Cory’s Album Reviews for 2023…so far

The boys over at whiskey riff posted this earlier this month. . .

Luke Combs, “Gettin’ Old”
Dierks Bentley, “Gravel & Gold”
Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit, “Weathervanes”
Jake Worthington’s self-titled album that came out back in April.
Bella White,”Among Other Things”
Brit Taylor, “Kentucky Blue”
Colby Acuff, “Western White Pines”
Drayton Farley, “Twenty on High”
El Dorado, “Unincorporated”
J.D. Clayton, “Long Way from Home”
Lance Roark, “Better Man”
Logan Halstead, “Dark Black Coal”
Margo Price, “Strays”
Megan Moroney, “Lucky”
Muscadine Bloodline, “Teenage Dixie”
Nicholas Jamerson, “Peace Mountain”
Pony Bradshaw, “North Georgia Rounder”
Sundy Best, “Feel Good Country”
Them Dirty Roses, “Lost in the Valley of Hate & Love, Volume 1”
The Panhandlers, “Tough Country”

Luke Combs- Gettin’ Old
. . . Hot take: not my favorite album of his. Not saying it is bad.

Dierks Bentley – Gravel & Gold
. . . solid Dierks album. Loved the Billy Strings tune. Bentley is one of the few cats who know how to create an album. Always does a good job of keeping the art alive.

Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit- Weathervanes
. . . MIDDLE OF THE MORNING is a bombtrack. The world is a better place with this dude in it. He’ll always get my stamp of approval.

Jake Worthington- Jake Worthington
. . . Well, this is a trip. Old school. 90s. Kinda sounded like Dwight, mullet-era Blake, and some of that McCoy/Byrd stuff.

Bella White- Among Other Things
. . . I can get behind this one. Y’all remember a few years ago when the Pistol Annies girls, Brandy Clark, and Kacey Musgraves were busting out bangers!? This is up there. Chicks weren’t getting recognition and the dudes albums all sucked. This year guys have been stepping up. One of the better ones from the Female Department.

Brit Taylor- Kentucky Blue
. . . Good country music. The first track was the highlight (CABIN IN THE WOODS)

Colby Acuff- Western White Pines
. . . took me awhile to track down this album. Good stuff. Great album cover art. The art looks like how this album sounds. Real country. Authentic. Contender for a top ten of the year.

Drayton Farley- Twenty On High
. . . Isbell / Songwriter stuff.

El Dorado- Unincorporated
. . . Real country. Bar pistol slinging saloon tunes.

JD Clayton- Long Way from Home
. . . i dig this dude and album. I should / could listen to it a few more times. Kinda sounded like an early eagles album. Before the eagles sold out.

Lance Roark- Better Man
. . . Self produced/promoted? Gotta be kidding me. Either this boy has it going on with himself. Knows what he wants. Not sure why somebody hasn’t bankrolled this? I’d put my money down for this cat. Thank you. Yes, please.

Logan Halstead- Dark Black Coal
. . . Bout time we get some solid country up in here! Crazy how hard times have changed. Break ups, welfare, food stamps, opioids, three chords . . . And the truth!! Bonus points for the album artwork and the mandolin work on MOUNTAIN QUEEN. A freaking cover of 1952 VINCENT BLACK LIGHTING?!!! Top ten album of the year.

Margo Price- Strays
. . . Got that country soul and rock n roll. This album must be listened to on vinyl.

Megan Moroney- Lucky
. . . i hope she keeps writing her music. Nashville could turn her into a pop star but i have hope she’ll stick to the traditional sounds i heard on the album. I liked the novelty tunes. Reminded me of some Brad Paisley stuff.

Muscadine Bloodline- Teenage Dixie
. . . made me want to bust out my guitar. That’s when you know you got a good one. INCONVENIENCE STORE is a bombtrack and a good robbery tune. Also dug the references to Devil Went Down To Georgia. Their “emo” album is a must listen too.

Nicholas Jamerson- Peace Mountain
. . . This is the jam. Mellow. Funky. Trippy. Solid. In my top ten for the year.

Pony Bradshaw- North Georgia Rounder
. . . A DUFFEL, A GRIP, AND MY D35, yes please! A FREE ROVING MIND, I can get behind that. Very mellow chill campfire album. Good to play when the party is chillin

Sundy Best- Feel Good Country
. . . I’ve listened t these dudes a few years ago and pretty impressed. This album is ok. The first track is trippy. Doesn’t sound like the rest of the tunes.

Them Dirty Roses- Lost in the Valley of Hate & Love, Volume 1
. . . I bet these boys close out bars, honky tonks, and saloons on a Saturday night but wake up in time to sing in the Sunday choir. This album is good but i have a feeling they are better live. My bucket list for this year: see these guys in concert.

The Panhandlers- Tough Country
. . . Texas country. Some of the finest. Damn near needed to bust out a map of the Lone Star State to follow along.

The full list. . . .

Alana Springsteen- Twenty Something: Messing it Up EP
. . . not related to Bruce. Pretty good EP. I dig it.

Alice Howe- Circumstance
. . . great voice. I liked some of the production too. Sounded slick

Alison Brown- On Banjo
. . . refreshing instrumental album. Liked the Beatles riff

Ben Gallagher- Country in the House
. . . This was like arena country rock. For bomb tracks, just listen for songs that sound like AC/DC & GnR mixtapes . . . at the parking lot of a Jason Aldean concert.

Benjamin Dakota Rogers- Paint Horse
. . . True folk music. Real deal

Boygenius- The Record
. . . This is some of that space age new age folk stuff. Not really my jam but it sounded good.

Brian Dunne- Loser on the Ropes
. . . Kinda reminded me of a Beck album. Cool stuff.

Brit Taylor- Kentucky Blue
. . . Good country music. The first track was the highlight (CABIN IN THE WOODS)

Charlie Hill- Chuck Pond
. . . Pretty alternative country sounding. I bet dudes get high to this album in dorm rooms

Chase Rice- I Hate Cowboys & All Dogs Go to Hell
. . . Never thought Chase Rice would have a traditional country album. I was impressed with his early albums – tough to admit but easy to admit this is a good album

Chris Williams- Something From Nothing
. . . had that new age folksy polished sound. Not my jam

Darling West- Cosmos
. . . got that new age folk sound. Not sure if this is a new trend or if i am late to the party (again)

The Davisson Brothers- Home Is Where The Heart Is
. . . Good stuff. I liked the rustic throwin’ it down rustic sound. I bet these guys are good in concert too.

Diplo- Diplo Presents Thomas Wesley:Chapter 2 — Swamp Savant
. . . I can get behind this. A+ on the selection of collaborations. Sturgill Simpson to Billy Ray? Brilliant. Don’t judge me.

Dom Flemons- The American Songster
. . . Sometimes I think of a world where this guy is a stadium act and is on contemporary country radio. This world couldn’t handle it.

Doug Paisley- Say What You Like
. . . It got this chill cool JJ Cale vibe. Maybe yacht rock? It is good.

Drayton Farley- Twenty On High
. . . Isbell / Songwriter stuff.

Easton Corbin- Let’s Do Country Right
. . . My new favorite Corbin record. Felt bad when he started out and everyone called him “baby George strait.” He has his own sound. Good compliment but this dude deserves credit.

El Dorado- Unincorporated
. . . Real country. Bar pistol slinging saloon tunes.

Elle King- Come Get Your Wife
. . . Tulsa is a bomb track. Great stuff. I love the solid country sound but that rough n rowdy edge. Mandolin licks are fire. BLACKED OUT, yes please. Bomb track. Such a great album.

Esther Rose- Safe to Run
. . . It would be easy for me to label this as neo new folk new age synthesized country but this one really stands out even though it has some of those traits. I could easily listen to this one again

Ethan Setiawan- Gambit
. . . I like it. This is a bluegrass jam. Sign me up!! Favorite bluegrass album of the year? Possibly.

The Gibson Brothers- Darkest Hour
. . . pretty good bluegrass album. The first part was solid. Not that the last half was bad but the first part was solid.

Graham Nash- Now
. . . This didn’t blow my mind. Hard to listen to this without thinking of CSNY.

H.C. McEntire- Every Acre
. . . Pretty new age. Super mellow vibe.

Hanneke Cassel- Infinite Brightness
. . . this is where a fiddle becomes a violin. Super classical sophisticated bluegrass. I like it.

Hardy- The Mockingbird & the Crow
. . . I don’t know man. This was wild loud. Maybe gave me nightmares. Solid songwriter – obviously. I’m a lightweight. Even the album cover freaked me out. Ok. I did get nightmares.

Ian Munsick- White Buffalo
. . .this dude has a trippy voice and probably can do some damage with it. I liked the traditional stuff and it was cool to hear the production on the tunes.

Illiterate Light- Sunburned
. . . Fairly alternative sounding record.

Infamous String Dusters – A Tribute To Flatt And Scruggs
. . . good bluegrass. Never gonna go outta style

Iris DeMent- Workin’ on a World
. . . Worth a listen.

Jaimee Harris- Boomerang Town
. . . Got a baez / Mitchell sound. Sounds good but probably better at a solo show. Sunday AM chillin’

Jake Worthington- Jake Worthington
. . . Well, this is a trip. Old school. 90s. Kinda sounded like Dwight, mullet-era Blake, and some of that McCoy/Byrd stuff.

Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit- Weathervanes
. . . MIDDLE OF THE MORNING is a bombtrack. The world is a better place with this dude in it. He’ll always get my stamp of approval.

JD Clayton- Long Way from Home
. . . i dig this dude and album. I should / could listen to it a few more times. Kinda sounded like an early eagles album. Before the eagles sold out.

Jill Barber- Homemaker
. . . Pretty trippy voice. Good songwriting.

Joe Henry- All the Eye Can See
. . . I already listened to this.

John-Allison Weiss- The Long Way
. . . Another neo folk new age folk album

John Lee Hooker- Burnin’ (60th Anniversary Edition)
. . . It was refreshing to hear how good these sounded. Only listened to the stereo mixes. 60 years old. Damn.

Jordan Davis- Bluebird Days
. . . I went back to this album a few times. Probably had it on repeat more than I would like to admit. The dude has a polished sound and it is easy to call it pop but the lyrics and delivery was spot on.

Joseph- The Sun
. . . This is more of that progressive new age folk produced up stuff. Better than most of what I have heard from this genre.

Josh Ritter- Spectral Lines
. . . Pretty chill. Easy chillin’. Good vibes

Joy Oladokun- Proof of Life
. . .if you’re only gonna listen to this album because of the Stapleton duet, you’re a fool. The Mt Joy track was great. Maxo Kream was good too. Solid stuff.

JP Ruggieri- Gradually Descend into Chaos
. . . When it comes to this new age folk modern sound, this album actually sounds better than this other stuff that I’ve listened to.

Justin Moore- Stray Dog
. . . GET RICH OR DRUNK TRYING is a bombtrack. So is the Riley green duet.

Karen Jonas- The Restless
. . . voice sounded jazzy. Cool and smooth

Kassi Valazza- Kassi Valazza Knows Nothing
. . . Great album title. Much more acoustic than Dear Dead Days – which I always enjoyed.

Kip Moore- Damn Love
. . .always dig the production on this dudes albums. Another polished album. Nothing really blew my mind but enjoyed the listen.

Larkin Poe- Blood Harmony
. . . When DEEP STAYS DOWN kicks in, wow! What an opener. Solid closer! LIPS AS GOLD AS DIAMOND! Great album.

Lauren Morrow- People Talk
. . .this had that neo-new age space folk alternative sound but this album did it right. I think there was a sax solo on the first or second track. The album cover has the chick holding up a landline phone. This is a great album. Kinda like Kacey Musgraves: Dolly and Daft Punk / Country Disco. Not in a goofy way. Good stuff.

Leftover Salmon- Grass Roots
. . . The jam. Loved the covers and duets. Primo bluegrass.

Lonestar- Ten to 1
. . . Trippy. When I saw the tracklist and how the tunes would be remixed, I wasn’t too excited. After listening to it, it’s better than I thought it would be

Lucero- Should’ve Learned by Now
. . . Not my jam

Luke Combs- Gettin’ Old
. . . Hot take: not my favorite album of his. Not saying it is bad.

Margo Price- Strays
. . . Got that country soul and rock n roll. This album must be listened to on vinyl.

Marty Stuart- Altitude
. . . it was worth the listen. Might not be my favorite album of his. Hard to beat WAY OUT WEST

Matt Andersen- The Big Bottle of Joy
. . . GOLDEN is the bombtrack. Kinda has that ZBB / Nathaniel Rateliff sound. Probably really good live.

Matt Charette- Lo-Fi High Hopes
. . . I’d call these guys punk country. Super alternative and rootsy. But I bet they can pack a dance hall.

Michael Cleveland- Lovin’ of the Game
. . . Great bluegrass. Best bluegrass album of the year? Possibly. Unless if billy strings has done something.

Mighty Poplar- Mighty Poplar
. . . Some real deal bluegrass. Blew my mind with PICKED UP THE DEVIL FOR A HOLIDAY. bomb track. Let’s go see em live

Mile Twelve- Close Enough to Hear
. . . Pretty chill bluegrass

The Milk Carton Kids- I Only See The Moon
. . . I liked the bluegrass leaning songs more than the folk stuff.

Mya Byrne- Rhinestone Tomboy
. . . Interesting vibe. Liked the more mellow tunes than the rockers.

Myron Elkins- Factories, Farms & Amphetamines
. . . If you ain’t stomping your foot within 30 seconds of this album, you ain’t alive. Can we get more records with amphetamines in the title?
BALL & CHAIN
NASHVILLE MONEY
bomb track

Nate Smith- Nate Smith
. . . Probably my favorite album of the year. Sonically: nothing comes close to it.

Nicholas Jamerson- Peace Mountain
. . . This is the jam. Mellow. Funky. Trippy. Solid. In my top ten for the year.

Nickel Creek- Celebrants
. . . The world is a better place with the return of Nickel Creek. Usually cats get back together for a cash grab reunion tour but those album has a point to prove.

The Nude Party- Rides On
. . . Need to remember when they book a date near me. This sounds like a honky tonk party. Ready to honky tonk.

The Panhandlers- Tough Country
. . . Texas country. Some of the finest. Damn near needed to bust out a map to follow along.

Parker McCollum- Never Enough
. . . Ah yes. You can take the boy outta Texas but you can’t take the Texas out of the boy. Very Texas. Very good.

Parker Millsap- Wilderness Within You
. . . pretty slick production. I dig it. FRONT PORCHIN’ and FINDING OUT are bombtracks.

Rachael & Vilray- I Love a Love Song
. . . Felt like getting on my dancing shoes and find a Ginger Rogers! Lets make whoopee on an airplane!!!

Rachel Baiman- Common Nation of Sorrow
. . . pretty mellow and chill album

Rob Ickes & Trey Hensley- Living in a Song
. . . I’M WORKING ON A BUILDING and MOONSHINE RUN are bombtracks. I listened to their last album more than this album. Probably more of a fan of their last one compared to this one.

Robbie Fulks- Bluegrass Vacation
. . . ok bluegrass. Not mindblowing

Rodney Crowell- The Chicago Sessions
. . . this is great. Possibly my one of my favorite albums of the year. Great riffs. A Tweedy duet. Crazy good.

Ruston Kelly- The Weakness
. . . I know if riff hard on the neo new age progressive alternative country sound but this one caught my ear. Good stuff.

Ruth Wyand – Guitar Routes
. . . slick instrumental guitar work. Love the nod to Duane “Skydog” Allman with LIL’ MARTHA.

Say ZuZu- No Time To Lose
. . .I dig it. I can listen to this album a few more times. Easy. No complaints

Setting Sun- The Feelings Cure
. . . This was super dorm room chilling music.

The Shootouts- Stampede
. . . the production was ok

Southerland- Southerland EP
. . . I can get behind this. Only six songs, the only negative. I’m gonna keep tabs on these boys. Can the bring home a full length album? Fingers crossed.

St. Paul and the Broken Bones- Angels in Science
. . . I think it is time to look back on all the groups who are influenced by these cats. Great stuff. I need to listen to this album more.

The Storm Windows- Second Album
. . .ok

Summer Dean- The Biggest Life
. . . Kill me. Never heard of this chick until now. Yeah. I suck. This album doesn’t suck. I gotta lotta catching up to do. Make note: listen to getting this chick has done.

Sundy Best- Feel Good Country
. . . I’ve listened to these dudes a few years ago and pretty impressed. This album is ok. The first track is trippy. Doesn’t sound like the rest of the tunes.

Sunny War- Anarchist Gospel
. . . more of this new age folk AAA deal. Not really my jam.

The Tallest Man on Earth- Henry St.
. . . I feel like I need to listen to this a few more times. Maybe with more cigars and moonshine. Easy vibin’ bluegrass.

Tanya Tucker- Sweet Western Sound
. . . What is this chicks deal? The last few albums (and that live one!) have all been incredible! You’d expect a disappointment. This album doesn’t disappoint. Nobody comes close to her career. Nobody. Legend.

Terry Blade- Ethos: Son of a Sharecropper
. . . Trippy voice. Unique production. I’ll keep my eye on this fella.

The Teskey Brothers- The Winding Way
. . . They got this sweet R&B sound. Not really my jam but super chill.

Torrey McDowell- Not a Man EP
. . .pretty easy listening album

Tyler Hubbard- Tyler Hubbard
. . . I’ll admit it. I wasn’t the biggest fan of FGL. They did grow on me. Listening to this album made me miss the FGL days. Yeah I’ll admit it. I thought half of an FGL duo would be hard as good. I was wrong. I was impressed.
HOW RED #GBR

Various Artists- I Am A Pilgrim Doc Watson At 100
. . . Mixed about this one. Worth a listen for sure but it will be tough to go back to. Still trying to find a few tracks that really pop.

Volores- Ages
. . . not really country or americana.

Walker County- No Smoke & Mirrors EP
. . . Good dope smoking music. I can get behind this. Go ahead and release more.

The War & Treaty- Lover’s Game
. . . AINT NO HARMIN ME is a total bombtrack. I’m not sure what I was expecting when I started playing this album. It exceeded my expectations. I wasn’t expecting this album to be this good.

The Watson Twins- Holler
. . . Sweet smooth vocals but gotta grunge folk vibe.

Wilder Woods- Fever/Sky
. . . I need to listen to this album (100x) more. Has that Nathanial Ratliff sound. ZBB angle. Listened again. Amazing. Maybe this my jam.

The Wood Brothers- Heart is the Hero
. . . Possibly a contender for one of my favorite albums of the year.

Because I was a goofball, I either didn’t listen to these albums in 2022 or didn’t appear on my radar. . . (previous post to the 2022 Album Reviews)

49 Winchester – Fortune Favors the Bold
Maybe not the best country album of the year but very well could be the best Americana album of the year! Basically the same thing right? Good stuff!
MAN’S BEST FRIEND
Title track: FORTUNE FAVORS THE BOLD. After hearing it, i thought about joining the band

Adeem the Artist – White Trash Revelry
. . . REDNECK UNREAD HICKS has a nice groove. Total liberal country tune.
Pretty real lyrics. Didn’t know a hunting song MIDDLE OF THE HEART, could be a sentimental ballad song. Coming to an NPR station near you. . .

Billy Ebeling – Burnt Ends (2022)
. . . pretty clever album. Curious to see what is next from this fella. Probably a pretty good live show too.

Blake Shelton – Body Language Deluxe (2021)
. . . Bringing Back the Sunshine will always be my favorite album from Team Blake. This one is good. Great deep tracks, goofy Blake tunes, and solid delivery.

Bog Bodies – Reclaim The Ritual
. . . they really didn’t do anything for me. The production was good but kinda “death folk” vibe.

Brett Kissel, The Compass Project – South Album
. . . Polished but not pop. 98° ? Is that the same 98° I’m thinking of? I don’t know man. . .

Brothers of the Heart, Listen to the Music
. . . That cover of LET ‘EM IN was a total bomb track. Cover albums are tough but that McCartney track was worth it.

Bryan Martin- Poets & Old Souls
. . . WE RIDE was my intro to him. I can get behind this dude but this EP(?) needed to go longer.

Caitlin Rose – Cazimi
. . . I want to say her album, The Stand-In, blew my mind back in 2013. When I was listening to this album, it sounded super familiar. She has the attitude of Miranda Lambert and the production value of Kelsea Ballerini. Not overly produced or pop.

Charley Crockett – The Man From Waco
. . . country music fellas. This is what it is. Maybe with some James Bond and Quntin Tarentino mixed in. TURKEY MAN was a bombtrack

ERNEST – FLOWER SHOPS (THE ALBUM)
. . . pretty chill and laid back album. More impressed than I thought I would be

Gabe Lee – The Hometown Kid
. . . the first couple of tracks had nice references and a nod to the good ol’ boys. Prine, Nelson, and all the country dudes. Good references. Liked the finger pickin tunes. LONELY was mellow but a bombtrack. LONGER I RUN – HAMER DOWN, a little more tempo but good vibes.

Hailey Whitters – Raised
. . . I totally dropped the ball on this one. I didn’t know about this album until I saw Rolling Stone Country’s Best of 2022 and they had it at #1. I was impressed it ranked that high. Not that she doesn’t deserve it but it was surprising. It is a solid album though. Super clever lyrics and a real smooth sound. I would highly recommend listening to this bad boy all the way through. I could put it in my top 5 for sure.

Ian Noe – River Fools & Mountain Saints
. . . some good finger pickin folksy country americana tunes. Nice chillin album. Campfire stuff

Ingrid Andress – Good Person
. . . this was very pop and easy to listen to. The entire album could be played on those radio stations that go all Christmas in October. I liked it for that but it is interesting that it is country. Wishful Drinking did sound good on country radio though!

Jake Blount – The New Faith
. . . Very trippy spoken word stuff. Good vibe. Interesting approach with the storytelling and spoken word stuff.

Joe Henry- All the Eye Can See
. . . very trippy vocals and dark folk vibe.

Joe Purdy – Coyote
. . . very chill and too laidback

The Jorgensens – Americana Soul
. . . good folk, good bluegrass-y, good harmonies, good americana

Joshua Hedley – Neon Blue
. . . this is real country music. No foolin.

Julius Rodriguez – Let Sound Tell All (Deluxe) (2022)
. . . I should probably do more homework on this but I swear I have heard these tunes in movies. Especially the first track – DORA’S LULLABY. Good stuff.

Kane Brown – Different Man
. . . it didn’t blow my mind. I think this bad boy was a double album? It had a good flow. Difficult to do when you’re messing with 60 minutes of music.

Kelsey Waldon – No Regular Dog
. . . This album went by pretty quick. It is real country. Steel guitar and all!!! I can dig it.

Melissa Carper – Ramblin’ Soul
. . . The album sounds just like the album cover. Very nice. I like the song about the van. BOXERS ON BACKWARDS, bombtrack

Mike Mangione – Blood & Water
. . . didn’t do anything for me- maybe AGAINST THE GRAIN

Miko Marks and the Resurrectors – Feel Like Going Home
. . . Her voice is the definition of soul. I’d give it one listen but totally gonna watch what this group does.

Neil Young With Crazy Horse – World Record
. . . one of his more quirky albums. I did listen to the 15-minute jam of CHEVROLET. Bombtrack for sure. Wow. Worth the album alone.

Paul Cauthen – Country Coming Down
. . . maybe not an album to play for Grandma but I loved this dude when I heard Country Cocaine Dancing.

Plains – I Walked With You A Ways
. . . good folk americana girl group

Ray Wylie Hubbard – Co-Starring Too (2022)
. . . one of my favorite artists of all-time.
STONE BLIND HORSES (ft Willie Nelson) – give me a break. I died and this is the first track. Hey Ronnie Dunn – you the one with the cowboy hat!?
GROOVE (ft Kevin Russell and The Shiny Soul Sisters) – RWH with soulful backup singers? Is this a dream??
FANCY BOYS (ft Hayes Carll, James McMurtry, Dalton Domino) – thanks for setting the record straight
TEXAS WILD SIDE (ft The Last Bandoleros) – more from the man who was there and lived to tell the tale.

Richie Furay – Somebody Like You
. . . super interested in this album because of the lead singer and selection of songs. Great versions!

Soccer Mommy – Sometimes, Forever
. . . trippy psychedelic electronic music that really isn’t my jam

Steve Gunn – Nakama EP
. . . mellow trippy electronic folk stuff that really isn’t my jam

Taj Mahal & Ry Cooder – GET ON BOARD
. . . this is what blues sounds like, no this is what blues feels like. Brownie McGee and Sonny Terry should be proud. Wow.

Whitehorse- I’m Not Crying, You’re Crying
. . . Real country music. The twang stuff. Good stuff.

Willie Nelson – A Beautiful Time
. . . ENERGY FOLLOWS THOUGH, the gospel of Willie.