The Backlog: Mega Length November Edition
Clearing out the Backlog as the weather gets nippy
Probably have another 1 or 2 backlogs worth of albums that ideally I'd like to review, but no guarantees. Thankfully I've hit most of the big releases, and plenty of smaller buzzy ones.
(Subgenre numbering system
1-Traditional Country
2-Country Rock
3-Modern Country
4-Pop Country
5-Southern Pop)
Enjoy!
The Man I Am — Roo Arcus
Tracks/Time: 10 songs, 33 minutes
Subgenre: 1
Arcus is the closest thing to George Strait down under. Sound, themes, vocals, you name it. It doesn’t read as distinctly Australian. His vocal tone and references sound American, which makes sense given his work in the U.S. A little cognitive dissonance is necessary. And as is the problem with many of these acts that hew so close to formula, you just might prefer to turn on the actual George Strait.
Favorites: Just an Old Shed, Good Day to Die, Home of My Heart.
Least favorite: Lonesome for the Lonesome State.
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The Land on Most High — Jake Blocker
Tracks/Time: 10 songs, 34 minutes
Subgenre: 1
Blocker is a young traditionalist who’s been gaining steam. Detail-oriented songwriting sketches settings that feel alive. No one’s made Arkansas feel this appealing since Stapleton. Reedy tenor that fits the dusty, vintage-inspired production. Vibe mostly works, though listeners wanting higher fidelity might find it polarizing.
Favorites: If Heaven Looks Like Arkansas, Who Will Waltz With Me.
Least favorite: Wide Mouth Bass.
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Don’t You Ever Give Up On Love — Brennen Leigh
Tracks/Time: 12, 30
Subgenre: 1
Leigh is country music, pure, plain and simple. Breakup record pulls from ‘50s and ‘60s country. Conviction without uneeded affectations. Top tier guitar work and vintage style piano make this a pleasure even in sad moments. Every note hits. A maestro at work.
Favorites: I’m Easy To Love After All, Dumpster Diving.
Least favorite: Alone in the Lone Star.
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In the Heart of the Mountain — Ben Nichols
Subgenre– 2
Nichols (Lucero’s lead) returns with a more vibes based record about 15 years after his 2009 concept record. This one’s darkness-forward. Bleak, frank, and honest. His raspy tone suits the overwrought mood. It’s not my usual temperament, but it’s well done for what it aims to be.
Favorites: From a Western or War Movie, She’s Starlight in the River
Least favorite: I’m In Over My Head
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Little Crosses — Joe Stamm Band
Tracks/Time: 12 songs, 45 minutes
Subgenre: 2
Stamm surprised me last year with an acoustic record full of honesty and presence, so I had some real hype going into it. This full band recording shows that although his songwriting continues to be incredible with moments so well written that they come to life in full technicolor, the band’s aggression takes away from that intimacy. Where a powerful voice like Shane Smith’s can handle thumping production, here it subtracts a bit.
Favorites: Little Crosses, Cold, The Wind Is Up and Walking, Home.
Least favorite: Wolfman.
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Cul-de-Sac Kid — Jess Jocoy
Tracks/Time: 11 songs, 45 minutee
Subgenre: 2, 3, 1
PNW suburbs creates country-inspired Americana with songwriting and perspective. Death in family informs the darkness, mortality and commitment fear explored through involved character studies. Long songs early in the tracklist might be a bit much , but the songwriting and musicianship mostly holds up throughout.
Favorites: A Lifetime Only Lasts So Long, Neon Moon, Above Ground.
Least favorite: Runaround.
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Heart Talking — Dee White
Tracks/Time: 10 songs, 32 minutes
Subgenre: 1
White’s smooth voice recalls the smooth traditionalists of the past. Tony Brown’s production is characteristically restrained and guitar-rich, letting songs breathe. White is young but speaks beyond his years, preserving moments in amber and crystalizing for years yet to come. Tight, concise, charismatic — one of the year’s best.
Favorites: Upper Creek, Quicksand, Tools Over Toys, Snake.
Least favorite: Whiskey Please.
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To The End — Bleu Edmondson
Tracks/Time: 6 songs, 27 minutes
Subgenre: 2
After 15 years away, Edmondson returns with a dark, evocative record that feels almost like a Halloween EP despite its summer release. His deep-throated vocal anchors varying styles — gothic, grunge-tinged, introspective — never quite country but deeply inspired. Varied production serves the mood well. Six songs accomplish more than some full albums manage.
Favorites: King Of The Dark, You Remain.
Least favorite: The Princess and The Hustler.
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It’s All Her Fault: A Tribute to Cindy Walker — Various Artists
Tracks/Time: 13 songs, 35 minutes
Subgenre: 1
Grey DeLisle assembled an impressive roster — Summer Dean, Brennen Leigh, Melissa Carper, Kelly Willis, Gail Davies — to honor one of country’s most prolific songwriters. Uses the same studio musicians across nearly all tracks creates rare cohesion for a compilation. Songs span classic country, rockabilly, Western swing all reflecting Walker’s varied legacy. Some vocal performances land in awkward keys, but the standouts feel definitive.
Favorites: I Don’t Care, Take Me In Your Arms Again And Hold Me.
Least favorite: Don’t Talk To Me About Men.
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Disappearing Days — Brendan Walter
Tracks/Time: 11 songs, 38 minutes
Subgenre: 2, 1, 3
Walter is a new voice on the scene, produced by former YouTuber and country-content creator Grady Smith. Smith called it half Texas country, half Goo Goo Dolls and tbh I had that exact thought when listening to the record. Walter’s raspy, punk-tinged voice fits the modern trend of rough-hewn pop-folk meets Texas country meets rock: genreless yet rooted. Songwriting is the focus, which is a pity because the vocals are sometimes buried in the mix, so the full focus doesn’t always come forward. It’s an emotional style with intentional phrasing. Melodically, many songs feel samey, but the moments that stand out are legit.
Favorites: Disappearing Days, Fighting Today, Back on Deseret.
Least Favorite: Pathetic
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Barstool Therapy Session 1 — Jon Wolfe
Tracks/Time: 8 songs, 29 minutes
Subgenre: 1
Wolfe is a Texas country veteran and makes the kind of record you’d expect from a veteran. Styled as a session record, it’s shorter and tighter but manages to stand on its own with self-reflection and storytelling. A couple of swings were taken that I wouldn’t have expected, and they land. Wolfe’s voice is impeccable and rich. Every beat is hit. This record just adds further to the underrated Texas act.
Favorites: Barstool Therapy, Jesus and Marianne.
Least favorite: I Don’t Drink Anymore.
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Cherry Valley — Carter Faith
Tracks/Time: 15 songs, 53 minutes Subgenre: 2
Dualities define: twangy but pop-inflected, cutesy with cussing, independent yet indicative of current Nashville. The first half leans buzzy and accessible, but is watered down. Second half delivers meaningful moments with weight and depth. Voice comes to forefront in back end. Some inconsistency across 15 tracks, but the peaks hit hard.
Favorites: Six String, If I Had Never Lost My Mind.
Least favorite: Bar Star.
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Tumbleweed — Drake Milligan
Tracks/Time: 14 songs, 42 minutes
Subgenre: 1
Milligan’s charisma is obvious. Bold, rich voice drives this record. It’s a traditionalist album with modern production and sensibilities anchoring it in 2025. A handful of tracks wouldn’t feel out of place on 2000s traditional radio. He’s landed between traditional and tongue-in-cheek yet sincere. Balanced, full throated, and well executed. There’s essentially nothing to critique except maybe a need for more diversity in song topics, as it’s heavy on love gained and lost.
Favorites: Hearts Together, Slow Dancing to a Fast Song, Lonely 30, Goodbye Ain’t All That Bad.
Least favorite: Tumbleweed.
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(Self-titled) — Mike Ryan
Tracks/Time: 10 songs, 34 minutes
Subgenre: 2, 1, 3
Mike Ryan sits between mainstream country-rock and Texas honky-tonk. There’s personality and a bold vocal presence that cohere with loud, boisterous production. The songwriting is straightforward. Fine for the genre but not at the elevated level of Texas country’s best. It should appeal most to younger Texas listeners who like that rowdy, rock-based vibe.
Favorite: I Was Wrong.
Least favorite: A Girl Like That.
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I Didn’t Come Here To Leave — Chris Young
Tracks/Time: 14 songs, 42 minutes
Subgenre- 4, 3
Exactly what you’d expect. Nothing more, nothing less. Maybe slightly fewer synthetic elements, but still ultimately defined by cookie cutter, factory floor mass production, trend-chasing blandness.
Favorite: The Man I Am.
Least Favorite: Pour Some Whiskey On It, Boots On The Ground
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Hard Headed Woman — Margo Price
Tracks/Time: 12 songs, 40 minutes
Subgenre: 1
Price’s polarizing arc makes this return to country roots surprising. Pining hearts captured with strong storytelling. Price is best showcased in this lane. A return to her old production team has managed to reinvigorate. Outlaw-inflected throughout. A great record, even without judging on a narrative based curve.
Favorites: Don’t Let The Bastards Get You Down, Losing Streak
Least favorite: Red Eye Flight.
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So Long Little Miss Sunshine — Molly Tuttle
Tracks/Time: 12 songs, 45 minutes
Subgenre: 5, 4
Molly Tuttle went pop with Jay Joyce :( Disappointing for traditional fans, and just as frustrating as you’d expect. Do we really need more adult contemporary pop with generic acoustic textures? Multiple songs easily could’ve been bluegrass with different treatment, tantalizing with what could have been. Cringey moments exist. Everything is stylized and overproduced. Major loss given Tuttle’s generational bluegrass talent. If I’m honest, I’m probably not giving it a fair shake given the circumstances.
Favorites: Golden State of Mind, Rosalee
Least favorite: That’s Gonna Leave a Mark.
Thank You for reading, I hope you discovered something new!
-Joe