On his seventh solo LP, Isbell spins stories of adolescence melancholy ("Dreamsicle"), dizzying sobriety ("It Gets Easier") intimate reflection ("St. And don't be surprised when it stands as one of the best albums released this year, period. One of the best Nashville albums of the year so far? Definitely. The Nashville musician urgently pushes sounds of R&B, psychedelia and neo-soul into the stratosphere through stories of all-too-human love and loss. Intergalactic soul, anyone? Gilfillian's major label debut rings with planet-shaking emotion and star-gazing sonic landscapes. The Pick: Keep up with the beat of Music City, sign up for our music newsletter. "For your judgement day, I don't give a damn." –D.P "I won't be ashamed of what I am," she sings. As she’s pivoted from classic country to a heartland rock-inspired sound, her voice comes through more clearly than ever. Nearly every track on the country singer-songwriter’s sophomore album has a potent, personal story behind it: from the encouragement offered to a young woman on a dirt driveway in “Hang In There Girl,” to “Stone,” partially inspired by the loss of McBryde’s brother. –D.P Margo Price, “That’s How Rumors Get Started”įor her third solo album, the outspoken singer-songwriter teamed with a similarly genre-defiant Nashville artist – Sturgill Simpson, who serves as co-producer. “Everything” was the last song Prine ever recorded, and on it, he looks back fondly on "every town, and every hotel room/ And every song I ever sang, on a guitar out of tune." –D.P Ashley McBryde, “Never Will” Two months after COVID-19 took his life, the legendary songwriter was heard on one last brilliant, heartbreaking song. After millions of streams on social media, “F2020” hit digital services on Friday. –D.P John Prine, “I Remember Everything” On a whim, this Nashville trio recorded a deceptively sweet-sounding song that said what we’re all thinking about 2020: a year marked with a global pandemic, murder hornets and deaths that should have been prevented, for starters. Her story – paired with “Armor’s” heart-racing brand of syncopated, unflinching pop – has left listeners feeling empowered, too. The Paramore frontwoman’s solo debut is a fearless, cathartic collection, finding the 31-year-old vividly wrestling with anger, grief and anxiety in the wake of a divorce. In spite of this, the indie-rocker’s work is remarkably accessible, evoking an era in the ‘90s when alternative rock and chart-topping pop were almost one and the same. –D.P Hayley Williams, “Petals For Armor” Soccer Mommy – goes deep on her ambitious sophomore album, moving through three color-coded themes that tackle depression, illness and loss. Lifelong Nashvillian Sophie Allison – a.k.a. Teamed with the same creative duo behind Kacey Musgraves’ “Golden Hour,” Eldredge hits new depths in his songs and embraces a timeless sound – look no further than his bittersweet piano-pop gem “Gabrielle.” – D.P Soccer Mommy, “Color Theory” On her third album, the jazz/soul favorite (and Nashville native) pays tribute to the female musicians who’ve inspired her, and brilliantly reinvents their songs in the process from Lauryn Hill’s “Ex-Factor” to the Bonnie Raitt classic “I Can’t Make You Love Me.” –D.P Brett Eldredge, “Sunday Drive”Ī creative rebirth for one of modern country’s most soulful vocalists. Sound familiar, 2020? Kandace Springs, “The Women Who Raised Me” As we looked back on the best Nashville-made (and Nashville-connected) albums and songs of the year so far, our list seemed like it would never end. Luckily, the first six months have also been marked by great music. Now, we've all reached the midpoint of a historic year so saturated with uncertainty, tension and unrest, it's hard to believe we still have six more months to go. What that used to mean, though, was that the year had flown by so quickly, we were surprised that it was already July. We've said it before, and we'll say it again: It's hard to believe that we're halfway through the year. View Gallery: Jason Isbell concert at Ryman Auditorium
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