What I listened to in May
There’s a lot going on in the world. Somehow even more than when I did my last roundup of this kind in March. From state violence continuing to rear its ugly head every day to the continuing pandemic, our need to continue to be active, engaged members in our community persists. What I provide below isn’t what anyone might suspect one would put forward as a soundtrack to apocalyptic or revolutionary times, but music doesn’t and cannot be made to serve a singular purpose. And I couldn’t imagine one day of navigating any of this without it. I hope that the music below will help you in the days ahead as it has helped me this past month.
- “Sweet Dreams Die Hard” — Joe Diffie, Dawn Anita
It was hard learning that Joe Diffie had died. When songs from this EP started appearing on my Spotify I wasn’t sure what to think of them. The EP, it turns out, is a rarity recently released. Dawn Anita, a country legend in her own right, is Diffie’s aunt. You can read more about the EP, Sweet Dreams Die Hard, here.
2. “Soul Song” — Grey Daze
This month’s music seems to come to us from the beyond the grave. Picking two posthumous releases wasn’t intentional, but it does cause me a moment’s reflection. If you haven’t checked out the Grey Daze stuff, you definitely should.
3. “My Best Thinkin’” — Clint Black
I’m enthusiastic by the amount of country on the list this month. I hope you are too, dear reader, though I understand if you aren’t. Folks who are already fans of Clint Black will recognize the style of this song and hopefully those who aren’t yet familiar with Clint Black will enjoy this introduction.
4. “Through Thick and Thin (I’ll Stand By You) — Bonnie Tyler & Lorraine Crosby
This song, which the duo originally released in 2005, has been re-released to raise money for Teenage Cancer Trust. If you’re like me, you’re gonna want to go back and check out the original once you hear this version.
5. “My Sharona” — Sara Evans
I’ve been listening to tracks off this album for a while now and it took doing research for this piece for me to realize that it’s a covers album! Admittedly this track tipped me off, but I didn’t realize that “Monday Morning” or “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry” were covers! This song and the whole album are worth a listen.
6. “Heartbreakers” — Kenny Chesney
This is a fun song that pulls on the nostalgia strings! It’s pretty standard Kenny Chesney fare, and there’s worse in this world than an upbeat Kenny Chesney song! Give it a spin.
7. “Sorry Bro (I Love You)” — Dorian Electra
There’s a good bit of country left to get to on this list, but before we do, let me make some space for Dorian Electra, who my best friend introduced me to! The only thing more engaging than Dorian Electra’s pop sound and playful queer lyrics is their aesthetic. Get a taste of all three in the music video below.
8. “Power” — Ellie Goulding
Staying on pop music for a second it’s Ellie Goulding’s “Power.” I love the callout of this song “You just want the power, you’re not really down for love.” If you’re feeling that, check out this track.
9. “Good Day” — Brett Eldredge
I’m not going to lie, Brett Eldredge caught me off guard with the Good Day and Gabrielle EPs. These are sort of my introductions to his music. There’s no tricks to “Good Day,” it’s a feel good song!
10. “Somewhere Between” — Joe Diffie, Dawn Anita
Just throwing in another Joe Diffie and Dawn Anita duet.
11. “Hell Bent” — Clint Black
And another Clint Black!
12. “Fracture” — Bleed From Within
I’ve never been the biggest fan of Bleed From Within, but “Fracture” stood out to me! Maybe I’m just always craving new -core metal (as will be evidenced by the next song on this list), but this song is good and y’all should definitely check it out!
13. “Backbreaker” — Fit For A King (feat. Dave Stephens of We Came As Romans)
The original of this song is still one of my favorite songs from 2018 and from Fit For A King. And I love this version with Dave from We Came As Romans.
14. “Whiskey” — Craig Morgan
What can I say, I enjoy a good drinkin’ song. And there isn’t much more relatable in a drinking song than someone drinking whiskey even though it’s honestly nasty.
Now to highlight something from a year ago. I’ve definitely gotta go with The Sonder Bombs “I don’t have one anymore.” This song has held up over the past year and is just a great angsty song about the frailty and impermanence of relationships and about making the choice not to put up with or take any shit.
You can check out my full playlist from last May here.
Lastly, I wanted to share this post from St. Louis noisemakers and hellraisers Redbait. Please consider buying some of Redbait’s music and donating to the Minnesota Freedom Fund.
I didn’t post a roundup last month, but if you missed the roundup from March check it out here.
