New Music Tuesday: Vol. 4-2025
I'm in Texas, but this music is from all over
I’m traveling in the great state of Texas, and I want to thank everyone I’ve met who asked me about the wildfires in Los Angeles. To a person, people were thoughtful and genuinely concerned for our well-being in the city of Sun and Palms. There were no political rumblings or snark. It was kind, and I appreciated it. It gave me a bit of hope.
And now, back to the music.
Chris Jones & The Night Drivers - “Mama Bake a Pie (Daddy Kill a Chicken)
Sometimes, I “discover” something that people have always known — or at least a person who pretends to be a music critic should know. That is how I feel about Chris Jones & The Night Drivers. This song came across my desk this week and stuck with me. A Bluegrass arrangement of a country song often slows me down. But something else stopped me, forcing me to listen more closely — and it was the lyrical structure of one of my favorite songwriters, Tom T. Hall. The specificity of Hall’s storytelling slowed me down — the beauty of the strings and the approachable voice of Jones kept me coming back. I can’t put my finger on it — but there is something there. And I like it a lot.
The Doohickeys - All Hat, No Cattle
There is no song on this album I have not heard, considered and, in several cases, written about. However, the quality of this entire project was fun to experience as a whole. I spoke to them several months ago when “Rein it in Cowboy” dropped. We discussed the power of comedy and song to address society’s ills. This album balances concise commentary with serious laughter — supported by banging country music. I highly recommend listening to the album, top to bottom, for a solid laugh and a material worthy of reflection.
John R. Miller - Garden of Fools
The first time I saw Miller live, he was introduced by Tyler Childers to play a few sad outlaw songs at a Grammy Museum event in front of 250 people. (A flex? Sure. One of the best musical nights I’ve ever experienced? Yup) I was so impressed with the power of this slight West Virginian that night. I had been a passive fan before, but after that night, I started closely following his work. This song works so well for his style — a bit back-country-mountain, a bit honky tonk, a bit lowland river. Miller could be the next breakout star — on the level of Childers or Simpson— that Nashville wants to ignore. And if he’s not, that is fine. We have his music.
Jack Browning - “The Bullfighter”
Artists should remind us of our humanity. They should force us to remember what was, even if it’s uncomfortable, what could be but likely won’t and how we could be better. And Browning’s beautiful tribute to Luke Bell and his haunting portrait of the late country signer do all this incredibly well. While I know the story, I feel like anyone listening to this expectly crafted version of this song — supported by soft vocals and ethereal pedal steel — somehow would just know we lost a great too soon. Luckily, folks like Browning are willing to lend their voice to Bells’s words, elevating them to honor our lost friend in the mirror.
Chase Manhattan - “Long End of the Bar”
Sometimes, you need some old-time-rock-n-roll. And “Long End of the Bar” delivers. Produced by Manhattan and friend-of-the-newsletter Ted Russell Kamp, this song about drinking and partying lands so well. Manhattan was the long-time MC of the Desert 5 Spot in LA and has since opened the New York City version of the country/rock nightclub. His energy is infectious live. But he’s also incredibly nice and welcoming. The team captured that entire vibe on the track. It's good times, y’all. Listen to it loud.
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