Another month of country music in the books.
When I first announced this monthly series back in September, I detailed the motivation for why, but long story short… we’re still a pretty small team here, and there just isn’t enough time to cover every single album under the country music umbrella every month. Especially in the kind of detail that many of them deserve. It’s a good problem to have, but it does feel pretty overwhelming at times.
But the goal here is (and always has been) to get the word out on as much good country music as possible.
One of our contributing writers, Hill, does a great monthly segment on some of the songs that might’ve snuck through the cracks each month. Titled 40 New Songs That Need To Be On Your Radar, it usually features songs we didn’t get a chance to write about in depth. So back in September, we debuted a new series on albums we didn’t get to cover in depth either. Going forward, we’re gonna continue to shine a spotlight on a few albums from the previous month that didn’t quite get the love they deserved.
These won’t be full reviews, but more like quick-hit recommendations of five albums that I’m digging from the previous month. There aren’t a ton of criteria other than these will be full-length studio albums of original material (no cover albums, live albums, deluxe editions or EPs), and they will be albums that we didn’t cover in a standalone blog. Those are the two objective criteria, and then the subjective one is that I won’t cover any of the big releases that everyone is already well aware of.
Zach Bryan, Miranda Lambert and Gavin Adcock all dropped albums last month… but everybody already knows that. Whether we covered them or not, it was major news in the country music world.
So all that being said, here are my top five under-the-radar albums from October:
Hunter Flynn – Roots
An impressive debut from the Kentucky native. Of course, it’s no secret at this point that Appalachia, and even Kentucky in particular, has produced some top talent in the genre lately, and Flynn’s Roots is another example. Doused with his signature blend of “Appalachian soul,” the album takes you through a rather broad spectrum of sounds and influences, everything from bluegrass and folk to blues, Gospel and southern rock.
“Roots is the culmination of all of the people, experiences, and the places that have shaped me into the man I am today. Sonically it is a broad spectrum that is intended to take the listener from my earliest musical influences to new experimental sounds that make up what I call Appalachian Soul Music. I’ve lived every song.”
And that’s exactly what you get… an eclectic, introspective introduction to exactly who Hunter Flynn is, and what he’s all about. And I’m here for it.
“Great White Lion”
Margo Cilker – Little White Cross
Simply put, Margo is a brilliant songwriter, and Little White Cross is that on full display. Although there are a handful of covers on this record, including songs recorded by Tom Petty, Garth Brooks, and more, she really makes them her own, and the original material here demonstrates Cilker’s unique songwriting talent. Produced by the great Bruce Robison, the record takes you on a bit of a journey through some downright HEAVY situations, and allows the listener to sit in the grief.
While not exactly a “concept record,” in the traditional sense, Cilker says the overall theme is pain and sadness.
“You could definitely call it a concept record. If that concept is that I got really sad and went to Texas. I had some material so dark I didn’t think I’d show it to [Bruce]. Then I remembered this is the man who wrote ‘Travelin’ Soldier.'”
And while we’re not privy to the source of her sadness, she hits you with it right off the bat with the title track, which is of course named for those heartbreaking little white crosses we see on the side of the road… beacons of remembrance for those who tragically die in a car accident. “Molly & Me” takes it even further, as Cilker explores the disturbing topic of mass shootings, but through the empathetic lens of the perpetrator’s family.
“Molly & Me”
Wyatt McCubbin – 650
You might not know the name Wyatt McCubbin, but you definitely know his work. A talented songwriter who has penned songs for the likes of Luke Combs, Lainey Wilson, Cody Johnson, Zach Top, Riley Green, Jon Pardi and more, the Ohio native has certainly had his fair share of deserved success in the country music industry. But now… he’s telling his own story.
Produced by Dave Cobb, 650 is 16 years in the making for McCubbin, who much like Hunter Flynn mentioned above, makes one helluva debut. With a rich vocal tone that immediately grabs you and a knack for infectious melodies, McCubbin displays the kind of versatility that shows you exactly why he’s been such an in-demand songwriter for so long.
With songs written from both his son and his daughter, inspiration from his grandfather, and background vocals from his wife, McCubbin says family is all over this project:
“This is nowhere near the same album without her fingerprints on it. Having my entire family represented on the album means the world to me.”
There’s a bit of neo-traditional, ’90s country flavor on there… which given who he’s written for, makes sense, but overall, Wyatt really carves his own lane here with a sound that feels familiar and yet, all his own. I’m excited to see what the future holds for him… if I were a betting man, I’d say good things are coming.
“All Outta You”
Logan Mize – Cottonwood Falls
I’ve been a fan of Logan for a LONG time, and after over 15 years in the business, he’s proven to be as consistent as they come. A road warrior, a family man, Mize has long embodied the true spirit of an independent country artist… no bells and whistles, no marketing team, just a man and his songs, earning fans on the road, town by town.
The Kansas native’s latest project, Cottonwood Falls, is right in his wheelhouse… painting a picture of small time life with his signature blend of heartland country rock. It’s nostalgic, but fresh and optimistic, packed with simple, but relatable, timeless themes like love, loss, heartbreak, hope.
This album just feels like home… no other way to describe it.
“Daydream”
Jesse Daniel – Looks Like Rain
When it comes to honky tonk heaters, Jesse Daniel is one of the best in the business… and that’s what the California native is known for. However, on this new project Looks Like Rain, we find Daniel tapping into the depths of his songwriting skills for something that might sound much tamer, but still packs quite the punch.
To put it into baseball terms, a changeup doesn’t have the gas of the fastball, but it still strikes a lot of people out. Look Like Rain is Jesse’s changeup, and it’s got some nasty movement.
Tackling heavy topics like love and loss, addiction and betrayal, Jesse relies on a simpler instrumentation to let his songwriting carry the weight. Thoughtful, captivating, relatable… Jesse has certainly lived through some hard times… his journey to get sober has been well-documented… but he peels back the onion even further here to wrestle with questions about life and its struggles. When it comes to Jesse Daniel, if he’s dropping music, I’m listening… and Looks Like Rain is just one more reason why.
“Deep Dark Tears”
