TakeTheBallDeep Posted August 30, 2021 Share Posted August 30, 2021 Cody Jinks fans out there he just released a new song on his upcoming album All It Cost Me Was Everything Also I know this is a country thread but he also released his first metal song with his other band Caned By Nod which has me pretty intrigued 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
devils1854 Posted September 4, 2021 Author Share Posted September 4, 2021 On 8/30/2021 at 12:37 PM, TakeTheBallDeep said: Cody Jinks fans out there he just released a new song on his upcoming album All It Cost Me Was Everything Also I know this is a country thread but he also released his first metal song with his other band Caned By Nod which has me pretty intrigued Good look on the metal song. Had no clue it was coming out this week. Been really looking forward to it and it hits every nerve. I love rock music in my country. Add in the premiere outlaw artist in country music, and it does it for me. The country song sounds alright but I feel like Ive heard that same song and melody multiple times in his past few albums. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
devils1854 Posted September 4, 2021 Author Share Posted September 4, 2021 I think the rock side of Texas Country/Red Dirt is overrated for the most part. You got Koe, Read Southall, and Kody West bringing it since they started and really expanding the genre, but there is a long list of pretenders with boring sanitized Nashville type arena rock that really dilute the product. There are three songs recently released that I have on repeat, and of course two are from Read and Kody but I got really surprised by Giovannie and the Hired Guns this time. They are one of those bands that are just bland and sound like many others, but the new song "Ramon Ayala" is fun. Its even further from true country music than the Red Dirt scene but if you are old enough to be a punk fan from the mid 2000s, then this is right up your alley. Sounds like Yellowcard and Sum 41. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
devils1854 Posted November 1, 2021 Author Share Posted November 1, 2021 As a fan of Marty Robbins and his western stories, this song on the new Jon Wolfe album is a solid addition on the genre. I just love the writing of the song. The different references Ive never heard in country music before and the Spanish words sprinkled in just makes this such a unique song to me. I also love singing the word Terlingua. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
devils1854 Posted January 2, 2022 Author Share Posted January 2, 2022 Havent listened to as much music this year, but I have enjoyed a lot of what I have heard, so I will be doing my year end lists starting with EPs today. Im ranking 25 EPs and some of the best of the year were made into full length albums so they will not be present on this list. TOP 25 EPs 25.Lakeview-Small Town Famous(21/50) 24.Colt Ford-Keys To The Country(22/50) 23.David Nail-Bootheel 2021(23/50) 22.Kylie Morgan-Love, Kylie(23/50) 21.Riley Green-Behind The Bar(25/50) Although I wasnt a huge fan of their 2020 EP, I gave the band another listen on Small Town Famous. Its only three new songs combined with a couple from 2020, but the sound is the same. Its the pop-hip hop party sound that has been coming out of Nashville the past few years, notably from guys like Niko Moon and Parmalee.... I still cant get behind anything recent from Colt Ford. He has gone from rapping to a combination of him singing and talk singing and thats not something I really enjoy from him. He does have a good ear for catchy choruses and bringing in actual singers, but there isnt much depth here.... David Nail has released another Bootheel EP and it is still celebrating the area in Missouri that he grew up in. I like the song St Louis and the description of being at a Cardinals baseball game and cheering for Cardinals great Willie McGee. There's only three songs here, so while I enjoy St Louis, the other two really dont do it for me.... Kylie Morgan could be one of the next female stars in Nashville. She has the look and voice to get behind, but I cant get behind the heavy pop influences that we are getting from these females in Nashville. The album plays more like a pop album.... Behind The Bar from Riley Green sounds good. Its the same country sound that has helped Green carve out his spot in Nashville, but the writing is still just as bad and cliche as his previous albums. He uses the same tropes and checklist writing that makes every song sound the same. If It Wasnt For Trucks is the worst offender on the new album. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
devils1854 Posted January 2, 2022 Author Share Posted January 2, 2022 (edited) https://imgur.com/zFCY5e0 20.Wade Bowen-Where Phones Dont Work(25/50) 19.Brooke Eden-Got No Choice(26/50) 18.Runaway June-backstory(27/50) 17.Trey Lewis-Shut The Door(28/50) 16.Clare Dunn-In This Kind Of Light(28/50) I am a huge Wade Bowen fan and was excited for new music for the first time in three years, but I just could not get into this album. Wade hasnt changed other than maybe coming from a more fatherly perspective. The songs arent bad. They just arent that interesting. Boring is just the best way to describe the EP.....Both Brooke Eden and Runaway June put out three song EPs in 2021 and thats the main reason they are this low. If they would have been a little longer and had he same quality as the released songs, then both would have been top 10 more than likely. Eden's EP is a little more poppy than I usually like but I enjoyed the three summer anthem type songs. I really like Eden's voice.....This is a soft reboot for Runaway June after Natalie Stovall replaced Hannah Mulholland last year. The sound is much the same as their first album, just with more fiddle since Stovall is one of the best players in Nashville. The EP gives me excitement to a potential full album.....Trey Lewis came to fame last year for his crude, Wheeler Walker like song Dicked Down in Dallas. He distances himself from the comedy side of country music in his new EP Shut The Door. His voice reminds me of Brett Michaels at times, and he does sound like he could have a future in Nashville. His writing just needs to get a little better. A few of the songs were weak and seemed like fillers.....This is the first of two Clare Dunn EPs on the list. This one is much more moodier and has this sad electric guitar that makes the songs all blend and sound the same. Its a well written album and I like Dunn. A little more variety in sound would have had this much higher. Edited January 2, 2022 by devils1854 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
devils1854 Posted January 4, 2022 Author Share Posted January 4, 2022 https://imgur.com/ikxlCWt 15.Hannah Dasher-The Half Record(29/50) 14.Michael Ray-Higher Education(30/50) 13.Clare Dunn-Real Thing(30/50) 12.Dylan Marlowe-Dylan Marlowe(31/50) 11.Mark Chestnutt-Six Pack Summer Mixtape(32/50) Ive seen Hannah Dasher open up for The Cadillac Three a couple of times the past few years, so I was intrigued by her first album, and the album is as blunt and sassy as Dasher is in concert. I see the album cover and I just know Im going to get some old school country. Nope. The two best songs on the album, Left Right and Youre Gonna Love Me do remind me of some nice 90s country, but the three other songs are Nashville overproduced with snap tracks and I cant get behind that.....There are three solid, country sounding songs on Michael Ray's new EP. There are also three pop infused, badly written songs on the album. That seems to be what we get from him. He has been going back and forth since his debut album, and its frustrating because he does have a good voice and nice country sound, but he cant get out of his way with this bro songs.....This is the second Dunn EP on the list and I prefer this one mainly because the album is more upbeat. Its a little more fun to listen to and its a much better written album.....I didnt know what to expect from Marlowe. The only thing I knew about him is that he was just starting his way in the business and that he was a local Georgia boy. My preconceived notions were not met at all. Marlowe is much more country than I thought and is a pretty good piano player. There is only three songs here, but I was very much impressed by his sound.....Mark Chestnutt released another EP this year and it is much like the one last year. Its full over covers and songs that were buried on previous albums. For me, its an introduction to the songs and Mark's sound hasnt changed since he entered the business over 30 years ago. Its pure country from the Texas native. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
devils1854 Posted January 8, 2022 Author Share Posted January 8, 2022 I wrote the next 5 three times and for some reason the website wiped it out all three times. So Im not going to do a detailed paragraph for the albums here again. 10.Kolby Cooper-Boy From Anderson County(34/50) 9.Southerland-Boot Up(34/50) 8.Travis Denning-Dirt Road Down(34/50) 7.Ray Fulcher-Larkin Hill Mixes(35/50) 6.Dylan Wheeler-Evermore(36/50) Kolby Cooper's six song EP is more of the same for Kolby. Its breakup songs with some fun uptempo rock songs. The best song on the album is the love song written to his wife, Boy From Anderson County.....Southerland opened up a show I went to a few months ago, and I got familiar with their music. I really like their harmonies but this album is what you expect from new artists. There is tons of potential there, but Southerland isnt there yet.....I have a love/hate relationship with Travis Denning and it all comes from his over use of electronic beats and auto tune in his music. His new EP still has this in spots, but the writing and music is some of the best he's released.....Ray Fulcher is most known for being a co-writer from Luke Combs. Luke has four #1 hits from songs written by Fulcher. Larkin Hill Mixes is the best collections of songs released by Fulcher the artist. He is growing as a singer, and the writing has always been there.....Ive been waiting for an album from Dylan Wheeler for a while now, and we got something of a new album in October. All five songs are stripped down, and two of the five are acoustic versions of previously released songs. Wheeler's voice shines. I knew he had a strong voice, but its usually masked by his rock sound. Not here. I got chills listening to the song Forevermore for the first time. This album wasnt exactly what I wanted, but man was I happily surprised. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
devils1854 Posted January 16, 2022 Author Share Posted January 16, 2022 5.Carson Jeffrey-Buzzed Brain Pt 1 & 2(36/50) 4.Charlie Worsham-Sugarcane(38/50) 3.Kat Hasty-Drowning in Dreams, Pt. 3(38/50) 2.Justin Moore-Straight Outta The Country(40/50) 1.Midland-The Last Resort(44/50) Both Buzzed Brain Pt. 1 and Pt. 2 were released by Carson Jeffrey in 2021. It comes in at six total songs, so they are naturally lumped together here. I really wasnt a fan of Jeffrey before these came out. He has a very nasally voice and holds words and syllables and its easy to see where someone wouldnt like him, but it does seem like his voice is better now and I really like the guitar play in this release.....Charlie Worsham never does anything half *** and this new six song EP is just as solid as his past work. His writing is what always draws him to him. There seems to always be this optimism in his songs that is irresistible. There are two songs about the music business in this short EP. For the Love is about how much he loves being an artist and musician. The song that is the standout on the album is Fist Through This Town. Its Worsham venting and singing about his frustrations with Nashville and the music business. He is one of the most talented artists in Nashville but he has never had a song reach the top 25 on the charts. I would be frustrated too.....The final release from her Acoustic Sessions came out this past February, and there is less starkness in this group of three. There are backing instruments that help the songs immensely. To me, a singer-songwriter with just a guitar bores me and the songs run together after a while, and Ive been waiting for Hasty to give us a little more, and I really like this release. This feels like the most personal three songs out of the project. What Our Parents Taught Us and Dear Mama really show Kat as a person, and its always a good thing when artists open up their souls.....Justin Moore's Straight Outta The Country came out around the time I was going through my changes last year and songs like Hearing Things, Consecutive Days Alive, and We Didnt Have Much really hit a nerve with me. Ive not always been a fan of Moore. It seems like my opinion of him changes with each release. Mainly when he uses electronic beats too much. We know from the past decade that Moore is a country boy to the core, so when he uses this production on his records, it doesnt gel for me. The abomination is not completely gone from this album, but its much less than Ive heard in the past. This is a damn good collection of songs, even with one of the ugliest album covers Ive seen.....Ive surprised myself with just how much my opinion on Midland has changed in the past year. Ive let go of the fact that they were a manufactured group for Nashville radio. They are just making great music at the moment. There is a lushness and sexuality coming across in this EP that is irresistible to my ears. Its the big western, 70s country that has crept into the industry the past few years. The steel guitar is some of the best youll hear from 2021. These guys have found a sound and perspective that has put them at the top of artists that I constantly come back to and listen to the music over and over. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
devils1854 Posted January 22, 2022 Author Share Posted January 22, 2022 (edited) Havent had time to get this done during the week lately, but Im going to try and go faster. Here are my top 100 songs of 2021. Any song released in the year is eligible. Top 100 Songs 100.Daniel Donato-Why You Been Gone So Long 99.Chapel Hart-You Can Have Him Jolene 98.Cody Johnson-Til You Cant 97.Chris Colston-Some Hearts Break Easy 96.Yola-Diamond Studded Shoes 95.Tyler Hammond-I Been Better 94.Charley Crockett-Round This World 93.Justin Moore-Consescutive Days Alive 92.Morgan Wade-Take Me Away 91.Riley Green W/Jessi Alexander-That Was Us I havent been the biggest fan of the music that Chris Colston has released in the past couple of years. He really has been the poster boy for guys from Texas that doesnt really sing Texas country music. Its more production and a sound thats better for mainstream radio, but with his song Some Hearts Break Easy, his approach is more simpler. Its still electric guitar heavy but it eliminates a lot of the sound issues that Ive had with him. It also has a catchy chorus, so it sneaks into my end of year rankings.....Daniel Donato released an album of covers this year, so the album wont be on my year end list, but I have Why You Been Gone So Long here on the list. The song was originally recorded by Jessi Coulter in the 70s and has been recorded multiple times since. Daniel's version is his signature Cosmic Country sound full of impeccable guitar picking. FAVORITE LYRICS "Theres a dive bar in Daytona, With a couple names on a wall, Right between "Go Gators" and an old phone number, "For a good time, call""-That Was Us "Ive run hard with the devil, leaned heavy on the pedal, Put some dents in Detroit metal, Pushed my luck rolling the dice"-Consecutive Days Alive Edited January 22, 2022 by devils1854 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
devils1854 Posted January 22, 2022 Author Share Posted January 22, 2022 90.Ross Cooper-Cowboy Things 89.Morgan Wallen-Dangerous 88.Yola-Starlight 87.Charlie Worsham-Fist Through This Town 86.Billy Strings-Heartbeat of America 85.Mike and the Moonpies-Brother 84.Chapel Hart-Tailgate Trophy 83.Southerland-Boot Up 82.Cody Jinks-Like a Hurricane 81.Joshua Ray Walker-Three Strikes Cowboy Things was released this past summer by Ross Cooper as one of two bonus tracks for the deluxe version of his latest album Chasing Old Highs. Its a slow, delicate song about an old cowboy in a nursing home, reminiscing about the times he had when he was younger. A fiddle and an accordion are heavily featured on the track, giving it a western sound. Its such a stand out song from the former bronc rider.....Who knew a song about drunk driving could be so fun? Joshua Ray Walker is not trying to glamorize the act, but what he is doing is building a trio of albums around the people that you could find in your local bar. The steel guitar is the star of the song and grounds the song in country music with the electric guitar responding with more of a rocking sound. FAVORITE LYRICS "Pass the bottle gotta top off my big gulp, Hit the throttle bet you cant make this thing jump, Never left all four wheels in that LTD, CLeared the tracks but wrapped it round the old oak tree."-Three Strikes "R-E-S-P-E you know the rest, this aint no spellin test, I need some TLC"-Tailgate Trophy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
devils1854 Posted January 22, 2022 Author Share Posted January 22, 2022 80.Mike and the Moonpies-The Vein 79.Cole Chaney-Coalshooter 78.Sturgill Simpson-Shamrock 77.Travis Tritt-Smoke in a Bar 76.Cody Jinks-Hurt You 75.Carson Jeffrey-Wine and Weed 74.Parker McCollum-To Be Loved by You 73.Leah Belvins-Little Birds 72.Hailey Whitters w/Ernest-Islands In The Stream 71.Carly Pearce-Day One The steel guitar is the star of the newest album from Mike and the Moonpies, but on The Vein, the electric guitar gets the spotlight and gets to shine. If you liked the album Cheap Silver and Solid Country Gold from the boys, then you will probably love this song with the sexy guitar play and a little more polish on the sound. There is still steel on the song and its still great country music, the guys are just so good at blending different sounds to make it their own.....You feel a sense of dread throughout the song Coalshooter. Its a song about a young kid dropping out of school and working the coal mines in the holler with his family. Its the dread of knowing that the hard life of mining coal is in his future. Its the dread knowing he isnt getting out. Its the dread of knowing that death is just a moment away in the mines. Its a haunting song from Kentucky native, Cole Chaney. FAVORITE LYRICS "Cause this aint no kind of life that a young man should live, If you can run faster than gunpowder burns you might see the light again"-Coalshooter "Most people say that I am poison, Certain death in a cup, Glad I found out Im a sinner, Cause I never would have learned how to truly make love"-Little Birds Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
devils1854 Posted January 23, 2022 Author Share Posted January 23, 2022 70.Yola-Stand For Myself 69.Emily Scott Robinson-Hometown Hero 68.Austin Meade w/Koe Wetzel-Happier Alone 67.Chapel Hart-Grown A** Woman 66.Charley Crockett-I Need Your Love 65.Jack Ingram, Miranda Lambert, Jon Randall-In His Arms 64.Blackberry Smoke-You Hear Georgia 63.Sierra Ferrell-Far Away Across The Sea 62.Billy Strings-Know It All 61.Tennessee Jet-South Dakota I am very hit or miss with Austin Meade. He is probably the least country sounding and looking artist in the Texas scene, but ever now and then he will drop a song that tickles the ears. Happier Alone is on here because of Koe Wetzel. The solo version is on Meade's 2021 album and I wasnt really interested in it until the version with Koe, who blows the second verse out of the water.....Tennessee Jet's writing is some of the best in the business. It can be extremely detailed at times and thats partly why his first release off his latest album, South Dakota, is here on the list. I absolutely love the number of proper city name drops in the song. In the song he is driving north from Texas to meet his significant other in South Dakota and he is describing the drive up in the song. From Wichita to Omaha and others. It gives you that mental picture of someone driving north up that route. Also, love the harmonica all throughout the song. I brings much needed depth to the song. FAVORITE LYRICS "It started raining while you were sleeping, Its been slick since Wichita, Ive been listening to Stern on reruns, We aint far from Omaha'-South Dakota "Well all they had was smoking, and the lobby smells like piss, on the bright side its expensive, and the cables on the fritz"-South Dakota "One day shes gonna realize that real life as my wife has nothing to show, I should probably take time, I should probably go, Back over the state line, tonight, to find what I already know."-Happier Alone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
devils1854 Posted January 23, 2022 Author Share Posted January 23, 2022 60.Charlie Marie-El Paso 59.Jack Ingram, Miranda Lambert, Jon Randall-Geraldine 58.Shea Abisher & the Nighthowlers-No Fairytale 57.Austin Meade-Black Sheep 56.Kat Hasty-Dear Mama 55.Parker McCollum-Falling Apart 54.Morgan Wallen-Country A** Sh** 53.Mike and the Moonpies-Growing Pains 52.Joshua Ray Walker-Cowboy 51.Midland-Two To Two Step Geraldine is a fun, light hearted song sung by Miranda Lambert on the album The Marfa Tapes. Its spunky the way Miranda sings the song telling a woman she isnt going to take her place. The lady is no Jolene and Miranda makes it clear she is the queen. Its a fun three minutes.....Charlie Marie has a throwback sound reminiscent of the plush sounds of the 60s and the Countrypolitan sound that came out of Nashville in that period. Its steel guitar and piano heavy. The actual lyrics of the song are very modern. El Paso is a cheating song, but its a cheating song where her man had an affair with another man. Its the twist in the chorus. The way it leads to the reveal with her singing about West Texas and the many different ways she describes her heartache, comparing it to the region, is just great writing. The song sounds a bit like Stand By Your Man, but just the opposite. She cant stay with a cheater. FAVORITE LYRICS "He left me in a lonestar state, He left me on a sunny day, He left me with the desert sand, He left me at the Rio Grande, He left me for a man."-El Paso "Im sorry Im not who you wanted me to be, yeah, I Fell in love with the ramblers and I think they fell in love with me, They asked me out tonight and told me I could sing, I gonna make you proud, proud of me."-Dear Mama Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
devils1854 Posted January 23, 2022 Author Share Posted January 23, 2022 50.Austin Meade-Dopamine Drop 49.Carly Pearce w/Patty Loveless-Dear Miss Loretta 48.Charles Wesley Godwin-Gas Well 47.Scythian w/Catie Parker Fedoryka-Virginia 46.Mike and the Moonpies-Paycheck to Paycheck 45.Jason Boland and the Stragglers-Terrifying Nature 44.Brian Kelley-Made by the Water 43.Sierra Ferrell-Silver Dollar 42.Brian Kelley-Boat Names 41.Morgan Wallen-Something Country How The Mighty Fall by Charles Wesley Godwin is the best written album of the year and one of the best in a long time. The stories that Godwin can tell in 3-4 minutes is astonishing. Ill go into it deeper when I talk about the album, but Gas Well comes in at #48 for me. Its a song about a man in the countryside of West Virginia that is about to lose his property to the bank and if he can just hold out a few months so his gas wells can start making money. He has to take things into his own hands and robs an armored truck to keep the family afloat. Its a great song with great tonal shifts throughout the song.....Scythian is a Celtic/Folk band from Washington DC, but for their song Virginia, they leaned heavily into the Blue Ridge Mountains and brought a pure bluegrass sound that will have your toes tapping. It really shows the relationship between Celtic music and Bluegrass and just how much the immigrants of the time shaped music in the area. Adding in a voice like Catie Parker Fedoryka, and you have an irresistible song. The song also means more to me since I have a lot of family in Virginia and have spent tons of time in the state. FAVORITE LYRICS "Ive never been too good to pick up a penny and lately Ive been short of too damn many, Wife up and left, and baby in my ride, dogs at my feet, beggin for a bite"-Gas Well "So few are ever ready to be chosen, Some would rather jump than fear the fall, Take a look around the voids closing in, On the terrifying nature of it all"-Terrifying Nature "I aint a coal miners daughter, But Ive sung it all my life, I aint been a widow, But Ive been an ex-wife, And I hear your truth, And I feel your pain, Now I know why you sang that way"-Dear Miss Loretta "From the halls of Monticello to the honey locust groves, She cast her hook into my mind and shook me to the bone, And I knew it was all over, sayonara all Ive known, Virginia took me by the hand and whispered, "Welcome Home""-Virginia 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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