I’ve always taken pride in my diverse taste in music. From rich and layered classics of The Beatles and The Doors to the weird and perplexing like Failure and Liars. From the sensual allure of Julie London to the blasphemous malevolence of Exodus, my record collection is a melting pot of standards and handcrafted mixtapes. I mean, you could look at my favorite records of the previous year and see I can walk the walk.
But can I honestly say that? Where are the country albums? Is it possible to even brag about loving a broad spectrum of styles when I rarely give that particular genre a chance? I had to confront this question when I listened to new-traditional artist Sterling Drake and his sophomore release, Highway 200.
Raised on a ranch and growing up doing actual ranch work, Sterling Drake has first-hand experience with the proverbial cowboy lifestyle.
Highway 200 is a small collection of songs featuring originals, a staple, and a cover that paints quite a different picture than what both Hollywood and Nashville would lead you to believe. Sure, there’s the expected heartbreak and honky tonkin’, but every single note of this release sounds lived in. Building fences, herding cattle, and having a tear in one’s beer aren’t exactly as romantic as you might think. If Drake’s young but weathered voice is any indication, love, loss, and manual labor are a roadmap of hard work and perseverance.
Even on the upbeat numbers of Highway 200, Drake is all-knowing and wise beyond his years as both a person and a performer. His cadence reveals the problem with most contemporary country music: a lack of nuance, experience, and honesty.
To understand the country music conundrum, we must examine the evolution of the genre Sterling Drake explores.
Historically, country music descends from Appalachian folk music. Much like the blues, ‘mountain people’ would write songs chronicling their trials and tribulations to the backdrop of simplified versions of ballads of Great Britain, Ireland, or wherever their families may have migrated from. As America evolved and radio became popular, so did the music from rural artists.
When blues gave way to rock n’ roll, the newly christened country-western music became more polished and swing influenced. Soon, performers in this genre were encouraged to model their music on the cowboy heroes seen on movie screens across the country. Culture became pop culture.
By the time the 1980s rolled around, country music had become an empty shell of its roots. Another nail in the coffin came when Garth Brooks single-handedly turned the genre into new pop in the ’90s. And the less I talk about the death blow delivered by Taylor Swift in the late 2000s, the better. Country music currently wanders aimlessly seeking relevance in the wider music industry where genre means nothing.
The most tragic element of this story is the loss of honest transparency in a genre defined by it.
Not unlike genres such as rock, metal, or hip-hop, the real artists of country music can’t be found on charts. Artists like Tennessee Jet and Chelsea Lovitt (to name a few) have done well carrying the proverbial torch. In fact, Soul Step Records has devoted an entire line of releases celebrating the heart and soul of Appalachian music.
Naturally, it seems like a no-brainer to have Sterling Drake’s Highway 200 as its most recent release. That’s not to say the album is archaic or uses cheap throwback gimmicks. Despite the lyrical content being simple and relatable, Sterling Drake is anything but a nostalgia artist.
The production on Highway 200 is clear and consistent like any modern country release. But it’s within the delivery where Drake excels. I believe every line he sings because he believes it. This lack of passion pushes me away from today’s biggest acts in the genre. When I hear an artist like Morgan Wallen or Blake Shelton sing about falling in love or losing love, it’s essentially cosplay. However, Drake is driven by legitimate conviction.
If you have little interest in country music, there’s a good chance you’ve been turned off by the mainstream variety. That’s a fair assessment, and it’s easy to see similar scenarios in every genre. But there’s good news: Sterling Drake is taking the genre from Morgan Wallen and Blake Shelton and giving it back to the people who invented it. The same people who can relate to heartache and hard work.
At the risk of sounding overly sentimental, Sterling Drake has given me a different perspective on what country music can and should be. Country music is America’s music, and I think Drake is a brand new ambassador.
Highway 200 is available now from Soul Step Records.