Category Archives: Playlists

July Playlist on Spotify and Apple Music

Yes, the playlists are back! June had all the midyear lists, so I decided to just include some June songs in July’s playlist. Here’s where you can catch up on the latest stuff from artists such as Cody Jinks and Lori McKenna, the second artist to receive a 10/10 review in 2018, as well as check out some underrated names like Wes Youssi & the County Champs, Rhyan Sinclair, and El Coyote. Really strong playlist for the mainstream, including songs from Kenny chesney’s latest, songs from Dierks Bentley’s excellent album that came out in June, and new singles from Eric Church and cam. And speaking of new tracks, we have two strong ones from Jason Eady and Colter Wall off each of their upcoming records; any day either of these guys decides to release music into the atmosphere is a good one. As always, tremendous thanks to Zack for supplying this playlist to the Spotify people.

Apple Music users, you can follow me there @countryexclusive for this and all of our playlists, as well as for updates to the Saving Country Music Top 25. For July’s playlist,
Click Here

Spotify users, click below.

My Top Ten Albums of 2018 so Far

Note: This has been easily the hardest list to assemble for this site, and unlike last year, these will remain unranked just like the songs list because so many of these are so close. I don’t think we’ve heard the 2018 Album of the Year yet, but overall, the first half of 2018 has been incredibly strong, and it’s impossible at this point for me to try and rank albums. They’re all great, so just check them out.

As with the songs, please respect these choices as my opinion, and feel free to share your favorites in the comments below!

Courtney Patton: What it’s Like to Fly Alone

Standout Tracks: “Round Mountain,” “What it’s Like to Fly Alone (Hawk Song),” “Devil’s Hand,” “Red Bandanna Blue”
Probably the most country of the bunch, Courtney Patton’s fourth album is one that just gets better with time. Her songwriting is superb is always, and this record is also beautifully, cleanly produced. Who said an album had to sound like shit to be classic and authentic? As far as production, which Courtney handled herself, it may be the best-sounding, cleanest record of the year so far.
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Lindi Ortega: Liberty

Standout Tracks: “Lovers in Love,” “You Ain’t Foolin’ Me,” “Afraid of the Dark,” but it’s meant to be consumed as a whole album
This hasn’t been one of my most played albums of the year, but when I do play it, it always blows me away. More and more, I feel like it should have been a 10/10 here. Some vagueness in the concept held me back, as the character’s journey out of darkness into light and life can sometimes be hard to follow. But it’s just so captivating all the way through, and once again, a finely produced album, with the western backdrop lending itself nicely to the story.
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Red Shahan: Culberson County

Standout Tracks: “Waterbill,” “Enemy,” “Roses,” “How They Lie,” “Culberson County”
Speaking of western, here’s a record that perfectly embodies the sound and spirit of west Texas. This has got to be my most underrated album of 2018 so far; honestly, that 8/10 looks totally ridiculous now, and it did so a week after I wrote it. I can’t say enough about this album, as it’s got to be heard to be fully understood and appreciated, capturing the wildness and emptiness of West Texas and romanticizing it in a way that not many could.
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Brothers Osborne: Port Saint Joe

Standout Tracks: “Shoot me Straight,” “While You Still Can,” “Pushing up Daisies (Love Alive),” “A Little Bit Trouble,” “Weed, Whiskey, and Willie”
Although not a concept album like Liberty, this record is certainly meant to be consumed and enjoyed from start to finish. Just as Shahan put West Texas on a record, Brothers Osborne immortalize the old, weathered coastal towns so common in the South. It’s a beach record, but the beach is forgotten and secluded, not sexy and touristy. Proof that a fun party album can indeed be substantive and have all kinds of staying power.
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Kacey Musgraves: Golden Hour

Standout Tracks: “Oh, What a World,” “Love is a Wild Thing,” “Slow Burn,” “Lonely Weekend”
Another fantastically produced album; I’m starting to see a trend in these records. I know Kacey Musgraves sparked about a million different controversies with this change in her sound, but after several months with this, I have to say that Golden Hour is Kacey’s best album so far. The dreamy, spacey production all over this album really suits her voice and these songs, and there’s not much else to say, it’s just a great-sounding slice of pop country music.
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Brent Cobb: Providence Canyon

Standout Tracks: “Sucker for a Good Time,” “Providence Canyon,” “Come Home Soon,” “Mornin’s Gonna Come”
This is the only album I’ve given a 10/10 rating to in 2018, but again, these records are so close that it’s not necessarily my favorite record at this point. It’s definitely becoming one of my most played, bringing country, funk, and soul together in the way that can only be done in Brent’s home state of Georgia. This is the first of several albums on this list that carries a unique and distinctly Southern flavor, and though each is different, each one celebrates a vital component of Southern music and culture.
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Blackberry Smoke: Find a Light

Standout Tracks: “I’ll Keep Ramblin'” (ft. Robert Randolph), “I’ve Got This Song,” “Run Away From it All,” “Till the Wheels Fall Off,” “Nobody Gives a Damn,” “Let me Down Easy” (ft. Amanda Shires)
Okay, yeah, it would have been easier to list the tracks that don’t stand out here. There are just so many great songs here, and this is another distinctly Southern album, keeping alive the sound of Southern rock in fine fashion. Southern rock is just as endangered, if not more so, than traditional country, and it’s just great to hear such an excellent slice of this music in 2018. Blackberry Smoke already have a 10/10 record here, and this one came very close to being their second.
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Willie Nelson: Last Man Standing

Standout Tracks: “Last Man Standing,” “Heaven is Closed,” “Me and You,” “Don’t Tell Noah”
What can I possibly say about Willie Nelson? At eighty-five, he is making better music than a giant chunk of Americana artists in their twenties and thirties. It’s a fun, upbeat record that displays Willie’s boundless charisma and clever songwriting at their best. And also, his vocal talent here puts many of the aforementioned independent artists to absolute shame.
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Old Crow Medicine Show: Volunteer

Standout Tracks: “Child of the Mississippi,” “Dixie Avenue,” “Whirlwind,” “A World Away,” “Look Away”
Again, it may have been easier to list the tracks that aren’t standouts. What a fun, energetic album! And I’ve mentioned Southern records, but none of them embrace the rich and vibrant Southern culture quite like this one. This is a love letter to the South, to its people and to its music, and it will make you proud of that heritage even despite the South’s scars.
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American Aquarium: Things Change

Standout Tracks: “One Day at a Time,” “Work Conquers All,” “Crooked+Straight,” “Shadows of You”
Out of the ruins of American Aquarium came something great, the best version of this band that has existed to date. It took everything crashing down to make it all happen, and now, in addition to BJ Barham’s always great songwriting, we have a band that sounds like a band and brings life to these songs in the best way possible. I don’t have much to say other than what everyone else is saying–this is an incredible album.
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Honorable Mentions

It should be noted that these six albums are the reason I chose ten instead of thirteen–because to choose three of these six was entirely impossible.

  • Darci Carlson (self-titled)
  • First Aid Kit: Ruins
  • Meghan Patrick: Country Music Made me do It
  • Dierks Bentley: The Mountain
  • Wade Bowen: Solid Ground
  • Sarah Shook & the Disarmers: Years

Other Albums Strongly Recommended by Country Exclusive

  • Caitlyn Smith: Starfire
  • Brandi Carlile: By the Way, I Forgive You
  • The Lost Brothers: Halfway Towards a Healing
  • Mike & the Moonpies: Steak Night at the Prairie Rose
  • Montgomery Gentry: Here’s to You
  • Ashley McBryde: Girl Going Nowhere
  • Laura Benitez and the Heartache: With All its Thorns
  • Teea Goans: Swing, Shuffle, and Sway (released 2017, reviewed 2018)
  • Caleb Caudle: Crushed Coins
  • Courtney Marie Andrews: May Your Kindness Remain
  • Vivian Leva: Time is Everything
  • Trixie Mattel: One Stone
  • Shotgun Rider: Palo Duro
  • Kasey Chambers & the Fireside Disciples: Campfire
  • Randall King (self-titled
  • John Prine: The Tree of Forgiveness
  • Josh Ward: More Than I Deserve
  • Kayla Ray: Yesterday & Me
  • Jason Boland & the Stragglers: Hard Times are Relative

Albums on our Radar, with Potential to be Reviewed

  • Wes Youssi & the County Champs: Down Low
  • El Coyote (self-titled
  • Jesse Daniel (self-titled
  • Anderson East: Encore
  • Eleven Hundred Springs: The Finer Things in Life
  • Tami Neilson: Sassafrass!
  • Jeff Hyde: Norman Rockwell World
  • The Church Sisters: A Night at the Opry
  • Jay Bragg: Honky Tonk Dream
  • Steve Moakler: Born Ready
  • Tim Culpepper: DUI (Drinkin’ Under the Influence)
  • Chris Hennessee: Ramble
  • Steep Canyon Rangers: Out in the Open
  • Hellbound Glory: Streets of Aberdeen
  • Neko Case: Hell-on
  • Paul Cauthen: Have Mercy (EP)
  • Justin Adams: Horizon

My Top Thirteen Songs of 2018 so Far

Editor’s Note: These are not ranked in any particular order, and all songs have been reviewed or featured in some way, whether in Memorable songs or on one of our playlists, by Country Exclusive. Please respect this list for what it is–one person’s opinion, and an outlet for sharing good music. That said, feel free and encouraged to share your favorite songs of the year so far in the comments below!
And don’t ask why I picked thirteen, some things should remain a mystery.

Anderson East: “Cabinet Door”

From Encore, featured on our January playlist

This was the first song to blow me away in 2018, and yes, hopefully I will review this album at some point. This is the tale of a man whose wife of fifty-two years has passed away; he’s left lost and alone trying to pick up the pieces, and he’s talking to her about everything he misses, and everything that hasn’t been right since she’s been gone. It’s just an incredible song of love and loss, and it’s impossible not to feel something when you hear it.

Caitlyn Smith: “This Town is Killing Me”

From Starfire

What an honest, bittersweet, heartbreaking story of an artist’s struggles in Nashville, the things they’ll give up and go through in order to chase that dream, and the reasons it’s worth it. Caitlyn Smith is a world-class vocalist, and she’s known for belting and displaying her incredible range, but it’s a song like this, where her emotions are laid bare before us, that really sets her apart and makes her special. An artist with this much talent shouldn’t be struggling for a second in Music City, but it’s the hardship that led to this poignant, beautiful song.

Mike & the Moonpies: “Steak Night at the Prairie Rose”

From Steak Night at the Prairie Rose

Maybe it’s the relationship I have with my dad, or maybe it’s the stories of chasing his dreams of music, or perhaps it’s just a damn good song, but I think “Steak Night at the Prairie Rose” has been really underrated as a song in 2018. Just a simple tribute to his father and to music that should just be heard. Also, love that organ.

Wade Bowen: “Day of the Dead”

From Solid Ground

An underrated song from an underrated album. Putting some really cool Mexican influence in his Texas country, Wade sings of a man who’s run off to Mexico during the Day of the dead on his ex’s wedding day. It uses some interesting metaphors for the death of their love, and it’s one where the melody, instrumentation, and lyrics all work together to create a really great piece of music.

Courtney Patton: “Round Mountain”

From What it’s Like to Fly Alone

As I said recently on Twitter, here’s a song that blows me away every time I hear it. A beautifully crafted narrative of a woman who married young and felt trapped by her life and family–she made mistakes and eventually abandoned them, and the beauty here is that she’s neither apologetic for her actions nor unaware of what she’s done and the people she’s hurt. Also, there’s an overdose of lovely fiddle.

Courtney Marie Andrews: “Took You Up”

From May Your Kindness Remain

An incredibly moving love song that reminds us the best things in life are free. What a world it would be if we could all learn to embrace life like the lovers in this song. Also, Courtney Marie Andrews absolutely sings the hell out of this.

Red Shahan: “Waterbill”

From Culberson County

And for those of you who don’t think fun songs can be on these lists, I present Red Shahan’s “Waterbill,” the best album opener of the year so far and an absolutely fun, infectious tune that’s been one of my most played in 2018. It’s also got one of the best lyrics this year with: “you ain’t livin’ unless you’re livin’ life broke.” It’s impossible not to smile when you hear this song.

Sarah Shook & the Disarmers: “New Ways to Fail”

From Years

Another fun tune, and probably the most honest, relatable song you’ll hear for a long while. I can’t say anything else about this, I can just assure you that you’ve felt like this at some point in your life, and that relatability is what makes a great country song.

John Prine: “Lonesome Friends of Science”

From The Tree of Forgiveness

John Prine is a songwriter like no other, and we’re blessed to still be getting great, thoughtful songs from him at this stage of his life. He can create empathy for anyone or anything, even “poor planet Pluto,” who was demoted and uninvited by the other planets, as he explains in this song. And what a great way to live, thinking it doesn’t matter if the whole world ends today because this place is not really your home.

Ashley Monroe: “Orphan”

From Sparrow

Overall, I did not care for the overly polished sounds on Ashley Monroe’s latest effort, but this autobiographical sketch of an orphan is beautiful, and it’s made even better by the lovely strings supporting it. This is a story only Ashley Monroe can deliver, and it might be the best song of her career thus far.

Old Crow Medicine Show: “Look Away”

From Volunteer

In a world where Southern culture is being forsaken and eradicated at an alarming rate, “Look Away” uses lines from “Dixie” and embraces everything that is good and cherished about the South. This is a five-minute case for why Southerners still have things to be proud of, and why so many people embrace this land and its rich heritage.

American Aquarium: “One Day at a Time”

From Things Change

The best songs come from a place of honesty, the ability to release a part of your soul out into your music. BJ Barham gives us that in “One Day at a Time,” detailing his journey getting sober. And “you see the man left holding the pen controls how every story ends, and truth becomes a martyr for the sake of the song”–that line is just brilliant.

Jason Boland & the Stragglers: “Hard Times are Relative”

From Hard Times are Relative

The first time I heard this, I declared it the best song of the year so far. I don’t know how that will hold up, but this is an excellently crafted story song and a reminder to us that when we think our lives are tough, these people in times past had it far worse.

Honorable Mentions

  • Blackberry Smoke: “I’ve Got This Song”
  • Brent Cobb: “Come Home Soon”
  • Ashley McBryde: “Livin’ Next to Leroy”
  • Courtney Marie Andrews: “Border”
  • Kayla Ray: “Rockport”
  • Brandi Carlile: “The Mother”
  • Dierks Bentley ft. Brandi Carlile: “Travelin’ Light”

May Playlist on Spotify and Apple Music

May was not an extremely impressive month for albums, and this playlist reflects that, featuring a number of songs from stuff we haven’t featured in full. It did produce good albums from Kayla Ray and Jason Boland & the Stragglers, as well as the first 10/10 album for me with Brent Cobb’s latest, so although not as crowded with good releases as March and April, May did give us some good music. There’s a new single from Dwight Yoakam on the list which is always good news. And i know that Hellbound Glory song was released four years ago, but the reissue of their album with additional material gives me an excuse to throw in the excellent “Streets of Aberdeen.” As always, thanks to Zack for supplying this to the Spotify people.

Apple Music users, you can follow me there via @countryexclusive for this and all our playlists, as well as the Saving Country Music Top 25. For May’s playlist,
Click Here

Spotify users, click below.

April Playlist on Spotify and Apple Music

April has by far been the busiest month in terms of releases that this site has seen since it began–well, March 30th really began it all with one of the best release days in this site’s history, and then nothing has slowed down since. It’s no surprise that April was also by far our most viewed month ever, and if you’ve first found us in April, I thank you. If you couldn’t keep up with releases, I don’t blame you, and this list is for you. Whereas past months have seen me wondering if we’d have enough good music to fill the playlist, this was the first time I’ve actually cut songs from one because so much good music came out. We’ve got Southern rock from Blackberry Smoke, classic country from Joshua Hedley, Willie Nelson and John Prine proving age is irrelevant when making good music, and some solid mainstream cuts from Jason Aldean and Brothers Osborne. Three of my favorite songs of the year so far are on this list in “Look Away” from Old Crow Medicine Show, “Orphan” from Ashley Monroe, and “New Ways to Fail” from Sarah Shook & the Disarmers. What a great time to be alive and be a music fan! As always, and probably more so currently, thank you to Zack for supplying this to the Spotify people.

Apple Music users, you can follow me there via the user name @countryexclusive for this and all our playlists, as well as updates to Saving Country Music’s top 25. For April’s,
Click here

Spotify users, click below.