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!
Brian Falduto — “Why’d You Come In Here Lookin’ Like That?”
Brian Falduto killed it at Sunday’s Rainbow Rodeo show, and his new song exudes the same charisma he brings to his live performances. Falduto’s cover of Dolly’s “Why’d You Come In Here Looking Like That?” retains the fun and nostalgia-tinged bite of the original with some Falduto’s own pop tricks. It’s a great cover, and it sounds even better live.
Zoe Boekbinder — “Mycelium”
Zoe Boekbinder is a thoughtful and meticulous songwriter, and their new song “Mycelium” is a shining example. “Mycelium” appears to be an early single off the forthcoming queer country album Boekbinder and I discussed a while ago, and it speaks to Boekbinder’s determination to use music as solace and connection. On “Mycelium,” Boekbinder asks us to consider if we’re as isolated from each other as we think.
Rachel Garlin — “Crossing Guard”
Rachel Garlin reminds us to appreciate the simple things on her warm new duty “Crossing Guard.” In part it’s an ode to the neighborhood crossing guard, but it celebrates the people in our communities who make our days better. Sometimes, life is just that simple — and appreciating that simplicity can ripple forward.
Sarah Shook & The Disarmers — “Motherfucker”
Sarah Shook & The Disarmers have never sounded better than on their forthcoming album Revelations. Produced by River Shook (they changed their name from “Sarah” a few years ago), the band sounds energetic, bright and shiny, even as they serve up the same old honky-punk songs that have won them a reputation for hard-hitting, sucker-punching songs you can mosh to. Revelations is more political and more queer than the Disarmers’ previous work, and will be out next Friday. Subscribe to the Rainbow Rodeo podcast so you can catch our interview.
Pablo Mercedes — “Rag Bone”
British blues rocker Pablo Mercedes is back with a vengeance on his gothic blues ditty “Rag Bone.” Mercedes relates the tale of a vigilante “bone doctor” making the rounds. Mercedes’ skillful and warm blues guitar stands in sharp contrast to the gruesome humor in the story he tells with Sweeney Todd-like glee.