In the past few months, several songs have come out about predatory cash advance companies — two of which are featured in this week’s column. “Payday Loans” on Rebecca Porter’s album Roll with the Punches and “Tennessee Quick Cash” by Charley Crockett came out more recently on his album A Dollar a Day. Casual Drifter’s music video for “Goin’ for Broke” off his forthcoming album, which was released in late May, features the traveling folk singer fanning himself with cash in front of the namesake of Crockett’s song.

Does this say something about the economy? The way we’re feeling? Who is listening to these songs? Who’s writing them? It’s telling. What it’s telling is a much more complicated story.

Anyway, here are some releases that caught my ear this week.

When the history books close on the inexhaustible Charley Crockett, there will likely be as many questions as answers. His seemingly endless stream of albums tends to deliver good-to-great music every time. And the partnership with Shooter Jennings on this one (and several earlier projects) does nothing but enhance his product. Nothing jumps out at me as the obvious breakout hit, but that doesn’t matter. It’s a solid Crocket album worthy of a listen straight through.

Porter released several songs ahead of this album, and those singles remain the stars of the show. However, the sonic journey of the album as a whole is interesting and well worth a careful and complete listen. She also seems to be plugging into the lived experience of those on the periphery of the country music mainstream in a way that doesn’t hit you over the head, except on “No Evil” where she reminds you, forcefully, that her “existence will not be erased.” I like this album in large part because it’s hard to categorize, while remaining, at its foundations, a country music record.

As she noted in her social media announcement, it’s no surprise that Leigh has created a “Country & Western” album, and this single is the first of what will likely be many great songs supported by her incredible songwriting and musicality and the production of Kevin Skrla, the king of the sideman and studio boards. I look forward to dancing to this one soon.

When I spoke to Hedley for my piece on the '90s revival, he alluded to a Western swing project that would add to his nearly academic study of Countrypolitan music found on Mr. Jukebox and of Neo-Traditional country on Neon Blue. And with Ray Benson, Western Swing icon and very tall person, producing, this is going to be another on the required (and highly enjoyable) listening list from Hedley. Also, those biscuits look good.

Well, if Price has a new album out, it means she has a new biographical song that kicks ass. It’s a testament to her ability to write a song that she can retell this story so successfully every time. While I do like this song, the biographical elements on Midwest Farmers Daughter deliver the greatest punch and are hard to beat. Price’s success — hard-won as it was — colors my listening to this version of her past. It doesn’t mean “Losing Streak” isn’t great, but we’ve heard this story before.

It’s not just about aliens. Unless it is… This is a good song.

Rice and his writing partners really nailed this story. There are elements of this that don’t ring completely true (where they two-stepping in Montana in the 1940s?), but I don’t care. This song fits nicely in Rice’s evolution away from Bro Country into a more mature, robust sound that is still rooted in his pop past.

Complicated love stories and interpersonal relationships bound up in poetic, long-form songwriting supported by pretty music, “Trusth is a Dimension” seems like a jump back into the Josh Ritter of old. And I’m here for it.