Three new Americana tracks that will remind you why you love this timeless genre

Ellie Holcomb – “What Would I Do Without You” (Drew Holcomb and the Neighbors Cover)
-We don’t feature covers all that often, so when we do you know it’s going to be something spectacular. That’s certainly the case with this exceptional track from Ellie Holcomb. She’s got an incredible gift for expressive, emotional vocal delivery. The guitars create the textures that give it that timeless Americana style, but make no mistake that the intonation in the vocal and the passion in the lyrical delivery that makes this feel like it transcends time. There are some glorious romantic lyrics at the core of the track, more than a simple love song it’s an expression of longstanding devotion. As someone who just celebrated 20 years with my college sweetheart, this track definitely resonates. What a treat.

JM Clifford – “Hard Luck Man”
-There’s a fantastic banjo right at the heart of this outstanding new tune. JM Clifford’s lyrical theme here is about “hard luck” men in various situations. I’m not sure of Clifford’s story or how much of this is autobiographical, but there’s something endearing and classic country about telling the stories of common people (or a common person). References to service, drug struggles, and more keep this a rooted track; unfortunately many of us know a “hard luck man” just like this. It’s a rare example of a socially conscious song that’s not browbeating, but captures the sentiment of the listener well. In the tradition of a classic like “Sam Stone,” may a song like this compel us all to compassion.

Mama’s Broke – “Build It Up”
-This song just might have set the record for fastest “yes” for me this year. I barely finished the first line before I was clicking the approval button. I love everything about this song. The banjo has that haunting, old timey energy that taps into the longstanding tradition of mountain music. The vocals are authentic and make the listener lean in with approval. The fiddle adds a texture that feels both sweet and complicating, like it adds a layer of sophistication to the tune. Once the two instruments dance together near the 1:50 mark there’s something that taps into my ancestry, I swear. I mean this as a sincere compliment to say this work is “greater than the sum of its parts.” As someone who grew up in a family of people who would “pick a little” in the front room of both grandparents’ homes, this song reminds me of all those folks “built up” for my own life. May my days bring them honor. Thank heaven for this song.

Image courtesy: Mamas Broke IG