There aren’t too many country singers that wax-poetic about the larger than life figures of our world. It seems like the cultural focus of the genre has shifted toward different stories with different motifs. Yet artists like Rodes Rollins are trying to change that with songs like "Mystery Man." Appearing like a country-pop mirage on the horizon, Rollins’ vocals are watery and obscure, detailing a man in a "forsaken land" that cannot be shot dead. The track is less about a character’s arc and more about this legendary figure’s reputation, and it plays out over haunting instrumentals that border on psychedelic with twangy guitars that become surprisingly soothing. With its soft sonic palette, "Mystery Man" could fool listeners into thinking it’s a lullaby, but there’s a sense of unease and tension in the air, like a standoff between two gunslingers is imminent. – Tucker Pennington
