All Things Music

It’s the end of the month, which means I’m back for another edition of my What I’ve Been Listening To series. Read on for my June/July song picks:

June

“Drink In My Hand,” Eric Church

The Chief drowns his woes with a cold one on this upbeat track that’s perfect for summer.

Standout Lyrics: Yeah, the parking lot is muddy. Can’t get to the door,/I take my jacked-up drop er down in 4×4/Chill down a long neck, warm up the band,/All you gotta do is put a drink in my hand

“Memory I Don’t Mess With,” Lee Brice

Lee Brice sings about a lost love on this track from his album, Hey World. This is one I’ve been hearing a lot on my local country station recently, and guess what? I dig it.

Standout Lyrics: Red leaves on the river/Footprints in the sand/Cold walk in December/Warming up your hands/Sun dress on the front steps/Sun up by the lake/Blanket down in the backyard/Lying wide awake/That’s a memory I don’t mess with/The girl I was the best with/The one I was obsessed with/Girl, you just don’t get it/I’d fall right back with one slip/Always leaves me helpless/Don’t hate me, I can’t help it/Gotta leave us where we left it/You’re a memory I don’t mess with

“Renegade,” Big Red Machine featuring Taylor Swift

Aaron Dessner and Justin Vernon–the duo better known as Big Red Machine–team up with Taylor Swift on “Renegade,” a song about love and baggage. The trio are frequent collaborators; Dessner and Vernon worked with Swift on both her foklore and evermore albums.

Standout Lyrics: I tapped on your window on your darkest night/The shape of you/Was jagged and weak/There was nowhere for me to stay/But I stayed anyway/And if I would’ve known/How many pieces you had crumbled into/I might have let them lay/Are you really gonna talk about timing in times like these?/And let all your damage, damage me/And carry your baggage up my street/And make me your future history

July

“I Quit Drinking,” Kelsea Ballerini and LANY

Kelsea Ballerini and Paul Jason Klein of LANY blend their voices on this sobering duet.

Standout Lyrics: You’re the reason there’s no whiskey anywhere inside this house/You’re the reason all my friends know I don’t go downtown/You’re the reason I hate champagne, never used to turn it down/You’re the only thing I want when one drop hits my mouth/But baby, you’re the reason/I quit drinking

“Something Sexy,” Smithfield

Trey Smith and Jennifer Fielder–the country duo, Smithfield–sing about a date night in on this sensual song from their recently released, New Town EP. I’m a little late to the game in discovering these two, but now that I have, I’m obsessed with them and their stunning harmonies.

Standout Lyrics: It’s a lights down, lay around, t-shirt on the couch/Turn the TV on, just to wind up making out: kind of night/Got to set the mood just right/Sit tight baby, and I’ll be right back/We need a soundtrack for a kiss like that/Let’s start this night together/Slipping that cover off a record

“Love Is Real,” Morgan Evans

Country singer, Morgan Evans reflects on romance with his latest single, “Love Is Real.”

Standout Lyrics: Soon as It’s Your Love came on, I felt every word/Hearing your pretty voice sing along changed the way I heard/The way I feel, the way I see, honestly make me believe/That I could drive, your hand in mine/Oh, baby, we’ll go till we run outta road/And the rust runs out these wheels/The way I feel, know I always will/I am yours, you are mine, love is real

And those are my June/July song picks. Let me know what you think of them, give them a listen on Spotify, and share what songs you’ve had on repeat the last few months. Until next time…music on, world off.