ALBUM REVIEW: 'Good Years' - The Shires

If there was ever just one word to describe The Shires then it would surely be dependable.

After three studio albums and many, many shows, I have always found the duo, comprised of Ben Earle and Crissie Rhodes, to be consistent, reliably producing solid albums and putting on enjoyable performances. Good Years, their fourth release, does not break this trend.

The album opens with ‘Lightning Strikes’, a co-write with Cam. A foot-stomper, it’s memorable, fun, the sort of energy The Shires are known for. The lyrics will be painfully relatable for some as they delve into the question of if a love would’ve worked out in a different time.

Crissie shines in the following ‘On The Day I Die’, whilst Ben then takes the lead on ‘Good Years’. As always, the two strike a perfect balance of who sings what and, again, as always, their harmonies are always perfect, their chemistry as performers hitting new heights with each release. 

‘Independence Day’, which was released as a single prior to release, is a pleasant surprise. It’s much more ‘poppier’ than some of the other tracks on here but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. It’s catchy with the roaring ‘ohs’ that you just know audiences will lap up on the duo’s upcoming, and future, tours. 

Prior to hearing the full album, ‘About Last Night’ was my favorite and I had even went as far to say it ranked up there as one of my favorite Shires tracks. However, ‘Only Always’ manages to eclipse it. It’s stripped back, their vocals shine and the lyrics are profound - it’s absolutely beautiful.

All in all? Another fantastic release from Ben and Crissie. Go get it.

Billboard Premieres HAYDEN HADDOCK'S Video For Single 'RED DIRT TEXAS'

Trailblazing Country artist Hayden Haddock releases the music video for his single, 'Red Dirt Texas', exclusively with Billboard.

Directed by The Playlist Films and set in Mason, TX, 'the video offers a vivid landscape of the state as it shows Haddock singing on a dirt road while local farmers go about their day (Billboard)' - WATCH HERE.

Currently celebrating Spotify editorial playlist placement and 75K streams with 'Red Dirt Texas,' the lead-off, title track from Haddock's sophomore record is in the Top 50 on Texas Country music charts and climbing. Haddock recently opened for Kevin Fowler, who happens to be one of the writers of 'Red Dirt Texas,' in Navasota, TX, and the two performed alongside each other during Fowler's hit song, 'Beer, Bait and Ammo.'

Produced by chart-topping songwriter and hit producer, Trent Willmon (Cody Johnson, Eric Church, Randy Houser), Haddock's Sophomore album Red Dirt Texas was released on January 31st and features 10 tracks packed full of co-writes with hit songwriters including David Lee Murphy, Terry McBride, Kevin Fowler, Tommy Karlas (Randy Travis, Blake Shelton, Montgomery Gentry), John Pierce (Zac Brown Band, Chris Young), Jim Collins (Kenny Chesney, Jason Aldean) and more. The album hit the Top 40 on the iTunes Country Album Chart upon its release.

With more than 100 tour dates per year, Haddock’s diligent nature mixed with his traditional, authentic style of country music has quickly solidified his spot as a staple in the Texas Country scene. After releasing his debut album First Rodeo in late 2018, Haddock’s lead-off single 'She Don’t Know It Yet' quickly climbed the Texas country charts while his sophomore radio single 'Everywhere I Need To Be' peaked in the Top 35; an impressive feat for the young talent. Not only did the record perform well at country radio, but it has also amassed more than 800K streams on Spotify while being featured on more than 2.5K playlists. Having shared the stage with Whiskey Myers, Casey Donahew, Cory Morrow, Eli Young Band, Kevin Fowler, Roger Creager, Kyle Park and more, Haddock performs every weekend in Texas and surrounding states and recently announced an endorsement deal with Rebecca Creek Whiskey.

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For more information, visit haydenhaddock.com.