https://www.countrystandardtime.com/cdreviews.asp Country music CD reviews from CountryStandardTime.com Copyright 2007, Country Standard Time 12 May 2026 11:36:41 GMT 12 May 2026 11:36:41 GMT 60 https://www.countrystandardtime.com/d/cdreview.asp?xid=8043 https://www.countrystandardtime.com/d/cdreview.asp?xid=8043 There once was a time when country music was admired for its au naturel sound; when its singers had unique voices, sometimes only with a tinge of rural twang. Emily Nenni takes listeners back to those now forgotten times. On "Movin' Shoes," the singer-songwriter pulls away from Nashville's overdone production style and that... Country Music News https://www.countrystandardtime.com/d/cdreview.asp?xid=8023 https://www.countrystandardtime.com/d/cdreview.asp?xid=8023 Listening to Kacey Musgraves' "Middle of Nowhere," be prepared for the ground beneath your feet to turn unsteady. This is not just a musical release—it is a raw nerve, draped in flawless country. Here, Musgraves performs not as a star under the spotlights, but as an inner voice, inviting us to peer into those corners of the soul we usually fear to enter because they are the territory of unhealed wounds.... Country Music News https://www.countrystandardtime.com/d/cdreview.asp?xid=8026 https://www.countrystandardtime.com/d/cdreview.asp?xid=8026 Dale Watson may be the last among the real country outlaws. Sure, Willie Nelson's still around, but ol' Willie is no longer defiant. We associate outlaws with the poster headlined 'Wanted." Watson entitles his 30th-plus album "Unwanted," perhaps to play on that association, but more likely as a slap to the industry... Country Music News https://www.countrystandardtime.com/d/cdreview.asp?xid=8037 https://www.countrystandardtime.com/d/cdreview.asp?xid=8037 With a light country twang and riveting, sometimes soulful vocals, Benny G's EP "When You Know You Know" features six tracks describing the rise and fall of a relationship. Each song describes a moment in time. Without even listening to the EP, the audience can gain understanding of what each track is about, titles ranging from "Hell of a Woman" to "Price of Love," representing meeting a woman while later being heartbroken after falling in love.... Country Music News https://www.countrystandardtime.com/d/cdreview.asp?xid=8036 https://www.countrystandardtime.com/d/cdreview.asp?xid=8036 Vince Gill explores themes of heartache and nostalgia in his album, "50 Years From Home: End Of The Night" across seven tracks. The album - part of a year-long series of EPs - feels isolated. Numerous tracks incorporate themes of loneliness and melancholy lying within the lyrics and covered up with strums of guitar and slight crash of drums. Gill retains raspy vocals with a passionate hint of a Southern drawl, singing about being lost after losing a lover.... Country Music News https://www.countrystandardtime.com/d/cdreview.asp?xid=8021 https://www.countrystandardtime.com/d/cdreview.asp?xid=8021 Ella Langley steps into a more defined identity on her sophomore record, "Dandelion," a project that balances personal reflection with a confident, modern country sound. Langley took time off the road last summer to focus on her mental health. Co-produced alongside Miranda Lambert, the album leans into both stripped-back moments and... Country Music News https://www.countrystandardtime.com/d/cdreview.asp?xid=8006 https://www.countrystandardtime.com/d/cdreview.asp?xid=8006 In the course of a few short years, Canada's Tenille Townes has come a long way from her northern Alberta hometown. Over a handful of albums, the 32-year-old has moved from a regional label (Royalty for her first two) to a Nashville-based major (Columbia Nashville) for several EPs and an album, a number of Canadian top-10 single appearances... Country Music News https://www.countrystandardtime.com/d/cdreview.asp?xid=8009 https://www.countrystandardtime.com/d/cdreview.asp?xid=8009 Alex Miller stands 6-6. but he's still growing as a recording artist, as he continues to chart new territory in retro-modern country. On "More Country Than You," he draws inspiration from classic country music, then gives it a modern twist: the bars and honky tonks are still there, but they're given fresh appeal via the singing, songwriting and production.... Country Music News https://www.countrystandardtime.com/d/cdreview.asp?xid=8030 https://www.countrystandardtime.com/d/cdreview.asp?xid=8030 Against the backdrop of the sterile perfection of today's radio-ready country, Charley Crockett's "Age of the Ram" feels like a deep, much-needed breath of fresh air. From the first note of the title track, you sense something rare in modern music: an artist who is genuinely having a blast doing what he loves.... Country Music News https://www.countrystandardtime.com/d/cdreview.asp?xid=8047 https://www.countrystandardtime.com/d/cdreview.asp?xid=8047 Facing down oneself is seldom easy. On "A Heavy Duty Heart" Drayton Farley rips away any pretense of facade revealing himself through 10 songs exposing personal truths. Vocally reminiscent of fellow Alabamian Jason Isbell, it could be argued Farley's third full-length release draws on the musical path ground out by Isbell and his... Country Music News https://www.countrystandardtime.com/d/cdreview.asp?xid=8017 https://www.countrystandardtime.com/d/cdreview.asp?xid=8017 Flatland Cavalry deliver a polished blend of classic country and Americana on "Work of Heart," driven by a full band sound and anchored by lead singer Cleto Cordero's steady vocal presence. Recorded in Austin, the album leans into layered instrumentation with touches of fiddle, steel guitar and keys adding depth without... Country Music News https://www.countrystandardtime.com/d/cdreview.asp?xid=8001 https://www.countrystandardtime.com/d/cdreview.asp?xid=8001 Most artists will wait only a few years before moving from a Volume 1 to a Volume 2. Instead, Jim Lauderdale, who clearly marches to his own drum, waited 20 years. "Country Super Hits Volume 2" is Lauderdale's 38th album, unmatched by any contemporary country or Americana artist. Lauderdale's release, with its tongue-in-cheek... Country Music News https://www.countrystandardtime.com/d/cdreview.asp?xid=7978 https://www.countrystandardtime.com/d/cdreview.asp?xid=7978 Following the major success of his debut album, Ty Myers has delivered again with a collection of dynamic and compelling sounds with "Heavy On The Soul." From soulful and upbeat tracks like "Gone Too Long" and "Don't You Know" to smooth and smokey ballads like "Good Morning Paris" to the blues like "Come On Over, Baby," Myers demonstrates the depth of his range.... Country Music News https://www.countrystandardtime.com/d/cdreview.asp?xid=8048 https://www.countrystandardtime.com/d/cdreview.asp?xid=8048 After a year of no new music and performances few and far between compared to his usually busy tour life, Luke Combs is back. By opening with "Back in the Saddle," Combs acknowledges his brief break from music and his excitement to come back in full force. "Back in the Saddle" opens with the lyric "I've been gone for... Country Music News https://www.countrystandardtime.com/d/cdreview.asp?xid=8038 https://www.countrystandardtime.com/d/cdreview.asp?xid=8038 Leah Blevins leans into emotional honesty on "All Dressed Up," a collection of songs shaped by vulnerability, reflection and a quiet sense of resilience. Produced by Dan Auerbach of Black Keys, the album blends country, Americana and subtle pop influences, but its strength lies less in its sound than in its willingness to sit with... Country Music News https://www.countrystandardtime.com/d/cdreview.asp?xid=8005 https://www.countrystandardtime.com/d/cdreview.asp?xid=8005 One of the most ridiculous and satisfying albums of early 2026. Ridiculous in its irreverent approach to human relationships —apparently "four is a fuckin' party where everybody comes" ("Everyone is Welcome") and "Ever since the day that we met, wanna get you wet, wanna make you sweat" ("Situation") passes as introspection. With lyrical depth a step beyond sophomoric, one wonders if we're missing the joke.... Country Music News https://www.countrystandardtime.com/d/cdreview.asp?xid=8039 https://www.countrystandardtime.com/d/cdreview.asp?xid=8039 Longtime member of the Country Music Hall of Fame, Vince Gill has been one of country music's greatest singers for more than a generation. His rich high lonesome tenor has brought tears to tired, jaded eyes and the minor-key instrumentation he favors have shaded songs with emotion for more than four decades.... Country Music News https://www.countrystandardtime.com/d/cdreview.asp?xid=8031 https://www.countrystandardtime.com/d/cdreview.asp?xid=8031 Avery Anna packs a lot of punch in her latest EP "forgive, forget." In her most vulnerable work yet, she explores plenty of the hardest parts of growing up. From relationships beginning and ending to stories of becoming, Anna doesn't hold back in this blend of country, pop and rock. Setting the tone of the record is "Fear in... Country Music News https://www.countrystandardtime.com/d/cdreview.asp?xid=8029 https://www.countrystandardtime.com/d/cdreview.asp?xid=8029 "Don't have a care way down here"- "Redwood Tree" If only. Boston-based roots troubadour Sam Bergquist knows we have more than a few problems in 2026, but he isn't going to let them grind him down. He isn't ignoring them. He is just looking for a way to get around challenges. The 10 songs on the veteran musician's second full album display the maturity and vision of one who has been observing the world for a good long time.... Country Music News https://www.countrystandardtime.com/d/cdreview.asp?xid=8027 https://www.countrystandardtime.com/d/cdreview.asp?xid=8027 Acoustic projects are always a kind of "lie detector" for an artist. When the dense studio sound that usually hides imperfections is removed, the performer is left one-on-one with the listener. On "STORIES I'VE NEVER TOLD – ACOUSTIC TAPES," Conner Smith takes this risk, leaving only his voice and a single guitar.... Country Music News