New Music Tuesday: Vol. 14-2025

Singles, Albums, Covers and Originals

Consistency can be calming when dealing with volatility. So, on Tuesday, I’ll continue to bring you new music.

Laci Kaye Booth - “Daddy’s Mugshot”

This song’s dark-pop vibes, coupled with several smart turns of phrase deeply is indebted to the powerful women of early 2000s country. The opening lines about seeing the truth in your parents hit me hard, especially as my oldest seems to be getting much older in recent months.

Caroline Spence - “The Sound of You”

What feels like one million, but actually was about six and a half years ago, my lovely wife and I stumbled into a Caroline Spence show in Nashville. I had just wanted to see a show at the Basement, and she was playing. She’s the only thing I remember about the performances that night. The power of her voice live surpasses digital and analogue recording technology. This song reminds me of finding something you didn’t know you were looking to find.

Luke Deuce - “If I Had the Money”

I’m a man going under working overtime. Nice. Smart lyrics on a neo-classic chassis. It doesn’t have the shine of a Braxton Kieth or a Zach Top, but I think there is a place for well-written song with honky tonk piano.

Dylan Earl - “High on Ouachita”

While I’ve never been to Arkansas, after listening to Earl’s music, I might be able to give you directions back to his house for the cookout. Earl is an incredible visual lyricist, and he delivers them perfectly. This song, about a place I’ll never see, makes me feel at home in a story not my own. Dylan is also a legitimately good dude — so give this a listen.

Kelsey Waldon - “Comanche”

I don’t think Kelsey Waldon can miss. She seamlessly blends so many country music themes through so many of her songs — the road, love, love lost, place, tradition, family — that you can get lost in the multiple histories, propelled forward by the incredible playing on every one of her tracks. Her albums tell full stories, and the songs can stand alone as singles. It’s a rare talent.

Nina Daig - “Milk Carton Girl”

The strings got me at first — the hard plucking, percussive bango, the smooth fiddle runs, and the consistent guitar — but the hard truths about mental health kept me engaged. Is it alright to be both grateful and unhappy? I’m living the American Dream, what if it’s not for me? … Is it alright to be both scared and unbothered?

Rachel Brooke - Rachel Brooke Sings Sad Songs

A few months ago, Brooke put out a message saying she would record a number of sad songs and publish them raw, without much in the way of marketing or promotion. This was something she needed to do, she explained. Filled with devastatingly sad music and choice covers, we are treated to the pain of one of the underground country scene’s most important traditional voices. It it worth noting we should check in on our friends when in pain — we won’t see the signs until they are laid out in front of us.

Matt Michienzie - “Moutain Air”

Matt Michienzie’s urban prog-grass is a big part of the LA Sound project that I’ll write up at some point. This song just feels good while still being self-aware. The thing about bluegrass space is that it usually leans traditional or falls toward jam bands. A lot of the LA Grass bands have figured that out, and this song fits perfectly within that balanced, modern approach to bluegrass — jammy, traditional and progressive all at the same time.

Sterling Drake - “Ozark Rose”

Sterling Drake makes wonderful country music. The harmonica, the piano, the vocals — it’s just so good. The other songs released as part of the single, “In My Dreams” and “She Means Everything to Me,” provide a window to the 2024 Ameripolitan Award Winner’s range and understanding of the genre’s flexibility. I’m very much looking forward to the full album.

Thanks, as always, for subscribing. To access the full playlist, consider upgrading to a paid membership.