The video premiere of ‘Country Wife’ finds singer-songwriter Annie Stokes living an imagined self-sufficient life in the country. Her smart, wryly amusing lyrics offer a different perspective on that wished-for life and the traditional gender roles it implies. Musically, ‘Country Wife’ is a delightfully rhythmic and tuneful burst of country energy. It bounces along with Austin Bello’s percussion and Will Berger’s bass, providing the foundation for Marty Garfield-Levine’s fast fiddle and Stokes’ catchy, melodic vocal. Stokes delivers her thoughts in a fluent stream and with a voice perfect for upbeat country songs.
Stokes says of the song’s theme: “During the pandemic, I noticed two odd trends gaining popularity: homesteading and self-sufficiency, and traditional gender roles. While I intellectually (sort of) understood why people were coping with uncertainty by clinging to bygone eras, I find forced ideals of femininity to be at odds with daily survival. This song is a tongue-in-cheek nod to the empty allure of trad wives, and a very sincere nod to the lasting allure of wanting to feel happy and secure.”
This is the opening track on Stokes’ brand-new album, “Ghostwriter”, the follow-up to her 2023 EP “Wild Rose”, which featured in season 6 of ‘The Martha Bassett Show’. Stokes’ 2021 album “The One That Gets Away”, written and produced alongside her bandmate and husband Will Berger, won the 2022 WAMMIE (Washington Area Music Award) for Best Country/Americana Album. Writing that debut coincided with new motherhood and pandemic lockdowns. Amidst these challenges, the couple managed to put out a critically acclaimed album. She says: “When you have a child, you have to squeeze an hour out of 20 minutes, and when the world is locked down, you have to pause. So we just cracked open some moments.” Enjoy this infectious tune and then check out the new album.
