This week, Kelsea Ballerini offers a glimpse into an upcoming project with her new song “I Sit in Parks,” while Cody Johnson gives fans a long-awaited official studio version of his rendition of The Chicks’ “Travelin’ Soldier.” Meanwhile, Vincent Mason takes a chance on mixing alcohol and heartbreak, while The Jack Wharff Band and Dylan Conrique also bring new music.
Check out all of these and more in Billboard‘s roundup of some of the best country, bluegrass and/or Americana songs of the week below.
Kelsea Ballerini, “I Sit In Parks”
After wrapping a headlining arena tour and earning an ACM entertainer of the year nomination earlier this year, Ballerini previews her new project Mount Pleasant (out Nov. 14) with this introspective ballad. This track finds her balancing the pursuit of her musical ambitions with an ache of pondering whether she’s “missed the mark” on motherhood. She captures a scene of a woman in her thirties sitting alone in a park and watching families spend time together, while reflecting on how choices have shaped her life. “I wonder if she wants my freedom / Like I want to be a mother,” Ballerini muses. This is Ballerini doing what she does best—crafting vulnerable, self-aware songs that explore her hopes, dreams, doubts and insecurities in real time, while mirroring the experiences of those who share similar longings.
Cody Johnson, “Travelin’ Soldier”
After years of hearing fans request his version of this song in concert, and previously recording an acoustic rendition of it, Johnson has finally released his own studio version of “Travelin’ Soldier,” which The Chicks previously made a hit in 2003. His studio version slightly speeds up the tempo, which does seem to moderately soften some of the song’s melancholy, but Johnson’s superb vocal brings just the right mix of grit and tenderness to convey the song’s heartbreaking, bittersweet nature. It also showcases the depth of Johnson’s talents as a musical interpreter, one who brings respect to the song, while also refining it with his own unmistakable voice.
Vincent Mason, “Sink or Swim”
Georgia native Mason, known for songs such as “Hell Is a Dance Floor,” issues his debut album, There I Go, including this churning new track. Here, he’s drowning his sorrows in alcohol after a relationship has collapsed and he’s intent on finding out if his ex’s memory is stronger than the drink in his hand. The song’s downtrodden lyrics sharply contrast with a toe-tapping rhythm, creating a dynamic that encapsulates the reckless thrill of surrendering to the bottle and the heartbreak, and seeing where it leads.
Dylan Conrique, “How to Lose the Girl”
Over tenderly-plucked guitar, California native Conrique catalogs the copious missteps and selfish habits that fray, and then sever, a relationship’s emotional ties, from broken promises to failing to show up in the small, everyday moments. Conrique’s dusky voice effortlessly conveys the emotional distress, before turning the song into one of bravery, as the protagonist leaves the unfaithful lover and then reminds the ex of all the ways those ongoing habits will lead to heartbreak in future relationships. Conrique wrote the song with Jackson Foote, Alma Goodman, and Brooke Tomlinson.
The Jack Wharff Band, “Saved”
Country/Americana group The Jack Wharff Band blends rustic, earthy instrumental tones with a message of spiritual redemption their latest, “Saved.” “Been broke a million times/ Trying to stop the hurtin’ inside, some things you just can’t afford,” lead singer Jack Wharff sings, bolstered by churning guitars. Written by bandmembers Wharff, Ryan Atchison and Garrett Howell, this song makes a stark reflection on the futility of self-reliance, while expressing gratefulness to a higher power for renewal.
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