My brother Fayez asked me for some new country I like, I came up with these ten.. yeah Kelly is from the 80s (91 so not exactly…), and I wanted to put Dolly’s “In The Meantime” but he is already a Dolly fan, plus no Miranda (except with Pistol Annies) because I already recommended Platinum. Lyn Bowtell is a family member so i didn’t include her… (ps: if I felt like it I could just make em all Dement)
1. Let The Mystery Be – Iris Dement – whenever Iris sings about her faith, she has an ease and simplicity to it, it is childlike, and that is very true on this light on its feet ode to feeling faith deep inside of you yet leaving it there.
2. The World – Brad Paisley – Every thing Brad does well, he does well here. A sharp, sweet lyric that works like a short story, a great tune, lively, wonderful guitar all over it and a nature as sweet as can be
3. Standing By The River – Kelly Willis – From one of the great MCA stars of the 80s (actually it is 1991 but whatever), it twangs with power and steel guitars and its heartbreak is all the better for it.
4. Jack Daniels – Eric Church – Church is an arrogant fat head for no good reason but this song is a great drinker’s lament.
5. ‘Boys Round Here – Blake Shelton, Pistol Annies – Nope, they don’t listen to the Beatles because they’re red-red-red necks.
6. In Color – Jamey Johnson – A superb song about memory, maybe our best singer after Vince Gill.
7. Merry go ‘Round – Kacey Musgraves – Some whipsmart personal politics by one of the best young songwriters
8. Quit Breaking Up With Me – Little Big Town – Now, this isn’t a month old but it is fabulous and funny about love and war between a couple.
9. Passionate Kisses – Lucinda Williams – I am going to see her today and no she won’t play it but and this is her simple and clever song about being a country singer.
10. Bartender – Lady Antebellum – I never felt these guys lived up to expectations, but this is a glorious moving on song
PLUS
11. Go Rest High On That Mountain – Vince Gill – Vince sang this at George Jones funeral and broke down completely. Absolutely sublime. Now we’ve lost George, this is the standard bearer for country music.
