Randy Houser’s ‘No Stone Unturned’ + 5 More New Songs You Need to Hear
This week's batch of country songs bring a little something for everyone, from up-tempo, summer-ready anthems to reflective, poignant meditations. Which one's your favorite?
Randy Houser, "No Stone Unturned":
The opening track to Randy Houser's newest album, Magnolia, "No Stone Unturned" takes listeners on a meandering, mid-tempo journey into unfamiliar territory, and simultaneously, into the artists' self-reflection and self-discovery. The new track will go for adds at country radio on May 20.
"There ain't no grass gonna grow up under my feet / No tellin' where I might be / I can always find one hell of a time / When I'm out here lookin' for me / No stone unturned / No turn unstoned," he ruminates in the chorus. The song sets the tone for the rest of Magnolia, a project that sees Houser unfettering himself of any expectation to crank out hits and top country radio, opting instead to pursue creative freedom and new artistic horizons.
Dee Jay Silver feat. Waterloo Revival, "Getaway Driver":
DJ and producer Dee Jay Silver has teamed up with country group Waterloo Revival to release "Getaway Driver," a pumped-up love anthem ready-made for summer. Co-written by Jason Massey and Corey Crowder alongside Waterloo Revival's George Birge, the song is the leading single off Dee Jay Silver's upcoming album, Corners. According to Silver, the team-up was a perfect fit in part because both acts hail from the same part of the country.
"The guys from Waterloo and I have been buddies for a while...we're all from Austin, Texas!" he explains in a press release. " I've always been a big fan of the music they make, so I reached out to George about my new album and asked if they'd be interested in being a part of it. George sent over a few songs they'd done, and 'Getaway Driver' stuck with me. I love this song! It's a perfect crossover track that fits on country radio, will sound great on Top 40 radio and will hold a room when I play in Vegas. I'm excited for the world to hear this!!" Silver will hit the road for Jason Aldean's Ride All Night Tour on Friday (May 3.)
Jamestown Revival, "Round Prairie Round":
Off of their upcoming album, San Isabel, Jamestown Revival have shared the melancholy, acoustic new "Round Prairie Round," a track that bandmate Johnathan Clay says was inspired by a plot of land that Clay's family has owned since the '70s. While the band has deep roots in this land -- they wrote their first song there, in fact -- they couldn't stop how the passage of time affected it.
"As we spent the next 10 years of our life touring, a lot of things changed with the land. Oil companies came to exploit their mineral rights, fences went up and it felt like too many people had a key to the lock on that gate," Clay says in a press release. "It was our sacred little piece of paradise, but there was not a way to keep it unchanged -- no matter how much we loved that place."
Willie Jones, "Down for It":
Willie Jones' new single, "Down for It," puts a playful and pop-inflected twist on a straightforward message of love and devotion. The product of writing sessions in both Nashville and Los Angeles, the song melds a pop sensibility with country twang. Its accompanying music video takes a trip into the world of the '80s and '90s children's TV favorite, Reading Rainbow, emphasizing a turn away from today's hectic world and back toward simpler times.
"Melodically, the song brought back memories of growing up in the '90s, and I saw images of shows like Reading Rainbow in my head. When it was time to make the video, I thought paying homage to that show would be something cool and different. For those who remember, it should bring a smile to their face," he states in a press release. Jones is currently at work on his first EP, which is due out in the summer of 2019.
Pony Bradshaw, "Bad Teeth":
Between quavering vocals and a plodding acoustic guitar, Pony Bradshaw calls up a brooding, unsettled vibe in his new song, "Bad Teeth." "Dirty island / I know your kind / I ain't afraid of your panic / or the blood in your eyes / Free fall dive through my dreams like knives / It's tombstones all the way down..." he sings in the track's chilling, abstract lyrics. The new song comes off Bradshaw's forthcoming Rounder debut, Sudden Opera, which is set for release on June 21.
Logan Mize, "Only in This Town":
Co-written with ace songwriter Casey Beathard, Logan Mize's "Only in This Town" is a heart-thumping anthem to hometown pride. In a press release, the artist states that the song's origins date all the way back to 2014.
"Somewhere around the spring of 2014, I had been playing this guitar riff over and over, looking for a lyric idea. When I showed it to Casey Beathard, he immediately started writing those verses and we finished the song pretty quickly. A little while later, I pulled this song out of the bag after a studio lunch break one day, and I'm glad I did. It was mostly my touring band, including the late Derek Wyatt, who passed last year," he recalls.
In fact, he adds, Wyatt had a critical hand in bringing the song to life. "Derek was the No. 1 reason I felt comfortable playing in the studio. He was so uplifting and complimentary to all of our playing, but you can hear on the track who was bringing the most energy. He was absolutely electric as a drummer, and it was contagious whether we were in the studio or on the stage. If I remember right, I'm listed as the producer on this track, but I was just following Derek's lead, along with our engineer Ryan Gore, who really helped us pull this whole track together in a few takes."