Single Serving: Chris Housman — Blueneck (Review)
I have to give a big shout out to Country Queer’s twitter for turning me onto Chris Housman’s latest single. Their page highlights music by LGBTQ+ artists in Country, Americana, and Folk. I saw the interview with Housman about “Blueneck” and had to hear what it was all about. He’s gotten some traction on TikTok as an early demo of the track garnered him attention on the app. The release of the track and it’s popularity on TikTok have granted Chris a spot on Good Morning America and a number 1 on the iTunes country charts. Chris hales from a small town in Kansas that he describes as “as conservative as you can get”. The autobiographical song was released independently by Housman April 2021. Thanks to Country Queer’s interview for giving me the background on him. For the full interview they provided, check out the link: https://countryqueer.com/stories/interview/chris-housman-wants-to-be-the-next-gay-country-star/ .
“Blueneck” is a pure pop-country song through and through. The guitars and production would fit on any country radio station right now. I do have to say, I am not the biggest fan of the addition of snaps that feel like that have invaded almost every country artists music as of late. I have read that Kacey Musgrave was a big influence on him and I hear it lyrically on this track. It is reminiscent of “Follow Your Arrow” off of Kacey’s debut album. Vocally, he reminds of country version of Jay Brannan. There’s a softness to his voice that reminds of him. The cover of the single, with its sea of red tinged vegetation surrounding Chris dressed in blue personifies the entirety of the song. The song is a bit refreshing with its political honesty and calls for equality. It’s very rare you get a chorus in pop-country tracks like: “There’s a lot more color in the mix/ When you’re loud and proud out in the sticks/ I am what I am, you get what you get/ Yeah, I guess I’m a red state Blueneck”. Seeing more and more LGBTQ+ artists get the spotlight they deserve in the genre is a wonderful think to see. Other lines like, “Can a country kid wanna see the glass ceiling shatter?/ Wanna see a world where Black Lives Matter/ Liberty and Justice for just some of us/ Ain’t how the heartland brought me up”, are definitely something you wouldn’t hear on conservative country stations here in Nashville.
I have to say, pop-country isn’t really my thing. I do, however, like seeing Chris’s take on the genre. I have listened to some of his other work, like his first single “Long Story Long”, and I think he has a bright future ahead of him. He is working on releasing a full EP later this year. I will be very interested in hearing what this will have to offer. As a gay man from a very red state, I’m on a blue island in a roaring sea of red, I do agree with the sentiments he has in his song. I do recommend going over to his Twitter and Youtube to check out some of this other works.
My overall rating: 5 out of 10 George Gays … not Straight.
