I fear we’re living in the strangest of times /

Where no matter where you stand /

You’re always on opposing sides /

John Baumann seems to sum up 2020 with those lines from “The Country Doesn't Sound the Same,” the opening track of his latest record Country Shade. With the COVID-19 pandemic bringing live music to a sudden halt, the usual cycle of touring to promote a new release has kept Baumann off the road and you may have missed out on this record when it came out in June. It deserves a closer look.