting record serves as a beautifully blistering exorcism and palate cleanser of the bullshit that’s littered life on planet Earth during the early years of the 2020s, but it does so by confronting those tensions and anxieties straight-on rather than fleeing toward escapism. And through sly and biting bangers like the title track, “Running Out of Time”, “C’est Comme Ca”, “You First” and “The News”, the band tackles an complicated world with an impressive balance of anger and humor, reason and doubt, and ramifications of both a personal and universal nature. Musically, this album returns the ensemble to a more percussive and guitar-driven sound and it rocks as confidently hard as Paramore ever has before. This frames the project with an urgent, high-stakes atmosphere perfectly suited for the material and the times they grapple with. More than anything though, it’s the perfect backdrop to remind us that Hayley Williams stands as one of the most commanding and vital voices, among all genders, in rock today. The reckless abandon and pure emotional grit with which she delivers the album’s most urgent and climactic moments, coupled with the raw tenderness she exudes on more pensive moments like “Liar” and “Crave”, is a truly noteworthy. It’s the undeniable bedrock of an album destined to reign as one of 2023’s finest and essential releases.
Pink- Trustfall (RCA)
With her powerhouse pipes and massive list of hit singles having been such a constant presence on the pop charts for nearly a quarter-century, Pink has become one of those music dynamos that is easy to take for granted. Her ninth LP, and first since 2019’s Hurts 2B Human, finds all of the elements that have afforded her such an impressive longevity in typically fine form. Her voice remains one of the most commanding and textured in the pop and adult contemporary pantheons, with soaring and surging power ballads like the record’s opening trifecta (“When I Get There”, the title track, and “Turbulence”) finding her in the emotional wheelhouse that has been the backbone of her latter day hit streak. As uniformly strong as those tracks are, they’re also admittedly interchangeable with much of the fare to be found on 2012’s The Truth About Love onward. This is precisely why it’s refreshing to hear her venture down some more varied avenues as Trustfall progresses. A pair of buzzy collaborations with The Lumineers (“Long Way to Go”) and First Aid Kit (“Kids In Love”) stay true to the core Pink sound but sprinkle it with the sparkly, subtle pinches of the folk-rock fairy-dust that she’s increasingly hinted at exploring in recent years. The latter of these two is a particular gem, with her sandy rasp melding magnificently with the Soderberg sisters’ magical folk-pop stylings. Classic, punchy-pop Pink vibes return in the middle section of the album as the singer goes full-blown, bopping disco on the criminally underrated first single, “Never Gonna Not Dance Again”, bestows perhaps her most synth-soaked exercise with the insatiable “Runaway”, and nods to her more vintage punk-pop roots with the gloriously bitchy “Hate Me”. Finally, the album finale reunites her with country goliath Chris Stapleton on “Just Say I’m Sorry”, and it’s the soulful, stinging full-fledged duet that we all wanted “Love Me Anyway” to be in 2019. It’s a steamy showcase of two stunning vocalists who have chemistry in spades. It stands tall as a sterling conclusion to an album that won’t necessarily stack up far and above any other Pink album, but rather reside cozily and capably next to them in one of 21st century pop’s most durable and dependable discographies.
Shania Twain- Queen of Me (Republic)
The legendary and undisputed gold-standard for post-millennium country-pop returns with her sixth studio release, the first follow-up to 2017’s long-awaited Now. That record, Shania Twain’s first in fifteen years, brought with it incredible pressure and speculation given its distinction as her first album since losing both her physical voice to Lyme’s Disease, and her ex-husband and creative partner, Mutt Lange. With that milestone album behind her, Queen of Me immediately carries with it a much more relaxed and liberated spirit. The overall vibe and sound, both in terms of the production and Twain’s vocal expression and delivery, all carry an overwhelming sense of joy and exuberance. You can sense how much pure enjoyment she had in recording these songs, and in exploring new avenues to take both her songwriting and undeniably changed voice. She leans hard into her pop leanings, and in many ways, the result is the first pure dance album of her career. Opening cut and current single, “Giddy Up” revisits the most line-dancey aspects of her mid 90s country stompers, while “Waking Up Dreaming” dives deep into 80s electro-pop. And when lead producer and British hitmaker Mark Ralph takes over, he leads Twain into a shameless wall of synth-driven EDM on dizzying and addictive tracks like the title cut, “Pretty Liar”, “Got It Good” and especially the Britney-leaning banger, “Number One”. There are certainly moments when this genre’s affection for vocal processing and overproduction get too heavy handed, with the otherwise delightful “Inhale/Exhale Air” being the most obvious example. They still succeed overall thanks to their sheer buoyancy and Twain’s unflappable personality. However, splendidly more folk-oriented, country-pop moments like “Last Day of Summer”, “Brand New” and “Not Just A Girl” illustrate just how alluring and soulful her evolved voice truly is when given the added space to breathe. And when she closes the album with another sonic pivot, this time toward alt-rock with the Twenty One Pilots collab “The Hardest Stone”, she leaves us additionally curious as to where her next batch of genre concoctions will take her. It caps off a record that is colorful in all its curiosity, and all the better for the fact that it unflinchingly owns that fact every step of the way. But above anything, Queen of Me ultimately triumphs thanks to the palpable joy and gratitude that Shania Twain outwardly feels for the opportunity to simply be creating music again. She clearly still has plenty to say and explore in this renaissance period of her career.
Singles
The Band of Heathens- “Heartless Year” (BOH)
A clean and sturdy roots rock outing from a band that has established themselves as one of the most reliable of its kind. “Heartless Year” is a song of perseverance, but not one biased with fluffy platitudes or naive, all-out positivity: “The light I see at the end of the tunnel’s either daylight creeping or a fast train coming”. It’s a mature acknowledgement that life is always going to have its pitfalls, but a reminder that our victories over past challenges ensures that we’ll navigate the bumps just fine. The vocals and production are highlighted with a perfect blend of breeziness and rugged fortitude.
Beck- “Thinking About You” (Capitol)
A gorgeous, one-off ballad that returns Beck to the most intimate and stripped elements of seminal albums like Sea Change and Morning Phase. There’s such a lonesome longing that’s unearthed from his pipes when he ventures into these territories, a mood further elevated by the understated, Neil Young-recalling harmonica fills. “Forty roses couldn’t cover my grave/No cross and rosary for my soul to save/Wanna believe in something/It don’t even have to be true.” If you were looking for a tune to lift you out of the late-winter doldrums, this is not it. But it sure as hell will stir your soul.
Pony Bradshaw- “Go Down, Appalachia” (Black Mountain)
This is glorious and heartwarming mountain music, flowing out of the voice of a soulful but unassuming talent whom I wish I had discovered far sooner. He’s a hell of a songwriter too as evidenced by the rich and entertaining imagery of that first verse, which paints such a fantastic portrait of a tasty cultural collision “Hartlots hangin the hollows now/Cold and blue in their old nightgowns/Calico skin set to burn and howl/Got them twenty dollar hands and them fifty dollar mouths/Under the law of supply and demand/It’s a privilege of mine to be a common man.” Bradshaw couples these wonderfully bright but sardonic lyrical quips with warm vocals and authentic bluegrass trappings.
Kane Brown and Katelyn Brown- “Thank God” (RCA)
The country superstar’s latest smash is a duet with his wife, Katelyn, who to her credit has a beautiful voice that more than stands on its own. It’s precisely the kind of boyfriend-country/AC-lite affair that you’d expect on the surface, and it’s a realm that Mr. and Mrs. Brown pull off capably thanks to the undeniable sincerity and believability that their vocals and personalities exude. It’s also refreshing that they don’t attempt to go for the kind of dramatic heights of a late 90s Tim & Faith smash, because frankly they know their limitations in that regard. On that scale, it lands squarely in the middle ground between “It’s Your Love” and “I Need You”, and that proves to be a solid sweet spot.
Zach Bryan featuring Maggie Rogers- “Dawns” (Warner)
This record is every bit the brilliant piece of Americana beauty that it suggests on paper. Bryan and Rogers are two of the preeminent talents of the current moment, and the combination of their soulful powers on record is the equivalent of striking a match on a pile of emotional kindling. The trajectory of the production is, like so many ZB records, an experience all its own. Initially, you feel as if you’re listening to a demo, due to a raw quality that sounds nakedly bare even for a Zach Bryan cut. But then his trademark intensity kicks in on the chorus, building to a frenetically dramatic and lush, nearly orchestral sound, without ever sacrificing the burning essence of the song. The two sounds trade barbs back & forth throughout the song, mirroring all of the teetering emotions one faces in the midst of a romantic demise. Rogers’ intensified vocals on the climactic closing chorus emerges as the true clincher of the piece however, with the delivery of her most ethereal performance to date (she’s got serious peak-Lana Del Rey vibes going on here). A stunning offering from two staggering talents firmly entrenched in the prime of their respective artistic journeys.
JD Clayton- “Goldmine” (Mulberry)
A thrilling arrival on the traditional country scene. The first noticeable highlight from the debut single, and entire supporting album, of newcomer JD Clayton is just how fantastic the production quality is. The record is presented with the same crisp and cutting sound that were the hallmarks of the great Outlaw-era and Texas dirt country records of the 70s. Every twangy guitar note and steel riff sounds so gloriously full and warm and will hit true country lovers right in their honkiest of sweet spots. And then there’s Clayton’s high, unapologetic twang with all its gritty charm, honesty, and character. It likewise is given all the space and attention it deserves, which is ample. An early candidate for one of 2023’s best new artists to watch in the future.
Shea Coulee- “Let Go” (Haus Down)
The companion single to last year’s sensational “Your Name”, “Let Go” is another bona-fide dance banger from the Drag superstar’s debut disc, which dropped this month. The Janet-vibes are present in spades across this drippy and seductive dance potion, with Coulee anchoring it with a supple and sultry vocal performance that is as tempting as anything climbing the dance charts at the moment. Shea deserves to be a big-time hit-maker on that scene this instant.
Fall Out Boy- “Heartbreak Feels So Good” (Fueled by Ramen)
As Fall Out Boy has been promoting the release of next month’s So Much (For) Stardust, much ado has been made about the band’s reunion with their original record label and producer Neal Avron, and these events serving as signals back toward the core, guitar-driven pop-punk sound of their 2000s hit-streak. While last month’s “Love From the Other Side” definitely supported this, its follow up is indeed a full-blown deep-dive back into that formative sound. And it finds both Patrick Stump’s feverish vocal style and the band’s playing sound as seamless and natural as they have since their last outing with Avron on 2008’s Folie a’ Deux. When you hear Stump hit that signature wail at the song’s finale, you’re immediately transported back to 2005. A return to form from a band that still has plenty to offer.
Niall Horan- “Heaven” (Capitol)
The latest single from Niall Horan, the lead for his upcoming third album, is a nice tribute to the idea of contentment, and the peace that we can all find if we give up our obsessions with constantly chasing societal benchmarks and achievements. Fittingly, the tone of the song matches this sentiment with an arrangement that has really become a calling card for Horan at this point: the combination of his friendly, folk-tinged voice with sly, crackling soft-rock production that is easily digestible. As as a result, this is another Horan track that doesn’t really smack with any immediacy or contagion, but rather proves to be a slow but delightful grower. He’s quietly become one of pop music’s most reliable but under-the-radar artists.
Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit- “Death Wish” (Southeastern)
We’re closing in on a decade of Southeastern, and Jason Isbell remains arguably the finest singer-songwriter of his generation, so it should come as no surprise that one of the year’s first truly remarkable compositions and performances comes from his pen and voice. Many of his classic moments over the past decade has centered around his own struggles with addiction. This instantly adds a powerful layer of irony and gravitas to the perspective of “Death Wish”, which finds Isbell’s narrator having to play a role reversal, as both the witness and support system, to his lover as she battles her own crippling vices. Both his vocals and guitar work, emotively powerful and gracefully gripping, perfectly handle the story with the required balance of tender empathy, frightening helplessness, and unconditional love that it requires. The song’s lyrics cut like only Isbell’s writing can, abounding with couplets loaded with shocking and bitter realism: “What’s the difference between a breakdown and breakthrough?…And you know she’s not bluffing, ’cause you feel it in your bones…It takes a whole lot of medicine to feel like a little kid.” An important piece of music that will certainly resonate with anyone who’s struggled with their own addictions or mental health challenges, and the loved ones that see them through it. It’s as pivotal as any other piece of music that Jason Isbell has delivered since “Cover Me Up” launched him into the holy grail of American songwriters.
Dave Matthews Band- “Madman’s Eyes” (RCA)
Dave Matthews could have long ago rested on the laurels provided to him by his well-documented cult following and status as a permanent fixture on the live rock music scene. However, as evidenced on the lead single from his band’s first studio project in five years, he and his ensemble remain just as committed in following the creative outlet and evolution provided by recording new material. “Madman’s Eyes” has a sumptuous aura of mystery and allure to it thanks to the Arabian sounds it merges into the troop’s classic jam band sound. Matthews’ mysterious vocals on the verses exhibit a tantalizing build that culminates in a raucously anthemic chorus that borders on heavy metal. Like so many of DMB’s best moments, “Madman’s Eyes” is brilliantly weird and thoroughly entertaining, and unlike anything else you’ll hear in the music of today, yesterday or tomorrow.
Van Morrison- “Streamline Train” (Virgin)
The latest single from Van Morrison, a Red Nelson standard and our first preview of his upcoming double album of classic skiffle music, is just a pure musical joy to experience. Nearly six decades after his rise to rock stardom, Morrison’s voice remains one of the richest and most powerful across the vast musical spectrum, capable of mastering virtually any style he chooses. There’s a special element of joy and passion that his instrument takes on within this style, given the well-publicized connection that skiffle holds to his earliest years as a music lover. The production is spot-on, with musical arrangements and backing vocals that compliment Morrison tremendously and that are clean, crisp, and wholly engaging. This could signal a late-career, high-water moment for the Irish belter.
Jason Mraz- “I Feel Like Dancing” (BMG)
The crown prince of pop positivity returns with an exuberant, splashy bop that should reign as one of the year’s most satisfying dark-horse anthems. Mraz brings all of his trademark charm and frenetic energy to every moment of this record. The opening lyric, “I feel like dancing and it looks like this..” will surely inspire a flood of homemade Tik Tok viral moments, while the sheer funky brassiness of the chorus and the unadulterated rhythmic euphoria it elicits cannot be overstated. Feel-good, danceable pop of the highest order.
Olivia Newton-John & Dolly Parton- “Jolene” (Primary Wave)
This collaboration, culled from the upcoming posthumous release of duets from the Australian icon, stands as the final recorded song of Olivia Newton-John’s legendary career. It’s a fitting full-circle moment given that her career first ascended with her riding the fence between pop and country in the 70s, not to mention her own 1976 cover of the Dolly classic that netted her a hit down under. This revived version features the same escalated urgency that gave the original ONJ cover its own distinct bite, and finds Olivia in fine vocal form right up to the end. As a duet, it also takes on its own “Does He Love You” vibe with each woman sounding desperate in their pleas to the other one to surrender the bastard.
Doug Paisley- “Say What You Like” (Outside)
There’s a tasty 70s Eric Clapton ambience to the latest track from this underappreciated folk-rock standout. The brooding blues-rock guitar groove that instantly pulls you in as the track commences remains the ultimate hook of the song throughout its concise run-time, and Paisley pares it well with a sly, understated vocal subtlety that gets an impressive range of mileage out of its refreshing simplicity. Literate and nimble rock music from a name who should be on our lips and minds fare more often in the future.
Paramore- “Running Out of Time” (Atlantic)
Further proof that there’s still nobody better at crafting angsty, fire-breathing pop-punk than Paramore. Their latest single is a clapping highlight of their aforementioned new album, a hilariously sardonic and self-deprecating procrastinator’s anthem that Hayley Williams delivers with an unapologetic pride for her poor time management and the general chaotic, hot-mess nature of her daily life. Her coy and obviously empty promise to “be there in five” coupled with the cooing backing vocals behind her are the ribbon on this delightfully sarcastic package.
Pink- “Trustfall” (RCA)
The second single and title track to Trustfall doesn’t tread the more varied ground that its excellent predecessor “Never Gonna Not Dance Again” did, but it is another consistent effort in a long list of illustrations as to why Pink is the modern-day master of AC-tinged power pop. Paint-by-number platitudes and swirling arrangements just instantly sound better in her hands thanks to the built-in soul and gravitas that live in her pearly pipes.
Bonnie Raitt- “Just Like That” (Redwing)
This song’s recent triumph at the Grammy Awards over an onslaught of modern pop heavyweights, and Raitt’s shocked and viral-worthy reaction, will be hard to top as my favorite industry moment of the year as 2023 progresses. A rare solo composition for the legend, “Just Like That” is a staggering dialogue between two individuals brought together by the act of organ donation, and is so graceful in its portrayal of the loss, gratitude, and complicated but beautiful connection that such a conversation would entail. A towering late-career moment in a superb catalog, and one that will hopefully result in a mini-Raitt renaissance and introduction to a younger audience through its elevated spotlight.
Andrew Ripp- “Big Feelings” (Ripp)
A lovely, banjo-bolstered folk tune with a deep and and stirring message for youth that are trying to find their way and individual identities: “Let your laughter crack like thunder/Let your tears stream down like rain/Let your nature be as wild to free as joy is to pain.” Ripp never allows this track to dip into the maudlin trap that was naturally laid for it, sticking to a simple, authentic and perfectly sympathetic delivery that never swells or overstays its welcome.
Smokey Robinson- “If We Don’t Have Each Other” (TLR)
The Motown legend’s voice remains remarkably pure and supple given his 83 years of age, and having endured a staggering seven decades of recording and live performance. Smokey’s catching some flack for the overtly sensual nature that is promised on his upcoming LP, which is incredibly ageist and ignorant to the fact that romance and passion doesn’t need to have an expiration date. Then there’s the fact that his deliveries here remain as smooth, spry, and tasteful as they’ve ever been. Hell, the boys of Silk Sonic are probably kicking themselves right now for not pegging Robinson as a guest on their 2021 smash album right about now…
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