First Country is a compilation of the best new country songs, videos and albums that dropped this week. For a format that often goes out of its way to avoid political issues, a few of this week’s songs pull no punches when it comes to a stark look at America, including new songs from Eric Church and Old Crow Medicine Show. Eric Church, “Stick That In Your Country Song” Church never plays by the rules or stands on formality, but he takes it to new levels on this defiant track that looks at an America that is broken, despite the every day heroes doing herculean work.
Singing counterpoint to a heavy acoustic guitar riff, he sings “Take me on up to Detroit City/the jails are full/the factories empty…Drop me off in Baltimore where every other