As Ella Langley holds onto her record-breaking streak on the Billboard Hot 100 with “Choosin’ Texas,” she continues releasing a slate of more strong songs from her upcoming April 10 album Dandelion. In her latest, “Loving Life Again,” she’s learning the power of taking time to slow down, recalibrate and appreciate all of life’s moments.
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
Elsewhere, Luke Combs teams up with bluegrass great Alison Krauss for a new collab, while duo The Band Loula, Wyatt Flores and Leah Blevins all issue top-shelf new music.
Check out all of these and more in Billboard‘s roundup of some of the best country, bluegrass and/or Americana songs of the week below.
Ella Langley, “Loving Life Again”
Ella Langley is reigning on the Billboard Hot 100 with “Choosin’ Texas,” but she’s continuing to build on that masterful release with this tender, uplifting song about finding peace and new perspectives amid emotionally turbulent times. Her soft-focus voice is quietly commanding here, backed by the tranquil ambience forged by layers of guitar, mandolin and pedal steel. She sings of letting her mind drift back to peaceful memories of being with her grandmother or riding her favorite horse, weaving those vivid portraits into a languid, beautiful track that showcases the full spectrum of Langley’s musical vision.
Luke Combs Feat. Alison Krauss, “Ever Mine”
Luke Combs joins forces with bluegrass great Alison Krauss on “Ever Mine,” a tale of a soldier’s missive to his family back home. The soldier keeps a photo of his family near him for comfort and prays his own children will “wrap their arms around each other and never around a gun.” Krauss joins Combs on the chorus, her airy vocal serving as a soothing balm over his gritty, aching voice. Washes of fiddle, mandolin, banjo and piano give this a bluegrass-leaning flavor, as the two artists sing a plea for peace and comfort in troubled times.
The Band Loula, “Mother’s Mother”
During National Women’s History Month, The Band Loula pays homage to strong, wise and compassionate women in their families on the acoustic-driven track “Mother’s Mother,” a tough-and-tender tribute to grandmothers. Shimmering guitar and a laid-back rhythm are an undertow as the duo’s Logan Simmons offers a tender and husky vocal, carrying vividly detailed lyrics of aspirations to be more like her grandmother. “I hope my driveway’s just as long, hope my porch light’s always on/ And the phone call’s never done ’til I say ‘I love you, hon,’” she sings. Simmons wrote the song with bandmate Malachi Mills with production from Brothers Osborne’s John Osborne.
Leah Blevins, “Leave Your Baggage At The Door”
Blevins just released her sophomore album All Dressed Up, and her singular, evocative sound is intriguing. On this song from the project, she’s enticing a lover to leave the weight of the past behind and dare to try something new, as she scaffolds her musical message with a ’60s country-tinged sound that’s catchy and makes an excellent showcase for her graceful, rural soprano.
Wyatt Flores, “Runnin’ On E”
Flores previewed this new song last week during Country Radio Seminar. In it, he warns a potential lover that they are wasting their time pursuing him, singing “I’m all sorts of things except the man that you need.” He juxtaposes her want for a steady relationship with his own leanings on various vices, with lines like, “I smoke for the boredom/ And I drink ’cause of shyness.” Those self-aware lyrics are paired with breezy melody and a gently rollicking rhythm, making this feel like a freewheeling summertime favorite.
Leave a comment