Ty's FIRST 5 - Start With These New Songs 3/5
Its been a long week in my life. In weeks like this, times like this, and on days like this I have often turned to music. I kind of wonder, in this moment, if the ability of music to shift the universe is true for all people, or if its like some twist on “Love Languages” where this is my “therapy language.” Either way, it literally is therapy. I talk to Corri, I listen to music, and I feel like I’m able to get to whatever internal destination was necessary to move forward with my head on straight.
Today’s list may end up with some of my personal life stories, as usual…there’s also a chance that I’ll cheap out and just keep it straightforward and say “cool song, I highly recommend.” Its because I’m still at least a few songs away from having my head on totally straight. But I also believe in music. I share my stories because the song spoke to me. A great song will speak to you, too, and the thoughts that follow are its power.
Here are the FIRST 5 new releases you should hear…
“Growing Up” - Thomas Rhett
I had a revelation last night (ok, it was like 3 nights ago, and it was actually the afternoon but I just wanted to quote Eric Church there): This pandemic has turned me into a total mush. Not just around the waistline, but also in my actions - basically every interaction in my still mostly-quarantined life ends with the words “Ok, I love you.” That could be wrapping a FaceTime call with my family, tucking my kids in bed, heading upstairs to the studio after a convo with Corri. I’m surrounded by only people I literally love. And my mom taught me to say it at every chance…and there’re a lot of chances, cuz everywhere I turn in our small world there’s a member of my family. And I’m super appreciative..
But a couple days ago, I recognized that my world has become so small and that I’m a huge fan of it! I also realized that I don’t want to lose my edge…so I booked a snowboarding trip to Vail. For December (I’m still practical). I want to end a few more conversations with “I know, man, that’s wild!” …and then just laugh and fade into the noise of the bar, or “Yeah, these step-ins are lit” and then quickly pile onto my board and shred away from whatever strap-in boarder wanted to know how much I love my new bindings..
As my friend Kacey Jo always notes, she loves Taylor Swift because she went through every major life change with Taylor in lock-step. I’m very much that way with Thomas Rhett. As he was starting his family, I was starting my family, as he was singing songs about the person that completes him, I was seeing that person in front of me. Those Life Changes continue…and I’m totally doing a lame dad joke there. You know why? Cuz I’m growing up! And as long as I can still step into a snowboard now and then, or dream of the day I’m in the crowd at C2C…it is way better than being young and doing all that stuff, but having to call for permission to stay out a little later, or realizing that a night out this week meant next weekend’s budget would afford me Totino’s pizza and whatever was on TBS (unless I missed my cable bill).
If you wanted evidence that TR’s growing up, its right there in the title. A country song about an action verb that keeps the “G” - that’s grammatically sound! What!!!! Who does that? Grown ups. This is an elaboration on “Life Changes” from the perspective of someone who is still wanting to say “dude” but knows they’ll have to be wearing ski goggles to hide the crows feet near their eyes. It preaches acceptance of the aging process, while still being young enough to decide on which side of maturity you wanna fall. See that…I said “wanna” - young.
LISTEN ON APPLE MUSIC: “Growing Up”
“The Flame” - Camille Parker
Credit to Rissi Palmer. I wonder if Camille Parker even knows that she was on my show today around the world. This is how simple it starts…. (and I love this story).
1) Camille loves music her whole life and finally decides to post an Instagram video of her singing.
2) Its freaking awesome
3) Mickey Guyton finds it and shares it.
4) Rissi Palmer sees Mickey’s share and adds Camille Parker to her Class of 2021 on Color Me Country
5) I listen to Color Me Country
…now I’m sharing, and its still so early in this story that when you tell your friends about Camille, you’ll always be able to look back and go “I told you.”
I heard “The Flame” and there are some notes in there that made me think “how can the same, one, person be nailing all of these dynamics in total different parts of their vocal range?” I went back and started creeping on Camille’s instagram - its the only way I can track her on the internet so far (every search just pulls up photos of England’s monarchy) - and I found that original post. If you think Camille’s voice is amazing amidst the BGVs and production elements on Apple Music, you’ve gotta hear that Billie Eillish cover from her bedroom. Dead. I think I literally dropped my head onto my desk. Keep ears on Camille.
LISTEN ON APPLE MUSIC: “The Flame”
“In His Arms” - Miranda Lambert, Jack Ingrim, Jon Randall
I own 3 guitars of my own, Corri probably has 5 more leaning in every corner of the house. But Corri is a way better musician than much of Nashville, which makes me embarrassingly less inclined. One of the earliest excuses I had to hang out with Corri was a request for her help in picking out a new acoustic-electric. I landed a killer Martin guitar, which I spent hours on at first. Then Corri was around more (and eventually moved in) and I was a little intimidated to pick up a guitar in front of her. Over the years, my guitars have become increasingly more decorative than playable.
After listening to the first release off of Miranda’s newly announced The Marfa Tapes, I may retune my guitars and finally learn how to truly play. I just realized why I hadn’t been diligent on my previous attempts… I hadn’t recognized that the root reason I wanted to have this skill was to create private moments like this. A campfire, simply to have simple music.
My first experience with a campfire was in Okaboji, IA. Camp Foster - a weeklong sleep away summer camp. We played Capture the Flag (I’m hella fast and agile and loved games like this), we rode horses, shot shotguns, went canoeing and then the whole camp gathered around the fire for music. Far away from parents and Nintendo 64s. Surrounded by moonlit trees and the thriving silence of nature..the crackle of the fire…my sister, my new friends + some who I hadn’t seen in 51 weeks (since last summer). All eyes reflected the same fire. All of our heads were turned toward that flame and it was music that brought all of us into single focus. A guitar. A hundred voices. Simple. Single Focus. Music.
I really need that simplicity and that escape at certain times. The whole reason The Marfa Tapes exist seems to be the need within Jack, Jon and Miranda for a similar escape. The three of them have written incredible songs together for a long time (Including “Tequila Does” which is so different from “In His Arms” that its an efficient example of their limitless ability to create). On this project, they wanted to take us on the escape with them, and the stripped down recording of these songs are meant to be raw.
I immediately relaxed as this began - hearing the crunch of boots arriving beside the fire pit. Three friends not overcompensating in the moment. Comfortable with silence around a guitar and a vocal. The crackle of fire in the background and the beauty of a harmony. While the voices sing of Texas and a love that was predestined to be lost, the simplicity enveloped me in a way you might expect that only a massive production could. My purest friends noted that this isn’t simply a tape recorder placed on a rock…there are some modern techniques that steal some of the organic elements (for them), but if I’m honest about it, I love it. I think these are the exact elements that let me BE THERE - I can feel the warmth of the rocks we are seated on, as it meets the cool breeze off of Lake Okaboji - creating depth and a full atmosphere, not just the whisper of the moment that someone else experienced in Marfa. (I also assume my purist friends have a better pedigree than me - but I like what I like!)
LISTEN ON APPLE MUSIC: “In His Arms”
“Cowgirl Blues” - Midland
“Written by Jess, with Mark on the vocals and staying so true to that original Midland sound that I remember from early performances of “14 Gears” (a song that’s much older than the album it eventually landed on). I don’t hear much Cam, but he’s gotta be in there on bass. Maybe part of the vocal?”
That (above) is the note I made to myself after the first time I heard “Cowgirl Blues” - I didn’t know much more about the song, but I knew I would likely want to keep it on my radar for when I could finally play it on my show and when it was released (which was this week!)
Lo and behold, the song that struck me as so fundamentally the root of Midland’s sound…would land as track #2 on an album, where track #1 will be an as-yet-unheard version of “14 Gears.” I learned that this album will be the soundtrack to “The Sonic Ranch” - the very studio where the band formed, and it seems it will be a movie of footage from that maiden voyage to see what sound could be created between Jess, Mark & (as events would unfold) Cameron! The new music video shows that I was right to suspect Cam made appearances on the song - he was originally just at the ranch to help film the experience, as he has a massive background in music video creation. I also suspect some of those grunts, breaths, and howls that add to the Wild West of this song are supplied by Cam.
There’s a reason that I chose Midland as one of my #UNDEBIABLE new artists a few years ago. The sound is haunting and enrapturing all at once. The lilt of their music stands in a path all its own in 2021. Lonesome and self-righteous are the great takeaways from many Midland songs…but self-righteous is so often seen as a fault, whereas what they are conveying here is more of the messaging that we all have inside - that belief that our decisions are being made for the greater good as we see it. Or just must be so.
Do not miss this song.
LISTEN ON APPLE MUSIC: “Cowgirl Blues”
“Sunroof” - Brooke Eden
My place of bliss is at the top of a mountain. Sitting just off to the side of the Imperial Superchair. My bindings are locked in. Cozy and anonymous in my goggles and gear, and waiting to drop down Peak 8 until there is a gap in riders. Then I shred solo along the terrain and double diamonds until my path collides with Swinger, downhill. If this is my perfect world, Corri is just coming out of the turn as I reach the bottom, so I get to see my wife (who is hot on the slopes!) glide to a stop as I plow to standstill and grab her hand. That kind of mountain air, is what makes me feel LIFE. Especially now that I’ve gotten Corri into the snowboarding, and we can often see Rad doing some kickass turn (kids on snowboards are AWESOME). I can’t wait for Bash and Teddi to fit into boots big enough to strap onto a board, too. When the whole family can pile into a lift and rock down a hill in Colorado or Utah or Canada - if this is a fantasy, maybe we pile into a helicopter and knock down a slope in Sweden!
With bliss and its ability to generate pure ignorance of any negativity, “Sunroof” almost makes me question my wintery ways! Although, this song is so comfortable that it feels like a Christmas classic. The lyrics weave a tale from the other half of the calendar, though. It is so casually filled with bliss that as I was listening I thought “This song is way ahead of its time” - so far past the pandemic that happiness without pretense it totally possible! I thought, “maybe it was written so long ago that underlying caution hadn’t yet become a thing.” But then again, if it is truly prophetic “it had to be written by all-star songwriters.”
**SPOILER: I finally saw the songwriters credited. It could definitely be either of the above, cuz they’re some of my favorites in town. If I hadn’t just texted Jesse Frasure to tell him how much I loved an upcoming Brett Kissel track called “Die To Go Home” I’d text to get a “circa” date on this write… I just don’t want him to catch on to me being all gaga for his talent. Maybe Sarah Buxton would reply if I tag her on TikTok?
UPDATE: I got my answer, but don’t want to spoil it. If you DM, I’ll spill.
Listening to this song takes me to a place that The Beach Boys did - a California that I hadn’t actually traveled to yet - an idyllic drive down the PCH in a car I’d only seen in movies, after experiencing a sensation I’d…also only seen in movies.
LISTEN ON APPLE MUSIC: “Sunroof”