dusty & stones

My review of this endearing documentary on cousin country music duo from Swaziland is now up here at Film-Forward.

texas hold 'em & 16 carriages

Beyoncé drops 2 surprise country-fried singles Sunday from her forthcoming Renaissance project (Act II).

We'll take 'em.

"Texas Hold 'Em" is a bouncy, old-fashioned "dive bar" dig. And "16 Carriages" is a blazing, much more complex tune with autobiographical (and historical) elements.

everything 1970s!

My Spotify playlist for 'Everything 1970s!' is below.

Hit shuffle and travel back in time. Multi-genre radio hits & deep cuts.

Please enjoy & follow!

top 10 albums of the year: #10

10.

Midwest Farmer's Daughter - Margo Price


Recorded in a mere three days at the legendary Sun Studio on Jack White's Third Man label, Nashville-based Margo Price's debut is an unfussy, raw slate of vintage country tunes. The opening "Hands of Time" turns cliches counterclockwise. The bouncy honky-tonk of "Hurtin' on the Bottle" and "Desperate and Depressed" would be at home with Kenny, Loretta, Merle Haggard or Waylon Jennings' repertoire of barroom toe-tappers in their ironic structuring of sad lyrics woven into a major key. It's an album that holds both a sense of deep familiarity and surprise.

"I don't know what's drawn me to it [country music] so much, but I think a lot of the tragedy and the lonesomeness, there's something uplifting in there as well. It's like when you hear George and Tammy sing a song about divorce." -Margo Price

vice

Gorgeous video for Miranda Lambert's single "Vice."

80s (country) ladies

Here are some of the best country singles of the 1980s from female crooners.

Deborah Allen - "Baby I Lied"



Rosanne Cash - "Seven Year Ache"



Rosanne Cash - "Tennessee Flat Top Box"



Donna Fargo - "The Sign of the Times"



Janie Fricke - "Your Heart's Not In It"



Emmylou Harris - "Mr. Sandman"



Emmylou Harris - "Rose of Cimarron"



Emmylou Harris - "Wayfaring Stranger"



Emmylou Harris, Dolly Parton & Linda Ronstadt - "Wildflowers"



Barbara Mandrell - "I Was Country When Country Wasn't Cool"



Reba McEntire - "Whoever's in New England"



Juice Newton - "Angel of the Morning"



Juice Newton - "Love's Been A Little Too Hard On Me" (really hilarious video to watch... if you're in the mood)



Juice Newton - "Queen of Hearts"



K.T. Oslin - "80's Ladies"



Dolly Parton - "9 to 5"



Sylvia - "Nobody"



Tanya Tucker - "Love Me Like You Used To"



Lucinda Williams - "Passionate Kisses"