You don’t need to listen to India Ramey’s “We Ride at Dawn” to have some idea of what it’s about. But when you do, you’re in for a real guns a-blazing manifesto about calling truth to power and setting the patriarchy on fire. “They helped themselves to our gold and our bodies,” Ramey sings, “Took the children / Killed the men and the old / Some of us women also fell but through those of us left / We’ll see those bandits in Hell.” It’s spit in the faces of cis straight old white men currently sitting upon political thrones across the U.S. This raw, visceral and highly volatile fuel propels the singer-songwriter’s latest album Villain Era, spinning like a fireball through the universe.
Ramey invites you down to the local honky-tonk for some dusty, boot-scootin’ country and Western music — the kind of that Hank Williams, Loretta Lynn, Merle Haggard and Pasty Cline would be proud of. But what gets you stay are for the earth-scorching lyrics and emotionally galvanized vocals, the likes of which you don’t find often in contemporary mainstream country or even country-adjacent alternatives. Ramey’s 10 tracks feel lived-in, urgent and wonderfully dangerous.
While she recovers from being a well-meaning people pleaser in the title cut, she works through depression in the wake of trauma in “Nobody’s Coming.” “Dead to Me” — which feels like a smoky Patty Loveless B-side and includes the zinger “You put nails in the coffin / I’m drivin’ screws” — “Cult Money” and “Ghost Town” also do a remarkable job of cementing India Ramey’s Villain Era as one of the year’s best records, full-stop. It’s not overly polished but the sonic fidelity is strong, and it shows a respect for the country and rock of past while boldly pushing ahead; every other Americana artist ought to sit up and take notice. Villain Era, helmed by esteemed producer Eric Corne (Lucinda Williams, Nancy Wilson of Heart, Jaime Wyatt), has “timeless classic” written all over it.
You’ve got a couple chances to catch Ramey today, May 8 — she’ll perform and sign albums at Vinyl Tap at noon and play again tonight at 7 p.m. at The Nashville Palace. Grab a copy of Villain Era at your favorite record store or via Bandcamp, and find it on your favorite streaming service, and keep up with Ramey via Instagram and her website.
