There were a few releases this week that struck me as unique, so I want to dedicate a majority of this newsletter to two albums — Kristiana Murray’s near-perfect Little Blue album and Molly Kruse’s Please Lee Ann — and Chloe Kimes’ single “Uh Huh.”

Several months ago, Kimes posted a video with two other musicians teasing this song on Instagram. The intimate, first-person story drips with slightly veiled anger and rings true thanks to a clean and lovely string arrangement. It hit me immediately as a potential game-changer for songwriters writing about being songwriters.

And it is. This song twists every trope into a better, nuanced, lived experience. The official single —out last Friday—transforms a gritty song with sharp corners and audible frustration into a well-produced experience, without losing any of the critical grit. It is born of good songwriting and song construction.

I wrote about Murray’s first single from this album back in February. While a completely different kind of song than “Uh Huh” — “Watchin’ The World Pass Me By” uses a funky, danceable beat with smooth edges and straightforward lyrics, this is another example of a better version of a similar kind of song.

There are countless songs about how unfair the music industry can be to those working so hard within it, or just outside of it. But this one hit differently due to how the simple words mixed with the complex sound paint a picture.

And now with the full album out, it’s clear that the completed painting is far more nuanced than the individual singles. Little Blue is a master class in writing, production and control. The soft, balanced mix and vocals reminiscent of the effortless beauty early Natalie Merchant brought to the 10,000 Maniacs deliver a complete and unique sound on this album. Every aspect of the record’s production feels intentional.

The rest of the songs touch on love, love-lost and deep sadness — tried and true country music themes — but do so differently.

Much like Kruse’s Please Lee Ann. Once again, the writing is flawless, and when coupled with the warm yet solid sound of the production on the record, we get a bigger and more interesting storyline. Hitting on a range of loves — romantic, friendship, parental — and the pain that comes when those loves fail you or need more than you can give, this album takes another view of traditional themes.

The creativity of these projects connects them more than anything else, and it’s what separates these releases from the vast majority of music out of Nashville. Creativity is a risk in a business where tested and safe often win the day. But the risks these artists took elevate the final product.

I’m going to stop paywalling the playlist. I want more folks to listen to these great songs. For my paying friends, I hope you’ll continue with your subscriptions — and I’ll try to find something great for all of you soon.