(from the Loud Romantic Records release Alexandria)
Mills lulls you in with a lilting melody before unleashing the jaw-dropping emotion of lyrics and voice. The results are heartwrenching.
(from the Bloodshot Records release Somewhere Else)
This is the way rock and roll is supposed to sound: honest, boisterous and alive.
Shit Shots Count, Drive-By Truckers(from the ATO Records release English Oceans)
The opening track from the Truckers was a lock for this list based on the title alone. The fact that it is rocks like only the Truckers can? Just icing on the cake.
(from the Melvin Records release Hard Working Americans)
This is the very definition of win-win – a group of phenomenally-talented musicians recording a raucous version of a song written by one of my favorite songwriters.
Rock and Roll Trash, Jimbo Mathus(from the Fat Possum Records release Jimbo Mathus)
This is swamp rock at its finest — unbridled and whiskey-infused.
Hope Dies Hard, Jonny Two Bags(from the Isotone Records release Salvation Town)
While the lyrics reflect on a rough break-up, the music bristles with a raw and defiant energy.
(from the Signature Sounds Records release Bad Self Portraits)
Who knew a break-up song could sound so uplifting? Pure pop perfection.
(from the Welding Rod Records release Hang Your Hopes on a Crooked Nail)
If there is such a thing as a perfectly-weathered song, this is it. Picott has a knack for songs that are well-worn in topic, tone and voice.
Photo credits: Todd Cooper (Lydia Loveless), David McClister (Drive-By Truckers), James Martin (The Hard Working Americans), Elizabeth DeCicco (Jimbo Mathus), Jarrod McCabe (Lake Street Dive), Stacie Huckeba (Rod Picott)
About the author: Mild-mannered corporate executive by day, excitable Twangville denizen by night.