From a post-breakup anthem to a tribute to Buck and the boys, here's Wide Open Country's weekly roundup of the best newly released country and Americana songs.
"Tourist In This Town," Maddie & Tae
Country duo Maddie & Tae explore post-breakup pain in "Tourist in This Town," a song about restructuring your daily life to avoid seeing an ex. Anyone who's ever ducked out of a bar or coffee shop to dodge the person who broke your heart will relate to this one.
"White Hot Country Mess," Emily Scott Robinson
One of many standout moments from Emily Scott Robinson's stunning album Traveling Mercies (seriously, if you haven't listened to it yet, do it now), "White Hot Country Mess" is Robinson's autobiographical tale of navigating the world of truck stops, drunk sound guys and dirty dressing rooms. The singer, who's spent the past few years traveling full time in an RV with her husband, captures tour life as it really is — exhausting. "You can really make this life look grand if you filter it on Instagram (#theAmericanaDream)," Robinson sings. "But the truth is we're all hangin' on by a prayer and by a song and a heavy drug addiction to caffeine." It might not always be glamorous, but it's clear that Robinson is set to rule the Americana world with her songs (and a good dry shampoo).
"Ol' Muddy River," Dee White
Alabama-native Dee White finds serenity in simple pleasures on "Ol' Muddy River," a fiddle-heavy tune about a man who finds love and salvation at his favorite fishing hole. "All my life's been wild like the river so he and I really get along just fine," White sings on the tune, which would sound right at home between Doug Kershaw's "Louisiana Man" and the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band's "Fishin' in the Dark."
"The Weather," Lauren Duski
Lauren Duski's heart-wrenching "The Weather" was written after the death of her grandmother. After observing her grandfather in the weeks after losing the love of his life, Duski was inspired to pen the devastating song about how we process grief and loss. There are a million memories, but sometimes all you can manage to do is talk about the weather.
"Bring Back That Bakersfield Sound," Elijah Ocean
Singer-songwriter Elijah Ocean tips his hat to the Buckaroos with "Bring Back That Bakersfield Sound," an ode to the honky-tonk troubadours who challenged the status quo. It's an anthem for anyone who misses the twang of a Telecaster on country radio. "These days I'm afraid to just flip on the radio," Ocean sings. "And we're overdue to shake 'em up again on Music Row."
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