Best of Music: June 2021

*check out my last music round-up here!*

Halfway through the year already! Not only does June mark the midpoint of the year, but it’s also my birthday month, so you know I had to pull out all of the stops to find some extra special songs for this month’s list. Lots of sunny days in the garden have meant even more time to curate the perfect summer playlist – you can find that full 60+ track playlist here: Ciara's Country June 21 Playlist Read on for the best of the best!

Heaven’s Jukebox – Jaden Hamilton

Jaden Hamilton returns! Some of you may remember Jaden’s song Long Night Letting Go from my February round-up, and I swear I’m not trying to turn this blog into a Jaden Hamilton fan page, but if he keeps releasing music like this, I might just have to. I thought LNLG was a fantastic track, but Heaven’s Jukebox somehow blows even that out of the water. I knew I was going to love it from the very first notes – a scratchy vinyl, a simple instrumental, and then Jaden’s recognisable vocals. He toes the line between traditional and modern country in this track about what he wants in the afterlife: “If Heaven’s got a jukebox, I hope it’s filled up with country songs, I hope it’s got a dance floor, so we can two-step to ‘em all night long.” This is instantly likeable, instantly danceable, and hugely enjoyable. A must for Midland and Jon Pardi fans.

 https://countryswag.com/jaden-hamilton-new-song-heavens-jukebox/

 

Wild Honey – Anna Vaus

This song very nearly made my May round-up, but having only been released at the end of last month, I hadn’t listened to it enough to know whether it quite deserved a place on one of my coveted lists. Having had it on repeat for the entire month of June, I can now assure you that it does. Anna Vaus should be the next big thing, and Wild Honey is the perfect testament of that. Here’s my elevator pitch as to why you should listen to it: 1) It sounds like exactly the sort of thing Kacey Musgraves would record, 2) Anna’s entire sound is a mix of Kacey, Taylor Swift, and Catherine McGrath, 3) These lyrics – “Whatever drives you wild honey, whichever way the wind blows your mind, whatever sets your soul on fire.” Are you sold yet? It’s soft, slow, and soulful; and Anna needs to become as much a regular on your playlists as she is on mine. Other notable tracks: Girl In A Bar (based on a dream about Harry Styles – need I say more) and Born On A Windy Day.

https://open.spotify.com/album/26BCtlHD1X80TZqJ5O2Mrc

 

Mirror – Sigrid

June was obviously a month for fantastic female artists, and I’m not even halfway through. Queen of underrepresented Scandinavian artists, Sigrid, has produced some phenomenal tracks throughout the years – Don’t Kill My Vibe, Plot Twist, Strangers, High Five, and then disappeared for a few years before released Mirror. It was worth the wait. Mirror is an insanely fun and catchy disco-pop anthem that has all the elements of a feel-good summer bop – perfect beat drops, catchy lyrics, and a positive message to top it off: “It had to break, I had to go, cause it took me walking away to really know, I love who I see looking at me in the mirror… Nothing compares to that feeling right there in the mirror.” If you’re looking for the perfect song to rock out to in your shower, I’ve found it. If you’re looking for a new artist to stan, I’ve found that too.

https://genius.com/Sigrid-mirror-lyrics

 

See You Around – Tebey

Clearly mid-June was all about feel-good vibes, because not long after I discovered Sigrid’s Mirror, Tebey’s See You Around stepped into my life. Picture this: covid is finally (finally!) gone for good, you’re at a beach bar enjoying an ice cold Mai Tai, and that song that gets you feeling good comes on over the speakers. This is that song. I’m sure my neighbours appreciated me turning my speakers up every time this song came on, but I just couldn’t help it. Is it country? Is it pop? Who cares – it’s good. Tebey sings about a girl that he knows he ought to get over, but what’s the point when he knows he’ll see her around and they’ll no doubt reconnect: “Might be on a beach somewhere, sipping on… Reposado, might be in a downtown bar with your hair falling down. Road trip down to Mexico, or filling up at a Texaco, yeah, I’m telling you girl right now, somewhere, somehow, I’m gonna see you around.” I’m feeling good just writing about it.

https://genius.com/Tebey-see-you-around-lyrics

 

All My Dances – Ryan Nelson

I told you I pulled out all the stops for my birthday month, and Ryan Nelson sure helped with that. This is a song that is undoubtedly going to go down amongst my top country songs of the year along with Steve Moakler’s How Have We Never and Kenton Bryant’s Sometimes She Stays. I think All My Dances tops off that trilogy perfectly – whereas the other two songs ponder about how two perfect people have never made it past ‘just friends’ to that initial rush when a relationship starts to bloom, All My Dances is the happy ending of getting the girl and keeping her. Ryan sings: “Baby, I wanna jump…all your fences, and I wanna take…all my chances, cause I wanna dance…all my dances with you.” It’s sweet without being saccharine, vulnerable without being too cutesy – if you want to break away from the cliché of playing Dan + Shay for your first dance, why not try Ryan Nelson instead?

https://open.spotify.com/album/3ZznH2PVCN28FyiUpuetp4?highlight=spotify:track:7hZdz3S7Wmsgk0VkoWRaky

 

Last Train Home – John Mayer

Years somehow always seem to get better when John Mayer decides to put out new weekend. Love On The Weekend was the best thing about 2016 (how was that so long ago?!), New Light (and accompanying music video) saved 2018, so it was about time we got a new JM banger. In fact, John doesn’t just help us escape from 2021, he takes us to a whole other decade. Last Train Home is so incredibly 80s, and features everything we love about John Mayer – breathy vocals, stunning guitar (a snazzy pink one in the MV), thought-provoking lyrics: “If you don’t wanna love me, let me go, I’m running for the last train (home)…No matter how you work it, things go wrong, I put my heart where it don’t belong, so if you coming with me, let me know, maybe you’re the last train (home)” But wait! It gets better! Maren Morris provides harmonies at the end of the song. Amazing.

https://open.spotify.com/album/0N81gHRK0RnJY0vMAOKVyi

 

actually happy – Blu Eyes

Last Train Home, this song, and the last one to make this month’s list all came about within the span of about ten minutes. Whoever was looking down on me from above was obviously doing me a solid, because these tracks are just great. And yes, if as mentioned previously that this blog is slowly becoming a Jaden Hamilton fan page, I suppose it ought to also be labelled a Blu Eyes fan page because this is her second appearance on my songs of the year in as many months. I can’t help it if they keep releasing fantastic songs! Again, Blu Eyes stays in her niche of sad/happy songs, with this one veering a bit more towards the happy side in a song that embraces that feeling of finally getting out of that fun that a bad situation left you in and allowing yourself to be ‘actually happy’ again. This song may have been inspired by closure after a romantic relationship broke down, but personally, I know I’ll be using this song for that long-awaited day post-covid when I can at last sing along to the lyrics and mean it.  

https://genius.com/Blu-eyes-actually-happy-lyrics

 

Jane – Brynn Cartelli

This song wins all the awards purely for content in my books. I won’t ruin it, I’ll let Brynn’s lyrics explain: “If my mother named me Jane, wonder if I’d be the same.” Finally! Someone put into words a question that I’ve wondered about all these years – does the name we are given affect who we become? Personally, I think yes – there are a hundred reasons why I think the name Ciara shaped parts of my personality, and Brynn obviously agrees. Even on paper, the names Brynn and Jane evoke completely different characters in my mind and in this deeply emotional and moving ballad, Brynn explains all of the ways ‘Jane’ would have been different: “If my mother named me Jane, I would never show up late, never need to catch a plane, never need to run away.” The most heartbreaking part? “Maybe you won’t love me cause I’ve gone insane, but maybe you would love Jane.”

https://genius.com/Brynn-cartelli-jane-lyrics

 

I promised you some amazing tracks for the month of June, and I hope I delivered! Let me know if there’s any you liked, and indeed what you’ve been listening to this month, on Twitter @CiarasCountry, and if you want to check out all of my monthly playlists and more, my Spotify can be found here, Ciara's Country Spotify. You can also join me ever Friday GMT 5-8pm on www.ukcountryradio.com for three hours of phenomenal country music – I hope you’ll join me! Thanks so much for reading!

Best of Music: May 2021

*check out my last music round-up here!*

Where does the time go? It’s the end of May already, which means the year is flying by, but also means another great month of music. I’ve discovered some great new artists and songs this month to get you in that early summer groove, so read on for some of my favourites, and check out my full monthly playlist here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/25AUfnrbnCTm4hVtWJTSeR?si=c53e6b3e01ae49ca – enjoy! 

 

Between You & Me – Roman Alexander

I have a new ‘one to watch’ for you! I’m pretty discerning with my playlists, so if someone makes it on there twice, it’s safe to assume that they probably have a pretty big future ahead of them. Between You & Me was one of the first songs to make my May 21 playlist, and once you listen, you’ll know why. Roman has a perfect country voice – somewhere between Kane Brown and Chris Young, and this slow and cute song highlights it perfectly. Lyrics like “Can I tell you a secret? Between you and me, all I can think about is leaving here early to get you alone,” are enough to make me swoon, and both Roman’s solo version or his duet of this song with Ashley Cooke are both winners. Wondering what the other Roman song that made my playlist is? Trying Not To with other newcomer Alana Springsteen!

https://genius.com/Roman-alexander-between-you-and-me-lyrics

 Supposed To – Blu Eyes

Someone please tell me what genre of music this is, because it’s evaded me for years, but I definitely dig it and want to hear more of it! To me, Blu Eyes is Billie Eilish but happier – same kind of soft, thoughtful vocals, but with the sort of melody that perhaps doesn’t make you want to cry. The same can’t necessarily be said about the lyrics, but one thing I’ll give them is that they certainly are relatable: “It’s been four months since I heard from you, somebody told me that you moved again, and I know that you blocked me but I still try and check up on you every once in a while just to make sure you’re doin’ okay. Yeah, I know I’m supposed to hate you and wish we’d never met… but still, I know I never will.” It’s angelic, and well worth a listen. 

https://music.apple.com/us/album/supposed-to-single/1557183668

 

On The Day I Die – The Shires ft Jimmy Allen

I haven’t necessarily been the biggest fan of The Shires’ songs before, having found them try a bit too hard to ‘Americanize’ their songs when actually, I think it works best when they embrace their Britishness. However, I have zero qualms with On The Day I Die, which is why it holds a coveted spot on this month’s list. Having Jimmie Allen feature on the track was an inspired idea, and it is he who starts the song before Ben & Crissie come in with flawless harmonies. I know I talk a lot about wedding songs in my favourites and on my radio show, but honestly, I think this would make a great funeral song (sorry if that’s a bit morbid!) Take a look: “If I did one thing right, it was you and I, oh, I loved you. I’ll always love you, so play it loud all night…I’ve had a good, good life, so darling, dance, don’t cry on the day I die.” 

https://musicandtournews.com/single-review-the-shires-on-the-day-i-die-featuring-jimmie-allen/

 Sugar – Ernest

I know I’m not supposed to have favourite favourites, but if I did, I think this might be it. I mean, you could write a movie about this meet cute: “At a little canteen south of the border, bartender messed up an order – she got my Jose, I got her wine, I said ‘I’ll buy em both this time if you dance with me in this blue moonlight,’ and that turned into the rest of the night.” Verse two tells us that things weren’t made to last: “By the end of the night my phone had died, she either wrote it down wrong or straight up lied, either way that was our first and only time and I wonder where she went back home to, is she with someone or all alone too?” The only clue he has – her name, Sugar. It’s just an all-round brilliant song – fun lyrics, phenomenal vocals, catchy and with a great GTA style music video too. Going down as one of my songs of the year I think! 

https://open.spotify.com/album/57LCF6Dw99b2ZOEoO3enqu?highlight=spotify:track:1iDI6SJGUPtJ20SYKYi04x

 

Lost – Jordan Brooker

Beats me how I’m the only one to know about these songs, but I’m hoping that some of my readers will give these songs a listen and boost them from obscurity to the stardom they deserve to be! Jordan Brooker’s Lost is currently sitting at under 10,000 views on YouTube, and for how good the song is, that’s a crime. We start with an intriguing guitar melody before Jordan’s husky vocals come in. He hits the chorus: “Oh, I can’t see any place I’d rather be than oh, you an d me dancing in the wild and free, chasing telephone wires down a pitch black road, watching you bloom like a midnight rose, oh, out where stars get crossed, let’s stay lost,” with more insane guitar in the background. This is an absolute must for any lovers of the ‘edgier’ side of country – Jason Aldean, Brantley Gilbert, Devin Dawson.  

https://www.amazon.com/Lost-Jordan-Brooker/dp/B086YB35S2

 

Stranger – Riley Roth

From edgy to light, this is definitely a song for those of us that grew up on Disney channel and early 2000s rom-coms. At only twenty-two years old, Riley has put together an upbeat melody with some clever ‘3,2,1’ lyrics: “Three drinks at 2AM, one ‘hey, nice to meet you’, saying ‘what you got goin’ on later?’ How were you ever a stranger? Three words we said too fast, you were just someone one month back, now lovin’ you’s second nature, how were you ever a stranger?” to make a song that will have you dancing around all night long. How could this song get any better, you ask? It’s based on her real life relationship with her boyfriend. How cute! I can already tell that songs like this are going to make for such a good live show. 

https://genius.com/Riley-roth-stranger-lyrics

 

Good 4 U – Olivia Rodrigo

I feel like this song doesn’t even need an explanation, but I’ll add one in just in case you’re unfamiliar with Olivia’s music. I admit, I’ve not been 100% on the Olivia hype train like I know some people have, but her music has certainly not gone unnoticed by me. All I Want from her starring role in High School Musical: The Musical: The Series was up there with one of my most played songs of last year, Driver’s License is a song that I’ve listened to enough times to know all of the words to, and yet neither of them have quite made the cut of my prestigious ‘Best Of’ lists. So what is it about Good 4 U that makes it so good? Remember those early 2000s rom coms I spoke about? This is exactly the sort of song that the lead character’s punk band would play at the school dance. Whatever they’ve put in this song just makes it so fresh and fun. Just listen up to the line ‘like a damn sociopath’ – trust me, you won’t regret it! 

https://www.stereogum.com/2147528/olivia-rodrigo-good-4-u/music/

 Getting Over Him – Lauren Alaina ft Jon Pardi

Lauren Alaina is so hideously slept on – she has some incredible songs out there (Somebody Else’s Problem and Run being notable examples), and Getting Over Him is utterly underrated, and I think it’s incredible! She teams up with country cowboy Jon Pardi for this bluesy, guitar heavy song – it’s dark, it’s groovy, and it works marvellously as a duet. Lauren and Jon’s vocals are some of the best in the industry, and they really are a dream together as they sing about a no-strings attached arrangement to get over an ex: “Forever wasn’t in our eyes, you knew it, and I knew it, and it was a damn good time. My last call, first call, no falling, just my getting over him guy.” 

 https://www.udiscovermusic.com/news/lauren-alaina-getting-over-him/

 Honestly, I wish I could’ve made two ‘Best Of May’ posts, because I have so many more songs I would have loved to add! I’m sure I’ll still be listening to them throughout the rest of the year, so check back to my blog to see if they might make some future lists! I hope today’s post will encourage you to check out some new artists and songs, and I’d love to find out what songs you’ve loved this month! Let me know on Twitter @CiarasCountry, and if you want to check out everything I’m listening to, my Spotify can be found here, Ciara's Country Spotify. You can also join me ever Friday GMT 5-8pm on www.ukcountryradio.com for three hours of phenomenal country music – I hope you’ll join me! Thanks so much for reading!

Best of Music: January 2022

*check out my last music round-up here!*

Hello and welcome to 2022! I have big musical expectations for this year – hopefully lots more concerts, fresh albums from artists we know and love, and discovering yet more new artists and songs to provide the soundtrack for this year. I was so busy listening to Christmas songs in December that this month’s round-up will be a double-whammy from December and January – you can check out my full Dec 21 and Jan 22 playlists here, and read on for the best of the best – enjoy!

 

Second Coffee – Marielle Kraft

 

Starting off the year with this indie-pop anthem from singer-songwriter Marielle Kraft. Whilst not necessary my go-to genre (this blog is called ‘Ciara’s Country’, after all), 2021 introduced me to many indie-pop artists I really enjoyed, from Blu Eyes to Brynn Cartelli and Leah Sykes, and I think we might need to add Marielle Kraft onto that list. Second Coffee lyricises about that awkward encounter we all know and love – bumping into an ex – made even more awkward when they completely ignore. Working in a coffee shop that her ex comes into, Marielle wonders “Who’s that second coffee for? Will you leave it at her door? Does that make her want you more, like I used to when I loved you?... Guess our breaking up worked out since you’re here, you must’ve found someone new who you could bring that second coffee to.’ With a slightly staccato / accusatory undertone in her vocals, Marielle perfectly captures the suspenseful wondering we all do in this situation, and makes it into a very decent song.

https://genius.com/Marielle-kraft-second-coffee-lyrics

 

Stop Coming Over – Chris Lane 

I wouldn’t have classed Chris Lane as one of my top country artists, but maybe with all of the songs of his I’ve loved recently, I should. I Don’t Know About You and Summer Job Money made their way to the top of my playlists last year, and Stop Coming Over has already paved the way for plenty of Chris Lane on my 2022 playlists. This cutesy serenade is about getting to the point where you’re ready to ask someone to ‘stop coming over and start coming home’: ‘Hey, what you say we decorate and slap some paint on these doors? Soon as I met you, knew I’d let you get to making it yours. We can drop that under the mat, get you a key of your own, when you gonna stop coming over and start coming home?’ The simple melody is full of rhythmic guitars, and Chris has a voice that rivals some of the big names in country today (check out his cover of Mario’s RnB track Let Me Love You) If you’re thinking of asking someone to move in, this might just be the perfect track for it.

https://www.testietraduzioni.it/translation/it/stop-coming-over-chris-lane/

 

Lonely Might – Nick Wayne, Abby Anderson

 

Abby Anderson is a name that I’m familiar with – I’ve had the honour of seeing her perform live, and was even due to interview her at CMC Rocks in 2020 (before it was unfortunately cancelled) – but Nick Wayne was not until this point. Nonetheless, Abby has proven herself as someone who works well in duets, Shallow with Jimmie Allen and I Believe In Santa Claus being notable examples. She seems to have a voice that just works with everyone, and that is definitely the case on Lonely Might. We start acoustically with Nick singing the first chorus before the drums build underneath his voice. Abby joins in with a soft melody for the pre-chorus: ‘You didn’t come here to remember, came here to forget, came here for another thing that you’d regret. We both got our reasons…for the why, if the hurt don’t kill us, the lonely might.’ The duo hit full stride at the chorus where the song title finally makes sense: ‘So just tell me what you’re drinking and I’ll tell you what I’m thinking, two wrongs don’t make a right, but lonely mixed with lonely might.’ This is soft and powerful, and highlights two vocalists who I can only hope we’ll be hearing a lot more from in future.

 https://open.spotify.com/track/6DEvEWlLRaWntMvxRpBIB3

Laredo – Angie K 

 

I love it when I stumble across a song so completely different to anything else that I’ve heard, and Laredo does just that. I don’t think I’ve ever heard a country song in Spanish, and in this song, Angie blends seamlessly between English and Spanish. Born in El Salvador and raised in Georgia, this mix makes perfect sense, and fits fantastically with this track. Here, she tells the story of a young vaquero from Colorado meeting a girl from Mexico in the town of Laredo, and the love that blossomed as ‘they danced under the light of a Texas moon, luna llena sin palabras they move, in his arms she found something true as they were speaking with their eyes…In the morning he will ride, saddle up and say goodbye, but they know, love is in Laredo.’ Angie has quite a deep range which sounds great on this Western meets Latin country song – I would love to hear more like this!

 https://open.spotify.com/album/6UvkjIXN6hwu8xsfeFmtNV

Planes Don’t Wait – Shawn Austin

 

Yet more proof that Canada truly produces some of the best country artists (Tenille Townes, Lindsay Ell, Tenille Arts, Jess Moskaluke, Meghan Patrick, David James, I’m looking at you!) If you’ve ever tuned into my radio show (every Friday 5-8pm UK on www.ukcountryradio.com), you’ll know that songs like this are exactly what I love – someone who can really sing gracing us with a song about something that matters to them. Here we have Shawn’s super smooth vocals lamenting on his old love leaving to move across the country: ‘She’s at thirty-seven thousand feet halfway to California, and I’m running these power lines putting in overtime here in Georgia. Chalk it up to a one-way ticket, didn’t get it, now I’m sitting here missing her. Time don’t stop, flies by fast, hearts still break, love don’t last, and planes don’t wait.’ There’s a lot of heart in this song, and it’s one I know I’ll be listening to again and again.

 https://open.spotify.com/album/0K7lqtgvkiXUbfGOSxAC12

Wait For It – Jennifer Nettles 

Here’s another song which I’m sure many of you might have listened to again and again, although in a slightly different form. You might recognise the title as a song from the hugely successful Broadway musical Hamilton, and the singer as one half of the ridiculously successful duo Sugarland. Together, they make magic. I’ve seen Jennifer perform both as a solo artist and in Sugarland, and each and every time she has brought 110%, with a voice and an energy that can captivate entire arena audiences. As such, whilst at first a seemingly odd choice to include a song about men ‘fighting on the British side in Georgia trying to keep the colonies in line’ on her album, it makes perfect sense that someone with such powerful vocals would want to combine them with the word’s of a lyricist known for writing powerful songs. Her cover obviously takes a more country feel than the original Broadway version, verging into the slightly spooky, swampy vibe of a song you might expect to hear around a Lousiana campfire, but really turns out to be something very special.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ORK9bVNwHOY 

Why Don’t We – Zack Dyer

 

As someone who grew up on boy bands and Disney pop, I love it when I find a song that takes what I loved as a child, makes it more mature, and slides it into the genre I now love the most. Zack Dyer sounds like he’d be just as comfortable as part of this generation’s new NSYNC with soft and sultry vocals that fit his cool-guy image, but decided to take the country route, and for that I’m glad. Those soft vocals are paired with this soft song about wondering if it’s worth giving things another try: ‘If all our friends say they miss us and my folks back home ask about you at Christmas, you can’t blame me for wondering. I know that we both said goodbye, hearts move on, just give them time, but I don’t ever want to know what that feels like, so why don’t we forget that we called it off, get back to you with my t-shirt on, putting those reposado lips on mine, oh my. Why don’t we act like we don’t remember the ‘go to hell’s are ‘we could do better’s. We ain’t gotta get back together, but why don’t we?’ I dig.

 https://open.spotify.com/album/4PywMvltuqO7wSGwFxSmfY

Backroad Flyin’ – Luke and Kaylee 

In general, I think we can all agree that duos of ‘name’ and ‘name’ usually make good music (Dan + Shay, Maddie & Tae), as do husband/wife groups (Little Big Town, Ryan Hurd & Maren Morris). Luke and Kaylee tick both of those boxes, and guess what? They make good music too. I love the vibe of this one – a true ode to road trips and car adventures or, in other words, backroad flyin’: ‘Finding a new view together, ou know that it never gets old, soon as I get the ok from you, baby I’m packed and I’m ready to go. Backroad flyin’, riding with the windows down, baby, we could cruise through Florida, find out way to a Gulf Coast town. See the countryside together, doesn’t matter what direction we’re bound. Anywhere we stop, you know I’m buyin, what you say we do some backroad flyin’?’ Luke and Kaylee both have very different styles, but somehow they work extremely well together. Fun, easy-listening. Perfect for backroad flyin’.

 https://open.spotify.com/album/5URlnunYAmVeQcjW8XJW9y?highlight=spotify:track:73VO2Gy5FMTpmeQl0jFeZl

And there you have it, the first music round-up of the year! I hope you enjoyed reading all about my recent favourites – you can check out everything I’m listening to right here: Ciara’s Country Spotify, or tune into my radio show every Friday from 5-8pm UK on www.ukcountryradio.com (and an extra bonus Ciara’s Country Roundup hour on the last Friday of the month at 8pm and repeated again that Saturday at 5pm!) I’d love to know all of the music you’ve been loving lately – be sure to drop me a message on Twitter @CiarasCountry with your suggestions. Thanks so much for reading!