Rainbow Ruckus 11/21: Melissa Carper, The Odd Birds, Katie Pruitt, and More!
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 — if you’re looking for a stocking stuffer — you can now purchase issue 3 of Rainbow Rodeo!
Katie Pruitt — “Blood Related”
Just in time for Thanksgiving, Katie Pruitt has released a tender song about growing up and reviewing intergenerational mistakes. Pruitt gracefully encapsulate the gulf in understanding across generations. There’s pain there, sure, but it’s also loving: just like most families.
Boy Golden — “Aeroplane Song”
Canada’s Boy Golden continues his streak of puckish retro country takes. The loopy lead guitar line here feels like something out of a ’60s sitcom, illustrating the discombobulation of a brand new love that must be protected. However, Boy Golden’s choirboy voice gives what could be a novelty song a sense of gravitas.
Miko Marks (ft. Melissa Carper) — “Water Into Wine”
Miko Marks’ Feel Like Going Home is a triumphant follow-up to her return to the scene, Our Country. To celebrate a year since Going Home‘s release, Marks has tapped some of the most respected voices in country to join her on new versions of a few songs. Marks is not queer, but Melissa Carper is a fan favorite of Rainbow Rodeo readers. (She’s also the subject of an interview conducted by Julian Talmantez Brolaski in issue 3 of Rainbow Rodeo.) Between Marks’ earthy confidence and Carper’s devil-may-care swagger, this gospel duet unwinds like a lazy — but powerful — river.
Brittany Howard — “Red Flags”
Brittany Howard continues her tour de force with “Red Flags.” Pulsating with ominous energy, Howard’s cautionary tale asks how she — or anyone else — can dive headlong into a toxic situation even though the signs are right there. The muscular, jarring drum loops and swirling synths and woozy backing vocals create a disorienting soundscape that culminate in some painful reflection.
The Odd Birds — “Blue”
California duo the Odd Birds release a gentle hatchling into the world with “Blue.” This breakup songs is less fragile than it is delicate — en elegant interlocking arrangement of drums, vocals, and sentiment that provides a lullaby to those suffering from a broken heart — or at least trying to slow down the process.
