The past few months have been rough on everyone (well, not the insanely wealthy) and we’ve all been trying our best to keep our heads above water. No one knows that more than Dylan Martin. His 2020 started a little earlier than most. After moving back to Chicago from North Carolina, his marriage abruptly ended and he was left with just his dog and his thoughts. I can’t think of a better foundation for a country record.

He put his thoughts to music and cut a 4-song EP that runs a scant nine minutes. It’s a very full nine minutes, flooded with emotions and memories of the good times and bad. It’s also heavy with production. Martin layers guitars on top of one another, creating a great effect on “July.” There is only one verse, repeated a couple of times over the music. He calls it a mantra, in tribute to George Harrison. Harrison plays a great role here, delivering the ultimate theme of the EP, though it is never stated directly: “all things must pass.”

Country Time is available on Bandcamp for $5. You might be thinking “Five dollars for an EP that’s only four songs???” To that I would say, “Shut up.” I guarantee you will listen to it more than once, and if you enjoy it like I do, then a lot more. This is a well-made, beautiful piece of art that has been meticulously put together as a form of grief and also a catalyst for a new beginning.