Albums
Jon Batiste- World Music Radio (Verve)
The multi-facted Jon Batiste returns to the scene with his seventh studio release, an ambitious concept album that holds the dubious task of following up an all-genre Grammy winning record in 2021’s We Are. Batiste carries forward with the diverse stylistic framework of his preceding work in bold fashion, crafting an hour’s worth of music that spans a cultural kaleidoscope of sounds ranging from reggae, Western, and indigenous to jazz, straight-up pop, and Hip-Hop, all the while welcoming a large roster of guests including everyone from Lana Del Rey and Lil Wayne to Kenny G and Jon Bellion. This expansive variety is woven together conceptually by amusing spoken interludes from fictional DJ, Billy Bob Bo Bob, which adds even more character and color to an album that was certainly not short on it. The audacious task of creating a record of cohesion in the midst of all of this cannot be taken lightly, and it surely came with the risk of creating one big mess. And while it may become a little long in the tooth as World Music Radio trudges toward the sixty-minute mark, Batiste ultimately pulls it all off thanks to his signature personality and smooth confidence, not to mention his mind-blowing range and talent. There are countless moments of musical joy and beauty throughout this album(the most understated, “Butterfly”, is naturally my personal favorite), and Batiste handles each unique cultural pivot with the utmost reverence and authenticity. The man’s musical chops and breadth of knowledge is clearly encyclopedic, and he’s obviously committed to making his music more of a cultural contribution, rather than a commercial one. It’s a remarkable achievement that he should find great pride in.
Zach Bryan- Zach Bryan (Warner)
Over the span of four short years, Zach Bryan has become one of the truly remarkable stories of ascendance in all of music, going from a YouTube sensation to a grassroots country-rock hero, and one of the most lucrative new touring acts in the game. This, of course, all comes without even one top-twenty radio single to his credit. His trajectory is an undeniable indicator of the rapidly changing channels and barometers of star-making success in the music industry, in a decade that will surely see digital avenues like streaming and Internet virality finally snuff out dated, traditional gate-keepers like terrestrial radio. Continuing down that unconventional path, Zach Bryan arrives abruptly without any pre-release promotion, and has already set pace to become one of the year’s biggest commercial successes, and it’s undoubtedly one of the year’s best records too. It’s another sterling collection built upon the same gritty songwriting, roots-based arrangements, and honest, hair-raising performances that have made modern legends out of obvious influences like Jason Isbell and Sturgill Simpson, not to mention Bob Dylan and Bruce Springsteen. The set opens with a spoken poem, “Fear and Fridays”, which soulfully utters that both are “overdone, and glorified, and always leave you wanting.” None of these distinctions can be leveled against the album itself, despite the fact that it “only” offers up sixteen tracks, less than half of what populated last year’s triple-album breakthrough and instant classic, American Heartbreak. Bryan belongs to an elite crop of singer-songwriters that can so magically and painfully capture how so much of our life experience is spent trying to stop both our loved ones, and time itself, from slipping through our fingertips. And too often, we spend that fleeting time gifted to us squarely running away from or after those people and places that we love so dearly. It’s a central theme that runs through his music, whether it be on tormented romancers like “Summertime’s Close”, “Jake’s Piano- Long Island”, and “El Dorado”, painful self-examinations like “Oklahoman Son” or confrontations of one’s lineage like “Overtime”, and especially on “East Side of Sorrow”, a harrowing reflection on his Navy past. Also boasting four collaborations (featuring the likes of Kasey Musgraves, The War and Treaty, Sierra Ferrell, and The Lumineers), the album makes clear that Bryan has rightfully earned the admiration of his roots music peers, and each of these tracks is a highlight in its own right. It’s clearly evident that Zach Bryan’s moment has arrived and that it’s merely in its infancy. If he’s not on your radar as of yet, what the hell are you waiting for?
Rhiannon Giddens- You’re the One (Nonesuch)
Rhiannon Giddens has been such a vital and formative artistic voice in the folk and Americana worlds over the past decade and a half, that it’s almost startling to realize that this third solo effort is her first to feature her own compositions. That’s a testament to what a superb interpreter she has been of such momentous and personal subject matter, and on You’re the One, Giddens emphatically proves that her own pen is just as powerful as her gorgeously diverse voice and vivid interpretive skill. Throughout these twelve spellbinding musical outings, Giddens explores an expansive swath of sounds, from soul and Appalachia to folk and country, each of them sounding stunningly natural within her rich, ringing timber. She covers just as much topical ground as well, from the sizzling, scorned love of the sensuous opener, “Too Little, Too Late, Too Bad” to the sizzling, seductive attraction of “You Put the Sugar In My Bowl”. She reflects on the joys of parenthood on the title track, and spins a star-crossed romance story with Jason Isbell on “Yet To Be”. And of course, she ventures back to her trademark social outcries on tracks like “Another Wasted Life”, with its inspirations stemming from a wrongful conviction, and the deliciously salty “Hen in the Foxhouse”, where she tackles the misogyny of the music industry head-on. Through it all, Giddens dazzles us endlessly with immersive stylistic fusions, vocal wonder, and material with provocative meat on its bones. It all adds up to make for one of the year’s very best albums, and another undeniable touchstone for a very special talent.
Tim McGraw- Standing Room Only (Big Machine)
The country icon returns for his seventeenth studio release, and Standing Room Only is a strong record that finds Tim McGraw, one of the only remaining voices from his generation with a seat on the mainstream radio bus, sticking with what has worked so well for him over his three-decade, Hall of Fame bound career. The overall sound of the record is distinctively and straight-forwardly country, forgoing some of the more gimmicky production tricks that provided mixed results on 2020’s Here on Earth. He continues to meld heartfelt, well-written mid-tempos like the title track and “Remember Me Well” with breezy, everyman anthems and stories like “Paper Umbrellas” and “Fool Me Again”. And like most any McGraw LP, it also melds its share of filler with some truly outstanding cuts, among them “Hey Whiskey”, a sobriety tale that mirrors McGraw’s own life journey over the past two decades, and a charming Lori McKenna duet in “Nashville CA/L.A. Tennessee”. The man is definitely due for a truly great record in this era of his canon, and perhaps that will take him finding the courage and desire to finally mix up his surroundings a bit. He prefers to use the same songwriters (McKenna, Craig Wiseman, The Warren Brothers), and Byron Gallimore has been his producer of choice for every record in his entire discography, and there’s no denying they’ve all served him superbly well. That said, I’d love to hear a producer like Dave Cobb or Jay Joyce mix it up with McGraw on a creative, messy pivot of sorts. Until then, Standing Room Only is precisely what we’ve come to rely on in terms of a Tim McGraw album, nothing more and nothing less.
Grace Potter- Mother Road (Fantasy)
Folks, this latest Grace Potter record is a frigging rock & roll delight, and an instant entrant in the legendary canon of all-time great road albums. A fully-fledged concept album following the gypsy adventures of a runaway-turned-lifelong drifter, Mother Road is a joyous bolt of swaggering rock heat and classic musical storytelling. I’ve long bemoaned the criminal levels at which Potter has been overlooked in the overall music space throughout her diverse catalog to date. She deserves to be what women like Linda Ronstadt and Sheryl Crow were to their generations. But she has honestly never sounded so joyously passionate and in her element as she does on this record. It only makes her already fabulous voice sound that much more encapsulating. Every chapter of this story unveils its own unique roots rock flavor with it. The opening title track is classic guitar-rock euphoria, while “Good Time” positively swelters in all its bluesy, Rolling Stones-recalling glory. “Little Hitchhiker” is a sweet and splendid slice of acoustic country-rock, while “Lady Vagabond” is an absolutely trippy and bewildering splash of Spaghetti-Western that words simply cannot do justice. And then, there is the side-splitting grand finale in “Masterpiece”, a hilariously cinematic piece of rambling, frenetic piano rock opera that feels like a Freddie Mercury-Bob Dylan lovechild. There are very few recent albums that have simply entertained me in the way that Mother Road has. It’s going to be played on repeat in my library for some time, and it should be in yours too. Rock on, Ms. Potter.
Turnpike Troubadours- A Cat in the Rain (Bossier City)
A Cat In the Rain marks the long-awaited return from the cult-favorite Red Dirt band that bowed out at the peak of their rabid indie-popularity in 2019, leaving a sea of die-hards foaming at the mouth for new music ever since. It takes but one cursory listen to Evan Felker’s full-bodied twang and the rich fiddle and banjo that accompany it on the haunting opening cut, “Mean Old Sun”, to be convinced that the Turnpike Troubadours remain at the top of their impressive game on their first record in six years. The warmly resonant follow-up track, “Brought Me” may be a declaration of romantic commitment at the core, however evocative lines such as “Wager that it won’t appear that I’ve forgot who brought me” feels just as much as a line of gratitude to the following that’s stood behind the band during their hiatus. Numerous highlights abound throughout this crisp collection, all of them bolstered by Shooter Jennings’ clean, pure country production that provides the best showcase for Felker’s sturdy and chilling vocals, the songs’ infectious melodies, and the band’s crackling musicianship. “Chipping Mill” offers classic and hilariously jaded honky tonk lyrics that both break a heart and bust a gut. “Lucille” is a beautifully dark cheater’s tale that is stirring and stinging in its revelatory nature. And then there’s “The Rut”, a nakedly confessional piece about leaving one’s addictions and demons in the past that offers one of Felker’s most personal vocals to date. Meanwhile, shuffles both bluesy (“Black Sky”) and breezy (“East Side Love Song (Bottoms Up)”) keep the mood of the record tempered and well-balanced, before bringing the proceedings to a close with a beautifully charming plea for one last romantic reconciliation on “Won’t You Give Me One More Chance”. It all adds up to one impressively solid record from what is arguably the very best country band working today. And while the mainstream remains painfully and typically oblivious, scores of loyal music lovers rejoice in their glorious return.
Morgan Wade- Psychopath (Sony)
With her 2021 debut, Reckless, Morgan Wade emerged as one of the most promising new voices of the pandemic era, with a ragged rock-tinged sound that likewise pulled from alt-country and alt-pop, and a killer songwriting POV that had zero tolerance for bullshit and superficiality. Her anticipated sophomore release finds her once again teaming up with producer and 400 Unit guitarist, Sadler Vaden, and together they double down on the rugged but confessional rock overtones of its predecessor. It’s fitting then that the album is anchored by a tribute track titled “Alanis”, with Wade’s primary influences clearly leaning toward 90s legends like rockers Morissette and Sheryl Crow, rather than country-pop divas like Shania or Faith, neo-traditionalists like Patty or Lee Ann, or even alt mavericks like Iris or Lucinda. While she does momentarily deviate toward frivolous power-pop on the single “80s Movie”, bouncy folk-pop on “Fall In Love With Me”, or gorgeous soul on “Want”, this is by a large a record of tortured and longing rock, as evidenced by moments like “Phantom Feelings” or “Guns and Roses”. At times, the production doesn’t feel as clean as her first album, nor do the songs feel as immediately palpable or tight as previous benchmarks like “Wilder Days” or “Last Cigarette”, though the stellar lead single and title track definitely ranks in that category. With that said, with a bewildering co-writing roster that includes names like Lori McKenna, Liz Rose, Ashley Monroe, Natalie Hemby, and Angaleena Presley, there’s no denying that these songs have legs and are growers over multiple listens. One track that will quietly but instantly stop you in your tracks though is the tremendous closer “27 Club”, which bemoans “I don’t know if I would call it luck/But I didn’t make the twenty-seven club/I’m twenty eight, so y’all ain’t gotta dig my grave.” It’s moments like this that both remind us of Wade’s initial promise, and pushes it forward in impressive fashion as well.
Singles
Dierks Bentley- “Something Real” (Capitol)
The venerable country veteran follows up “Gold’s” arduous chart climb with another solid single from this year’s Gravel & Gold, and it falls squarely in line with the core strengths that have given him two solid decades of hits. Namely gravely vocal goodness, muscular country instrumentation, and insightful lyrics that lobby for honesty and substance in both music and life itself. It’s really the continuous chronicling of Bentley’s classic musician’s tussle between the road and domesticity, but it’s hard not to read it as a plea to modern country radio. This is especially true on the second verse which basically serves as a eulogy for the bro-country movement that even he occasionally championed: “I like a long drive down a backroad/Pretty girl sitting at a bar/But those roads don’t go forever, pickup lines don’t always get her/And that neon just goes dark.”
Black Pumas- “More Than a Love Song” (ATO)
The long awaited first taste of Black Pumas’ sophomore album, now set for a November release, is just as much the sublime, soulful revelation that they bestowed upon music lovers as the buzz of their 2019 landmark debut became its own super-spreader during the COVID-19 pandemic. “More Than A Love Song” is stacked with the band’s now trademark excellence, overflowing with pure and passionate vocals, emotional peaks and valleys, and far-reaching soul production that is both classic and innovatively fresh all the same. At the heart of it all is a stirring message reminding us all that life is never meant to be an idyllic dream, and it’s the grit and challenges of day-to-day experiences that really give the whole experience its undeniable beauty. This is a gorgeous performance that at once feels new and exciting, and also like a classic that’s been a part of our musical fabric for decades.
Cannons- “Desire” (Columbia)
This band’s reputation for concocting some of modern music’s most tantalizing and alluring stylistic auras only grows stronger with this latest potion. Lead vocalist Michelle Joy emotes with such a silky smooth seduction, and the popping, slightly funk-inflected guitar licks add a nice, subtle layer to their already irresistible dream-pop trance.
Miley Cyrus- “Used to Be Young” (Columbia)
A tremendously tender turn from one of today’s bona-fide pop behemoths. This surprise bonus single from the superstar unflinchingly confronts–and beautifully reconciles—the present with her dazzlingly controversial past, a full decade since the peak of her infamous Bangerz era. Miley delivers this ballad with such a clear-eyed sense of maturity, acceptance, and grace; it’s another high-water mark in a career that has been churning them out at an impressive pace in recent years. I love the grin you can hear in her voice when she delivers moments like “I know I used to be crazy/Messed up, but God was it fun/I know I used to be wild/That’s cause I used to be young.” “Used to Be Young” perfectly captures the trajectory of a young woman’s coming-of-age, while encapsulating all the essence of what makes her story and artistry so damn fascinating and relatable. It’s messy and layered and beautifully flawed. Just like real life itself.
Deer Tick- “Forgiving Ties” (ATO)
Daaaamn, is this a smorgasbord of musical goodness. The rapid-fire onslaught of delicious instrumental variety will leave you in a hot sweat trying to keep up and decide what your favorite section might be. Is it the fierce cowbell? The fiery horns? The blistering rock riffs? It’s all tied together by John McCauley’s rapturous vocal energy. It’s a joyously schizophrenic lightning bolt of frenetic musical madness, and it’s likely going to stand as my favorite rock moment of the year.
Billie Eilish- “What Was I Made For?” (Atlantic)
The gorgeously devastating heartbeat to Barbie: The Album, which is easily one of the best soundtracks in eons, and supports what is a tremendously entertaining and deeply thoughtful film. Billie Eilish spends so much time in her standard soft-spoken, downbeat realm that it’s become so damn easy to forget how fantastic she really is when she’s firing on all cylinders in that emotional space. This track gracefully cuts to the underlying social conflicts explored in the film, but is also wholly representative of the cultural problems plaguing both celebrities and everyday people alike in today’s superficial world. That closing verse in particular? It’s easily Eilish’s best moment on record thus far.
Vince Gill and Paul Franklin- “Kissing Your Picture (Is So Cold)” (MCA)
The two country standard-bearers reunite a full decade after their fantastic Bakersfield project, this time to tackle the twangiest realms of Ray Price’s storied catalog, namely his records with his crack country band, The Cherokee Cowboys. All of these ingredients unsurprisingly add up to timeless country magic. The legacy arc of Gill’s career has been just as exalted as his superstar days, and his voice remains as pure and crystalline in any setting, but none better than one bolstered by Franklin’s inimitable steel playing and luminous fiddle. They carry on Price’s trademark style of joyous country heartbreak flawlessly.
Selena Gomez- “Single Soon” (Interscope)
A slinky, smooth pop banger from a maturing artist who continues to steadily blossom into a reliable hitmaker. I’m still waiting for her vocals and production to ascend to that next level of the undeniably electric contagion that permeates a Taylor Swift, Miley Cyrus or Olivia Rodrigo track. She’s not quite there yet, but “Single Soon” is a step further in that direction. She can hardly find the time to feel any remorse for the poor schmuck that she’s about to dump. She’s got way too much single-life fun to plan. I’m sure they’ve both earned their respective side of that lopsided coin, right?
Hiss Golden Messenger- “Nu-Grape” (Merge)
The bluesy folk-rocker returns with another strong dose of his soulful, evocative brand of Americana. “Nu-Grape” boasts all of HGM’s very best qualities, among them strong vocals, a crisp and breezy production, and a classic, self-deprecating wit that makes a winking mockery of mortality and how we honor our dead.
Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit- “When We Were Close” (Southeastern)
When The 400 Unit is by his side on a rollicking tempo, Jason Isbell proves that he’s as much a bona fide rock star as he is the ultimate musical poet of his generation. And as one who could never record anything frivolous, his rocking moments fabulously retain all of the lyrical potency that his most intimate ones do, making for a combination of sonic and lyrical sustenance that only the truly great artists can achieve. To the crash of rocking guitar riffs, “Close” is an excavation of what must obviously be his relationship with wife and fellow artist, Amanda Shires, and all of the layered dynamics that come with any marriage, but especially one between two musicians in the public eye. It’s gorgeously messy, complicated, and gloriously unconditional. And it’s all filtered marvelously through one bad-ass rock & roller.
Jonas Brothers- “Summer Baby” (Republic)
The JoBros’ contribution to this year’s slate of summer anthems fully lives up to the expectations set by the sunny, simple song title. This is two and a half minutes of bright, catchy, carefree summer pop. Every summer season needs tracks like this one, and the brotherly trio pulls it off effortlessly. It’s not going to change your life, but you will undoubtedly still be singing along to it in two, five, and ten summers’ time.
The Killers- “Your Side of Town” (Island)
In an interesting bit of press that accompanied this latest Killers single, bandleader Brandon Flowers pretty much confirms that “Your Side of Town” is the sole remnant of a scrapped album session that basically brought him to the decision that the band’s days of recording synth-layered alt-rock were over, instead choosing to follow the more confessional Heartland leanings of 2021’s Pressure Machine. I love that album, so I’m not complaining about that direction, though I also don’t subscribe to the belief that they need to choose one over the other. Though, after listening to the choppy production of “Your Side of Town”, maybe he was onto something. It’s a solid heartbreak song, but the choice to drown the voice of one of my favorite rock frontmen in so much autotune is a puzzling one. Leave these sonic choices to dawn-of-the-millennium Cher. I’ll still bop to it no doubt, but it would have been a far better performance with Flowers’ captivating vocals left intact.
Macklemore- “1984” (ADA)
While the Killers may feel the need to choose between certain stylings, tracks like “1984” give me much gratitude that Macklemore doesn’t feel inclined to select a straight rap or pop lane, as he’s incredibly proficient in both arenas. This is an unadulterated jam, an impressively durable bop that ranks right up there with any other banger on the current pop or dance charts.
Carly Pearce- “Country Music Made Me Do It” (Big Machine)
This is Carly Pearce delightfully schooling all those posturing bros that have tortured us with all those nauseating “I’m so country” anthems for what feels like an eternity. And yes, this track may offer its own fair share of cliched country tropes. But they all land in such an authentic and entertaining way because Pearce tastefully delivers them with a relatable and actually country-sounding vocal, paired with a fiddle-laced arrangement. It’s not trying to prove anything. It’s merely celebrating the artist’s musical styling of choice, and relating that choice back to its impact on her own life. This lady’s on a roll.
Orville Peck- “This Masquerade” (Primary Wave)
“This Masquerade” serves as the lead single from the upcoming tribute album to the chameleonic musical genius of the late Leon Russell, whose music certainly serves as a fitting match for an idiosyncratic country visionary like Orville Peck. The song itself has been recorded in excess of seventy-five times at this point, but Peck has no trouble putting his own stamp on it, thanks to the seemingly limitless boom of his voice and his skill in crafting a singular C&W-noir sound.
Pink- “Runaway” (RCA)
Your standard 80s inflected synth-pop, charismatically elevated by Pink’s flawless voice. We’ve heard her do it a million times by now, but that doesn’t mean we don’t welcome more of it. This is a surging adrenaline rush that begs for, and is definitely worthy of, continuous spins.
Margo Price- “Strays” (Loma Vista)
The country-rock queen finally allows us to experience the would-be title track to the fantastic album that she launched 2023 with in excellent fashion. Price has emerged as one of the most consistently reliable artists of the past decade, so it should come as no surprise that “Strays” is another excellent outing, rather than some cutting floor outtake that didn’t live up to the standards of the rest of the original album. The neo-trad honky tonk of her first two records is outstanding, but she’s really found her stride in this rousing Heartland-country-rock-Americana hybrid. She glows on this charming tale of two lovers who only seem to fit in this world when they’re with the other.
Purple Disco Machine & Sophie and the Giants- “Paradise” (Positiva)
The DJ master of modern dance unites once again with elastic vocal powerhouse Sophie Scott and her shimmering ensemble to dig from the same goldmine that spawned their two previous smash collabs, “Hypnotized” and “In the Dark”. “Paradise” makes it three for three, completing a hat-trick of dazzling disco that is as glittery and rewarding as any banger on either side of the pond.
Olivia Rodrigo- “Bad Idea, Right?” (Geffen)
Pop’s newest dynamo follows up the magnificent “Vampire” (which, God willing, should be the launch of a new “pop opera” craze in the modern-day top forty), with a return to the angsty emo-leaning pop-punk of the very best tracks on her iconic debut disc. Following a narrator as she humorously and dismissively weighs the pros and cons of a one night stand with an ex-lover, the track once again asserts the truly diverse breadth of Rodrigo’s stylistic range that was such an impressive and rewarding surprise once you got past “Driver’s License” and heard the rest of Sour. Avril Lavinge deserves just as much influential credit on Rodrigo’s sound as previously and more obvious names like Taylor Swift and Hayley Williams have to date. It has the same polarizing but infectious nature as Lavigne staples like “Sk8r Boy”, but there’s no denying it’s a revitalized and fresh sound in today’s pop scene.
Allison Russell- “Snakelife” (Fantasy)
First off, the album artwork for this forthcoming release by Allison Russell is utterly beautiful. “Snakelife” is equally breathtaking, though it certainly taps into the more complicated darkness that is hinted at just slightly on the aforementioned cover. Russell’s vocal reaches new, Annie Lennox-recalling heights of wonder, while the ominous production slithers and at times, literally hisses and rattles. The lyrics clearly are evoking the personal challenges that race continues to plague minorities within our society, which is flat-out confirmed in the final line of the song. Overall though, this is a rousing anthem for anyone feeling lost in their own skin, and serves as another triumphant release from a woman continuing to prove herself as a pivotal modern-day voice.
Harry Styles- “Daylight” (Columbia)
The superstar continues to pull from the deep bench of songs on the Grammy-winning Harry’s House, with the unveiling of this new vingle, and what is likely the album’s final release. The circus-themed clip is equally as charming as the track itself, a wistful folk-pop romp that is equal parts romance and flirtation, and dutifully displays the most resonant realms of his voice: “You’d be the spoon/Dip you in honey so I could be sticking to you.”
Joshua Ray Walker- “Cuz I Love You” (Soundly)
I’d been mildly aware of the buzz that Joshua Ray Walker has been stirring up on the indie-country scene over the past few years. But it wasn’t until I caught his earthquaking set at our local music festival this month that I really tuned in. Wow, what a highly recommended revelation that was! Walker’s latest collection reinvents a slew of female anthems (among them classics from Whitney Houston, Cher, The Cranberries, and Beyonce) by throwing them in a twanging, yodeling, shuffling vat of unapologetic honky-tonk. It’s so damn entertaining, but perhaps none more so than this lead-single interpretation of Lizzo’s 2020 hit. When he wails that he “don’t wanna ho no mo”, it kills me every time.
Morgan Wallen- “Last Night” (Republic)
There’s simply no denying this song its status as one of the defining hits of the summer of 2023. For me, 90% of that can be attributed to that entrancing acoustic guitar line that remains a constant throughout the track. I’ll be waking up to that lick every morning until next Christmas. But the song obviously reaches the finish line thanks to Wallen’s common-man vocals and endlessly clever turns-of-phrase. Feel how you want to feel about the man, but he is 100% authentic and true to himself in the music he creates. There’s no posturing or character-playing at hand, and it’s allowed him to become one of the moment’s truly impenetrable superstars. And he’s delivered one hell of a contagious booty-call/non-break up anthem here.
Wilco- “Evicted” (dBpm)
With couplets like “I’d laugh until I’d die, if it wasn’t my life/If it wasn’t me in the mirror”, it’s immediately evident that Jeff Tweedy is in his full-blown, down-trodden, self-deprecating mode on “Evicted”, the lead single from Wilco’s pending thirteenth LP. And isn’t that precisely where we really love Tweedy & his bandmates to be? He makes it clear throughout this track that his heartache is his own doing, but he still manages to get you to place your sympathy with him rather than his lover. Delivering astute, quality music is a mighty strong influencer; I particularly love the ringing folk-rock guitars and their interrupting cadence on the chorus. Wilco has consistently been one of the true standard-bearers for modern rock for nearly three decades now, with really no extensive interruptions or hiatuses. They don’t get damn near enough credit for it, either. Based on “Evicted” alone, album No. 13 stands to keep that lofty status in tact once again.
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