This week's roundup of new country music features two songs about the sacrifices made in the name of musical aspirations: Koe Wetzel's “Damn Near Normal” and Sawyer Brown's “Desperado Troubadours.” Meanwhile, Mickey Guyton delivers a towering vocal performance on a female empowerment anthem, and Country Music Hall of Famer Dolly Parton reunites with CCM artist Zach Williams for another inspirational take.
Also, indie newcomer Ole 60 continues their promising start to their career with a killer bluesy rock ballad, while family bluegrass trio Indigo Roots Band take on a Bob Dylan classic. Read about (and listen to) it all below.
Koe Wetzel, “Damn Near Normal”
Texan Vetzel, known for outlaw country, grunge-rock and blues, follows up with 2022 album Hell Pass with this nod to road-weary musicians coping with the challenges of being a touring musician — weeks away from home, odd hours — through a mix of alcohol, weed and various pills. His voice here is raw and jagged, giving the song a decidedly live feel, while pounding percussion familiarises the relentless cycle of the street. “High heights, bottom hits, was six feet deeper than most,” Wetzel slays, discovering feelings of frustration and loneliness. Wetzel is known for music that's unvarnished and unfiltered—sonically and lyrically—and his latest continues to deliver on that promise.
Mickey Guyton, “Woman”
One of country music's most powerful female vocalists, Guyton shines on this pop-inflected track, one that celebrates women's strength, adaptability, ingenuity, courage and vulnerability. Appropriately released on International Women's Day (March 8), the song features gospel-flavored background vocals and flexible, bright production that make the song stylish, inspiring and right for this versatile vocal singer.
Ole 60, “Brother Joe”
This six-piece band from Kentucky, which only has four tracks available on Spotify, is one of the latest indie country-rock acts to quickly rise from obscurity to viral success — with “Smoke & a Light,” from the 2023 EP. Three twenty four, earning more than three million streams on Spotify. They follow with this dirty, blues-soaked tale written by the group's Jacob Young and featuring his burly vocals. Nearly five minutes long, the song details the devastating aftermath of a small-town pastor's family being murdered. Recently signed to UTA, the band offers solid musicianship, a willingness to experiment with sounds from psychedelic-tinged rock to more stripped-down songs, and a penchant for detailed storytelling on both the EP and 'Brother Joe'. A promising start for this talented team.
Avery Anna, “Make It Look Easy”
On her latest, Anna goes from 'sad girl' country to rage-fueled rock and proves she can make both look easy on her own. She notices all the little details that signal her lover is plotting his exit—clothes missing from the closet, the distant look in his eyes. “Your truck's on the road/ Your mind's on the highway,” he sings. The ragged edge of her voice overflows with drums and a sonic density of electric guitars that reflect the lyric's emotional anguish. Anna wrote the song with Ben Williams, David Fanning and Andy Sheridan.
Zach Williams with Dolly Parton, “Lookin' For You”
Country Music Hall of Famer Parton and rock-tinged CCM singer Williams have already proven that their blend of passionate vocals is great, previously scoring a Grammy-winning hit when they teamed up for their 2020 collaboration There Was Jesus “. They reunite in this stunning piano ballad, his soulful, raspy voice matching the power of the soprano's smooth, angelic note-by-note. “Lookin' for You” was written by Williams, Tony Wood and Jonathan Smith (Williams and Smith were also screenwriters on “There Was Jesus”).
Sawyer Brown, “Desperado Troubadours”
The title track from the group's new album (out March 8) is a restrained, acoustic tale of guitarists, singers and dreamers and the sacrifices made in the name of chasing musical ambition. Sawyer Brown, having made music for the past four decades and scored three Billboard Hot Country No. as well as the risks and rewards of choosing the life of a musician. “We'll skip a sure thing just to bet on a song,” they sing, later adding, “We're cowboys and hippies and gypsies at our core.”
Austin Williams, “I Can't Now”
In late 2023, Williams overcame social media buzz to score a viral hit with “Wanna Be Saved” and followed it up with songs like “'90s Rap Mashup,” a tribute to rap titans including Dr. Dre, Master P and more. His latest leans back to the foreboding, hip-hop-network country style that has proliferated over the past couple of years. Williams' voice is strong and strained on “Can't Right Now” as he sings about the betrayal of a relationship that suddenly and abruptly ended, leaving him feeling the sting. He repeats the title phrase over and over, the frustration and pain in his voice growing with each repetition, and lets the storm of the track build around him as he lacks the resolve to forgive.
Indigo Roots Band, “Maggie's Farm”
This sibling trio, which includes Bethany, Victoria and Daniel Kelley, hails from South Georgia. Here, after performing the song live for a few years, they offer a bluegrass-inflected rendition of Bob Dylan's classic 1965 tale of working-class defiance. Bethany handles some fiddle work, with Victoria stirring the mandolin and providing a spitfire, slightly dark vocal, backed by Daniel's solid bass and joined by Seth Taylor (guitar), Ron Ickes (banjo) and Rob Ickes (resonator). guitar). The group's sound is tight and fresh, with a sharp, commercial country edge.
from our partners at https://www.billboard.com/music/country/best-new-country-songs-koe-wetzel-mickey-guyton-sawyer-brown-1235628223/
