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Earlier this year, we debuted Good
Country with an examination of
Zach Bryan, his music, and
this new, modern wave of neo-traditionalists in country – whether
Bryan, Colter Wall, Tyler Childers, Billy Strings, or many others,
raw, down to earth, trad as fuck country is everywhere these days.
Since the dawn of this genre, artists have been deliberately
positioning themselves as outlaws, outsiders, outliers, and
exceptions to mainstream country “rules.” Entire brands, movements,
and musicians have been made or broken by their perceived
relationships to authenticity and “real” country.
Then there are artists like Zach Top, who are heralded
as saviors of what many mistakenly perceive as an endangered form
of country, but seem to shy away from that kind of designation or
veneration – even while they lean deliberately into iconoclast and
stereotypical country themes and tropes. Top, who grew up in
Washington state playing bluegrass as a youngster and wanting to
“pick like Tony Rice” and “sing like Keith Whitley,” is
effortlessly traditional, to the point that his songs often sound
like “time capsule” music. But do not mistake Top as someone who
only looks back, with nostalgia and revisionism and puritanical
adoration for the good ol’ days of country.
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His new album, Cold Beer & Country Music,
is chocked full of symbols, tones, styles, and content almost
universally associated with “real” country or “old” country. At the
same time, he sings about trucks, beer, love lost and gained, and
so many tracks are clearly underpinned by a sly, winking
smile.
Self-awareness and subverting purist expectations are just two of
many facets of Top’s album that charm and entrance his listeners.
There’s barn burning chicken pickin’, there are slow and tender
ballads, plus tear-in-your-beer sad ass songs, and so much more.
Top captures his audience – which is remarkably multi-generational
– with limitless charm, bluegrass virtuosity, Wrangler jeans, and a
cowboy hat, but he keeps them with well written, thoughtful, and
relatable songs, a deep and wide sense of humor, and an incredibly
fun and engaging live show.
It’s not bro country, or pop country, or radio country, or Music
Row country, or pandering traditionalist country, either. It just
so happens that Zach Top, when he’s at his best and is sounding
exactly like himself, sounds like a country artist plucked directly
from the ‘70s or the ‘80s or the ‘90s – or from whatever era
you may think was this music’s golden age. Whether flatpicking his
acoustic, singing about mullets, shredding a Tele, or crooning like
so many country greats before him, Top is unconcerned with what is
or isn’t traditional or old school, because these are all languages
and vocabularies in which he’s already fluent. We spoke to Top via
phone about his new album, his bluegrass upbringing, and so much
more.
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What is summer if not the perfect excuse to take a
balmy evening drive, windows down, and bathe in the warmth of some
good country tunes?
From outdoor festivals to backyard campfires, summertime fertilizes
the joy that grows so much country music. From John Hartford’s
classic “Long Hot Summer Days” to modern anthems like “21 Summer”
by the Brothers Osborne, the warmest season proves to be a timeless
inspiration, across generations. As a celebration of this idyllic –
and sweltering – time of year, we’ve curated a playlist just in
time for all your summer roadtrips.
This list features some of our favorite country summer jams,
brimming with visions of beach trips, sunshine, fishing, and maybe
a drink or two.
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If you happen to find yourself in Georgia in late
July on a day hot enough to make the devil sigh – which, to be
honest, is how hot it feels just about everywhere these days –
maybe make the most of it and whip up a batch of these frozen
cocktail delights. With only five ingredients, you’ll soon be as
cool as Tracy Byrd’s wardrobe circa 1994.
We can guarantee that you’re gonna have a ball learning how to make
our Watermelon (Crawl) Margarita.
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There has always been something bittersweet about
the music of late legends. On the one hand, there’s comfort in
returning to a favorite piece of work. It’s satisfying and grounded
in a way that seems chiseled in stone. On the other, it’s hard not
to wish for just a little more music to absorb – a little more
insight into an artist who unlocked some closed off parts of the
human soul. With Songwriter, that wish comes true.
John Carter Cash spoke with Good Country about the
project, and what it’s like to care for his father’s legacy.
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Editor’s note: Each
issue, our co-founder Ed Helms will share a handful of good country
artists, albums, and songs direct from his own earphones in Ed's Picks.
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Recently in Good Country:
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