If Riley Green’s 2024 LP Don’t Mind If I Do was a night of cathartic two-stepping, his 2025 follow-up of acoustic cuts, Midtown Sessions, is a summer weekend swapping stories by the campfire. The collection includes three new versions of Don’t Mind If I Do standouts “Change My Mind,” “Worst Way,” and “Jesus Saves,” plus a Tim McGraw cover (“Cowboy in Me”) and a brand-new song called “Bartender in Destin.” The acoustic framework allows Green to put his voice front and center, and his old-school country delivery recalls outlaws of yore. On the new cut, “Bartender in Destin,” the Alabama-born singer showcases his storytelling chops, sounding like Shakespeare in a cowboy hat as he tells the tale of a drink-slinger falling in love with one of his customers. His take on McGraw’s hit is understated yet brings plenty of nuance to the genre classic, proving that simplicity is one of Green’s best skills.
