You think that country music always comes from the South? Then, you got it wrong! On April 19th, Charlie Marie released an amazing EP, one of the best releases of this year. Where is she from? Providence, Rhode Island. The same day, The Lowdown Drifters released an album named “Last call for dreamers“. Listening to it, you think this is a band from Texas. Their “Red Dirt” sound is undeniable. Where are they from? Stanwood, Washington State. These artists are the evidence that country music is not the genre of a state or a geographical area. Of course, country music’s cultural roots are in the South but above all, it’s a state of mind, a way of life, a songwriting… and a family. That’s exactly why I’m writing this post today… from France. The features I talked about make it universal.
Now, let’s talk about “Last Call for Dreamers“, the first LP album of “The Lowdown Drifters“. It was released on April, three years after their EP, “Wood and Water“. John Cannon, Ryan Klein, Galen Bailey, Richard Williams and Tim Fernley, the 5 members of the band, are in love with Texas country music and it’s perfectly obvious in each of the 13 songs of this amazing album.
You can begin listening to “Won’t find me anymore“, with its awesome guitar riffs . This powerful and catchy song is a perfect combination of Southern Rock, Red Dirt and Texas country. If you loved the guitar riffs on this song, you can keep on with “Diamonds and Rust“, an amazing song with a beautiful melody, one of my favorites of this album.
“Last night in Denver” and “Diesel Smoke” are excellent songs about musician’s lives, for better or for worse. It’s because music “is in my blood” that “Last night in Denver, I slept in my car“, sing the band, in those songs with beautiful songwriting.
“Red rock” (that was included in Country Music France’s Spring playlist) and “We Three Kings” are two essential songs for a Red Dirt and Texas Country lover, for their instrumental quality and the excellence of the songwriting.
Don’t forget to listen to “This Old House“, another beautifully written song, in which guitar riffs stand out particularly.
Definitely, country music is universal and Texas country is not only the genre of Texas and Oklahoma but the music of a generation of talented artists from all around the USA. The Lowdown Drifters are one of them, and among the most promising. I’m very impatient to listen to their future songs.
Nicolas Davelu
Country Music France 