Best New Music from the Blue Ridge and Beyond
Every month our editors curate a playlist of new music, mainly focusing on independent artists from the South. In August we’re highlighting new tunes from Widespread Panic, Steep Canyon Rangers, and MJ Lenderman.
Widespread Panic
“Tackle Box Hero”
Georgia jam stalwarts Widespread Panic dropped a surprise new album, “Snake Oil King,” back in June, and although the group’s first studio LP in nine years comes in at a lean six tracks, it has some potent grooves that will please the band’s loyal fanbase. “Tackle Box Hero” is a seven-minute tale of an itinerant journeyman who skips town for smoother waters when trouble strikes. The tune is led by Panic keyboardist Jo Jo Hermann— a Professor Longhair disciple—who laces the lyrics with Gulf Coast imagery, as the titular character wants to “test the waters on a bayou day.” – J.F.
Steep Canyon Rangers
“Morning Shift”
North Carolina’s Steep Canyon Rangers have experienced a purposeful sonic evolution over their two decades of making music; the electric guitar lead and driving percussion in “Morning Shift” are a far cry from the band’s bluegrass chops showcased in their earliest albums. Still evident in this cut from their new live record, though, are the band’s grassy roots, with fiddle and mandolin runs cutting through a funky rock break that sees the band equally channeling Bill Monroe and the Allman Brothers. – D.S.
Caleb Caudle
“Knee Deep Blues”
North Carolina songwriter Caleb Caudle is hounded by a litany of bad tidings in “Knee Deep Blues.” Over a staccato guitar and droning dobro, Caudle sings of all manners of evil omens, from crows to copperheads to shallow graves, painting the portrait of a character drowning in darkness. Framed between these anguished verses is the simple chorus of “I don’t want to think like that,” a resounding cry for help that reaches up from the murky shadows of an anxiety so many are familiar with. – D.S.
MJ Lenderman
“She’s Leaving You”
Asheville’s MJ Lenderman stays busy playing in the band Wednesday, but he also makes time for solo output that mingles Neil Young’s distorted ragged glory, Uncle Tupelo’s foundational alt-country, and Pavement’s 90s slacker vibe. Next month Lenderman will release the new album “Manning Fireworks,” his debut for the well-respected ANTI- label, and this preview single is a jangly rocking earworm about a character going through a midlife crisis. The theme is downcast, but the hook is super sweet, and it’ll rattle around your head for days.
– J.F.
Torres & Fruit Bats
“Married for Love”
Mac McCaughan, co-founder of North Carolina-based Merge Records, had a hunch that two artists on his venerable indie label, Eric D. Johnson of Fruit Bats and Mackenzie Scott of Torres, would make beautiful music together. And when the two artists decided to give it a shot upon recommendation, McCaughan was proven correct. “Married for Love,” a first look at a collaborative EP called “A Decoration” that’s out this month, is an airy meditation on romantic partnership that features gentle piano fills, delicate digital beats, and uber-sweet harmonies. – J.F.
Steve Earle
“I Ain’t Ever Satisfied”
Steve Earle gradually lost his longtime band, the Dukes. In 2019, his steadfast bass player Kelley Looney sadly passed away and a few years later supporting players Chris Masterson and Eleanor Whitmore decided to leave the group. So Earle decided to go old school and perform as a folk singer, like he did in his early days when he was learning to craft a tune from the likes of Guy Clark and Townes Van Zandt. The result is “Alone Again (Live),” a new record compiled from performances on Earle’s 2023 tour that came out last month. A must-hear from the set is this raw, harmonica-heavy version of “I Ain’t Ever Satisfied,” a song the country-rock bard first recorded on the 1987 album “Exit 0.” – J.F.
Justin Townes Earle
“Dreams”
In 2020, Steve’s son Justin Townes Earle tragically died of an accidental overdose at the age of 38. Although inexorably linked to his father, the younger Earle carved out his own niche in the songwriting world, becoming one of his generation’s leading voices. This month, New West is releasing “All In: Unreleased & Rarities (The New West Years),” a collection of demos and previously unheard recordings that includes Earle’s take on Fleetwood Mac’s “Dreams.” Another opportunity to take in Earle’s sonorous Southern drawl won’t be lost on fans who recognize the void his passing has left. – D.S.
Oh He Dead
“Strange Love”
Washington, D.C., soul combo Oh He Dead brilliantly mix lush, 80s-era synths with fuzzed out guitar and frontwoman CJ Johnson’s powerful vocals on “Strange Love,” the first single from their new album, “Ugly.” The song’s ebullient opening belies its inspiration; Johnson is singing from the perspective of a sex worker who has fallen in love with one of her clients. Romantically tragic, the band crescendos to a desperate finish, taking a heavy sonic turn to depict the fraught and unrequited love of Johnson’s subject. – D.S.
To hear these songs and more, follow the Blue Ridge Outdoors’ Trail Mix playlist on Spotify.
Cover photo: MJ Lenderman’s new album “Manning Fireworks” will be released on September 6. Photo by Karly Hartzman
