Happy end of the month! With remote work still in full swing and the holidays approaching, October and November have been super busy. Even so, I’ve managed to find the time to listen to a lot of music and discover a few new artists. Here are my October/November song picks for my What I’ve Been Listening To series:
October
“Honest,” Riley Clemmons
Christian artist, Riley Clemmons owns up to her shortcomings on this upbeat pop track with confidence. The song is energetic and fun and showcases Clemmons’ impressive vocal range.
Standout Lyrics: Sorry it’s not what you wanted/Sorry there’s no sugar on it/I’m just tryna be honest, honest with you/No, I ain’t always got it/That much I can promise/I never said I was flawless, flawless/Just tryna be honest, honest/Honest, honest with you/Honest, honest/Honest, honest with you
“Remember,” Riley Clemmons
Riley Clemmons provides a powerful reminder on self-worth on “Remember.” Clemmons does a great job of pairing deeply emotional, faith-based lyrics with catchy pop production.
Standout Lyrics: I know that you feel like you’re so unworthy/Been cut so deep, you can’t see the beauty/You’ve been caught up in a lie that tells you/You’re only good as what your body can do/But you’re not too far gone/’Cause the Maker of the stars/He don’t make mistakes, He just make art/Don’t you go and paint over your scars
“Glitter,” Patrick Droney
Patrick Droney tackles grief on this emotional piano ballad with a tone that is strikingly similar to John Mayer. I recently discovered Droney’s music while scrolling through the iTunes store, and he’s quickly become one of my favorite artists.
Standout Lyrics: See grief it’s just like glitter/It’s hard to brush away/Bright light and it still shimmers/Like it was yesterday/And if falls like confetti/All of the memories explode like a hand grenade/And it’s sweet and it’s bitter/Grief it’s like glitter/Oh what a mess it makes/What a mess it makes
November
“Where You Are,” Patrick Droney
Pop artist Patrick Droney speculates on what an ex-lover is up to on “Where You Are,” a track from his State of the Heart EP (2020). The song features strong vocals from Droney as well as a smooth saxophone.
Standout Lyrics: Did you ever find the keys I lost?/Did you ever stand up to your boss?/And does Amazing Grace still make you cry, baby?/Have your feelings all but faded out?/Do you ever think about me now?/Is there someone else you’re lying next to?
“One Man Band,” Old Dominion
Country band, Old Dominion sing about finding your heart’s duet on “One Man Band,” a catchy tune from their self-titled album released in 2019.
Standout Lyrics: Been flyin’ solo for so long/Nobody’s singin’ the harmony/Up there just me and my shadow/No bass, no guitar, no tambourine/And I found you like a melody/You were singin’ in the same key as me/We had ‘em dancin’ in the streets/I don’t wanna be a one man band/I don’t wanna be a rolling stone, alone/Puttin’ miles on a run-down van/Baby, we can take our own show on the road/I’ll lay down the beat, you’ll carry the tune/We’ll get tattoos, and we’ll trash hotel rooms/Baby, take my hand/I don’t wanna be a one man band/No
“Next Girl,” Carly Pearce
Country singer, Carly Pearce offers advice to her ex’s new beau on “Next Girl.” When discussing the song with Billboard during its release, Pearce said she wanted to write an “anthem” similar to that of Martina McBride or Patty Loveless. Pearce does a good job with her “girl power” track; the song is sassy but not slandering, and Pearce sings with the wisdom that comes with having experienced heartbreak.
Standout Lyrics: Hey, next girl, you don’t know me/I’m just the one he says went crazy on him/That’s just what he does/But once upon a time I was the next girl/I’ve been where you’re at/You overlook a lot when he looks like that/He’ll charm your mama with that smile/Hide the red flags for a little while/I bet you probably met him at a bar/Let him walk you to your car/I bet he said he never falls this hard/Yeah, I remember that part/He knows how to say all the right things/Knows how to gеt you outta that dress/Knows how to make you think you’re thе best thing/But I know what happens next, girl
And that does it for my October/November picks. Check them out on Spotify, let me know what you think of them and tell me what songs you’ve been listening to for the last couple months. Until December, keep calm and music on.
All Things Music 
One response to “What I’ve Been Listening To: October/November Edition”
[…] Year! Now that the holidays are over and 2021 is here, it’s time for the latest edition of my What I’ve Been Listening To series. Read on for my December/January […]
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