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.
Adam Mac — “Disco Cowboy”
I wasn’t familiar with Adam Mac or his music before I wrote about him last week. It’s a shame that I found out about Mac as a result of his being discriminated against — and even more of a shame that he was barred from the music festival. If “Disco Cowboy” is any indicator of Mac’s ouvre, his shows must be fun as hell. This song isn’t exactly subtle — a country-fried disco take on pop country, a full-throated celebration of moving to the beat and embracing yourself in the process.
Jaime Wyatt — “Althea”
Jaime Wyatt embraces her Dead Head era with her cover of “Althea.” Wyatt’s father was a musician himself and was friends with Bob Weir, prompting Wyatt’s interpretation. Smooth and silky and replete with wah-wah petals, Wyatt’s voice blends seamlessly into this canvas of sounds. As Wyatt fades into the tapestry, we get a sense that everything is of one piece — the before, the after, and everywhere in between.
Julia Cannon — “These Dreams”
Julia Cannon’s easy self-assurance is on full display on “These Dreams.” The effortless grace of Cannon’s performance stands in sharp contrast to her narrator’s insecurity, questioning her partner’s true intent and worrying herself sick that they might not be telling the full truth. Yet “These Dreams” never loses its cool, demonstrating Cannon’s superior talents as a singer and writer.
Ashleigh Flynn & The Riveters — “This Love”
This isn’t a new song, but if you aren’t acquainted with Ashely Flynn & The Riveters, here’s an invitation to party. “This Love” is a serendipitous melting pot of rockabilly and alt-country, dance-able without a doubt while retaining an unmistakable twang. The Riveters buoy Flynn’s performance with rock-solid playing and it’s just as easy to linestep to “This Love” as it is to kick it in the pit. The song celebrates political activism and the Civil Rights Movement in particular.
Harder Wins — “Are You Queer, Boy?”
For the scrappiest form of alt-country you think of, check out Harder Wins’ “Are You Queer, Boy?” The song is garage punk at its best, a shit-kicking shuffle emphasized by skronky guitars. Shawn Rider’s ragged voice lands somewhere between defiance and desperation — but ultimately triumphant against the haters.