While Tyler Childers’ newest album, “Rustin’ In The Rain,” may not be his most experimental project to date, it showcases his consistency as an artist and distinct ability to speak on themes of love, family and Appalachian life in an authentic country fashion.
With country music having a clear shining moment in the forefront of the music industry right now, Childers was able to pander to some of these wider and more recently developed audiences while reviving a traditional country sound and maintaining his own unique identity of writing and singing. The album explores farm life, romance, religion and family and pays homage to his Kentucky roots while exploring numerous eras of country sounds and iterations.
“In Your Love,” a soft love ballad that was released as a single earlier this year, is a culturally notable part of this album, especially after the controversy that its music video stirred up. The song gained popularity in its own right, peaking at #7 on the Billboard Hot 100 charts, but continued to garner attention after Childers released an accompanying music video depicting romance between two men.
Because the country music industry is typically regarded as a somewhat conservative community, and sometimes still operates as such, this release was a hot topic amongst country fans. There was a significant amount of negative feedback from fans and critics of a more old-fashioned background, but many fans rejoiced in the single, ushering in a wave of progressiveness and inclusion in country music.
His show of support towards the LGBTQ+ community becomes even more poignant and authentic in that it appears on an album that also explores the artist’s spiritual journey as a Christian. Although the song “Luke 2:8-10” isn’t an overly preachy or religiously profound song, it still adds to the religious experiences that Childers has recently started documenting more in his music. Christian and LGBTQ+ perspectives are often thought to be in contention with one another, especially in southern and Appalachian regions, but Childers’ refusal to conform to any sort of cultural bias or precedent is highlighted in the celebration of both communities.
A notable and repeated subject throughout Childers’ discography that receives special recognition in this project is his upbringing in Kentucky, surrounded by blue-collar and agricultural influences. He uses mules as a symbol for the album, featuring one on the cover art, dedicating an entire song to the animal, and using it as a symbol for a hardworking and dedicated individual in “In Your Love.” “Percheron Mules” is a direct nod to the experience of growing up in a rural farm community and the understanding of nature’s hierarchies that come along with the lifestyle.
Childers’ versatility goes beyond just thematic diversity, as the album varies sonically and explores several distinct sounds. The album begins with an upbeat and energetic title track and ends with a thoughtful and slow rendition of S.G. Goodman’s “Space and Time,” with varying tempos and moods in between. The album doesn’t conform to just one variation of country music either; it’s not just bluegrass, folk or indie, but rather a unique composition of influences that separates Childers from most artists.
“Rustin’ in the Rain” makes room for a wide variety of country fans, both musically and ideologically, which is an especially impressive feat for an album of just seven songs. It debuted in the top five albums on the iTunes charts across all genres, highlighting how big of an impact country music is currently having on the music industry.
