Rainbow Ruckus 6/3: Wiley Gaby, River Shook, Katie Pruitt, and More!
This week's Rainbow Ruckus features techno country remixes, melancholy reinvention, scathing Marxism, aching breakups, and juicy queer soul.
Every week, Rainbow Rodeo brings you the best new queer country music! Listen to this playlist on Tidal! Thanks to Elliott for making a parallel list on Apple Music! Missed a week? TA Inskeep is generously keeping an archive of all music featured on this Spotify playlist.
Please note: we are no longer updating our Spotify playlist.
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- Angelic singer Wiley Gaby gives us a song to throw back some flavored vodka with on this Pride edition of his song "IDGAF No More (A Robert Maril Mix)". The song speeds up the tempo on Gaby's bittersweet country track to give us a sardonic techno song about men who look better from behind – and should keep on walking. This mix is Bandcamp-exclusive, and 100% of proceeds benefit New Alternatives, a New York nonprofit supporting LGBTQ+ youth and young adults experiencing homelessness
- River Shook's upcoming album finds the honky-tonker reinventing themself, but "Country Angel" feels like Disarmers territory with Shook's signature drawl and tales of living life on the fast lane. But the sweet melancholy and shimmering guitars hint a clear-eyed approach to life, and appreciating the good things while we have them.
- Katie Pruitt is known for her heart-rendingly vulnerable songs – but you won't get any of that on "Same Boat." Instead, Pruitt delivers a scathing political critique about the long con of pitting powerless people against each other while the wealthy benefit. It sounds so obvious when she says it, too.
- Andrew Mitch continues to get over it on "muscle memory." In this aching track, Mitch counts all the ways it's hard to let go of someone once they've gotten under your skin. Mitch continues to impress with his supple voice.
- Les Greene plays into the inherent queerness of soul music on "I'm Gonna Let You Call Me Baby." His soaring tenor brings home an obvious truth: don't let convention get in the way of pleasure – especially when it's this irresistible. (And, for avid Cartoon Network viewers, that is indeed that Grey DeLisle singing on the track.)
Find our Tidal playlist here:
