Nick Shoulders channels Patty Loveless on this week’s best new album.
Various Artists
Opry 100: Country’s Greatest Songs
Does neither the genre nor the Opry as an institution any favors with a mostly rote selection of classic songs presented via a mixed bag of performances by the signature artists or not great covers by current artists. Only the closing Old Crow Medicine Show performance is essential in any way.
The irony of opening with a Hank Sr. song– which Ashley McBryde does just all right by– is kind of spectacular, though, and the ridiculous deus ex machina of “Jesus Take the Wheel” sticks its head out like the kid in HEREDITARY alongside the other classics here.
Annie Bosko
California Cowgirl
She has a strong, clear voice and a real sense of presence on record. But these songs are poorly constructed and riddled with every modern country cliché. And the production is so overly spit-polished that a brand-new album sounds terribly dated. Potential’s there, though.
Jake Owen
Dreams to Dream
I’m on record that his one line on the “Life in a Northern Town” cover with Little Big Town is the best thing he’s done to date, so all credit to Owen for the significant leveling up on this record. This scans less as trend-hopping and more as a genuine second act career pivot.
The songs are consistently solid– if rarely more than that– trad-country numbers, and Shooter’s production choices allow Owen to work effectively within his limited vocal range. Well past his commercial heyday now, he appears to have the goods to build upon this record. Good on him.
Sabine McCalla
Don’t Call Me Baby
Shares much of the talent pool, vocal tone, and fearlessness with her big sister, but she’s committed to forging her own path. That fearlessness makes for a captivating listen, even if not every surprising genre signifier sticks just so. A winning family tradition here.
Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
Night After Night [EP]
This doesn’t add to their considerable legacy in any significant way, but it’s still a pleasure to hear from this crew– and Matraca Berg on one track!– again. The efficiency and sturdiness of these songs and arrangements find NGDB doing what they do best.
Whiskey Myers
Whomp Whack Thunder
They’re an experienced outfit with a certain level of skill, but this is giving Black Crowes in literally every way, which means that there’s a decent-sized audience for this album, but Lord it ain’t me.
Nick Shoulders
Refugia Blues
Few are better at bringing an essential, of-this-exact-moment POV to old-timey country forms than Shoulders, and this is his most incisive and most empathetic work to date. His eyes might be closed on the cover art, but he sees the modern world with clarity.
And what a remarkable singer he is. There’s a melodic similarity between the two songs, but his phrasing on opener “Apocalypse Never” sounds so much like Patty Loveless’ “Sorrowful Angels” (from the landmark Mountain Soul, which I know Shoulders knows) that it stopped me cold.
Robert Adam
Governed by the Seasons
Perhaps too didactic with the theme and concept, their ambition still carries this dense and fascinating project. And Lord, can they craft a clever and catchy country tune. The tension between country traditions and high-brow aspirations throughout makes this soar.
Briscoe
Heat of July
The vox are still a little too rough at times for my liking, but they level up from their solid debut album in every other way that matters. The caliber of the songwriting, in particular, sets them apart from many of their contemporaries in this country-folk space.
This song, especially, dropped my jaw. It’s a triumph of radical empathy and it matters for a song like this to come from two Texas dudes in the country genre in 2025.
Alexa Rose
Atmosphere
Some truly stunning tracks here (“Promising What”), but, as lovely and warm as each individual track may be, this is a bit of a slough at full album length for the lack of tempo and variety in production. Still, Rose’s singing and lyricism make her one to watch.
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