Here are this week’s five songs worth listening to.

Chris Weaver Band–One More Last Time

Chris Weaver is a versatile artist. I’ve seen him live in a college bar doing mostly covers and he is hilarious, entertaining and fun. And then there is the originals side of him that delivers powerful southern blues crooners like this one.

Hailey Whitters–Glad To Be Here ft. Brent Cobb

This is one that walks that pop country line but I’m gonna allow it. Plus I’m becoming a big fan of Dave’s pesky cousin. Whitters, from Iowa, and Cobb, from Georgia, meld the midwest and the south on this one. The extended, atmospheric guitar play near the end was a nice little bonus you don’t get in typical country radio either. Like I said, I’ll allow it.

Niko Moon–Good Time ft. Shaggy

I’m not sure if it is the Covid lockdowns and being stuck at home for nearly a year or what, but I find myself listening to stuff like this more this year than I normally would have. Call it a need for poppy earworms the make one reminisce on, well, the good times. That’s the only way I can explain it. This one also went in my Key West road trip playlist. It’s modern, tolerable beach rock.

Besides, if I change my mind down the road, umm…it wasn’t me.

Stoney Larue–Broken ft. Cody Canada

I included this one for a couple of reasons.

1. To remind you this full album is out now. A who’s who of red dirt paying tribute to one of the best in the genre, a genuine godfather. This album will be similar to the Sturgill bluegrass albums in so much as it won’t be in my year-end list but will easily be one I listened to the most. Cody is a genuinely good dude and one of the more underrated front men of his generation.

2. To remind you that Stoney Larue nails the “lonely” cover songs. Nails it. Listen to this one and then go back and re-listen to his Empty Glass. Tell me I’m wrong.

Read Southall Band–Where We Belong

Where We Belong belongs in the genre I have dubbed the Friday Night Lights sound. Fans of the show will know what I mean as soon as they hear that guitar lick. The Stillwater boys are also on the Cody album above (they did Don’t Need You), but this is their current single. This one starts spare and builds and builds sonically, crashing like a wave halfway through and extending through the back half.

We’ll be back with five more next week. Until then, remember the immortal words…
“Songs are really just interesting things to be doing with the air.” Tom Waits