Gracie Abrams- “Risk” (Interscope)
Fetching folk-pop from an intriguing young voice who has been making underground waves for sometime now, and whose momentum over the past year accelerated thanks to opening slots for both Olivia Rodrigo and Taylor Swift. Those connections totally track, based on this song alone, not to mention the rest of Abrams’ work. Without harnessing them completely, she reigns in the most overt pop elements of both of those artists’ hits, and in turn gives this cut the breathing room it needs to fully bloom in all of its sharp and incisive folk glory.
American Aquarium- “Crier” (New West)
An excellent preview from this alt-country squad’s forthcoming LP, a project that shows cautiously optimistic buzz of finally garnering them a larger audience, after nearly two decades spent criminally under the radar. Listeners only familiar with this group via their delightful 90s country cover sets will have quite the rewarding revelation upon hearing lead vocalist’s BJ Barnham’s grungy Red Dirt growl for the first time.
Beabadoobee- “Take A Bite” (Dirty Hit)
The idea of the indie enigma teaming up with Rick Rubin for her upcoming third album is an enticing concept to be sure. We start to see some of the fruits of that buzz-worthy union on “Take A Bite”, between the rippling rock riffs and the overall “Sunny Came Home” vibes. Yet, I can’t help but feel like all of this overwhelms Beabadoobee’s soft-spoken folk vocals by the time we hit the chorus. She either needs to take a bigger bite here, or the production needs to take a smaller one. As is, it just feels a bit unbalanced on the whole.
Camila Cabello featuring Lil Nas X- “He Knows” (Interscope)
The latest preview from Cabello’s fourth album allows both her and Lil Nas X to indulge in some of their most aggressive sonic tendencies, marrying her manic beat-centric dance with his equally chaotic rap-roots. The song’s lacking a stronger hook or central moment to really elevate this collaboration to the next level, resulting in a record that’s merely fine, rather than anything distinctly memorable.
Luke Combs- “Ain’t No Love In Oklahoma” (Columbia)
This “side” single from the soundtrack to the upcoming and unnecessary Twister sequel finds the country superstar reveling in his deeper Southern Rock roots, a style that has been hinted at but never fully indulged in to this degree across his massive hit-list. It comes as no surprise that Combs’ massive pipes handle themselves mighty well, and it’s a certifiable adrenaline-rush to hear him rock all the way out. The Twister legacy seems destined to repeat itself with its latest installment, with the music all but guaranteed to supersede the film. Insert “No One Needs to Know” shout-out here.
Billie Eilish- “Lunch” (Interscope)
“Lunch” boasts all of the irresistible hallmarks that hooked us on Billie Eilish back in her “Bad Guy” era, reigniting an infectious buzz that admittedly slipped a bit during her sophomore album’s run. Untethered lyrical abandon is delivered through a coy but deceptively ferocious vocal performance and bolstered by thrilling alt-rock beats and bass-lines that all-consuming. In a dizzying swoop, Eilish returns to form and delivers one of the most daring pieces of sexual desire to get anywhere near the mainstream in eons. This track is as crave-worthy as the attraction she’s singing about.
Eminem- “Houdini” (Interscope)
Well, interpolating the undeniably guiltiest pleasure of Steve Miller Band’s catalog certainly won’t silence any chatter that Eminem’s brand is struggling to age gracefully in the modern era of rap. Whether that choice and his increasingly cringeworthy but nevertheless contagious lyrical work will prove ironically prophetic of an album titled The Death of Slim Shady remains to be seen. For now though, this one proves to be sheepishly difficult to skip over, just like the original “Abracadabra” itself.
Fastball- “Rather Be Me Than You” (Sunset Blvd)
Solid, rollicking, guitar-centric pop-rock in the same vein as the brief run of hits they enjoyed at the end of 90s, as well as the music that has kept them a fairly consistent presence on the indie scene ever since. Tony Scalzo’s vocals remain crisply engaging and full of amiable character.
Wyatt Flores- “Milwaukee” (OEG)
Wyatt Flores is quietly but convincingly emerging as one of the great young singer-songwriters to keep an eye on in today’s overall music universe. This piercing, frozen-hearted plea is as powerful of a showcase of this fact that you’ll find in his bubbling catalog. It blends all of the great elements of the past ten years in Americana, between the stomping Mumford & Lumineers spirit to the aching passion of Isbell, Sturgill, and Zach, all the while anchored by a voice and prose that is uniquely his own.
Nelly Furtado featuring Tove Lo and SG Lewis- “Love Bites” (Nelstar)
Nelly Furtado still knows her way around the synthy, beat-driven dance-pop formula that she helped champion in the late 2000s, and then was denied the generous fruits of her labor as the style exploded at the dawn of the next decade. “Love Bites” combines the gleeful chorus of a Kylie Minogue classic with the brooding sensuality of one from Rihanna.
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Hardy- “Psycho” (Big Loud)
Hardy continues to prove himself as one of the deeper talents to rise to prominence during the final phase of bro-country. A project like Difftape shines glowing light on his pure honky tonk roots. A track like “Rockstar” taps into his considerable gift for pop-rock contagions. “The Mockingbird & the Crow” spotlighted his aggressive affinity for nu-metal. This new release showcases his ability to distill all of those elements into one concise and surprisingly accessible package.
Kate Hudson- “Gonna Finda Out” (Virgin)
As a serious music fan, it’s so tempting to crank your skepticism up to 11 when you read the news that yet another Hollywood actor is going to release a record (and that theory works in the reverse as well BTW). Kate Hudson however silences how those theories with this sizzling single and her accompanying debut album. She’s got some sublimely soulful chops and has impressively curated a delicious pop-rock space for herself with invigorating performances like this single. Open your minds and check her out; she’s on track to become one of the year’s dark-horse gems.
Illuminati Hotties- “Can’t Be Still” (Hopeless)
Alt-rock wizard Sarah Tudzin returns and leads her squad right back into the kind of eccentric, mind-bending sonic haze that they established as their glorious hallmark on their first two albums. They help reemphasize all of the key ingredients that alternative music audiences crave in the first place: disregard for convention, infectiously strange arrangements, and raw honesty regardless of how heavy or light the subject matter may be.
I’m With Her- “Hannah Hunt” (Rounder)
Roots virtuosos Sara Watkins, Sarah Jarosz, and Aiofe O’Donovan reform their acclaimed side-project to cover an excellent Vampire Weekend tune. They unsurprisingly do it exultant justice with the sheer magic of their harmonies and exquisite musicianship. It’s a pure joy to experience, and one can only hope it’s a sign of more to come from this collaborative unit.
Imagine Dragons- “Eyes Closed” (Interscope)
The artistic trajectory of Imagine Dragons reminds me a lot of bands like Maroon 5 and Train, groups who increasingly abandoned the grittier and most appealing aspects of their earlier music in favor of a more faceless but commercially potent palette. That’s nothing new in popular music of course, but Imagine Dragons does seem like the most successful or offensive (depending on your POV) modern purveyors of this trend. This isn’t a terrible track. It just doesn’t grab me personally, and once again leaves me wishing they had leaned more into the essence of “Demons” and “It’s Time” rather than “Radioactive”.
Cody Johnson- “Dirt Cheap” (Mercury)
A beautifully emotive performance of a poetic song that earns its place in the annals of similarly-themed classics like “Where Corn Don’t Grow” and “Dreaming Fields”. Johnson continues to amass a catalog that’s rich in the same way that so many of the great, golden country libraries were. How refreshing to boot that a song like this can still manage to occasionally become a radio hit.
Jamey Johnson- “21 Guns” (Warner)
It’s easy to get caught up in fantasizing about, and then mourning, an alternate country music universe where the past decade would have found Jamey Johnson becoming the artistic compass in the genre that many proclaimed him to be in 2008-09, rather than the real one that saw him sitting silent. This stirring Memorial Day-inspired ballad reaffirms why he was missed so much, and why so many are hopeful it’s a sign of a full-blown return. An instant entry into the hallowed annals of great solider songs.
Will Kimbrough- “Southern Wind” (Daphne)
A simple but enormously chilling performance from an artist whose songwriting remains one of the truly great hidden treasures across the modern music lexicon. It sets an atmospheric tone for his latest album, which you’d be well served to seek out in addition to his entire canon.
Miranda Lambert- “Wranglers” (Big Loud)
Sorry y’all, this one is all bluster and no blaze for me. Lambert remains one of my most treasured artists of this generation, but even the greats have their occasional moments of “meh”, and “Wranglers” is one of hers. The hook just fizzles, in turn making this feel like a caricature of epics like “Kerosene” and “Gunpowder & Lead”, much in the way a track like “Fastest Girl in Town” did when that realm starting running a tad long in the tooth around her fourth record.
Gabe Lee, Rylie Bourke and Lucciana Coast- “Long Time Ago” (Torrez)
A hat-trick collective of some of the best underground voices waiting for you to discover in the underground roots world, it’s no surprise that “Long Time Ago” immediately ranks among the very best singles of 2024 thus far. Dripping with small-town demons and devastation, it’s difficult to decide what’s more chilling between the vocals and the lyrics. One thing’s for sure: the combination of the two will supplant itself firmly in your soul just one listen in.
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Little Feat featuring Bonnie Raitt- “Long Distance Call” (Hot Tomato)
Unmitigated blues-rock magic from two of the most towering acts to still walk among the living. Raitt and supporting member-turned-lead vocalist Sam Clayton sound made to perform together, and will leave you hungry for a full duets album of traditional blues from the pair.
Shelby Lynne- “But I Ain’t” (Monument)
A triumphant return from one of the great, classic singers of the past quarter-century. Lynne’s is one of those special voices that you feel like has been in your life from the start, yet also feels like a magnificent new revelation each time you hear it. She’s in her prime pop-soul realm on “But I Ain’t”, with the contemporary influences of producer Karen Fairchild being clearly evident but never getting in the way of Lynne’s primal musical greatness.
Post Malone featuring Morgan Wallen- “I Had Some Help” (Republic)
2024, meet your song of the summer. Now, do I wish that Posty’s first official release to the country format would have leaned into the honkier edges he displayed on those kick-ass showcases with Dwight Yoakam’s band? Yes. Do I hope there’s more of that to come when he inevitably drops his first country LP? Hell yes. Does any of that change the fact that this is undeniable country-pop ear-candy of the highest order, and that I’m going to shamelessly enjoy it in the meantime? Hell to the no. The bigger question is whether there will be any Billboard dominating superstars left for Malone to collaborate with by the time 2024 wraps.
Reba McEntire- “I Can’t” (UMG)
Nearly half a century into her staggering career and Reba McEntire remains capable of delivering career-best performances. Her exceptionally unique twang has aged but remains wondrous, and the vocal she turns in here is nothing short of hair-raising. It’s marvelously elevated by a captivating arrangement that blends haunting Western-noir elements with a gorgeously swelling gospel backing. Bravo.
Megan Thee Stallion- “Boa” (Hot Girl)
In this outrageous climate of endless rap diss tracks, Megan Thee Stallion drops this mic-drop worthy rampage that leaves all of those other releases in the dust. “Boa” succeeds first and foremost for its skill with self-editing, and then secondly for remembering that there is some appeal in being left to wonder who the bodies she’s burying here belong to. In reality, “Boa” also simply works as one of those universal, blanket anthems reminding us to evict from our brain those voices, both internally and externally, who aim only to tear us down.
Lorrie Morgan- “Dead Girl Walking” (Cleopatra)
The latest release from the country starlet is a remarkable reminder of what a stirring singer she has always been, and remains today. What time has understandably robbed in terms of her voice’s sultriness has only been replaced by an elevated level of gritty, guttural soul. “Dead Girl Walking” boasts an impressively bold production that Morgan still has no problem matching. Most importantly it offers a gripping message that the quest for purpose, love, and life fulfillment doesn’t necessarily end once we reach a certain age.
Megan Moroney- “Indifferent” (Columbia)
The title of this song sums up how I feel about this record. The chorus is catchy enough that it will find a home in your memory, just by default upon repeat spins or streams. But it also feels surprisingly void of the acerbic wit that has clearly been Megan Moroney’s strong suit, and displayed on cuts like “I’m Not Pretty” or “Hair Salon”. This performance just feels like it takes its titular notion far too literally, and consequently exposes the severe limitations of Moroney’s voice. And I like plenty of artists who are not the most technically proficient and pure vocalists. But when one voids their performance of personality like Moroney does here, you’re just not left with much else.
New Kids on the Block- “Kids” (BMG)
Let’s admit it. One can’t help but grin a bit at the reality that groups like NKOTB, Hanson, and Backstreet Boys are still actively creating music all of these decades later. And it has to at least spur some additional faith that NSYNC will one day follow suit, right? Seriously though, these former Kids are still capable of making solid, if not groundbreaking, pop tracks. This one combines a liberating sense of appreciation for their young success with a grown-up sense of carefree maturity.
Carly Pearce- “Fault Line” (Big Machine)
With a fabulously twangy vocal, an unapologetically loping traditional country arrangement, and a classically honky turn of phrase, Carly Pearce once again proves that there is nobody better in the Nashville mainstream in terms of keeping neo-trad break-up tunes at the forefront of the genre’s heartbeat. One should be proud for bearing the fault in inspiring this excellent cut.
Ben Platt featuring Brandy Clark- “Treehouse” (Interscope)
A lilting and lovely duet in every sense, from the charming lyrical metaphors, to the tastefully restrained folk-pop production, to the effortlessly emotive vocals and harmonies. The perfect love song for a true-life couple, one with warts and all.
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Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats- “David & Goliath” (Stax)
We’ll get our answer when the latest Night Sweats LP drops at the end of June, but I feel like we’re about to see Nathaniel Rateliff and company embark on a stylistic pivot with Heartless, and this newest preview has me particularly enticed for that possibility. With its jittery piano-rock backdrop and nervy vocal narrative, it feels like a collision of their classic Stax soul and peak-Harry Nilsson. Sign me up.
The Red Clay Strays- “Wanna Be Loved” (RCA)
The Strays seem to (not-so) suddenly be on the precipice of achieving a Turnpike-esque explosion and following on the Americana and indie-country scenes, and this first taste of their pending July release should only further fuel that fire. “Wanna Be Loved” is another excellent recording from a band increasingly firing on all cylinders. The entire framework of the band is the epitome of authenticity and excellence in terms of 2024 roots music, but the rich and emotional nuances of Brandon Coleman’s vocal power is truly something to behold.
Kim Richey- “Chapel Avenue” (Yep Roc)
I’ve said this many times in regards to latter-day releases from artists like Kathy Mattea and Mary Chapin Carpenter, and the same expression certainly applies to Kim Richey. Unwrapping new music from them is like hearing from a dear old friend. Richey’s radiant singing and her evocative songwriting still feels like a warm, comforting blanket. Literate and imaginative, yet wholly relatable and humble. Richey’s name remains at the pinnacle of modern folk curators.
Sia featuring Chaka Khan- “Immortal Queen” (Atlantic)
As if often the case with Sia’s work, there’s just too much excess noise and lack of discernible melody taking place here for the record to truly succeed. Khan’s vocals show a horrendously robotic quality, sounding less human than any of the AI concoctions floating out on YouTube. The chorus would actually make for an infectious dance-floor staple with the production alone, but the inclusion of any semblance of vocals proves completely futile.
Slash featuring Demi Lovato- “Papa Was a Rolling Stone” (East West)
As with the bulk of his recent Orgy of the Damned duets release, this classic soul cover provides an impressive showcase of Slash’s blues roots and often-overlooked stylistic range. That’s not to mention what it does in terms of illustrating Demi Lovato’s own individual breadth as a singer. She’d be wise to dabble in more vintage waters in the future.
George Strait- “MIA Down In MIA” (MCA)
Man, between the earlier Lambert single and this awaited return from the King, there must be something off in the water down in Texas this month. George Strait was always lowering his esteemed standards when he dabbled in the exhausting country beach-bum craze of the 2000s, and that fact remains even more egregiously clear today, with last year’s passing of the great Jimmy Buffett reminding us all just how frequently cheap those imitators of his Gulf & Western machinations were. I have faith that Strait’s forthcoming album will be great, and that this will reign as its weakest moment. His usual magic touch is what’s MIA here.
Taylor Swift- “Down Bad” (Republic)
The Tortured Poets Department has certainly proved to be her most diaristic record to date, which is certainly saying something. This track remains fiercely loyal to that hypnotic, downbeat thread while also emerging as the hookiest, runaway banger of the record. Swift’s unique ability to marry the most introspective musings with anthemic, ear-wormy euphoria remains in a class all her own.
Richard Thompson- “Singapore Sadie” (New West)
His haughty vocal delivery, pointed poetry, and vintage folk trappings will forever be an acquired taste. But this will prove to be a satisfying return for those in the know to the power of Richard Thompson’s singular brand of music which, despite a fair share of industry acclaim through the decades, has always been under-the-radar. His understated brilliance on the guitar also remains a delicacy, and one that should be mentioned more frequently in the same breath as rock-Gods like Knopfler and Clapton.
Justin Timberlake- “No Angels” (RCA)
A solid slice of funky dance gold, it’s truly puzzling why this wasn’t chosen as the launch single for JT’s newest album. Would it have had a better chance of smashing, in turn preventing all the chatter that Timberlake’s superstar status is furiously crashing, when in reality it’s just the sign of a pop career entering its legacy era? I’m not sure, but “No Angels” should be one of 2024’s definitive summer songs, and it will be on my playlist.
Randy Travis- “Where That Came From” (Warner)
Obviously there’s a whole other backstory of complexities to discuss as it relates to this one. Consequently, there will forever be an inescapable asterisk attached to the track any time it’s played. But if you’re able to separate your mind from it all for its three-minute run-time, you’ll find yourself enamored with one of the year’s finest pieces of pure country beauty, fantastical in its accomplishment as it may be.
Lainey Wilson- “Hang Tight Honey” (BBR)
Lainey-mania promises to positively rule the country world this summer, with the announcement of her anticipated Bell Bottom Country follow-up, and the release of this rapid-fire saw-dust anthem. “Hang Tight Honey” does her now firmly-established calling cards mighty proud here: she performs with a crackling intensity and charisma, and ace producer Jay Joyce and the supporting musicians reciprocate that fire every step of the way.
Zayn- “Stardust” (Republic)
An unexpected but no less rewarding detour into luminous, chill-inspired folk-pop. Zayn sounds wholly alluring throughout “Stardust”, which more than proves its subtle ability to plant itself firmly into a listener’s brain. This is a realm where he could establish some permanent footing and truly set himself apart, if he so chooses.
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