When you think about Appalachia, what comes to your mind? Some describe it as poverty-stricken, others describe it as a place of stories and folklore among the serene mountains and the small towns that weave its culture. While Tyler Childers, the singer-songwriter hailing from Lawrence County, KY, mentions the stereotypical images of Appalachia, he repaints those stereotypes through the lens of someone who’s lived it. He makes the listener feel the bonds of friendship, the hard days and hard pasts, the blackened dust of coal mines, the whitened powder of cocaine. Now, some are calling him the 21st century John Prine.
Childers started his music career in Kentucky, working in landscaping for a Lexington mill while playing country music for whoever would listen. His following continuously never stopped growing after his 2017 sophomore album “Purgatory,” where in it, he re-envisioned and retold Appalachia and the folks that call it home, which is the roots of most of his music.
These themes shifted in his 2020 album “Long Violent History,” where he talked about racial injustices and included a video explaining its intentions and much more. However, this time around for “Rustin’ In the Rain,” he aims more towards the likes of Elvis Presley, including romantic ballads, gospel songs, and of course, some rock n’ roll.
"Rustin’ In The Rain" is Tyler Childers' seventh album to date with Hickman Holler Records. The album encompasses seven songs, and clocks in at 28 minutes and one second long.
With that said, here are four tracks to listen to from “Rustin’ In The Rain:”
“Rustin’ In The Rain"
On the opening track of the album, we’re greeted with an upbeat rock n’ roll beat, something that sounds like it belongs on an Elvis Presley album, which makes sense since Tyler Childers came up with this song as if he was going to pitch it to the King himself. A conceit he invented while cleaning his house, a little accidentally high on metal polish fumes, is introduced. Over it, Childers howls a song of his love of working on the farm amongst a lover or someone close. Lyrics “Caked in tenant farmin’ / But I can’t stand for idle hands / Let your love light shine / Don’t hide it ‘neath no bushel, baby Take ‘at wick to task,” easily allow this vision to come to life.
“Phone Calls and Emails”
“Phone Calls and Emails” relays country roots and laments the all-too-common occurrence of the fear of being ghosted by someone he holds dear, possibly the person he mentioned in “Rustin’ In The Rain." In extremely heartfelt vocals, Childers sings “We used to talk daily / You’d call to check in / I’d check in on you, I considered us friends, now I’m second-guessing.”
"In Your Love”
Tyler Childers teams up with friend and writer Silas House on “In Your Love,” which was initially released as a single before the release of the album, but marks the sixth track and features a music video that depicts a queer relationship between two coal miners. However, the track maintains gender-neutral lyricism. Childers found it essential to go this direction because of his cousin, who, according to Childers, is "like my big brother, is gay and (I was) just thinking about him not having a music video on CMT that spoke to him.” But, most importantly, because LGBTQ+ folks are just as much part of the story of Appalachia.
"Luke 2: 8-10”
Much like his previous album, “Can I Take My Hounds to Heaven?,” we have some gospel music on this album, however, with a Christmas-styled twist. If you know the story behind Christmas, which is the celebration of the birth of Jesus, you’ll recognize the quote from chapter two of the Book of Luke, which opens up the track, “And there were in the same country shepherds abidin’ in the field / Keepin’ watch over their flock by night and lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them and the glory of the Lord shone ‘round about them / And they were so afraid, and the angel said unto them / Fear not, for behold I bring tidings of great joy which shall unto all.”
Featuring friend Margo Price playing the angel, the song features a choir that recites the fear of the possibility of the ending of the world.
Ultimately, amongst the seven tracks of “Rustin’ In The Rain,” Childers gives a great ode to the significant and minority stories of Appalachia, ranging from the faith that backs it, the folks that preside in it and the significance of the mule in which he poses with one for the album cover, that indeed would have pleased Elvis himself.
Rating: 5/5
