The RGM Inbox: Country Edition
Do you like country music? It’s a simple question but very hard to answer as, probably more than any other genre, country music absorbs whatever is happening musically on the pop charts. With this in mind, pop-country has ruled the roost in recent times with mixed results. Thankfully those annoying finger snaps and hip-hop influenced beats are slowly disappearing and a grittier more traditional approach to storytelling can always be found. My taste is more geared towards songs delivered via Southern/Country Rock/Americana acts, while I’ll always have a soft spot for the records my parents played when I was growing up by Johnny Cash, Don Williams, Crystal Gayle etc. I guess I’m lucky as my tastes are quite wide. What about you? It’s possible as RGM covers a host of musical genres that you don’t listen to country and stumbled upon this post accidentally in which case here are four recent/upcoming releases that might be of interest to get you started.
Photo Credit: David Abbott
First up we’ve Travis Tritt with over 30 million album sales to his credit and a host of Grammy and CMA awards the singer/songwriter has been there, seen it, done it and probably bought the t-shirt or possibly a hat as we’re talking country music. His first album in over a decade ‘Set In Stone’ is due for release on May 9th via Big Noise Music Group and, judging by the two singles, the Dave Cobb (Chris Singleton, Whiskey Myers, Sturgill Simpson) produced album looks to be a winner. Check out the reflective ‘Smoke In A Bar’ and the tougher sounds of ‘Ghost Town Nation’
Photo Credit: Deborah Celecia Wagoner
Leah Belle Faser has been making waves in country/pop circles with her excellent ‘Crossing Hermi’s Bridge’ EP from which her new single/video ‘Second Hand Store’ is taken. The 16-year-old singer/songwriter obviously has a way with a catchy lyric if “With Burberry and Tiffany, you’ll have your epiphany” is anything to go by and I’ve got a strong feeling that Leah Belle Faser has all the bases covered (previous single ‘Back Home’ was another self-penned winner perfectly capturing the melancholy of smalltown America) and is definitely one to watch.
Olivia Lane recently released ‘I Let The Devil In’ the first taster for her ‘Heart Change’ album due later this year. A Houston native who settled in Nashville in 2013 Olivia has experienced plenty of highs and lows over the last few years including the loss of her voice in 2017 due to stress and anxiety. In the years since Olivia has reevaluated her life and ‘Heart Change’ is the result "So many people right now are searching for peace and hope and just a little bit of happiness, and it takes work to get there. It takes work to find peace. It takes work to maintain a sense of hope. It’s so easy to get consumed by fear and your own shame, and that’s not what we were designed to do. I just hope people are inspired to look into their deepest hearts and know that there is an option to heal their hearts and to have a heart change”.
Completing our quartet we welcome Megan Lacy and her 5 track debut EP ‘Salvation’ which was released on March 5th. Originally from California but now based in Austin, Texas Megan Lacy has been working on the songs for her debut EP for many years, opening single ‘Carolina’ was penned ten years ago, but the time was finally right to record them and the resulting EP is rather lovely. The stripped-back production allows the songs to breathe and showcases Megan’s terrific vocal. Check out ‘Carolina’ and the haunting title track from ‘Salvation’ and visit Megan’s site for more.
Hopefully, you’ll have found an artist that you’d like to check out further. In which case our job here is done but the RGM Inbox will be back soon with more great music and even, possibly. a return of the Country Edition.