Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Country Universe @countryuniverse.net · 2h

If you aren't already a supporter of DRtI, surely the contrast between their essential and informed work and that dumbfuck Johnny Cash piece in the WSJ should push you in the right direction.

As ever, Natalie and Marissa are among the very best of the very best.

Natalie Weiner @natalieweiner.bsky.social · 2h

new picks out! a reminder that unlike...a lot of newsletters, we offer free content weekly. as a result, i think we have fewer paid subs - but it's important to both of us that our work can be read. could certainly use your support though! www.dontrocktheinbox.com/put-a-record...

Put A Record On: Upbeat Songs for Downbeat Times

Welcome back to Don’t Rock the Inbox. Here’s this week’s music recommendation post and playlist, which are for paying subscribers only. If you’re interested in paid content but not able to afford it, ...

www.dontrocktheinbox.com

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Reposted by Country Universe

Rainbow Rodeo Magazine @rainbowrodeo.bsky.social · 19h

Contributor @joshfrmusic.bsky.social dissects the myth of authenticity in country music -- and takes us through a literature review of scholars and journalists hard at work to dispel it.

rainbowrodeomag.com/...

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Country Universe @countryuniverse.net · 18h

Ayo @beedelores.bsky.social to thread...

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Country Universe @countryuniverse.net · 19h

So many cultural critics and journalists have lost their jobs this year, while the Wall Street Journal apparently paid The Most Oblivious Human Alive to write whatever ragebait fuckery this is.

bendwalsh.bsky.social @bendwalsh.bsky.social · 22h

wtaf are you talking about

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Country Universe @countryuniverse.net · 21h

Have already highlighted that Lainey Wilson has performed for Saudi blood money via the LIV Golf Tour, but noting here that Posty is the only country(-adjacent) act on this particular bill.

Stereogum @stereogum.bsky.social · 22h

The controversial Riyadh Comedy Fest ended today, to be followed in December by the Saudi capital's music festival Soundstorm with Post Malone, Halsey, Benson Boone, and more

Post Malone, Halsey, Benson Boone, & More Playing Controversial Riyadh Music Festival Soundstorm

The comedy world has been in an uproar over the Riyadh Comedy Festival, which ended today after two weeks of performances in Saudi Arabia’s capital. Extremely popular comics including Kevin Hart, Dave...

www.stereogum.com

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Country Universe @countryuniverse.net · 22h

Walker has long deserved a tribute of this caliber, and credit to DeLisle for her genre savvy and steady hand in making this go. And this murderer's row of women (Rosie Flores! Kelly Willis! Kimmi Bitter! Amythyst Kiah!) highlights both the depth and breadth of Walker's multi-generation influence.

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Country Universe @countryuniverse.net · 22h

Various, ... Cindy Walker (****1/2): Tributes can be a mixed bag, but exec producer and curator Grey DeLisle, hot on the heels of her own banger of a solo record, only enlisted artists who would 100% understand this exact assignment. The covers here are to-a-one inspired performances, arrangements.

Album cover for "It's All Her Fault: A Tribute to Cindy Walker," curated and executive produced by Grey DeLisle.

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Country Universe @countryuniverse.net · 2d

I know the lists have been a huge driver of traffic for Slant for a long time now. For the blog, it's actually our historical content and the aggregate weekly posts of the album reviews from "on here" that have been driving traffic for the last two years.

Gotta keep the lights on!

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Country Universe @countryuniverse.net · 2d

The deficiencies of Showgirl actually bring the strengths of Reputation into even sharper relief: www.slantmagazine.com/features/eve...

Every Taylor Swift Album Ranked

From her self-titled debut to 'The Life of a Showgirl,' we ranked every Taylor Swift studio album.

www.slantmagazine.com

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Country Universe @countryuniverse.net · 2d

Love this perspective, honestly, and agree that "lists" as a shorthand for "canon" function as criticism these days. That's a really great observation I haven't seen articulated in that way before.

(And I say that as someone about to cross-post an updated ranked list of a certain catalog).

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Country Universe @countryuniverse.net · 2d

Good morning to everyone discovering the utter chaos of Dolly Parton's Sisters' Social Media.

Y'all think Frieda was being alarmist?

Spend *10 minutes* on Stella's Xitter.

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Reposted by Country Universe

Slant @slantmagazine.com · 4d

what’s most surprising about 'The Life of a Showgirl' is the extent to which it’s off-putting both as a pop album and as a Taylor Swift album.

Taylor Swift ‘The Life of a Showgirl’ Review: The Artifice of Authenticity

The album finds Swift making a purposeful shift in her persona.

www.slantmagazine.com

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Country Universe @countryuniverse.net · 3d

Yep. I even put that in the alt text. 😬

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Country Universe @countryuniverse.net · 3d

I didn't think I could be a bigger fan of Kelsey Waldon's, and then I read the three words, "Probably John Rich."

Marissa R. Moss @marissarmoss.bsky.social · 3d

asked Kelsey Waldon to answer our DRTI questionnaire and she did not dissapoint!

Kelsey Waldon Answers the DRTI Proust-ish Questionnaire

For as long as I have been living in Nashville, Kelsey Waldon has been making her own kind of country music. I remember the first time I heard that voice, the voice John Prine said he’d listen to sing...

www.dontrocktheinbox.com

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Country Universe @countryuniverse.net · 3d

To quote Kathleen Edwards herself:

You've got to be fucking kidding me.

Over on Xitter, Kathleen Edwards retweets The Free Press' video of Bari Weiss' announcement of TFP joining Paramount.

Edwards writes that she has, "enjoyed so many interviews by Bari Weiss over the years. Congratulations to you and your team," and apparently all of the people raising an eyebrow at the song "Need a Ride" on Edwards' latest album were correct, after all.

Because yikes.

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Country Universe @countryuniverse.net · 3d

100%.

It is big Feast On Scraps energy.

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Reposted by Country Universe

Tim Carmichael @timcintn.bsky.social · 4d

What do you think is happening in Appalachia with the rise of Christian Nationalism?

appalachianmemories.org/2025/10/06/g... #christiannationalism #appalachia #appalachianmountains #church #God #love #politics #booksky #books #book #author #reading #read #viral

God’s Country or Man’s Cage? Inside the Silent Rise of Christian Nationalism in Rural Appalachia

Drive through the small towns of eastern Kentucky, southern West Virginia or any part of Appalachia and the first thing that stands out is not the poverty or the abandoned factories. It is the chur…

appalachianmemories.org

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Country Universe @countryuniverse.net · 3d

We would be far better off running a goddamn hologram of the late Gatewood Galbraith than doing this again with McGrath, and the Not From Here folks in the replies do not get that and are not listening.

Politico @politico.com · 4d

Amy McGrath has announced a second bid for Mitch McConnell’s Senate seat.

McGrath announces second bid for McConnell’s Senate seat

The retired fighter pilot said she is “battle-tested and ready to fight.”

www.politico.com

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Country Universe @countryuniverse.net · 3d

My local councilwoman, fully understanding the assignment re: McGrath.

Councilwoman Emma Curtis @emmacurtis.bsky.social · 3d

No.

Politico @politico.com · 4d

Amy McGrath has announced a second bid for Mitch McConnell’s Senate seat.

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Country Universe @countryuniverse.net · 3d

An essential, timely read by our pal @rachelcholst.bsky.social for the venerable No Depression:

No Depression - Roots Music Journalism @nodepression.bsky.social · 3d

Under proposed policies from President Trump’s administration, the term “outlaw” country could become literal for queer country artists.

nodepression.org/queer-countr...

✍️: Rachel Cholst
📷 : Jessye DeSilva, photographed by Laura Schneider

QUEER COUNTRY: Will You Let Queer Country Be Outlawed?

“Outlaw country” often evokes a certain rough-and-tumble (cis white) dude — The kind of person who doesn’t take any shit and isn’t interested in conforming to Music Row’s ideals of what it means to…

nodepression.org

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Country Universe @countryuniverse.net · 4d

Looks like he's only released that teaser thus far.

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Country Universe @countryuniverse.net · 4d

I was really hoping it was just some online rando projecting, but then it actually happened...

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Country Universe @countryuniverse.net · 4d

Nope. He's shown himself to be far too feckless when challenged.

But, given the size and generational skew of his audience, I do think this is still *significant*. Heroic? Nah, I'm not holding my breath on his behalf.

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Country Universe @countryuniverse.net · 4d

I remain a skeptic, but I will say it's significant for Zach Bryan, specifically, to drop a lyric that includes both ACAB and anti-ICE sentiment: www.youtube.com/watch?v=HE52...

Zach Bryan - Bad News [Unreleased]

YouTube video by Zach Bryan Archive

www.youtube.com

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Country Universe @countryuniverse.net · 4d

I do, too, but it's hard to know how the Swifties will take anything less than a rave.

And people are being very, very weird in some of the negative reviews.

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