Courtney Marie Andrews and Mon Rovîa kick off the new year in fine fashion.
Grace Gunn
Grace Gunn [EP]
The single (“No One Likes a Quitter”) is a smash in a better world, but the rest steeped way too long in an early 80s pop-country gloss that spit-shines some of the more interesting moments in her songwriting. Mumbly enunciation, too, but she has a solid vocal tone.
Steph Strings
Feel Alive
A strong singing voice and truly phenomenal guitar-work are the selling points on this debut record. The songwriting and arrangements are perhaps too conventional in ways that telegraph her influences, but she’s an obvious and exciting talent to keep an eye on.
Vince Gill
50 Years: Brown’s Diner Bar [EP]
The third entry in this series is… fine. It doesn’t have the same Normie Liberal vibes as the predecessor or the elder statesman gravitas of the first set, but it does have a lovely shout-out to the late, great Hal Ketchum. Keep thee out of the Kennedy Center, though, sir.
Courtney Marie Andrews
Valentine
She continues to take greater control of the power and clarity of her voice; at her best, she’s giving Ronstadt, and what a thing to say. The album explores deeper textures within her polished brand of Americana. Do I love the flute? I do not love the flute.
It’s also missing some of the big hooks and choruses of her … Strangers opus. But what works best about the record, beyond the glorious singing, is the specificity of the interpersonal dynamics Andrews explores. These songs capture relationships that feel real and feel like they matter.
Zach Bryan
With Heaven On Top
His insistence on hedging most every bet, no matter the stakes to anyone involved, continues to be an even greater liability than his technical limitations in the studio. The vulnerable moments here feel performative, at least on record, but maybe they’ll play better live.
Either way, his persona seems to be one based on self-preservation. That could be interesting… at least on an album that isn’t 1000 hours long, and from someone whose self-preservation wasn’t actively calcifying into a reactive defensiveness. Alas, the “acoustic” “bonus” version tips that scale.
AHI
Köln (Lost in Time) [EP]
A couple of truly tremendous folk-pop tracks– get “Where I’m Coming From” to AAA and Americana, stat– and a couple of tracks that are lovely if a bit more pedestrian within that contemporary folk space. Curious if this turns into a more expansive project down the line.
Mon Rovîa
Bloodline
A stunning and timely set to open the new year, this finds him refining his mastery of folk conventions within a broader aesthetic range. More range in ^tempo^ would be welcome, but it’s still so impressive how he hits both internal and external targets w such precision.
My favorite song on the Vince EP is “Nobody Knows. Yes, I was pleasantly surprised to hear the Hal Kechum name drop on the “Brown’s Diner Bar” song! I guess it’s referencing a real story of Hal Ketchum dancing with one of the cooks that they called Mama in the parking lot at Brown’s Diner. I loved the John Prine shout out too!
My 14-year-old daughter is a pretty big Zack Bryan fan, so I always think of your distaste for him when she’s listening to his music. I don’t think he’s too bad, especially compared to some of the other music that she listens to.:)
I don’t think Bryan’s bad, really, just more in the mediocre range. If I were a teenager, I’d probably be much more impressed by him than I am at 45!
I enjoyed the Vince Gill EP as well. I gave it 4 stars out of 5. I enjoyed all the songs off the project but the standouts for me were “Brown’s Diner Bar”, “This Lonesome Cowboy”, “Nobody Knows” and “Young Again”.
Still processing the Zach Bryan album and gave myself two weeks to compile my thoughts on it. The more I listen the more I enjoy the project but some songs standout while others pass by with me barely remembering what it was about.
If you haven’t already heard it I really liked the Josh Weathers “Neon Never Fades” album. Nice blend of styles of country from the 80’s 90’s and 2000’s.
Digging into the Courtney Marie Andrews album. It’s actually the first album of hers I’m sitting down to reviewing. Not sure if it’s the best place to start.
I would definitely recommend starting with CMA’s “May Your Kindness Remain” album, which I still think is her best work to date.
I have the Weathers album in the queue for this week!
^ I second the MYKR recommendation as her finest work to date. I also happen to really like 2016’s ‘Honest Life’ and 2020’s ‘Old Flowers,’ fwiw.
My favorites from Courtney’s album were “Pendulum Swing”, “Keeper”, “Magic Touch”, “Only the Best for Baby (My favorite by far) and “Hangman”.
As far as Zach’s record it took some time but I did like it better than you did but I felt like it a strong first half and then it got a little samey on the backhalf and despite repeated listens I can’t remember certain songs.
Thanks for the Mon Rovia recommendation. I liked his atonement ep and slowly getting into him albeit not an artist I would typically listen to. Very soothing voice.