I love the twang. Alt-country artists have always held a special place in my heart—starting back in the day with the BoDeans and The Jayhawks, and more recently with artists like Kacey Musgraves and Waxahatchee. There’s something about the blend of rootsy instrumentation and lyrical melancholy wrapped in a melody that just hits right. Which brings me to Caitlin Rose, an artist who deserves a lot more ears on her music.
Caitlin Rose is a Nashville-based singer-songwriter with a flair for breezy, bittersweet, country-tinged pop. Her songs feel like dusty postcards from the edge of town—personal, catchy, and often laced with a wry sense of humor. She’s released three albums and one EP, each a snapshot of her evolving sound, but always grounded in a classic country ethos with a modern, indie sensibility.
Pitchfork once described her voice as “a striking instrument to carry a hypnotic, achey-breaky, pop-catchy chorus, of which she has bucketloads.” And that’s exactly it—she has this effortless way of marrying heartbreak and hooks, twang and shimmer. Whether she’s leaning more traditional or dipping into indie-pop territory, there’s always an undercurrent of authenticity that makes her music stick.
If you haven’t spent time with her albums Own Side Now, The Stand-In, or her most recent release Cazimi, you’re missing out on a quietly brilliant catalog. It’s the kind of music that feels both timeless and distinctly her own—perfect for slow drives, long afternoons, or whenever you need a dose of emotional clarity with a little pedal steel on the side.
Give Caitlin Rose a spin—you just might fall in love with the twang all over again.
Where to Begin
Only Lies (Album - Cazimi)
Shanghai Cigarettes (Album - Own Side Now)
Dallas (Album - The Stand In)
Totally Random Awesome Song of the Week
California Stars - Billy Bragg & Wilco
Music Quote of the Week
“This will be our reply to violence: to make music more intensely, more beautifully, more devotedly than ever before.” Leonard Bernstein
Stay tuned for more music recs. Hope you find something you love.
Dave
For Paul and Jimmy
Yeah...I tried, didn't work😁
My favorite so far among your fine recommendations