The Country Drop Playlist ProfileAfter the AFL states celebrated Wharfie Time last weekend, this weekend is NRL’s time to shine. With a secret Grand Final headliner, we’ve got our fingers crossed for Casey Barnes clocking in with this year’s NRL anthem Made For This. Come on V'landys!
For those readers outside Australia that I’ve completely alienated, this week’s new releases are ripe and ready for action. This week’s cover stars Zac & George are very much kicking with the wind this week, dropping their album, and any week with a Miranda and Ella collab is a good one. So without further ado, here’s this week’s new release picks to soundtrack your weekend.
Zac & George - One Sip Away
This Aussie duo has been gearing up for the release of this debut album since dropping their first tune in 2022. With their next seven tracks hitting the million streams and above, the boys had a great early ride with fans looking forward to their all-important record drop. This year’s releases have been a great preview of the record and One Sip Away delivers exactly what fans want from the record. Take a sip and dive in.
Miranda Lambert & Ella Langley - Snakeskin Boots
This little drop from Lambert’s Crisco album which also hits today is a killer slice of country pop. Miranda Lambert hardly needs to borrow someone else’s star power, but frequent collaborator Ella Langley is certainly the one you want to have in your algo if you want to borrow fans right now. This tune is just like its two collaborators: all class.
Kameron Marlowe - Take You Down With Me
Kameron Marlowe is busy getting his passport in order ready for next year’s CMC Rocks and this song is just stoking the excitement for Aussie fans. It’s a mature country rock ballad designed for the stadium. On tour across America with Ella Langley right now, there’s no doubt this one will be going down a treat and will have Ipswich singing every word this March.
Imogen Clark - When You Know
Aussie via Nashville’s Imogen Clark is one of our best songwriters. She’s always been hard to pigeonhole and has never been afraid of an image change: is it country? Is it rock? Is it folk? Who cares. Her last record earned her an ARIA nomination and this tune is one of her best yet.
HARDY - Man In The Box
This one’s probably my personal favourite in the list this week. It’s the kind of song you’re glad can still be released in a world where everyone needs a 2:50 banger talking about beer. It’s not like his other stuff. It’s nearly eight minutes long. You can picture the face of the label when he delivered this. But thank God he did and that you can still make art like this. It’s one of the biggest swings we’ve seen this year and whether or not it connects with you, it’s eight minutes of lean-in listening: a gift you rarely get. The song is in four movements. At one point you’ve got a gospel choir, saxophone and vocoder all at once. Then it’s a rock song. Then it’s a country song. Then he’s doing metal growls. It breaks every rule in the book and no doubt that’s the point he’s trying to make. No, you’re not likely to hear this on the radio anytime soon. And that makes it even more incredible and even more worthy of your time. If you do one thing today, make it hitting play on this.
The Viper Creek Band - A Girl Changes Everything
These guys have been staples on the live scene for well over a decade and the epitome of a hard working Aussie band. If you’ve seen them live you know how good they are and this is one of the best things they’ve served up on record yet.
Lily Grace feat. Nicco Sanchez - Losing Team
Lily Grace is another artist that is simply not going to take no for an answer. Off the back of her #1 ARIA country album of 2024 she’s dropped a bunch of singles that have quietly tracked her growth as an artist. Sometimes it’s easy for artists to go for smoke and mirrors and try to dazzle people with stats instead of music, but Grace is grinding it out playing shows across the US and there’s no denying that she’s stepped it up massively with this accomplished track.
Blake Proehl - Hearts Don’t Break Like That
He’s dropped a few great tracks of late that have JUST missed out on making the drop, so when the EP came out today we just had to add this one. Lucky for us it’s the best track yet. He’s a former NFL player and American Idol finalist, but this North Carolina native is just getting started. If this isn’t still bouncing around your head on Monday you’re not listening loud enough. This guy is going to be massive.
Dustin Lynch & Ashley Cooke - How You Been
We still need to wait till the end of the month for Dustin’s album to drop, but this duet with Ashley Cooke is a good way to bridge the gap. Another mid-tempo breeze just perfect for the weekend.
Lucie Tiger - Love Moves Fast In A Small Town
I caught Lucie Tiger in Nashville earlier this year at a songwriters round and she proved without a doubt why Nashville’s the place for her to be. A storyteller and accomplished voice, she’s part of an incredible expat community of Aussies doing it their own way and in their own style. The track is from her fourth album Small Town Scandal which dropped earlier this week and is worth a full listen to hear the musical journey she’s been on since landing in Tennessee.
