Every week, Rainbow Rodeo brings you the best new queer country music! Listen to this playlist on Spotify! Thanks to Elliott for making a parallel list on Apple Music! Listen to the parallel list on Tidal. Missed a week? Thomas Inskeep is generously keeping an archive of all music featured on this Spotify playlist.
Also, you can now purchase issue 3 of Rainbow Rodeo!
Brittany Ann Tranbaugh — “Bushwick”
Brittany Ann Tranbaugh must have been on a mission when she wrote “Bushwick.” Namely: she wants to fuck us up. Tranbaugh’s portrait of a final conversation with an ex — the one where you know they’re well and truly gone from your life — is funny and poignant and tragic all at the same time. This is Tranbaugh’s most affecting songs to date and shows she’s an artist to watch.
Adeem the Artist — “One Night Stand”
Adeem the Artist knocks it out of the park yet again with “One Night Stand.” We can hear Adeem embodying a swaggering ’90s country hunk as they big their equally strapping lover to turn this one night stand into something long-term. Adeem has never sounded more confident, and this is certainly the song to release alongside their announce upcoming album, Anniversary, out May 3rd.
The Kentucky Gentlemen — “Beg Your Parton”
The Kentucky Gentlemen are unapologetically themselves on “Beg Your Parton.” There’s something refreshing about queer country that declares itself loudly and proudly — and it wouldn’t be complete without a “Jolene” sample. The Gentlemen do what they do best on “Beg Your Parton”: they bring the party and they do it with style, authenticity, and the rarest country commodity of them all: sincerity.
Mel Stone — “Simone”
I have no idea how I came across this song but the language is a bit strong, so you might want to keep your headphones on. Here, Mel Stone tries to persuade her lover to embrace her LGBTQ+ identity, since it’s not like anyone else will accept them in the pallid cishet world. (Are we noticing a theme here? It certainly has nothing to do with being around repressed country radio people for a weekend.) Stone’s bouncy rock’n’roll softens the blow of her acid remarks, but not anymore than Simone deserves.
Sadie Gustafson-Zook — “Weatherman”
Sadie Gustafson-Zook ends this week’s playlist on a mellow note with “Weatherman.” Gustafson-Zook’s jazz folk stylings give “Weatherman” a buoyancy that the lyrics tug at playfully. “Weatherman” is in fact a song of finding oneself and wishing others would hand over the answers. It’s a sweetly romantic song that refuses to tie any neat bows, and Gustafson-Zook demonstrates her deft musicianship and classic performing style.