Three Americana tracks to bring us all back to earth in crazy times

Casey Frazier – “The Shelf”
-In a world that seems to be pretty hectic, encouraging people to turn to their vices for a false sense of comfort, Frazier brings some hard truth to the situation. While much country and Americana music glorifies drunk life, Frazier suggests moving past the problems. The track has all the tried and true Americana elements with electric guitar, slide guitar, and fiddle all working well together. It’s the vocal from Frazier that allows the lyrically driven track to strike a meaningful chord with the listener. It’s a good one.

David Garnham and the Reasons to Live – “Holding Pattern”
-Okay, so, I don’t often like to invoke the name of Jason Isbell in comparisons because it can be difficult to even come close to that level of writing… but just listen to Garnham’s lyrics on this track. It’s a song about getting drunk and then the next morning, when you should be the most likely to say “let’s not do that again” you lack the clarity to make better choices. That’s the cycle. It’s awful. But the song… is exceptionally well done. It doesn’t come across as preachy, but rather speaks truth to the destructive decisions that so many make. The composition style is thoroughly modern Americana, with shades of both rock and classic country blended into a palatable listening experience that conveys a convicting and engaging message. This is an incredibly good song that deserves wider airplay from big time stations in Nashville, Austin, and the like. Let’s share this one folks; it’s a message that needs to be out there.

Bo Armstrong – “Get it right”
-When this song starts, it feels like it’s a sped up country tune. But the more I’ve listened to it, the more I appreciate the necessity of the tempo to convey the message of pressing on. This is a story of persistence. Of course you can’t get it right the first time when you’re rebounding from mistakes, but Armstrong’s optimism and encouragement is about “walking the hard line” for the person he’s singing the song for, to, and about. This is, in the end, a love song about the importance of commitment. I appreciate the rock guitars connected to a subtly delivered piano that creates a blend of hard edge movement with a soft, memorable melody. This is an incredible piece of songwriting and it deserves to be widely heard.

**FOLKS — We always believe in the music that we cover on this site, but this specific set of three Americana tracks feels particularly special. Do you agree? Will you share this one with friends? If you have any connections in the Americana scene, consider helping these folks get their music shared with a wider audience.