New Music Friday Reviews

Emily Elgin - “Having Babies”
Emily Elgin - “Having Babies”
Not every loss announces itself with noise. Some grief settles in slowly, the kind that accumulates in quiet rooms or saved in lists you’ve held onto for reasons that escape... Read more...
India Ramey - “Scattered and Smothered”
India Ramey - “Scattered and Smothered”
Some songs simmer... but India Ramey’s “Scattered and Smothered” sizzles before the coffee’s even poured. It’s equal parts sass, steel guitar, and Waffle House wisdom. Set at 2 a.m. in... Read more...
Alex Lambert - “Rules Of Attraction”
Alex Lambert - “Rules Of Attraction”
Some rules are meant to be broken, but in Alex Lambert’s case, the rules of attraction are worth leaning into. On his latest single “Rules Of Attraction,” Alex makes a... Read more...
Kenny Whitmire - “I Gave Her The Moon”
Kenny Whitmire - “I Gave Her The Moon”
“I Gave Her The Moon” is a torch song that feels like it was plucked right from the heart of classic 80’s country, though it’s no mere revival; it’s a... Read more...
Lane Smith - “Whiskey Won’t”
Lane Smith - “Whiskey Won’t”
If whiskey could fix heartbreak, Lane Smith might not have much to sing about; thankfully “Whiskey Won’t” knows better. Lane’s latest single is a confident, well-crafted slice of modern country... Read more...
Kylie Morgan - “Like My Own”
Kylie Morgan - “Like My Own”
Writing a song about being a step-parent is one of those treacherous high-wire acts in songwriting: get it wrong and it feels forced, treacly sentimental, or flat-out uncomfortable. Get it... Read more...
John Hollier & The Rêverie - “Somewhere Down The Road”
John Hollier & The Rêverie - “Somewhere Down The Road”
Not every road song is about freedom, and ‘Somewhere Down The Road’ knows that sometimes the bravest thing you can do is call home. John Hollier & The Rêverie’s latest... Read more...
Southall - “Southwestern Son”
Southall - “Southwestern Son”
Some lessons are learned from the driver’s seat, others from the passenger side– “Southwestern Son” sounds like one of the latter finally grabbing the wheel. Southall’s latest single feels like... Read more...
Brian Goyette - “Autumn”
Brian Goyette - “Autumn”
Some stories end not with a bang, but with a breeze, a turning leaf, and a silence that says more than words ever could. Brian Goyette’s “Autumn” is an intimate... Read more...
Jake Binegar - “Grass”
Jake Binegar - “Grass”
    Jake Binegar has managed something rare: a song that feels like summer’s golden hour, even as it quietly ushers in the first cool breath of autumn. Built around... Read more...
Andrea Vasquez - “Everything I Wish I Did”
Andrea Vasquez - “Everything I Wish I Did”
So... your ex is rewriting history and casting you as the villain... what do you do? Well, if your name is Andrea Vasquez, you write the perfect rebuttal in the... Read more...
Brian Fuller – “For You (Katie’s Song)”
Brian Fuller – “For You (Katie’s Song)”
Have you ever considered burning your truck, smashing your speakers, and sinking your boat all in the name of love? If you’ve said “yes” to any of these, Brian Fuller’s... Read more...
Ronny Criss - “Roll feat. The McCrary Sisters”
Ronny Criss - “Roll feat. The McCrary Sisters”
With the sun on its back and soul in its wheels, “Roll feat. The McCrary Sisters” by Ronny Criss doesn’t just travel... it takes you somewhere. Smearing the lines between... Read more...
W.B. Sims - “The Baldwin County Cougar Problem”
W.B. Sims - “The Baldwin County Cougar Problem”
If you’ve ever run for your life from a flirty glance across a barroom or feared the words “you my daddy now?” from a kid you’ve never met, then W.B.... Read more...
The Woods - “Nowhere Is Somewhere”
The Woods - “Nowhere Is Somewhere”
  If love is a road trip, The Woods just handed us the keys and cranked the stereo with their latest single, “Nowhere Is Somewhere.” From the first percussive guitar... Read more...
Mary Heather Hickman - “Smoke”
Mary Heather Hickman - “Smoke”
  Turns out, where there’s smoke, there’s Mary Heather Hickman- and she’s bringing the heat with a sassy swagger and a matchbook full of truth. “Smoke,” is a fiery, no-nonsense... Read more...
Kylie Frey – “Always Flowers”
Kylie Frey – “Always Flowers”
  Heartache might be part of the journey, but Kylie Frey proves there’s still beauty growing along every twist in the road. Her latest single, “Always Flowers,” is a blooming... Read more...
Hunter Jordan - “Never A Good Time”
Hunter Jordan - “Never A Good Time”
  Much like breaking a heart, there’s never a perfect time to drop a single this good... but Hunter Jordan went ahead and did it anyway. “Never A Good Time,”... Read more...
Bryan Frazier - “State Lines”
Bryan Frazier - “State Lines”
  Some people chase dreams, others chase healing. On “State Lines,” Bryan Frazier is chasing both, one mile marker at a time. It’s the kind of song that sneaks up... Read more...
Brittany Brodie - "Dead Or Taken"
Brittany Brodie - "Dead Or Taken"
Brittany Brodie kicks open the saloon doors and serves up a fresh pour of 90’s-style sass with her latest single, “Dead Or Taken”- a honky tonkin’ heartbreak anthem that’s as... Read more...
Daves Highway - “Astrovan”
Daves Highway - “Astrovan”
  Sometimes you can drive as far as you can muster, but you won’t outrun the pain as long as heartache is riding shotgun. With their latest single, “Astrovan,” Daves... Read more...
Trey Calloway - “She Don’t Break it”
Trey Calloway - “She Don’t Break it”
“She Don’t Break It,” is what happens when country heartache decides it’s had enough of crying into its beer and instead opts for a two-step and a grin. With a... Read more...
The Beasley Brothers - “Modelo Dinero”
The Beasley Brothers - “Modelo Dinero”
  The Beasley Brothers have a little bit of dinero in their pockets and they know exactly how they want to kick this summer off- with a healthy serving of... Read more...
Zach Teter - “Lord Knows”
Zach Teter - “Lord Knows”
  Lord knows it’s hard to make a splash with a debut single- but Zach Teter doesn’t just dip his toe in, he cannonballs straight into the soul. “Lord Knows”... Read more...
Bill Nash- “Locked In Your Lovin’ Arms”
Bill Nash- “Locked In Your Lovin’ Arms”
  “Oh Hank” opens its arms wide- and with “Locked In Your Lovin’ Arms,” Bill Nash walks right into tradition with a grin and a shuffle. Bill’s latest EP “Oh... Read more...
Matt Burke - “Macon (feat. Brian Allison)”
Matt Burke - “Macon (feat. Brian Allison)”
  Sometimes the road to heartbreak is a one-way ticket- just ask the guy who can’t get out of Macon. Matt Burke’s latest single, “Macon” (feat. Brian Allison), is a... Read more...
Maddye Trew - “Single Of The Year”
Maddye Trew - “Single Of The Year”
  If heartbreak had a sense of humor it would sound a whole lot like Maddye Trew’s latest single, “Single Of The Year.” Equal parts clever, cheeky, and charmingly self-deprecating,... Read more...
Jeff Dodgen - “Hope To Die”
Jeff Dodgen - “Hope To Die”
  Jeff Dodgen crosses his heart on his latest single, and it feels as timeless as the vow it’s named for. “Hope To Die” is a heartfelt throwback that wears... Read more...
Hayley Payne - “Thirty-Too Old”
Hayley Payne - “Thirty-Too Old”
Hayley Payne’s “Thirty-Too Old” is a hilarious musical reminder that there’s an expiration date on frat boy behavior... and some folks are thirty-too old to ignore it. It’s a spunky,... Read more...
Moose Miller - “Outrun The Gray”
Moose Miller - “Outrun The Gray”
You can’t outrun the weather, and according to Moose Miller, you can’t outrun heartbreak either- but that won’t stop him from trying, one dusty mile at a time. “Outrun The... Read more...
Hunter Welton - 'Married That Girl'
Hunter Welton - 'Married That Girl'
Hunter Welton didn’t marry that girl—but he did marry heartbreak and southern swagger in his latest single. “Married That Girl,” is a raw, emotionally charged modern country anthem that strikes... Read more...
Chad Cooke Band- 'Texas Hold 'Em'
Chad Cooke Band- 'Texas Hold 'Em'
“Texas Hold ’Em,” isn’t about cards, but it’ll deal you a full hand of feels. Chad Cooke Band’s latest single is a tender ode to life on the road and... Read more...
Meagan Allen- 'No Good Man'
Meagan Allen- 'No Good Man'
She might not know a socket wrench from a salad fork, but Meagan Allen knows how to fix a mood with a country banger in under three minutes! Her latest... Read more...
Jimmy Nash- 'Kansas'
Jimmy Nash- 'Kansas'
  Jimmy Nash’s latest single, “Kansas,” is a lot like an unforgettable road trip- there are ups and downs, a few unexpected detours, and a realization that the map you... Read more...
Davis Cook- "Three Words"
Davis Cook- "Three Words"
At first glance, Davis Cook’s “Three Words” might give you the impression it’s going to be a simple love song about the classic trio, but trust me- this track is... Read more...
Megan Barker- "Bad Boy"
Megan Barker- "Bad Boy"
Sometimes, you know a decision is going to end in flames, but you strike the match anyway- because, let’s be honest, some fires are just too fun to resist. Megan... Read more...
Pryor Baird - “The One Left Behind”
Pryor Baird - “The One Left Behind”
Heartbreak and country music go together like whiskey and a dive bar—and Pyror Baird’s “The One Left Behind” is serving up a strong, heavy pour of both. This fantastic ballad... Read more...
James Hollingsworth & Molly Lovette - “Fixin’ Too”
James Hollingsworth & Molly Lovette - “Fixin’ Too”
They say misery loves company, and in “Fixin’ Too,” James Hollingsworth and Molly Lovette prove it with a heartbroken twist of Southern charm. This duet is set in a bar... Read more...
Goldpine - “Lean Into The Turns (featuring Radney Foster)”
Goldpine - “Lean Into The Turns (featuring Radney Foster)”
  On Valentine’s Day, it’s easy to get swept up in the allure of romance and grand gestures, but in truth, love is more often a marathon through unpredictable terrain.... Read more...
HALIE- 'What You Have'
HALIE- 'What You Have'
    In a world that often urges us to look beyond, Halie is deciding to turn inward and discover the beauty already present in her own life. “What You... Read more...
Tyler Nance- "One and Only Son"
Tyler Nance- "One and Only Son"
Tyler Nance may have jumped the gun with his Father’s Day gift this year, but at least he was generous enough to share it with the world, not just his... Read more...
Brittany Brodie- "Cowboys"
Brittany Brodie- "Cowboys"
  There seems to be something in the air (or perhaps the beer) in Canada that imbues their country music stars with a distinct flair for fun. Brittany Brodie’s latest... Read more...
Chris Foust- "Things Work Out"
Chris Foust- "Things Work Out"
Finding the silver lining can be difficult these days, but Christopher Foust has found a source of inspiration in his roots. In “Things Work Out”, Christopher finds an unlikely mantra... Read more...
Sam Stinson- "Can't Be Roped"
Sam Stinson- "Can't Be Roped"
Sam Stinson is doing my home state of Pennsylvania proud with his first offering of 2025. “Can’t Be Roped,” is a true-blue ode to wild beauty and untamed independence that... Read more...
Chris Housman- "Life Behind Bars"
Chris Housman- "Life Behind Bars"
Chris Housman has this uncanny ability to sing on any topic and make it go down smoother than a glass of Johnnie Walker Blue. His velvety, downhome vocal delivery is... Read more...
Carrie Brockwell- "Things Are Getting Good"
Carrie Brockwell- "Things Are Getting Good"
“It’s a beautiful morning, here in our doublewide dreams.” Carrie Brockwell is teeming with so much satisfaction on her latest single, “Things Are Getting Good”, it spills over into literal... Read more...
Morgan Johnston- "A Woman"
Morgan Johnston- "A Woman"
There is usually a lull in musical releases between Thanksgiving and Christmas, and I’m resigned to repeatedly review something vaguely Christmassy for a few weeks. Thankfully, nobody told Morgan Johnston... Read more...
Eli Locke- "In A Honky Tonk"
Eli Locke- "In A Honky Tonk"
2024 has been a full-on honky tonk renaissance, and Eli Locke seems to have arrived to the party at the exact right time. “In A Honky Tonk,” is a love... Read more...
Brennan Edwards- "Stones"
Brennan Edwards- "Stones"
Somehow Brennan Edwards took the heavy task of unloading his emotional baggage and made it feel musically buoyant. His latest release, “Stones”, is about shedding the weight of negativity and... Read more...
Julia Hatfield- "Opinions"
Julia Hatfield- "Opinions"
Never in history has it been easier to share your opinions with the world. Everyone has a soapbox, and more than ever people are fearless in shouting from that soapbox.... Read more...