Here comes this time of the year when you think about all the music released the last 12 months, and choose the best songs, albums and EP’s that you’ve listened. Before the best songs and albums, and the artist of the year, I’ll tell you about my 5 favorite EP’s, among those released this 2022, a year exceptional for country music. Let’s go !
#5 Cinci – Seth Jones
Seth Jones is a name that you must know if you love real country music. He’s a very talented artist, his music is authentic, and the songwriting is always brilliant. “Cinci” is an excellent EP, with the splendid “Who Misses Who“, the catchy “Don’t Blame The Highway“, the excellent “A Different Light“, feat Lucas Jagneaux and the great title track, with excellent pedal steel.
#4 West Texas is the Best Texas – The Panhandlers
All the music released by The Panhandlers is gold, and their recent EP, released on October 7th, two years after their debut album, is not an exception. The four new songs released by the supergroup, whose members are Josh Abbott, William Clark Green, John Baumann, and Cleto Cordero, are all excellent. It’s amazing and real country music with beautiful songwriting. Great work !
#3 Sad Yeehaw Sessions – Kaitlin Butts
“What Else Can She Do” is one of the best albums of 2022, but it was not enough for Kaitlin Butts: she also released in November “Sad Yeehaw Sessions“, a splendid EP, where you can listen to 5 beautiful songs, including a splendid version of “Whiskey Lullaby” feat Cledo Cordero, a stripped version of the fantastic “Blood” and the wonderful “Angels Like You“. Kaitlin Butts is one the artists that most embody country music and 2022 has been an exceptional year fo her.
#2 Summertime Blues – Zach Bryan
Zach Bryan was very prolific this year. “American Heartbreak” was not his only release, as there were also an excellent live album released on December 25th (“All my Homies hate Ticketmaster, Live from Red Rocks“) and the fantastic “Summertime Blues“, released on July 15th. This record is absolutely impressive, full of gems as “Jamie” (feat Charles Wesley Godwin), “Twenty So“, “Us Then“, “Quittin Time” or “Motorcycle Drive By“. Summertime Blues is probably more an album that an EP, but after a 34 songs album, Zach Bryan considered that it was an EP, so it’s part of this category.
#1 Songs to Keep You Warm – Flatland Cavalry
In my opinion, Flatland Cavalry’s EP is a masterpiece. The 6 songs included on this record are the quintessence of country music, and the evidence of the tremendous talent of this band. The truth is that words are unable to express my feelings about that record. What I know is that they all deeply warm my heart and that they’re, for me, a great part of a year that was particularly exceptional for country music. “Songs to Keep You Warm” is a record for the ages.
Nicolas Davelu
Country Music France 