The 1-to-10 Country Music Review

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2011-09-13T11:48:00.002-05:00

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Album Review: George Strait - Here for a Good Time

2011-09-05T20:16:00.006-05:00

Having been a successful country hitmaker for three decades, George Strait has at times been known to toe the line between consistency and repetition. That said, it's heartening to see that his 39th studio album finds him making new artistic strides, and delivering some of his strongest and most interesting work to date.

Kickoff track "Love's Gonna Make It" isn't exactly anything earth-shattering, but the catchy tune serves as a pleasant introduction to a very strong album. Though he had a former tendency to fill up his albums with cuts by established Nashville songwriters, Here for a Good Time includes a large portion of self-written material, with Strait and son Bubba claiming writing credits on seven of the album's eleven tracks. Strait also co-produces the album with longtime producer Tony Brown. As it turns out, putting his own pen to paper pays off, as it brings about an album characterized by a mature perspective.

The album deals with many oft-covered country music themes, but offers a take that is fresh and original, with "Drinkin' Man" being a foremost example. "Drinkin' Man" presents a sympathetic first-person portrayal of a man who grapples with alcoholism from his teen years onward, often dealing with the thoughtless remarks of those who underestimate the seriousness of his problem. The song emphasizes the struggle between willpower and weakness, summed up in the insightful hook "That's a hell of a lot to ask of a drinkin' man."

"Shame On Me" falters slightly by leaning a little too heavily on a hackneyed expression (similar to "The Breath You Take"), with the song's central phrase being "Fool me once, shame on you.... Fool me twice, shame on me." However, the song earns points for affording a level of self-realization to its narrative character as it applies the common expression to a marital relationship plagued by repeated infidelity.

Naive visions and dreams collide with cold hard reality in the Jesse Winchester composition "A Showman's Life." The stark portrayal of the ups and downs of show business ranks as one of the best lyrics on the album, as well as one of Strait's finest vocal turns, with Faith Hill's beautiful smoky background vocal elevating the track further.

"A Showman's Life" exemplifies the reflective tone that runs throughout the album, making it a work of notable cohesion. These are the songs of a man who's lived life, and learned some hard lessons firsthand. Thus, he invests a lived-in authenticity in his performances. Album highligh "Poison" finds the narrator looking back with regret on bad choices made in life, and reflecting on the ongoing consequences. The sparse acoustic and steel-driven arrangement adds to the song's punch. Then the clever and catchy title track steps in as a pleasant mood-breaker, in which Strait reflects on the shortness of life, and resolves to enjoy it while it lasts. The album closes on a high note with "I'll Always Remember," which finds the legend looking back fondly on thirty years in the music business, and reflecting appreciatively on the support of his loyal fans.

It's when George Strait draws on his experience and expanded perspective that he shines the brightest. That personal hands-on approach is a large part of a what makes Here for a Good Time one of his most substantially enjoyable and rewarding efforts.

GEORGE'S SCORE: 8

(Scores are given on a scale of 1 to 10)

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Lady Antebellum, "We Owned the Night"

2011-09-04T16:26:00.004-05:00

Lady Antebellum's recent hit "Just a Kiss" benefited from a memorable hook that helped to cover up the fact that, at its heart, it was nothing more than a crossover-friendly piece of pop-country radio fodder like any other. Follow-up single "We Owned the Night," from the group's upcoming third album Own the Night, sounds like little more than a charming mandolin line searching in vain for a great song to call home, and it's not long before even that characteristic is overwhelmed by slick rock guitars.

"We Owned the Night" has hardly any hook to speak of, and it doesn't even have a chorus. A song with a better-developed storyline might be able to function with such components, but in this case, such omissions take away any semblance of song structure. That leaves us with a song that aimlessly plods around in circles, offering little reward for the listener who sits through all of it. In listening to this song, it's amazing to note how quickly it lets the listener's mind wander away from it.

Without a doubt, such lazy construction stems from the fact that the song's sole purpose of existence is to carry Lady Antebellum's career from one radio hit to the next. It will be forgotten in a short time, but by then they'll have another hit on the charts to take its place. This song is not built to last. Unfortunately, it doesn't quite work as a temporary diversion either. "We Owned the Night" is an effort too carefully calculated and obviously hit-focused to be genuinely entertaining.

LADY A'S SCORE: 4

(Scores are given on a scale of 1 to 10)

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Scotty McCreery, "The Trouble with Girls"

2011-08-30T21:17:00.005-05:00

Songwriters: Philip White, Chris Tompkins

Though Scotty McCreery has often been cited as a Josh Turner soundalike, his new single "The Trouble with Girls," sounds like it owes more to Rodney Atkins. No, that is not a compliment. "The Trouble with Girls recalls Rodney Atkins at his weakest. (Think "Chasin' Girls")

Scotty possesses a genuinely strong singing voice. But, oh Lord, they keep giving him the lamest songs ever. It was already going to take me a long time to forgive him for the grammatically-awkward snoozefest of "I Love You This Big" (which I hated... THIS big). But sadly, "The Trouble with Girls" finds Scotty once again attempting to sell a set of lyrics that are - for lack of a better description - barftastic.

It seems ironic to criticize a song by a 17-year-old artist for being in some way "immature," but this is just so juvenile that it's nauseating. It's three and a half minutes of "Aw shucks" country boy bunkum ranging from "Spent my whole life tryin' to figure out just what them girls is all about" to ruminations on how said girls are just "so dang pretty." Once again, I can't get over the suspicion that a pocket rhyming dictionary played an integral part in the songwriting process. Two verses in, the song erupts into a dynamic string-laden power ballad. Now it just sounds like it's trying to appear more meaningful and groundbreaking than it actually is, as if to cover up the fact that it says absolutely nothing of consequence. Thus, the song is unsalvagably drowned in syrup.

When I saw Scotty on American Idol, I was this close to becoming a fan. I honestly thought this kid was going to be good. But I'm beyond disappointed with the material the label's been giving him. I can't stay on board if he's just going to be a vehicle for endless saccharrinity to be foisted upon us.

SCOTTY'S SCORE: 3

(Scores are given on a scale of 1 to 10)

Chris Young, "You"

2011-08-30T08:08:00.006-05:00

Songwriters: Chris Young, Luke Laird

He set expectations high with the beautifully-sung "Tomorrow," but the new Chris Young Single is a mixed bag. With this release, Chris attempts to tap into the vein of the sultry country-soul that is James Otto's specialty.

"You" is definitely a sonically palatable offering, with a strong lead vocal and an enjoyable arrangement that mixes steel guitar with trills of dobro. But there's something missing: A hook. The song could have benefited from a much more clever central phrase than "I've never had anything that makes me feel like I do about you," which gives the song its equally forgettable one-word title.

A great hook is an important characteristic, especially if the song itself is essentially fluff. There's nothing wrong with a good fluff song, but every good fluff song needs some defining characteristics to pin an identity on, which "You" simply doesn't have. It's two mintues and forty-six seconds of a handsome deep-voiced guy singing to you, with some nice-sounding instrumental back-up. But beyond that, the song leaves little lasting impression.

Is it a total trainwreck? No. But the way it is, "You" is a middling cut that sounds more like pleasant album filler than a strong single for radio.

CHRIS'S SCORE: 5
(Scores are given on a scale of 1 to 10)

HEAR IT

Joey + Rory, "Headache"

2011-08-27T19:13:00.006-05:00

Songwriters: Rory Lee Feek, Joey Martin Feek, Wynn Varble

Uh-oh. Joey feels a headache comin' on.

There you have the central hook for the new Joey + Rory single from their upcoming new album. Long story short: Husband wants to go fishing with his buddies on the weekend that he promised to stay home with his family (which would entail tending to a rather lengthly "honey-do" list), and his wife is backhandedly attempting to talk him out of it.

Lines like "I hope you have more luck fishing than you do when you get home" could come across as overly bitter and threatening if given the wrong vocal treatment. But when Joey delivers the goofy tongue-in-cheek verses, you can almost hear the sly grin on her face as she's singing. Of course, it doesn't hurt either that the boot-stomping rhythm and cheeky steel guitar hook is extremely catchy.

So, it's another fun and charming single from country music's most effortlessly likeable husband-and-wife duo. Curiously, radio still hasn't bitten on them yet, but any lack of airplay will be compensated by endless rotation on my iPod.

JOEY + RORY'S SCORE: 8
(Scores are given on a scale of 1 to 10)

Album Review: Deborah Allen - Hear Me Now

2011-08-24T10:37:00.004-05:00

Singer-songwriter Deborah Allen enjoyed a run of country hits in the early eighties, some of which achieved modest pop crossover success, with her best-known hit being "Baby I Lied." But she's also made a name for herself in songwriting, achieving cuts by a wide range of artists from Brooks & Dunn to Patty Loveless to Fleetwood Mac.

Though some of her early eighties hits have somewhat dated arrangements that haven't always aged well, her new album Hear Me Now is a fun, entertaining mash-up of genre styles - Approximately 60% country, 20% pop and rock, 20% gospel, and 100% Deborah Allen. Though electric, acoustic, and steel guitars, as well as fiddle and organ all make an appearance, the most unique and interesting instrument of all is Deborah's voice - raw, gritty, powerful, and so expressive.

Highlights include the just-found-true-love celebration "Hands On," which combines an unshakably joyous melody and performance with a subtle layer of sexiness. She travels similar lyrical territory with the following two tracks, but offers different musical variations. It goes from the light airy pop-country sound of "Hands On" to the soft bluesy vibe of "All Because of You," while "Never Gonna Run Out of Love" sounds like one big funky groovy jam session.

Just as the album is threatening to get a little too happy, Deborah takes a different direction with the sad acoustic ballad "Last Time for Everything." She gives a performance that is unpolished and imperfect, but that nails the most important aspect of a great country song - emotional sincerity. Also enjoyable is "Amazing Graceland," an effective tribute to the legendary Elvis Presley, inspired by Deborah's own visit to his hallowed mansion. She gives a nuanced performance with some interesting vocal flourishes, which further elevates the track.

The rocked-up ditty "It Better Be Big" stands out as a bit of an oddity on the album, offering a musical take on the "Big girls need big diamonds" philosophy which may connect more with female listeners than males. Either way, Deborah's rapid-fire delivery is enjoyable, and the song also earns a point or two for creativity in rhyming "Lexus" with "a Rolex the size of Texas." Lead single "Anything Other Than Love," written in response to her stepdaughter's remark that she writes too many love songs, finds an emotionally-bruised narrator who has sworn off love, only to become perturbed when she finds those feelings of infatuation welling up inside of her once again. The danceable two-step style fits the witty lyrics like a glove.

With organic musical arrangements and consistently showstopping vocal performances, Hear Me Now is a fun and engaging listen that is most definitely worth hearing.

DEBORAH'S SCORE: 8
(Scores are given on a scale of 1 to 10)

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Steel Magnolia, "Bulletproof"

2011-08-21T07:00:00.002-05:00

Songwriters: Lori McKenna, Chris Tompkins

The #4-charting 2009 single "Keep On Lovin' You" so far remains the lone Top 20 chart entry for Can You Duet winners Joshua Scott Jones and Meaghan Linsey. What they need now is an aggressive single that will get them firmly entrenched in radio playlists. However, their new single "Bulletproof" doesn't appear to have much potential to be that song.

This is not a cover of the LaRoux pop hit of the same title. Rather, "Bulletproof" is a song about a woman who is totally over her ex-boyfriend, and is now roaming about enjoying her newfound single freedom, not worried about anything because she's... well... "Bulletproof."

While there is some palpable vindictiveness in lines like "This could never shatter me/ Don't smother me with sympathy/ What makes you think I'm not over you?" the problem is that there's a lack of focus among the lyric as a whole, and it hardly scratches below surface level - disappointing, considering the song was written by such talented tunesmiths as Chris Tompkins ("Before He Cheats") and Lori McKenna. The verses read like a play-by-play account of how the narrator spends her time, with little insight into why she acts the way she does, and few hints at what she's really feeling inside. It's hard to appeal to a listener's emotions through such rudimentary lyrics, or to fully engage a listener in such a shallow, underdeveloped story.

With such stale lyrics, the plodding melody and recycled Dann Huff production seem like minor issues in comparison, but such characteristics only further serve to make "Bulletproof" a weak single offering by all accounts. The disappointment is compounded by the fact that Josh and Meaghan have demonstrated that they each possess genuinely strong voices. The issue has often been a need for a strong lyric that's truly worthy of such talent.

If anything, "Bulletproof" is an indication that Steel Magnolia still hasn't found that special song yet.

STEEL MAGNOLIA'S SCORE: 5
(Scores are given on a scale of 1 to 10)

The Band Perry, "All Your Life"

2011-08-20T09:31:00.001-05:00

Songwriters: Brian Henningsen, Clara Henningsen

What a beautiful arrangement! What a sweet melody! What a lovely performance!

Lyrics? Kind of boring, especially considering that this is coming from The Band Perry - a sibling act who seems to thrive on off-beat lyrics. Their past output has included death threats, images of a mother burying her daughter, as well as a few lines that made little sense, but that were fun to sing along to nonetheless. So it comes as a bit of a disappointment that their new single "All Your Life" mostly sounds like a run-of-the-mill "wanna find true love" song with verses that ring a bit cheesy. Example: "Would you catch a couple thousand fireflies/ Put 'em in a lamp to light me world?" That makes the song sound more like album filler than a potential hit single.

After two sweet-but-insubstantial verses, there's a sudden jolt to the system with a bridge that is actually interesting: "Lately I've been writing desperate love songs/ I mostly sing them to the wall/ You could be the centerpiece of my obsession/ If you would notice me at all." That portion of the lyric carries a much deeper emotional resonance in comparison to the paint-by-number construction of the preceding verses.

But even if the lyric is a bit wonky, "All Your Life" earns points for a light, restrained arrangement with an enjoyable helping of banjo and mandolin. Kimberley Perry's lead vocal is restrained with a raw and unpolished quality that gives it character. So it's an enjoyable record to listen to, even if the lyric could have been more air-tight. Still, without a set of lyrics that's consistently interesting from start to finish, Team Perry is one base shy of a home run.

THE BAND PERRY'S SCORE: 6
(Scores are given on a scale of 1 to 10)

Album Review: The McClymonts - Wrapped Up Good

2011-08-16T11:58:00.000-05:00

"Are you ready to kick it up?"

That's the first thing you here when you pop in the second album by Australian family act The McClymonts. It's a fitting indicator of the fact that Wrapped Up Good is largely dominated by an overwhelming tendency to play the catchy card, to varying degrees of success. Opening track "Kick It Up" doesn't accomplish much, mostly because it sounds like it's trying too hard. The melody is forgettable, while lyrics demanding truck beds full of beer and ice, and a declaring that "This party ain't for shrinkin' violets," sound too forced to make for a genuinely fun song. Party songs are all good and fine, but in this case the chemistry doesn't ignite, and it just doesn't quite click. Meanwhile, the Nathan Chapman-produced title track "Wrapped Up Good" attempts to be a fun, sexy "Let's get it on" number, only to be obliterated by bloated, overwrought pop-country production and overprocessed vocals, which sours the sweetness in the sisters' bloodline harmonies.

Fortunately, things finally start coming together on the third track, "He Used to Love Me" - a track that shoots for catchiness, and actually hits the target. It begins as a slow acoustic tune as Brooke McClymont laments "I had me a good one, but he got away..." and then the song morphs into an upbeat fiddle-rocker (with a catchy "woo-ooh" hook to boot) as she determines to "Get in my car, track him down." The track taps into the vein of the almost slightly delusional female narrator who will let nothing get in the way of her getting a hold of true love, and it ends up a genuinely amusing and engaging listen.

A distracting bass line gets in the way of a clever hook, as Brooke deems her on-again-off-again lover "The Boy Who Cried Love." But we find the girls in good shape all around on "Take It Back," in which a laid-back acoustic arrangement exposes a raw vulnerability in Samantha McClymont's emotional lead vocal. Similarly, she sings in a hushed whisper as she delivers the slow-burning, beautifully-metaphoric "A Woman Is a Flame." The two ballads arguably rank as the album's strongest tracks.

But not all of the up-tempos are duds. An infectious guitar hook turns "Rock the Boat" into a broadly enjoyable earworm of a tune, while the playful steel-laden romp "I'm Not Done with You Just Yet" gives the girls plenty of room to show some spunk and personality. Without a doubt, it's the album's 'countriest' track as well.

Overall, Wrapped Up Good is something of a mixed bag. The talent is there, but it shines brightest when it's not hampered down by poor production choices. But while it has its share of clunkers, the album's best tracks show that when all the right pieces fall into alignment, the results are extremely satisfying.

THE MCCLYMONTS' SCORE: 7
(Scores are given on a scale of 1 to 10)

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Eric Church, "Drink In My Hand"

2011-08-12T10:23:00.001-05:00

Songwriters: Eric Church, Michael P. Heeney, Luke Laird

No album by a self-proclaimed country music "outlaw" could ever be complete without the requisite drinking song, now, could it?

Eric Church has it covered with his new single "Drink In My Hand," from his recently-released third album Chief. In terms of lyrics, "Drink In My Hand" doesn't cover much ground that hasn't already been covered. If you're Johnny Paycheck, you tell your boss man to "Take This Job and Shove It;" If you're Jason Aldean, you flip him off and say "Screw you, man;" And apparently, if you're Eric Church, you tell him to "shove that overtime up his can." The awkwardly-placed line "You be my Lois Lane, I'll be your Superman" sounds like it could have been culled from Blake Shelton's insipid "Honey Bee," while a dance floor reference a tattoo "playin' peeky-boo on your back" recalls a certain slightly-creepy Brad Paisley hit.

And yet, in listening to Eric's vocal performance, he seems fully convinced that "Drink In My Hand" is the greatest song ever. He comes impressively close to making me believe him. Uneven lyric aside, what makes "Drink In My Hand" work is the way it bottles all the energy of a live show into one three-minute musical package. The production is predictably loud and rocked-up, but it still doesn't drown out the wit and personality in Eric's delivery as he "ooh ooh ooh"s his way through the song, and bends his notes around the wildly catchy melody.

If Eric Church sounds like he's having this much fun singing the song, then what can we do but have fun listening to it? All things considered, Eric Church has effectively delivered an upbeat, rowdy, and oddly-charming party anthem that somehow succeeds in spite of itself.

ERIC'S SCORE: 7

(Scores are given on a scale of 1 to 10)

Miranda Lambert, "Baggage Claim"

2011-08-03T11:29:00.001-05:00

You have to give Miranda props for originality. I can honestly say I've never heard of a baggage claim used as a metaphor in a song before. Unfortunately, just because something is original doesn't always mean that it works.

There are definitely plenty of things to like about Miranda's new single, the first from her upcoming new album Four the Record. Miranda's vocal is rife with all her signature spunk and sass. In a pleasantly sparse musical arrangement, acoustic strumming meets funky guitar riffs meets hand clap section, making for a single that is easy on the ears at the very least.

Unfortunately, while the toe taps along contentedly, the brain struggles to make sense of the lyrics that are coming out of Miranda's mouth. The central metaphor strains to be clever, without success, while its drawn-out nature only compounds the weakness. The song's overall concept is murky at best, while the central idea is only vaguely defined, such that even a catchy "Come and get it" hook can't quite pull it all together. Sonically, it's entertaining; but lyrically, it's just confusing.

Despite its positive characteristics, "Baggage Claim" is a rare misfire from a usually consistent performer. Here's hoping that "Baggage Claim" will prove to be only a slight stumble for Lambert, while her further upcoming releases (both as an solo artist and as a Pistol Annie) find her hitting her stride once again.

MIRANDA'S SCORE: 5
(Scores are given on a scale of 1 to 10)

George Strait, "Here for a Good Time"

2011-08-01T11:05:00.001-05:00

Songwriters: George Strait, Bubba Strait, Dean Dillon

George Strait's current Top 20 hit isn't quite a classic on the same level as some of his best eighties and nineties material. But after the long and slow chart climb of the depressingly unoriginal "The Breath You Take," "Here for a Good Time" is a welcome return to form for the country music legend.

The song title gives you a pretty good clue as to the song's theme, but fortunately it's not a rowdy anthem in the vein of Jason Aldean's "My Kinda Party" (which would be a sign of the apocalypse coming from George Strait). It's a song about the shortness of life, and the narrator's resolve to kick back and enjoy it while it lasts.

"Here for a Good Time" earns points for a cool-sounding arrangement that includes some organ chords and a catchy beat, while still including the fiddle and steel sounds that are among George Strait's hallmarks. George offers a laid-back, yet fully engaging performance, which pairs well with the singalong-friendly melody. Mercifully, it stops short of throwing in a cheesy singalong chorus at the end.

It doesn't exactly break new ground lyrically, though it does feature a few clever turns of phrase here and there, but "Here for a Good Time" finds George Strait as loose as he's ever been. It's a very good single, but I'm still hoping that the rest of the new album will be, not just "very good," but great.

GEORGE'S SCORE: 7
(Scores are given on a scale of 1 to 10)

Sonia Leigh, "My Name Is Money"

2011-07-28T13:10:00.000-05:00

Songwriter: Sonia Leigh

Country superstar Brad Paisley put his cleverness to good use with his 2005 hit, "Alcohol." With that left-of-center composition, he played the role of a character who could "make anybody pretty," or "make you believe any lie." Singer-songwriter Sonia Leigh, signed to Zac Brown's Southern Ground label, utilizes a similar personification technique with "My Name Is Money," in which the so-called "root of all evil" is given a voice of its own.

With a gritty, attitude-driven vocal performance, Sonia makes a series of bold, brash declarations of what she - "Money" - is capable of. "I can make a woman weak/ I can make a small man stand tall/ I can start wars, and I can put an end to 'em all." She may seem to be talking big, but we well know that every one of those boastful assertions is true. "My Name Is Money" displays a level of poetic ingenuity and cleverness that sets it far above most of what's coming out of Nashville these days.

Smart songwriting meets a dynamic performance on this track. Sonia seems to revel in the unique destructive power that her character "Money" possesses. Hearing her vocal delivery is like a sonic equivalent to watching a film actor portray a character that you just "love to hate." She's backed by a catchy, country-rock arrangement that rocks and twangs in all the right places, working together with her raspy vocal to bring the track to life.

Obviously, this single might as well not even exist as far as mainstream country radio is concerned, but the fact that such sharp material is often rejected speaks volumes for the reason why country radio has become such a boring listen. When you've been overexposed to the bland and uninspired fare that often passes for country music today, a refreshing talent like Sonia Leigh is a breath of fresh air indeed.

SONIA'S SCORE: 9
(Scores are given on a scale of 1 to 10)

HEAR IT

Christian Kane, "Let Me Go"

2011-07-27T19:51:00.002-05:00

Songwriters: Casey Beathard, Tom Shapiro

Though one of his biggest claims to fame is acting on television programs such as Leverage, Angel, and Into the West, Christian Kane's other major pursuit has long been singing country music. His first U.S. single release, a somewhat over-the-top party anthem called "The House Rules," failed to make a major impact on the country charts. Now he returns with a follow-up single for another go at the charts.

"Let Me Go" is a fairly straightforward by-the-book tale of a restless soul who's "nothing but a drifter," and who tells his woman that he's ready to hit the road. It begins by detailing the setting in which the exchange takes place between the two lovers, which helps to raise interest in the story at the beginning. But the lyrics never really get sufficiently interesting. Christian is dealing with a well-worn theme - a man torn between his woman and the open road. By offering a simple surface-level telling of the story, the song fails to approach the theme from a fresh angle of its own. Thus, what's here feels too familiar to be genuinely engaging. The story takes a turn near the end as the woman implores her man to "Let Me Go," as in go with him, thus reversing the song's title phrase. That development, however, ends up feeling gratuitous and tacked-on, not adding much interest.

As if to compensate for the lightweight lyrical material, producers Bob Ezrin and Jimmy Lee Sloas lay on the heavy rock guitars, but this is one instance when the hard rock edges don't do the song any favors. It nearly masks the fact that Christian turns in a strong performance on this track, sounding fully invested in the lyrics. It's a redeeming quality that might have saved the song had it been able to shine without so much distraction.

This single has its strong points, but ultimately the train just doesn't quite leave the station. "Let Me Go" simply lacks enough unique defining characteristics to merit much repeat listening.

CHRISTIAN'S SCORE: 5
(Scores are given on a scale of 1 to 10)

Justin Moore, "Bait a Hook"

2011-07-22T20:33:00.001-05:00

Songwriters: Justin Moore, Rhett Atkins, Jeremy Stover

I'm just gong to put it out there. I've never had much tolerance for the whole "Country boys are awesome - city boys are wusses" subgenre of country music. In contrast to what the chest-thumping backwoods barbarians would have us believe, there's actually a lot about country music that can appeal to city-dwelling individuals, and there are plenty of city folks who like country music. It short-changes the entire genre to paint the country culture as a sort of exclusive club.

The lyrics of "Bait a Hook" indicate that, in Justin Moore's world, the suitability of a potential new boyfriend hinges on his proficiency in hunting and fishing, ability to skin a buck, and capacity to down copious amounts of liquor. In addition, possession of a frou-frou Prius or similar hybrid vehicle results in automatic disqualification. Don't know who Jack Daniels is? You're out, buddy! Justin Moore scornfully laughs at the pitiable urban fool his ex-girlfriend has left him for. As he confidently declares himself "not even worried," because she'll "come runnin' back," it's downright irritating.

Am I the only one who finds it frustrating that virtually all Justin Moore can think to sing about is how country he is? Aside from "If Heaven Wasn't So Far Away," which was actually rather good, Justin's single releases have constantly seen him trying to sell the same one-dimensional character over and over again. It's getting very old very fast, and it frankly wasn't even all that interesting to begin with.

I can't get behind this. I just can't.

JUSTIN'S SCORE: 4
(Scores are given on a scale of 1 to 10)

Martina McBride, "I'm Gonna Love You Through It"

2011-07-19T13:51:00.003-05:00

Songwriters: Ben Hayslip, Jimmy Yeary, Sonya Isaacs

I was pleasantly surprised to see Martina McBride release something as unique and unexpected as "Teenage Daughters," not to mention disappointed that it wasn't a bigger hit. (Number 17 isn't bad, but seriously... come on, country radio) Follow-up "I'm Gonna Love You Through It" is a little more typical of what we've come to expect from Martina in recent years. It's another power ballad, likely to be touted as 'powerful' and 'uplifing.' This time it's about cancer.

A disease that claims so many lives is definitely something worth writing and singing about. But cancer songs have at times been known to toe the line between genuine poignancy and just plain schmaltz. "I'm Gonna Love You Through It" carries a genuinely sweet sentiment in that it focuses primarily on the emotional support provided by a man whose wife is diagnosed with breast cancer.

But what I don't like about the song is the handling of the recorded product. The song begins with soft piano and cello notes, crescendos to a full-blown string section, and then predictably ends with Martina belting it out for all it's worth. It's a fact: Martina has done this kind of thing a lot, and it gets old after a while. Just try listening to this song right after listening to "Anyway." The two are nearly indistinguishable.

"I'm Gonna Love You Through It" is a good song, but it would be more enjoyable if the studio recording managed to distinguish itself on a greater level from all the other Martina power ballads that have come before it. At any rate, when Martina's first new album under Republic Nashville is finally released this fall, I'll be hoping to hear a little more edgy "Teenage Daughters"-esque material.

MARTINA'S SCORE: 5
(Scores are given on a scale of 1 to 10)

Pistol Annies, "Hell On Heels"

2011-07-17T07:00:00.001-05:00

Songwriters: Miranda Lambert, Ashley Monroe, Angaleena Presley

It was quite a surprise when country star Miranda Lambert having fallen into the good graces of country radio, and become one of the genre's biggest stars, introduced her new side project performing as part of the trio known as the Pistol Annies. Miranda's fellow Annies are Ashely Monroe and Angaleena Presley, the former of whom is an talented but underappreciated country crooner who attempted to break into mainstream country music a few years ago, only to be rejected by country radio.

Though Miranda Lambert is obviously the most famous of the Annies (as reflected by the fact that she is often seen in the foreground in publicity shots, with the other two relegated to the background), it's nice to see that this debut single does not sound like Lambert and the Backing Two. All three ladies shine as they take turns at the mic, rotating lead vocal duties on different verses, while blending their voices together in harmony during the chorus.

I'm usually not a fan of songs that use a pun (in this case "hell on heels/ hell on wheels") as a title hook. But in this case it works because the content of the verses is consistently interesting such that that pun doesn't have to pull all the weight on its own. In "Hell On Heels" the ladies let us know in no uncertain terms that they are merciless maneaters and gold-diggers on the hunt for new victims, while also recounting tales of past flings with unfortunate men. It's the same sassy attitude that Miranda has become famous for. All three ladies play the part fabulously on a record that seethes coolness.

But the praise must halt for a moment, as there is one problem with this single. It's not in the lyrics, nor in the voices, but in the arrangement. Specifically, it sounds like their drummer doesn't quite know what he's doing. The percussion on this track is wild and noisy, and it detracts from the cool swampy country groove the song has going. It doesn't totally sink the record, but it does hinder it from being as great as it could have been.

Still, there's clearly a whole lot of talent in this trio. "Hell On Heels," is mighty good, but at the same time it seems like it might be only a tease. Maybe they're giving us something really good to whet our appetites for now, while holding something truly outstanding up their sleeves for later.

It's an exciting thing to think about. Either way, "Hell On Heels" is still one heck of a good single.

PISTOL ANNIES' SCORE: 8
(Scores are given on a scale of 1 to 10)

Ronnie Dunn, "Cost of Livin'"

2011-07-14T06:31:00.000-05:00

Songwriters: Ronnie Dunn, Phillip Coleman

Ronnie Dunn's second post-B&D single is a great deal better than his first. In discussing his current release "Cost of Livin'," many critic's have cited the tune's potential to become the song of 2011, similar to "The House That Built Me" in 2010. Such predictions are not off base, as "Cost of Livin'" carries a level of understative poignance similar to that which made Miranda Lambert's career hit reasonate across the board with such a wide audience.

"Cost of Livin'" is sung from the perspective of an unemployed man applying for work. It begins with him giving the usual facts about himself, but the lyrics build in intensity. The song conveys the desperation of this man, as well as his strong work ethic and willingness to do whatever it takes to provide for his family. Backed by little more than an acoustic guitar, Ronnie sells the lyric with the conviction of one who's been in such a situation himself. While "Bleed Red" fell victim to the trap of overdramatizing, "Cost of Livin'" utilizes a much simpler approach, and the result is much more rewarding.

Will it match, or even outdo the chart success of its predecessor? Hard to say, though it's already managed to crack the Top 30, which is a good sign. Chart prospects aside, however, "Cost of Livin'" is a remarkable artistic triumph that any artist would have just cause to be proud of.

RONNIE'S SCORE: 9
(Scores are given on a scale of 1 to 10)

HEAR IT

Taylor Swift, "Sparks Fly"

2011-07-11T15:50:00.000-05:00

Songwriter: Taylor Swift

Truth be told, I would probably like "Sparks Fly" even better had its single release not come after I had been jamming to "Mean" for months prior. It was a pleasant surprise to hear such a fun hoedown of a song so effortlessly country from an artist who typically favors polished pop-country sounds, but the overtly personal nature of the lyrics, combined with the tell-it-like-it-is attitude, were both classic Swift.

"Sparks Fly" could be considered a return to form for the pop-country superstar. It's more of the kind of material we come to expect from her - a ode to youthful infatuation, polished with the most charming and catchy pop hooks. In this instance, Taylor is falling for a handsome young man whom she known is "a bad idea," yet she 'sees sparks fly whenever he smiles.'

Songs of this nature often succumb to dull lyrical content. In Taylor's songwriting catalog, a "White Horse" or a "Fifteen" may occasionally be offset by a less-fortunate "Today Is a Fairytale" or "Picture to Burn." But where she often succeeds is in supplying deeper hues of color to the scenes she portrays, as opposed to leaning on shallow cliche phrasing. "Sparks Fly" utilizes some interesting imagery in telling its story, including engaging lines such as "The way you move is like a full-on rainstorm/ And I'm a house of cards." That's fairly deep for a song whose foremost ambition is putting the listener in a good mood. A nuanced and expressive lead vocal on Taylor's part finishes things off nicely.

Ultimately, "Sparks Fly" succeeds by staying true to what it is - a pleasant slice of pop-country in a similar vein to her 2010 hit "Fearless." While "Sparks Fly" might not leave as deep a mark on one's memory as "Mean" before it, it achieves what it sets out to do. Indeed, Swift has wholly succeeded in crafting a simple feel-good pop-country love song that's every bit as pleasant and infectious as it intends to be.

TAYLOR'S SCORE: 8
(Scores are given on a scale of 1 to 10)

Rodney Atkins, "Take a Back Road"

2011-07-06T07:00:00.003-05:00

Songwriters: Luke Laird, Rhett Akins

Rodney Atkins' current hit "Take a Back Road" finds him traveling down a road that's already been visited many times. It seems each trip is less interesting than the one before it.

Here's the story: A guy's stuck in traffic in the city (Oh no! Any place but the city!) when a classic George Strait song comes on the radio and makes him want to take a country backroad and "put a little gravel in [his] travel," reminding him once again of how cool it is to live in the country. Thus we have the makings of a surefire hit as wholly predictable and expected as Rodney's thin, weak vocal performance.
"Take a Back Road" is yet another manifestation of the artistic shortcomings that have plagued the majority of Rodney Atkins' career output. In general, Rodney's lyrical material is built almost entirely around genre stereotypes. His catalog is dominated by songs about country livin', country values, country roads, you name it. Each song only scratches the surface of its topic, without expanding on it in any way. He's dealing with themes that so many have covered before him, but Rodney brings little of his own style or perspective to each theme, save for a catchy rhyme here and there.

Why such consistently shallow, perfunctory treatment? Because that's what radio wants - Easily digestible lyrics that will neither offend, nor require an outstanding amount of brain function. He's building his career on the superficial stereotypes that are palatable to today's radio programmers. But is anybody going to remember these songs years from now, after they've fallen off the charts and yielded place to the next hit song of the week? Not at all. The country songs that go down in history as classics are not the songs that are written just for the purpose of cashing in on radio popularity. Did Dolly Parton write "I Will Always Love You" just because it was what people were clamoring for? Did June Carter write "Ring of Fire" just to sound catchy? No, they wrote what they felt. They didn't just write to satisfy country radio.

Assuming country radio ever pulls out of this terrible quality rut, it would still be a shame to look back on this period in country music history, and to have nothing to remember but a slew of interchangable tunes about trucks, tractors, country living, and what-have-you. Of course, some may defend such tripe with "It's just a fun song." But there was a time when country music routinely produced songs that were so much more than 'just fun songs.' Isn't it a bit sad that when we tune into a country radio station these days, all we can really expect to hear is "just a fun song"?

In all likelihood, that's the way it's going to stay until artists such as Rodney start striving to be actual artists instead of just hit-making machines. But as long as radio continues to reward such artists for releasing mindless drivel like this, why would they do anything different?

RODNEY'S SCORE: 3
(Scores are given on a scale of 1 to 10)

The Dirt Drifters, "Always a Reason"

2011-07-04T17:56:00.000-05:00

Songwriters: Ryan Fleener, Jeff Middleton, Justin Wilson

Country music has always prided itself on being music that feels real. It's a genre of real songs about real people with real lives. While the modern mainstream brand often comes across as contrived and phony rather than authentic and believable, the tried-and-true themes of genuine country music have refused to die. One of the best-known manifestations of country authenticity is the drinking song. The drinking song may provoke some to hurriedly change the radio station with a cry of "Eew, country music," but to one who can see himself in the same situation as the character in the song, it can instantly connect.

The latest continuation of this long-standing tradition comes from a Nashville bar band known as The Dirt Drifters. With an image and performance style that oozes swagger and masculinity, it's almost surprising that radio hasn't bitten on them yet. It was a disappointment when their debut single, the fantastic blue collar anthem/ dance floor scorcher "Something Better," sank quietly. But it's been pulled in favor of a worthy replacement.

"Always a Reason" addresses the motivating reasons leading each of its differing characters to the local watering hole. Johnny gets a job, and goes to the bar with his buddies to celebrate. Meanwhile, Joe goes out to seek solace in the midst of betrayal by his cheating wife. Far being a hollow tale of nameless, faceless individuals, "Always a Reasons" supplies color to the scene instead of settling for shades of gray. That added layer of specificity helps the song tap into something universal, causing listeners to relate to the driving emotions of each character, and maybe even to see themselves in a similar scenario.

Besides a solid set of lyrics, the performance earns high marks as well. Lead singer Matt Fleener has a voice with all the right rough edges on it. His delivery here does not disappointment - believable, and strong enough to cut through the thick country-rock instrumentation.

Is as good as the all-time classic country drinking songs? Debatable. Will it stand the test of time? We'll see. Is it a competent, fresh take on a classic theme, not to mention one great slice of barroom country-rock? Definitely.

THE DIRT DRIFTERS' SCORE: 8
(Scores are given on a scale of 1 to 10)

Album Review: Dolly Parton - Better Day

2011-07-02T17:10:00.000-05:00

If there's one recurrent theme in the new Dolly Parton album Better Day, it's definitely a message of positivity. Throughout its twelve tracks, Better Day proclaims the virtues of living life to the fullest, and displaying a "can-do" attitude. But at least Dolly's happy songs are good happy songs, making use of poetic imagery rather than inspirational cliches.

The theme becomes evident right from the opening track. "In the Meantime" definitely seems like a relevent composition in this day and age, given the recent brouhaha surrounding the expected "end of the world." Backed by an upbeat piano and harmonica-driven arrangement, Dolly urges us all not to be "so consumed with the fear of dyin'/ The joy of livin's lost." With her signature attitude, she calls for all to "Drop this Doomsday attitude and git on with the show!" Things become slightly less sunny on tracks like "I Just Might" and "Get Out And Stay Out," but even these comparitively somber tracks carry traces of that same theme. The former is a song of dawning positivity in the midst of heartbreak, while the latter is a strong-woman's declaration that she is leaving her abusive spouse, and "taking back [her] life."

Unlike her previous effort (2008's Backwoods Barbie), which found Dolly covering both Smokey Robinson and the Fine Young Cannibals, Better Day is composed entirely of self-written songs (though Mac Davis also shares a writing credit on country-pride anthem "Country Is As Country Does," which I enjoy about as much as I could enjoy a country-pride anthem). Dolly Parton ranks as one of the most consistently excellent singer-songwriters in country music, and it's clear that her pen hasn't run out of tricks just yet. On a similar note, it's nothing short of astounding to hear an artist in such remarkably fine voice at the age of 65. Throughout the album, Dolly's vocals sound consistently fantastic, whether pouring her pipes into a rousing up-tempo or a sorrowful torch ballad like the achingly beautiful "Somebody's Missing You," which includes background vocals from Alison Krauss and Emmylou Harris.

Stylisitically, Better Day sounds quite similar to Backwoods Barbie, in that it sounds largely modern and contemporary, but still shows a connection to traditional country music, with influence from other genres as well. The album takes on a gospel-oriented direction near the end, particularly on the soulful title track. The only instance in which production becomes an issue is on leadoff single "Together You and I" - a contemporary pop-country love song like you'd expect to hear on the radio today, but with some cluttered and distracting production. The song has grown on me since I reviewed it last month, but "Together You and I" remains the weakest track on the album. Producer Kent Wells adds his own voice to the album on the full-fledged duet "Holding Everything," which takes the form of a romantic power ballad, but with the production maintaining just enough restraint to avoid being overly bombastic. Kent and Dolly's voices mesh together well, with their dynamic performances making "Holding Everything" an album highlight.

Of course, it should be noted that sad songs have a long and prestigious history in country music, but that's one end of the emotional spectrum that Better Day doesn't tread on very heavily. That means that if you're down and out, and just looking for good old barroom weeper to cry in your beer to, there aren't any songs on this album that would suit that particular purpose. The album works better as the soundtrack to a cheery summer day than to a self-pity party.

To Dolly's credit, however, the songs carry a measure of substance such that the glass-half-full anthems do not ring vague or hollow. Though it could benefit from a little extra thematic variance, Better Day ultimately works as a solid if not special entry into Dolly Parton's extensive album discography.

DOLLY'S SCORE: 7
(Scores are given on a scale of 1 to 10)

BUY IT ON AMAZON

Music Video Round-Up - July 2011

2011-07-01T07:00:00.004-05:00

Jason Aldean, "Dirt Road Anthem"

What on earth is that? Is he trying to dance? Other than that, a fairly predictable video.

Kenny Chesney and Grace Potter, "You and Tequila"

Possibly my favorite of this list. The "You and Tquila" video features a beautiful seaside setting with some breathtaking aerial shots. Extra points for having Grace Potter in the video with Kenny.

Martina McBride, "Teenage Daughters"

Shania Twain, "Today Is Your Day"

Shania's video for "Today Is Your Day" is made up of compiled footage from her OWN docu-series Why Not? with Shania Twain.

Terri Clark, "Northern Girl"

Terri's "Northern Girl" video features her singing in a variety of beautiful scenic locations in her native Canada.

Trace Adkins, "Just Fishin'"

Lady Antebellum, "Just a Kiss"

A lame, cheesy, four-and-a-half-minute iPad commercial with little or no connection to the original song.

Zac Brown Band and Jimmy Buffett, "Knee Deep"

A little creepy, but still fun.

Alan Jackson, "Long Way to Go"

2011-06-28T12:15:00.000-05:00

Songwriter: Alan Jackson

Ladies and gentlemen, I give you the single release that will go down in history in Alan Jackson's career as the "bug in my margarita" song.

The record sounds great. It has all the fiddle and steel that you would expect to hear on an Alan Jackson record. We hear a few horns near the end of the track that add a nice garnish without overwhelming it or making it sound cheesy.

Then he has to go and sour an otherwise pleasant listening experience with one stupid line. Ever heard one of those songs that you mostly liked, but that had just one line that just about ruined the whole thing for you? This is one of those songs. "There's a bug in my margarita." Seriously? You're going to build an entire song around that line, and repeat the line over and over again?

Alan Jackson is in something of a unique position among Nashville artists. He can release country singles that actually sound country, and that have a cool vintage nineties-style vibe, while still securing radio airplay. If a new fledgling artist releases such a track, it's most likely he's going to have a hard time getting it played on the radio. But when an artist of Alan Jackson's stature is in a position to be able to get good country-souding music heard on the radio, the last thing he needs is to start spoiling it with dumb lyrics.

Granted, Alan has built an outstanding career as a self-proclaimed "singer of simple songs." With his laid-back 'aw shucks' country boy charm, he can sometimes get away with simple songs that other artists couldn't pull off quite as easily. But there's a fine line between a song that's simple, and a song that's stale, and there are lyrics in "Long Way to Go" that come close to falling on the wrong side. I'll be generous enough to give Alan an extra point for the good-time groove he has going with "Long Way to Go," and I'll probably find myself enjoying the song as long as it catches me in the right mood. But with most of Alan's recent single releases being subpar cuts like "I Still Like Bologna" and "It's Just That Way," as well as a lackluster Johnny Cash cover, the fact is that we're still way overdue for another "It's Five O'Clock Somewhere."
ALAN'S SCORE: 6
(Scores are given on a scale of 1 to 10)

Phil Vassar, "Let's Get Together"

2011-06-27T07:50:00.001-05:00

Songwriters: Phil Vassar, Tony Mullins

Ouch. Just ouch.

In case you were expecting a cover of the classic Disney tune from The Parent Trap... no, we weren't that fortunate. Phil Vassar's new single "Let's Get Together" is just another in the long line of wannabe summer smashes of 2011, and it's way cheesier than just about any Disney tune.

It goes from his baby brining' him a "big ole bag o' kisses" to the grating hook of "Let's get-get-get together." The smarmy lyrics leave a bad taste in your mouth by the first chorus. The song aims for a singalong melody, but doesn't quite make it, and the song fails to sound even the slightest bit catchy. From start to finish, the entire product sounds like nothing but another factory-assembled summer hit tailor-made for endless airplay, and one that should have been left on the threshing room floor. Some might retort such a judgment with 'Oh, you're just over-thinking it' and 'But it's just a fun summer song.' I'm not buying into that. A bad song is a bad song no matter what form it comes in.
Phil's written a few good songs in his time (of which this does not happen to be one), some of which have become hits for artists like Jo Dee Messina and Tim McGraw. But his own success on the country charts has become somewhat sporadic in recent years, with his last real hit ("Love Is a Beautiful Thing") being four years ago. It would be quite perplexing to see him return to the Top 10 with a single as weak as this.

PHIL'S SCORE: 4
(Scores are given on a scale of 1 to 10)

Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood, "Remind Me"

2011-06-25T16:24:00.000-05:00

Songwriters: Brad Paisley, Chris DuBois, Kelley Lovelace

Could you possibly squeeze any more star power into one single release? I doubt it. The third single from Brad Paisley's current album This Is Country Music is a duet with fellow A-list hitmaker Carrie Underwood. Without a doubt, the song is a no-brainer hit. But is the quality on the same high level as its hit potential? Not quite.

This song is so good. There's something subtly sexy about one spouse reminiscing about the passion the couple felt in the relationship's earlier stages, with the other responding "Remind me." The way the performance takes the form of a heart-to-heart conversation between man and woman really brings the story to life. While the lyrics do include some of the typical Paisley cutesiness with a line about 'making out in a crowd somewhere,' this is overall one of the best songs Brad has written in a long time.

The handling, however, is rough. The production is over-the-top, and Brad and Carrie both over-sing it to a degree. This is one song that really doesn't work as a power ballad. Such a heavy-handed treatment detracts from the raw emotion in the song, and distracts from the story it attempts to tell. The song would have benefited greatly with a simpler approach.

"Remind Me" is still a good song, but the recorded version we're left with is only mildly enjoyable when it could have been something so much greater. If we're lucky, maybe we'll eventually get to hear a more restrained acoustic version that will allow both the song and the vocalists to shine to their full potential.

BRAD AND CARRIE'S SCORE: 6
(Scores are given on a scale of 1 to 10)

Edens Edge, "Amen"

2011-06-24T18:07:00.001-05:00

Songwriters: Hannah Blaylock, Catt Gravitt, Gerald O'Brien, Skip Black

"Amen" is the debut single from new Big Machine signees Edens Edge, composed of Arkansas natives Hannah Blaylock (lead vocals), Dean Berner (vocals, guitar, dobro), and Cherill Green (vocals, mandolin, banjo, guitar). It just might be one of the most effortlessly likeable debut singles we've heard this year.

The lyrical concept is simple, yet different from the many trite and hackneyed themes often favored by country radio. "Amen" find the female narrator, along with the whole town, rejoicing as a young man finally calls it off with a woman who was no good for him to begin with. Hannah Blaylock's vocal shows fine interpretive abilities, not resorting to any unnecessary vocal theatrics. Her voice posesses a distinct texture and natural beauty that makes it both instantly recognizable and exceedingly pleasant to hear. The production is light and simple, yet the sweet sounds of Dean's dobro and Cherill's mandolin are subtly infectious. The lyrical story stands front and center with no unnecessary distractions. Nothing about the record sounds like it was unduly fussed over, and it all flows with a natural ease.

How refreshing it is to hear such an enjoyable display of originality and talent at such an early stage in a career! It's only their first single, but "Amen" goes a long way toward establishing a distinct artistic identity for Edens Edge. In a radio landscape that could hardly be more slick and predictable, a new act like Edens Edge is a real breath of fresh air.

The single was released a few months ago, and has made inroads into the Top 40 on the country singles chart. Here's hoping that country radio proves to be fully on board with this talented new trio.

EDENS EDGE'S SCORE: 8
(Scores are given on a scale of 1 to 10)

Album Review: Gary Nicholson - Texas Songbook

2011-06-22T17:48:00.000-05:00

Being the seasoned songwriting talent that he is, it's no surprise that Gary Nicholson's new album Texas Songbook is characterized by some mighty good songwriting. Indeed, he's written hit songs for the likes of Patty Loveless, Montgomery Gentry, Vince Gill, and a host of other artists. Sonically, the light production is primarily influenced by traditional Texas-style country, but carries traces of other genre styles as well, including Western swing and jazz. In addition, Texas Songbook includes guest appearances by a variety of collaborators, including Randy Rogers, Lee Roy Parnell, Marcia Ball, among others.

Though currently based in Nashville, it's clear that Gary Nicholson remains a Texas boy at heart. Genuine love and appreciation for the Lone Star State is a recurring theme that runs throughout the set. This is particularly apparent in songs that celebrate the little peculiarities of the state of Texas and its people. "Talkin' Texan" depicts the wild imagination of a Texan man, explaining that "He ain't lyin'/ He's just talkin' Texan." In a similar vein, the humorous "She Feels Like Texas" tells of a woman who's "in a Lone Star state of mind everywhere she goes," calling the Eiffel tower "the biggest oil rig I ever seen."

Texas Songbook opens with "Texas Weather," a song that draws on the erratic weather patterns of Texas as a metaphor for a relationship that has seen dramatic shifts between ups and downs. (With the word "Texas" or "Texan" appearing in the titles of five of the thirteen songs, it's definitely no secret that the man loves Texas) "Texas Weather" is a fine example of Gary's notable proficiency in utilizing figurative language to create vivid lyrics.

The subject of cheating is addressed more than once, with "Fallin' & Flyin'" (a song previously performed by Jeff Bridges in the film Crazy Heart) portraying a narrator swept along by temptation, only to be abruptly brought back down to reality when faced with the consequences of his betrayal. With "Woman In Texas, Woman In Tennessee," Gary chides another man for his shameless two-timing antics. With interesting, cleverly-crafted lyrics, both tunes are excellent additions to the extensive catalog of country cheating songs.

The album could do without "Texas Ruby," which is an ode to a curvaceous female stripper body. With a great deal of over-the-top imagery, the lyrics are more likely to inspire cringing than singing along. Still, with doses of saxophone and accordion, the track is enjoyable on a sonic level. Likewise, name-dropper "Listen to Willie" might appeal to some of Willie Nelson's biggest fans, but might not garner much repeat listening.

Closing track "Somedays You Write the Song" (previously recorded by Guy Clark) is one of the album's finest. Backed by little more than an acoustic guitar and a harmonica, Gary expresses the value of songwriting in helping one to sort out confusing emotions, with his vocal performance exuding raw sincerity. The song's ultimate point is summed up in the unshakable hook "Somedays you write the song, somedays the song writes you."

There are no unnecessary bells and whistles here, just straight-up honky tonk-style country music delivered from the heart. With strong lyrical content, and organic musical arrangements throughout, Gary's Texas Songbook is a highly enjoyable listen.

GARY'S SCORE: 8
(Scores are given on a scale of 1 to 10)
BUY IT ON AMAZON

Zac Brown Band featuring Jimmy Buffett, "Knee Deep"

2011-06-20T19:53:00.000-05:00

Songwriters: Zac Brown, Wyatt Durrette, Cory Bowles, Jeffrey Steele

The Zac Brown Band has scored five back-to-back number one hits in the past two years - a streak that would have been seven had it not been interrupted by the #2 peak of "Whatever It Is." Their current summer tune "Knee Deep," is now a bona fide hit as well, having just cracked the Top 10. As summer songs go, will this one stick in our memories, or will it be the flavor du jour for this year, only to fade away into obscurity by 2012?

With a sprightly acoustic arrangement, "Knee Deep" almost sounds more like a simple beachside jam session instead of an indoor studio session. A fast-paced, upbeat melody makes the simple tune sound remarkably infectious. Jimmy Buffett's contribution doesn't strike one as being particularly essential, but it certainly doesn't throw off the groove either, since he's dealing with his favorite subject matter here.

Summer tunes don't usually have interesting lyrics, since they tend to care more about catchiness than anything else, but thankfully "Knee Deep" does not lean on the usual lyrical crutches of referencing beer and bikinis. One definite plus is that it actually offers some insight into why the narrator wishes to seek out a spot on the beach, and describes the laid-back escapism that such a destination would afford. It doesn't simply hit a few of the usual bases and call it a day, nor does it ask us to accept that fact that the mere mention of a beach is alone the making of a great summer song.

The main triumph here is that "Knee Deep" actually manages to capture the laid-back vibe that is a hallmark of a good country summer song a la "Roll with It" or "Groovy Little Summer Song." Summer songs often tend to succeed commercially while falling flat artistically, but I would probably have greater tolerance for summer songs in general if they were all as enjoyable as this one. I could almost see this one sticking with us for a while.

ZAC'S SCORE: 7
(Scores are given on a scale of 1 to 10)

LeAnn Rimes, "Give"

2011-06-18T16:25:00.000-05:00

The fact that LeAnn Rimes' single "What I Cannot Change" did not become a chart-busting, career-defining smash hit was easily one of the greatest radio crimes of 2008. With that understated masterpiece, LeAnn displayed the rare ability to show a philosophical side without coming across as trite. Her new single "Give" doesn't quite match the pure flawlessness of "What I Cannot Change," but it's another fine demonstration of that same ability.

These days LeAnn's personal exploits have been receiving more attention than her music, but recent years have seen her consistently releasing excellent singles, while rarely being rewarded with radio airplay. With "Give," LeAnn continues to maintain that standard, echoing a simple yet poignant message. "If you wanna get love then give it," she sings. "If you want a friend, then be one/ A little bit of kindness, show some." Through these lyrics, she encourages a proactive outlook on life, and calls for each of us to take initiative to bring about the change we wish to see in the world. The production takes the form of a pop-country power ballad, but not one that's over-the-top. Instead, the piano-driven arrangement with flourishes of steel and mandolin provides a fine complement to LeAnn's powerful, conviction-filled vocal.

All too often we see seasoned artists failing to live up to their previous quality standards. Thus, it's particularly refreshing to see that LeAnn Rimes is one artist who just keeps getting better and better. "What I Cannot Change" remains the pinnacle of LeAnn's artistic triumphs, but "Give" is a fine single in its own right, further extending her impressive string of winners.

LEANN'S SCORE: 8
(Scores are given on a scale of 1 to 10)

Talking with Jeremy Abshire of The Grascals

2011-06-16T07:00:00.001-05:00

This six-piece band from Nashville known as The Grascals, since its founding in 2004, has quickly become one of the most revered and successful acts in modern bluegrass music, performing on the Grand Ole Opry and at bluegrass festivals across the country. They have won several major awards from the International Bluegrass Music Association, including the 2007 award for Entertainer of the Year.

Prior to joining The Grascals, fiddler Jeremy Abshire played as a member of Billie Renee and Cumberland Gap, and as a member of Dale Ann Bradley's backing band. He is known for his fluid and energetic fiddling style.

Earlier this year, the Grascals released their Cracker Barrel album The Grascals and Friends - Country Classics with a Bluegrass Spin, which featured collaborations with the likes of Dolly Parton, Dierks Bentley, Charlie Daniels, and others. The band's latest release is the 7-song EP - Dance 'Til Your Stockings Are Hot And Ravelin' - A Tribute to the Music of the Andy Griffith Show. The EP was released digitally on March 29, and was released in physical CD form earlier this month. In this interview with The 1-to-10 Country Music Review, fiddler Jeremy Abshire discusses both of these recent projects, along with overseas touring experiences, and the one 'award' that means the most to him.
Ben Foster: I'd love to hear some about your latest project, the EP Dance 'Til Your Stockings Are Hot And Ravelin' - A Tribute to the Music of The Andy Griffith Show. How did that project come about?

Jeremy Abshire: Well, actually it had been talked about for a while. Mayberry's Finest was actually doing a food product package where this CD was going to be included as a bonus to the packaging that they were offering Cracker Barrel, and we had worked with them before, so they thought it would be a great fit, and so did we.

Ben: What do you love most about the Andy Griffith Show? I'm guessing you're probably a fan of it.

Jeremy: Oh yeah, I'm a huge fan. I think shows like that have just kind of gone by the wayside. Even with kids growing up today, a lot of them don't even know about The Andy Griffith Show. I think it's shows like that that shaped my youth, and people of my age demographic. I think some shows like these could really help out our youth today - just simple shows with simple messages. The Andy Griffith Show has always had a great message. I'm glad to be supporting that.

Ben: That's true. You don't see that kind of stuff on TV much anymore. These days it's mostly just fluff.

Jeremy: Pretty much.

Ben: I understand the EP also includes one bonus track - "Boy, Giraffes are Selfish." What can you tell us about that song?

Jeremy: Well, that's actually a tune that was done on the show, and that's something that the guys wanted to re-work, and add as a bonus track, so we worked that up in the studio and gave it our own feel. So that's pretty much how that came about. We just worked it out, and did it the way we would do it. That was done by the Dillards originally, and it was on the music soundtrack for The Andy Griffith Show.

Ben: I'd also like to talk about another recent Grascals project - your Cracker Barrel album The Grascals and Friends - Country Classics with a Bluegrass Spin. Would you like to tell about the creative process the band goes through in covering classic songs, and putting your own personal spin on them?

Jeremy: I think it's hard any time you sit down to pick out material to try to figure out what might reach an audience, so we just tried to keep it simple. We just picked out first who we wanted to work with, people who we'd worked with in the past obviously - Dolly, Dierks Bentley, Charlie Daniels. We'd worked with the Oak Ridge Boys before. So we had known all those guys, and we were friends with every one. Basically, once we decided who we wanted on the project, we started looking at what songs would best fit them, best fit us collectively together, how that would sound, and we just came up with what we thought were songs that more people would enjoy, and also songs that we thought would sound great with the artists that we wanted to make a part of it.

Ben: That must have been such a fun record to make.

Jeremy: It was great. Any time we get to work with Dolly or Dierks or Charlie - They're such great people anyway - to have them be a part of a project, and to work with them closely, is tremendous for us. We always love to work with anybody like that.

Ben: I understand Dolly also added her special touch to your recent single and video for "I Am Strong." What can you tell us about that?
Jeremy: We would have loved to have Dolly there when we originally shot the video. She wanted to be a part of it, but unfortunately she had other commitments. What she did, which was so kind of her, was to kind of re-shoot her part, and she did an amazing job. I think all of us pointedly agree that she really made the song. When she comes in, it's just such an uplifting feel to the song. The song is amazing anyway. It just celebrates all the children at St. Jude. She cares so much about the kids at St. Jude, and she's such an amazing person that having her be a part of that song just couldn't be a better feeling for us.

Ben: Would you like to tell about some of your experiences in visiting with the kids at St. Jude?

Jeremy: It's a bittersweet place. There's a lot of children there with a lot of horrible cancers, and it's very hard if you've never been there before to just walk in there and take the tour, and take it all in. But you know the people at St. Jude have made that place a positive place for children in just their daily activities, the way the hospital is set up. When you walk in there, it's not like you're walking into a hospital or a ward of a hospital. Every room and every place you go is like a Chuck E. Cheese. It's such a positive environment for children. As much stuff as they're battling with the cancers and the chemo, and everything they have to go through on a daily basis, and it being a kid, amazingly they are so positive about it because of the environment that St. Jude has provided them. They just exude that positive attitude. It's hard to see children in pain, but it's also uplifting to see a place that takes care of them so well. The kids are so positive about it that it actually makes you positive. When we go there, we just like to have fun with the kids and play with them, and it's just a fun day. But for anyone that just comes off the street and walks in there for the first time, it is a hard thing to take in, because the realization is there that there are kids there with some horrible cancers. But they're fighting them, and St. Jude has come up with so many revelations in different cancers that no one else has been able to do, and they're just steadily working on trying to find cures for a lot of them. They're doing wonderful things there, and we're just glad to be a part of their loving team.

Ben: That's great that they're helping the kids to keep a positive spirit when they're going through something so difficult.

Jeremy: Yes, they absolutely do.

Ben: Since you've had the opportunity to take bluegrass music overseas with a couple trips to Europe last year, would you like to tell some about those experiences?

Jeremy: We had a great trip to France. Anytime you get to go out of the country and play the music you love for people who love it, it's an awesome experience and opportunity. I myself had actually never been out of the country. I really enjoyed the trip to Greece especially. It's surprising when you go to a completely different place and you play the music that you play, and people really love it. They love bluegrass in Europe. They don't get it nearly enough, and there's very few radio stations that play country and bluegrass. They were so receptive and so warm to us and to all the other bands that played. But if I had to pick a favorite, I would have to say that Greece was my personal favorite. It's such a beautiful place. France was gorgeous too, but we spent less time there, and it was so cold when we went. Greece was warm and great, and actually Nikos Garavelas, he actually has his own radio show that plays bluegrass in Greece near where we played, and is very successful doing that. He's very successful with promoting the music in Greece and in Europe in general. He's written a book on the history of country music, and he's really done a great job of promoting the music over there, and informing the public on the history of country. He's a great friend of the band as well.

Ben: That must have been such a fun experience.

Jeremy: Yeah, it was. It was amazing. One day we had some downtime and went to his parents' house, which was right by the ocean. It was absolutely beautiful, and his mom was cooking all day, and laid out this huge spread of Greek food which was absolutely amazing. His whole family was there, and everyone was just so receptive. It was just like a Friday night grilling out with your neighbors. Everybody came over and they grilled chicken and different meats and had all the sides to go with it. We spent the day swimming in the ocean and eating good food and enjoying good company, so I think we all had a great time in Greece.

Ben: In closing, I'd like to ask you, when you look back on the accolades your band has received, what would you say have been your proudest moments as a member of the Grascals.

Jeremy: I would have to say, for me personally, we've been a part of so many different things. I personally have been so many places, and met so many people, and been a part of four projects now. I've enjoyed each of them in different ways, but I would have to say going to St. Jude and really learning about St. Jude and the children there, that's really been a big part of this lately. Recently we took a trip to St. Jude in January. It was for the Country Cares seminar, which was basically where a bunch of artists in country get together and talk about how to raise money for the kids, how to better everything. We met a lot of different children, and talked to a lot of different parents. We took pictures with some kids, and we had a nice time there. I've had the opportunity to play for president Bush, so I've got some amazing moments that are framed and hung on my wall. When we got back from that seminar, there are some kids who actually made a crayon drawing for each of us, and they had those framed and sent to us, thanking us for supporting St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. As far as an award or something that hangs on the wall that I remember, there's nothing that I hold dearer to my heart than that because it came from St. Jude.

Album Review: Gene Watson & Rhonda Vincent - Your Money and My Good Looks

2011-06-14T18:20:00.000-05:00

Don't these two just sound like they were meant to be together? When Gene Watson and Rhonda Vincent met for the very first time, they were scheduled to perform together on a televised portion of WSM's Grand Ole Opry. Due to a plane delay, their first meeting took place on stage when they performed together without having rehearsed or even having met before that night. And yet, when they blended their two unique voices together, it was obvious that they had something special. After a few one-off duets on various projects, and after touring together, Gene and Rhonda have finally joined forces on a full album of duets.

Your Money and My Good Looks combines the talents of the finest male vocalist in country music with those of the finest female vocalist in bluegrass music, forming a traditional country album that is an absolute gem. The song material is consistently excellent, with the two vocalists giving showstopping performances, both individually and in harmony. Producer Herb Sandker backs them up with stone cold country arrangements that don't make the tracks sound like relics of a bygone era, but rather that make them sound timeless.

The album opens with the title track "Your Money and My Good Looks" - a fun flirty up-tempo track laden with fiddle and steel. Afterwards, we are treated to some spectacular country ballads with poignant messages about love lost, love found, and love rediscovered. "Gone for Good" finds two spouses lamenting the deteriorated state of their relationship, while coming to the solemn realization that "If we keep lettin' things go bad, they'll soon be gone for good." Another highlight is "Alone Together Tonight" - written by Billy Yates, Ashley Monroe, and Terry Clayton - a cleverly-written tale of two brokenhearted individuals coming together.

Your Money and My Good Looks also finds Gene and Rhonda digging back into the archives for some well-chosen and well-executed cover tunes. It contains a remake of one of Gene's own hits, "You Could Know As Much About a Stranger," reworked as a duet. Such a reinterpretation turns out to be very fitting. The lyrics work well in the form of two lovers discussing their mutual lack of familiarity with one another. "Sweet Thang" (That's "Sweet Thang," not "Sweet Thing" like the Keith Urban song) was a hit for writer Nat Stuckey in 1966, but his version was eclipsed by that of the dynamic duo of Ernest Tubb and Loretta Lynn. Gene and Rhonda deliver a competent updating of the classic tune, with Rhonda taking on the Lynn-esque attitude quite well. Particularly enjoyable is their cover of the Hank Williams classic "My Sweet Love Ain't Around," which ranks as one of the finest displays of the emotional connectivity that both vocalists excel at.

Rhonda Vincent is one female artist in particular who displays remarkable vocal power combined with an impeccable ability to control her vocal abilities. She knows how to draw on her vocal power without beating us over the head with it, while also channeling the emotions of a song, and displaying extraordinary interpretive abilities, thus giving a truly outstanding vocal performance.

When the album reaches its final track, Rhonda says "Hey Gene, let's get outta here and let these guys play one," and then we are treated to the rousing instrumental bonus track, "Ashes of Mt. Augustine," showcasing the top-notch musicianship of Michael Rojas (piano), Stuart Duncan (fiddle), Mike Johnson (steel guitar), Michael Rhodes (bass) and James Mitchell (guitar).

Seeing the high caliber of material and performance that Your Money and My Good Looks displays, I would hardly expect 2011 to produce a better album than this one. All of the finest qualities of the country genre are on full display on this exquisite set, from proficient storytelling to deep emotional impact. Though the mainstream brand of country continually offers a poor representation of the genre, Gene and Rhonda have created a set that could be just the album to make you fall in love with country music all over again.

GENE AND RHONDA'S SCORE: 10
(Scores are given on a scale of 1 to 10)

BUY IT ON AMAZON

Shania Twain, "Today Is Your Day"

2011-06-13T19:11:00.002-05:00

Songwriter: Shania Twain

New music from Shania Twain is understandably a cause for excitement. After amassing staggering sales numbers, dominating pop and country music markets on an international scale, and captivating legions of fans with her personality-driven hits, the Canadian superstar has been nearly silent on the music scene for over half a decade.

But the past year has seen her returning to the spotlight in a big way. After appearing as a guest judge and mentor on the 2010 season of American Idol, releasing her memoir From This Moment On, and being the subject of her own docu-series on the Oprah Winfrey Network, Shania has finally given us a new single, and is it ever a disappointment.

Shania has continually proven herself to be a stellar songwriter, proficient at crafting both emotionally hard-hitting ballads as well as insidiously catchy up-tempo tunes, so it's a huge letdown to see her regressing into vapid inspirationalism. Regrettably, "Today Is Your Day" sounds all too reminiscent of the trite themes that artists like Sugarland have been beating into the ground lately. In lyric, "Today Is Your Day" lacks the distinct authenticity that characterized Shania's classic nineties hits, instead leaning on seemingly random couplets echoing a "You can do it" theme. Add in the fact that "Today Is Your Day" shows neither a discernible lyrical progression, nor a shred of a constructed narrative, and we're left with an awfully boring lyric.

There are few if any redeeming qualities, with heavy-handed power ballad production competing with an overly processed lead vocal. A superfluous and scarcely audible banjo line attempts to qualify it as country music. The production issues are a particular disappointment, since bad production was almost never a problem with Shania in the past.

Needless to say, "Today Is Your Day" offers a weak payoff for fans who have waited six years for new Shania music, with weak lyrics and distasteful production overshadowing the voice we had always known and loved. Authenticity, personality, and all of the best qualities Shania brought to country music are nowhere to be heard on "Today Is Your Day," and that's a crying shame.

SHANIA'S SCORE: 4
(Scores are given on a scale of 1 to 10)

Darius Rucker, "I Got Nothin'"

2011-06-09T07:00:00.001-05:00

Songwriters: Darius Rucker, Clay Mills

The better part of Darius Rucker's country career has seem a talented voice used on uninteresting material, as demonstrated by recent snoozers such as "Come Back Song" and "This." So it comes as a pleasant surprise to see that his latest single "I Got Nothin'," is actually a pretty decent song.

It could use a stronger title hook, but the verses are an overall solid narrative of the dissolution of a relationship, focusing on the desperation of the left-behind partner as he gropes for the right words to keep his woman from leaving him. The track is backed by a standard contemporary country arrangement with trills of steel guitar. For the most part, the production stays out of the way, allowing the lyrics and performance to stand front and center.

And yet, for some reason, I'm not feeling it. Why am I not feeling it? "I Got Nothin'" seems to have the makings of a strong single, but there's something missing, and that's emotional resonance. Darius has a great voice, and from a technical perspective, his vocals seem to get the job done. His vocal delivery is neither weak, nor off-key, but it fails to channel the tortured emotions in the song's lyric. He sings the words, hits the notes, and calls it a day. Without that much-needed emotional connection, we are left with what feels like a bland, warmed-over product that leaves little of an impression after its three-and-a-half minutes have expired.

A good song is a good song, but when put on record, the lead vocal is what ultimately binds the whole package together. Even a great song can fall flat if the vocal doesn't do the job right. "I Got Nothin'" is a solid composition, but with Darius' disconnected delivery, the overall package misses the mark.

DARIUS' SCORE: 5
(Scores are given on a scale of 1 to 10)

Danielle Car, "Pretty Please"

2011-06-07T07:00:00.001-05:00

Songwriter: Danielle Car

She has yet to ink a major label recording contract, but Detroit native Danielle Car is already making a name for herself and her rocked-up brand of Motown country music. With her previous release "Walk of Shame," she became the only unsigned artist on the monthly Promo Only release, and with her current single "Pretty Please," she's done it again on the Promo Only country radio compilation for the month of June.

"Pretty Please" features a tell-it-like-it-is lyric about a woman upholding her self-worth when receiving romantic gestures from a man hiding "a suntan line where a little ol' ring should be." It explores a similar theme to Sugarland's 2008 neo-classic "Stay," but in place of the raw emotion of that Sugarland hit, "Pretty Please" displays a confident swagger and a whole lot of attitude as the lyrical narrator firmly declares that she has no intention of being pulled into a love triangle. With standout lines like "All this double-dippin' will leave you cryin' in your apple pie," Danielle has written one heck of a good song.

The sentiment is underscored by an upbeat melody and an energetic country-rock arrangement with some catchy guitar licks. During the chorus, the heavy drumbeat threatens to be a distraction from Danielle's performance, but it's to her credit as a vocalist that she is not drowned out. As much fun as the song is, it could be benefited by toning down the layers of production and background vocals, thus effectively allowing Danielle's strong and sassy lead vocal to be the primary focus of attention.

But there's still a lot to love here, as "Pretty Please" displays a level of personality that blows many current radio favorites out of the water, while echoing an underlying message of self-confidence amid all that fist-pumping fun. More songs like this on country radio... "pretty please."

DANIELLE'S SCORE: 7
(Scores are given on a scale of 1 to 10)

HEAR IT on Danielle's MySpace

Music Video Round-Up - June 2011

2011-06-06T12:40:00.000-05:00

This month's edition of the Music Video Round-Up features quite a few offerings from new and independent artists as well as major-label hitmakers.

Luke Bryan, "Country Girl (Shake It for Me)"

I was pretty sure I knew what I was getting before I had even seen this video, but at least they didn't play up the backwoods country corn as much as I was expecting.

Burns and Poe, "Second Chance"

Amber Hayes, "Wait"

Amber Hayes' first music video acts out the story told in her current single "Wait," featuring a simple chance meeting in a coffee shop - a meeting that could turn into something more.

Amos Lee, "Flower"

The animation in the video is very artistic, though it throws me off a bit that we never see any actual footage of Amos Lee himself.

Hunter Hayes,"Storm Warning"

Blake Shelton, "Honey Bee"

Frankie Ballard, "A Buncha Girls"

Like you didn't already know what this video was going to have in it. Hint: See song title.

Brad Paisley, "Old Alabama"

It wouldn't be a Brad Paisley video without celebrity cameos now, would it? Besides the expected Alabama appearance, we also get to see some classic Alabama video footage from back in the day, along with some Jeff Gordon thrown into the mix.

Teea Goans, "Letter from God"

The sand painting is a very interesting touch.

Dolly Parton, "Together You and I"

2011-06-02T07:49:00.002-05:00

Songwriter: Dolly Parton

Dolly Parton - What is there to say about her? She's a country music icon, and one of the greatest female artists ever heard in this genre - in depth of talent, and in scale of success. Songs like "Jolene," "Coat of Many Colors," and "I Will Always Love You" are songs that will stay with us for a lifetime. Indeed, Dolly Parton is unquestionably a living legend.

With the above facts in mind, it's only natural and justified that we would have high expectations of any new music released by an artist of such lofty stature (in terms of career accomplishments, of course, not in physical height). Of course, you don't come up with a "Jolene" or an "I Will Always Love You" every time you put a pen to paper, even if you are a songwriter as talented as Dolly. Still, one would rightly expect that any new Dolly song, whether it be a ballad or a ditty, would be something interesting and engaging that you can lose yourself in while listening to it.

I don't hear that in Dolly's new single "Together You and I." All I hear is an inoffensive distraction - a safe, middle-of-the-road pop-country tune. As a shunned veteran artist who hasn't had a radio hit in nearly twenty years (No, "When I Get Where I'm Going" does not count), Dolly has made no secret of the fact that she wants to be re-embraced by country radio. With that in mind, one might see this new offering as primarily a calculated attempt to snag some radio airplay.

It's hard to get into lyrics like "My love for you is deeper than the depth of any ocean," especially coming from an artist who has routinely shown that she can do much better. As an extra downer, "Together You and I" is weighed down by cluttered, over-polished production. Even Dolly's distinctive voice is stained with unnecessary vocal processing and echo effects.

It's hard to give Dolly a negative review, but I can't blindly accept every new Dolly Parton release without dignifying it with an honest analysis, nor can I say that I like something when I really don't. I love and respect Dolly, and as a Dolly Parton fan, I am disappointed. I'm still holding out hope for Dolly's upcoming new album Better Day, set for a June 28 release, but there's no dancing around the fact that "Together You and I" ranks as one of the weakest Dolly Parton singles in recent memory. One can only hope that, as a whole, Better Day includes better songs.

DOLLY'S SCORE: 5
(Scores are given on a scale of 1 to 10)

Album Review: Brad Paisley - This Is Country Music

2011-06-01T08:21:00.000-05:00

I am not going to attempt to sugar-coat this. Brad Paisley's recently-released ninth studio album This Is Country Music is an uninteresting, unfocused, scattershot affair in which missteps are numerous, and genuine highlights are very few.

Brad Paisley is not an artist who is known for reinventing himself a great deal. He often falls into a repetitive pattern of self-impressed novelty ditties and generic love ballads. The repetition continues with This Is Country Music, a record that could easily have been named This Is Everything That Ben Foster Dislikes About Brad Paisley's Music. Okay, maybe that title is a bit too long, but fitting nonetheless.

The album opens with the two forgettable singles "This Is Country Music" and "Old Alabama." The former is a misguided attempt to convey the special qualities of the country music genre, but instead ends up backhandedly exemplifying the stale lyrical formulas that have made modern country radio a complete and total yawn. Country artists are not singing about Jesus, Mama, and cancer as a way of breaking boundaries and making statements - They're doing it because they know that's what radio wants. They're not displaying artistic ingenuity - They're doing the exact opposite. Things don't improve with "Old Alabama," which masquerades as a tribute to the band Alabama, but is merely a lazy rehash of "Mountain Music," with an appearance by the Alabama boys themselves.

And now... bring on the ditties. "Camouflage" is exactly what it sounds like - a song about camo. It could stand some added cleverness, but where it really falls apart is in the chorus, which is composed of Brad and his singalong chorus shouting the word "camouflage" back and forth at one another. Of course, the project would never be complete without the requisite Paisley summer party anthems. This time, they come under the names "Workin' On a Tan" and "Don't Drink the Water." The first is just an all-out cheesy ode to a well-endowed female body. The second, a duet with Blake Shelton (one of the many duet cohorts joining Paisley on the album), exists only to make the joke "Nobody goes to Mexico to drink the water anyway." Hint-hint.

Even the better songs on the album carry a bit of a stain. "Remind Me," a duet with Carrie Underwood, is a good song about rekindling the spark of passion that a couple once had in their younger days. Sadly, the performance is subpar. Both vocalists (even the typically stellar Underwood) give a delivery that sounds forced rather than genuinely engaged, with the overwrought power ballad production doing neither of them any favors. Songs like "Love Her Like She's Leavin'" (featuring Don Henley) and "One of Those Lives" earn points for well-crafted title hooks that carry meaning beyond that of the words themselves. The problem is that both are tainted by unfortunate association with common pandering formulas - "old man's advice" songs and cancer songs respectively.

One keeper is "Toothbrush," which uses everyday objects as symbols representing different stages in a budding relationship. The song settles into a pleasant neotraditional vibe, making it one of the album's most enjoyable moments. This track highlights the fact that Brad can produce some interesting tunes when he keeps things simple without making forced attempts at cleverness. Things are kept deadly serious on "A Man Don't Have to Die," in which Brad addresses a fire-and-brimstone preacher, describing the many hardships that everyday people face, and concluding that "A man don't have to die to go to hell." The verses of "A Man Don't Have to Die" seem to lean on the list-format crutch, but they build up to a strong hook, making for an overall solid composition.

The album closes with a performance of the traditional hymn "Life's Railway to Heaven," featuring the vocals of Marty Stuart, Sheryl Crow, and Carl Jackson. The bluegrassy arrangement makes one of the most enjoyable tracks on the album, but then as the song ends, Brad sours it with an unnecessary reprise of the insipid title track.
To make matters worse, Brad's voice is marred by shoddy auto-tuning work throughout the album, which makes for a jarring listening experience. But the main issue is an excess of poor song material, most of it written by Brad himself with all the usual suspects (Gorley, DuBois, Turnbull, etc.). This novelty act wore thin a long time ago, and by now it sounds entirely business-as-usual. Brad is just doing what he always does, and people buy it, so there would seem to be little reason to shake things up. But if Brad wants to build a lasting artistic legacy, lackluster disappointments like This Is Country Music make for an awfully shaky foundation.

BRAD'S SCORE: 4
(Scores are given on a scale of 1 to 10)

BUY IT ON AMAZON

Kellie Pickler, "Tough"

2011-05-30T08:00:00.001-05:00

Songwriter: Leslie Satcher

The buzz about Kellie Pickler's new album is that it will closely reflect the sounds of the traditional country music that she cherishes most. That's right, folks. Nashville's platinum blonde pop-country princess is going neotraditional.

Well, sort of, at least. Let us not forget that introspective, emotionally-charged song lyrics are as much of a country music tradition as the sweet sounds of the crying fiddle and steel guitar (acknowledging the fact that such traditions seem to have gone by the wayside in recent years). On a lyrical level, the album's first single "Tough" is not quite as interesting as one might have hoped, especially considering it was penned by talented songwriting veteran Leslie Satcher. It's basically a standard girl power/ 'rough-around-the edges' anthem. She sings about how rough and tough she is, thumbs her nose at the "pretty little high-heeled thing[s]," and predictably concludes that Jesus loves her anyway.

But while the lyrics don't exactly pop, the performance does. Kellie's vocal is restrained in the song's beginning, but she quickly picks up steam, exhuding a confident bravado as she firmly declares that "There ain't nothin' wrong with a woman that's got a little backbone." Her sentiments are underscored by a banjo plucking away furiously while fiery fiddle riffs rip through the chorus. A strong drumbeat keeps the song from falling squarely into the 'neotraditional' category, but this is still Kellie's countriest single release by a long shot. It could still be considered pop-country, but it clearly draws greater influence from the latter component than the former. "Tough" is unmistakably country music, and it's a pretty cool sounding country record at that.

It would still be nice to see Kellie delve into some deeper lyrical material on her upcoming album. But as a performance, "Tough" is still strong enough to keep us interested. It's a capable vehicle to effectively allow Kellie to showcase her infectious personality, charisma, and energy.

KELLIE'S SCORE: 7
(Scores are given on a scale of 1 to 10)

Glen Templeton, "I Could Be the One"

2011-05-29T22:50:00.001-05:00

Songwriters: Tom McHugh, Jay Knowles

Is there still room for a two-stepper on country radio? Even one as good as Glen Templeton's new single "I Could Be the One"? Could Taylor Swift and Lady Antebellum just scoot over and make a little room?

"I Could Be the One" is sung from the perspective of a rough-around-the-edges character hoping that the object of his desire will give him a chance, and recognize his potential. The first verse acknowledges his somewhat unsavory character traits. He can be "stubborn as a two-dollar 4-H mule, hard to handle as your granddad's tools... but," he points out, "I could be the one." The second verse delves into what could happen if these two potential lovers get together. "I could be a too-much-tequila mistake, or I could be your heart's big lucky break. Might be a little more than you can take, but," he reminds us yet again, "I could be the one."

Each verse builds on the previous one in a well-arranged lyrical progression. As the interesting similes and metaphors flesh out the narrator's character, it's hard not to wonder if the uncertainty of the relationship's outcome only adds further fuel to the passion between him and his potential significant other. You definitely have to give credit when a song can sound this catchy while still possessing organically-layered lyrics that can hold up under scrutiny.

Did I mention that the track also sounds really cool? The production follows a steady shuffle tempo while a banjo plucks away prominently. The thumping beat in the background offers just enough oomph to underscore the other elements without overwhelming them. Glen's smooth vocal delivery ties it all together into a fun, upbeat track that is both remarkably catchy and unmistakably country. If country radio were to give a chance to cool country shuffles like this, it would undoubtedly make for a much more interesting listening experience.

GLEN'S SCORE: 8
(Scores are given on a scale of 1 to 10)

Kristin Chenoweth, "I Want Somebody (Bitch About)"

2011-05-28T08:09:00.001-05:00

So, have you heard? Tony-winning Broadway actress/singer Kristin Chenoweth will release her first country album, Some Lessons Learned, on September 13. Will it be any good? Well, the woman definitely knows how to sing and entertain, and she's working with some good songwriters (including the legendary Diane Warren). A Randy Travis duet is also in the works, which is another encouraging sign. At any rate, it comes as a surprise that she and her label have churned out a debut single that is, in all honesty, utterly wretched. Jaw-droppingly terrible. Abysmally atrocious.

It sounds like the amazing award-winning talents of Kristin Chenoweth were taking a siesta during this recording session, because all I hear is a cacophony of screeching and whining swamped in excessive auto-tuning. Her performance on this track is shrill, thin, and downright painful for the ears to hear.

But even if Kristin had delivered a world-class vocal performance, there would still be no saving this song. "I Want Somebody" is meant to be about a woman's search for unconditional love, but it ends up a stupid rattled-off laundry list of 'I-wants,' which range from dull, to cheesy, to flat-out ridiculous. From "I want somebody I can bitch about" to "I want somebody who can make me insane, completely crazy," this is an awful song.

"I Want Somebody" is thoroughly finished off by a grating, overcrowded arrangement, thus driving the final nail in the coffin, and ensuring that this abhorrent single is an epic fail from every angle. If Kristin Chenoweth ever wants to be taken seriously as a country artist, then some major re-evaluating of strategies is in order, because this here is definitely not working. Listen at your own risk.

KRISTIN'S SCORE: 1
(Scores are given on a scale of 1 to 10)

Album Review: The Essential Rosanne Cash

2011-05-27T12:19:00.000-05:00

Rosanne Cash was one of the most popular female country artists of the eighties, but with a decent number of hits already under her belt, she relinquished her slot on country radio in exchange for full creative freedom. The Essential Rosanne Cash – released thirty years after her career hit “Seven Year Ache” reached number one – is an in-depth career-spanning compilation featuring 36 songs hand-selected by Rosanne herself.

This album is a double-disc set in which each disc covers a different era in Rosanne’s career. Disc 1 begins with two tracks (“Can I Still Believe In You” and “Baby, Better Start Turnin’ ‘Em Down”) from Rosanne’s little-known self-titled debut album, released on German label Ariola. From there, this disc goes into all of Rosanne’s best-known radio hits, as well as some lesser-known inclusions, all arranged in loose chronological order. Essential hits such as “Seven Year Ache,” “My Baby Thinks He’s a Train,” “Blue Moon with Heartache,” and her Grammy-winner “I Don’t Know Why You Don’t Want Me” are all present and accounted for. After we hear a fair amount of the synth-laden sound of the eighties, the disc segues into the mainstream country sound of her 1987 album King’s Record Shop. That classic set yielded four number-one singles – a feat unprecedented by any female artist at the time – all of which are included in this compilation (“The Way We Make a Broken Heart,” “Tennessee Flat Top Box,” “If You Ever Change Your Mind,” “Runaway Train”). The first disc closes with Rosanne’s final number-one hit, her country-tinged cover of the Beatles’ “I Don’t Want to Spoil the Party,” signaling the end of Rosanne’s hit-making era.

But it would be a mistake to focus only on Rosanne’s hit songs, and to overlook the remarkable body of work she produced in the years after she turned away from hit making. As Disc 2 opens, it deviates from chronological order by beginning with “The Real Me,” a non-single track from King’s Record Shop. This deviation is appropriate, as “The Real Me” ideally sets the tone for the songs to follow. Indeed, Disc 2 represents the era in which Rosanne had stopped attempting to squeeze herself into the mainstream country mold, and began recording the most personal music of her career. This was when we began to see the real Rosanne Cash in exquisite compositions such as “The Wheel” (the centerpiece of her 1993 rock album of the same title), “Sleeping In Paris,” “Rules of Travel,” and many others.

An indispensable inclusion is “September When It Comes,” – Rosanne’s ethereal duet with her legendary father Johnny Cash, recorded in 2003 for her album Rules of Travel. The song, written by Rosanne with her husband John Leventhal, explored the theme of mortality in a way that was eerily prophetic of Johnny Cash’s own impending death (which took place in September of that very year). Using the month of September to symbolize the period near the end of one’s life, the lyrics beautifully conveyed emotions of both pain and hope. Such a masterpiece of a song is a definite career highlight, whether it becomes a hit or not. After losing her father, mother, stepmother, and stepsister in a short two-year time span, Rosanne poured her grief into her 2006 set Black Cadillac, expressing herself through songs such as the title track, “House On the Lake,” “The World Unseen,” and “The Good Intent,” all of which are included in The Essential Rosanne Cash. Disc 2 closes with two tracks from Rosanne’s 2009 covers album The List – “500 Miles," “Sea of Heartbreak" (her duet with Bruce Springsteen), and "Sweet Memories."

The hit songs are only the tip of the iceberg – This is true of just about any artist, but perhaps all the more so with Rosanne Cash. There is often much more to learn about an artist than what can be discerned from a simple, concise “Greatest Hits” package. By visiting virtually every chapter of Rosanne’s career, The Essential Rosanne Cash manages to live up to its title in full – essential in the sense of music quality, as well as effectiveness in summing up an artist’s career. Of course, the only way to see the full depth of Rosanne’s artistry would be to collect her entire discography, but The Essential Rosanne Cash offers the finest portrait that could ever be seen from one compilation album. The result is a career retrospective as beautiful and well-rounded as any artist could hope for.

ROSANNE'S SCORE: 10
(Scores are given on a scale of 1 to 10)

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Scotty McCreery, "I Love You This Big"

2011-05-26T14:02:00.000-05:00

From the moment North Carolina teenager Scotty McCreery first appeared on the American Idol stage, he set tongues a-wagging in the world of country music. His wink-wink boy-next-door charm and dynamic performances made him an instant fan favorite. Though rival Lauren Alaina seemed to be the judges' favorite, Scotty's fan base succeeded in rallying together to win him the Idol title. But despite his popularity, he has been met with some early resistance from some country radio programmers who have taken a strong dislike to him. Thus, in launching Scotty's country music career, his label is playing it safe by releasing the most generic, easily-digestible love song as his first single.

First, let's get this out of the way: I like Scotty McCreery. I like his deep-throated, Josh Turner-esque vocals. I like his neotraditional-leaning musical style. Heck, I even voted for him! But now that I've said what I do like, I have to say that I do not like this song. Not even a little bit.

True, the laid-back steel guitar-laced arrangement makes it a little more palatable, but the unabashed cheesiness of the title hook "I Love You This Big" instantly leaves a bad taste in the mouth. Title hook aside, the verses are consistently mediocre in content. From "The way my heart starts pounding when I look into your eyes..." to "You do something to me deep down in my heart," awkward metaphors and cliche phrasing are in abundance. Even Scotty's vocal delivery begs for an added level of expressiveness, lacking the charisma that often came across from his Idol performances.

Scotty has a good voice. We've seen that repeatedly demonstrated over the course of the season. But "I Love You This Big" is just so, so boring. Bottom line: Scotty deserves a better song than this.

SCOTTY'S SCORE: 5
(Scores are given on a scale of 1 to 10)

Sara Evans, "My Heart Can't Tell You No"

2011-05-26T07:51:00.000-05:00

Songwriters: Simon Climie, Dennis W. Morgan

When you think of eighties pop tunes that are deserving of country reinterpretations, isn't Rod Stewart the first act that comes to mind? Possibly not, but that must have been what Sara Evans was thinking. Her new single offering, hot on the heels of her first number one hit since 2005, is a cover of the Rod Stewart hit "My Heart Can't Tell You No."

Of course, no amount of pedal steel can fully conceal the fact that "My Heart Can't Tell You No" is a pop song at its core. It's eighties power ballad flavor remains distinguishable, particularly during the crescendoing chorus. Despite such characteristics, Sara's take on "My Heart Can't Tell You No" is more toned back instrumentally in comparison to the original and to the electric guitar-laden power balladry of Sara's previous smash, "A Little Bit Stronger." This recording finds Sara primarily backed by acoustic and steel guitar. The arrangement does contain a helping of electric guitar, but even that sometimes-distracting instrument manages to stay in its proper place.

The arrangement displays some pleasant interplay between the instruments and Sara's soaring vocals. Each time Sara sings "When the one you love's in love with someone else..." she is answered by a series of weeping steel guitar chords. This demonstrates the well-known fact that, despite her occasional affinity for flirting with crossover sounds, Sara's distinctive alto has always sounded best when paired with traditional country instruments. Sara's performance vascillates from a restrained, low-key delivery to a series of high vocal swoops. She sings with palpable conviction as she begs her lover "You've got to stay away from me! Stay away from me!"

Despite its inherent pop nature, the lyrical content of "My Heart Can't Tell You No" fits in snugly with the signature themes of country music. It's a good song, but the production of the original version planted it squarely among the trends of its specific era. Resurrecting the song into a less bombastic, modernized version shows the timelessness of a well-constructed lyric.

Overall, "My Heart Can't Tell You No" is a respectable entry from an artist whose own life has been the stuff of a country song in recent years. It may or may not rank as one of Sara's best-remembered singles in years to come, but either way, it's a competent reworking that shows what a capable lyrical interpreter Sara can be when given the right song.

SARA'S SCORE: 7
(Scores are given on a scale of 1 to 10)

Kenny Chesney, "You and Tequila" (featuring Grace Potter)

2011-05-21T08:00:00.001-05:00

Songwriters: Matraca Berg, Deana Carter

Kenny should mine the Matraca Berg catalog more often. It seems to work well for him. With this performance, Kenny reminds us once again of the strong balladeer skills he possesses. He's a talented vocalist, but his previous hit "Live a Little" didn't come close to doing him justice.

Here we find a narrator drawing a parallel between two things that are damaging to him, but that hold him in a seemingly inescapable grasp - liquor, and the love of an unhealthy relationship. Desire collides with better judgment in these bitter lyrics, as the character realizes that "It's so easy to forget the bitter taste the morning left," and that "It's always your favorite sins that do you in." The memorable chorus culminates in the winning line "One is one too many, one more is never enough. "You and Tequila" is a beautifully-written piece of mature emotion-filled storytelling, the likes of which are scarcely heard on country radio anymore.

Grace Potter's contribution comes in the form of [what used to be called] background vocals, as opposed to a proper duet, but she's a worthwhile inclusion nonetheless. Her softly understated vocals add an extra layer of longing to the performance, fitting in perfectly next to Kenny's smooth delivery. The subtle acoustic arrangement sounds beautiful on its own, but it gives both vocalists plenty of room to shine.

At this high point in his career, Kenny could probably make a number-one country hit out of the Oscar Mayer jingle. When an artist like Kenny reaches automatic-add status on country radio, it's always heartening to see an artist use that position to shine the spotlight on quality song material that might not otherwise have a shot at mass exposure. In recent years, intelligent lyricists such as Matraca Berg seem to have fallen by the wayside on country radio, so Kenny deserves a great deal of credit for reintroducing the mainstream country audience to her unique work. At any rate, it easily makes for the finest Kenny Chesney single in recent memory.

KENNY'S SCORE: 10
(Scores are given on a scale of 1 to 10)

Rachel Holder, "Chocolate"

2011-05-20T14:10:00.000-05:00

Songwriters: Chuck Howard, Bob Regan, Kristy Osmunson

I'm faced with a bit of a challenge here. How can I explain in coherent terms why I enjoy Rachel Holder's debut single "Chocolate"? It's about a girl leaving a guy for chocolate. He cheats on her, so she dumps him, and fills the void of his departure with... you guessed it... chocolate.

Sound hokey? The concept may sound like something that can be easily dismissed, but let's imagine for a moment. If an artist were intent on singing a song about chocolate, what characteristics could make it enjoyable instead of annoying? A catchy melody? "Chocolate" has that. A performance packed with personality? "Chocolate" has that. Humorous lyrics? A fun, upbeat arrangement? "Chocolate" has that, along with all the makings of an oddly charming little ditty.

Of course, you can only enjoy "Chocolate" if you accept the fact that it's pure novelty - ear candy, if you'll excuse the pun. It's not aiming for great lyrical depth - It's aiming to put a smile on your face, and maybe even get you to sing along. Call it a guilty pleasure if you must, but this "Chocolate" has just the right confection of cheeky humor, subtle cleverness, and infectious personality to make it work. Congratulations, Rachel - You made me like a song about leaving a guy for chocolate.

RACHEL'S SCORE: 7
(Scores are given on a scale of 1 to 10)

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Jerrod Niemann, "One More Drinkin' Song"

2011-05-19T08:44:00.001-05:00

Songwriters: Jerrod Niemann, Richie Brown

"Hey hey hey, what's so wrong with one more drinking song?" Nothing at all, provided that it's a good drinking song. Especially one that goes beyond simply identifying itself as "One More Drinkin' Song," and that actually manages to distinguish itself among all the other drinking songs in country music.

The trouble with this particular drinking song is that is that it doesn't aspire to be anything more than... well... "One More Drinkin' Song." It declares itself to be a drinking song, and asks its listeners to sing along, but brings no distinctive characteristics of its own. Leaning on "hey hey hey" hooks wrapped in a singalong melody, it reaches the height of its cleverness in a tacked-on line about "bartenders tryin' to get paid while the rest of us are tryin to get..." which substitutes a hokey sound effect for the word "laid." But since the song fails to offer its own fresh take on its theme, it's as if where listening to the sonic equivalent of a skeleton with no flesh.

Then the song devolves predictably into a canned barroom singalong chorus, which adds an uncalled-for layer of cheesiness. I'm just going to put this out there while we're on the topic, but I absolutely hate crowd singalongs. Passionately. (I might even like Brad Paisley's "I'm Gonna Miss Her" if not for that danged singalong) Whenever I hear one, I always feel as if someone is trying to convince me to like a song because other people like it. It's a measure that often reeks of desperation. I say if you want to convince me to like a song, try writing a song that's actually good.

While there's still nothing wrong with a good old drinking song, it's easy to see why one might gravitate toward a drinking song that's more unique and memorable than this one. Jerrod's "Drinkin' Song" may be palatable on the first listen, but it's overall a weightless track that leaves hardly enough of an impression to garner a replay.

JERROD'S SCORE: 5
(Scores are given on a scale of 1 to 10)

Terri Clark, "Northern Girl"

2011-05-18T10:18:00.000-05:00

After being cut off by U.S. country radio, Terri Clark eventually parted ways with her label home of Mercury Nashville, and focused her efforts on her native Canada, where she has continued to enjoy chart success.

In a similar vein as Faith Hill's "Mississippi Girl," Terri celebrates her Canadian roots on her brand new single "Northern Girl." We may have become accustomed to hearing country artists proclaim the joys of the Southern lifestyle in the U.S.A., so it almost comes as a surprise to hear Terri Clark singing about how she "grew up drivin' on black ice, spinnin' in circles under neon lights." But that's exactly the kind of place Terri Clark came from, so it's a nice change of pace from hearing so many cliche-laden songs about backwoods Southern living.

The arrangement on "Northern Girl" meshes electric guitars together with steel guitars, while still allowing Terri's strong vocal performance to cut through. With a jubilant melody and an infectious opening guitar hook, the song will no doubt make you very happy. Even the na-na-na-nas, which often threaten to be annoying, sound right at home on this track The line "You can take me out of there, but you can't take it out of me," is gratuitous, but it's not enough to sour the song's sweet flavor. Granted, it would be desirable to hear Terri dig into some deeper subject matter with the rest of her new album, but for now we can all just join Terri in her joyous celebration of her "Northern Girl" heritage.

Since U.S. country radio hasn't shown much interest in Terri Clark since 2004, it's unlikely that a song so ripe with Canadian references would bring her back into their good graces, though the song has already become a Top 20 hit in Terri's Canadian homeland. Still, it's a solid entry into Terri's catalog, and an enjoyable preview of her upcoming new album

TERRI'S SCORE: 8
(Scores are given on a scale of 1 to 10)

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Craig Campbell, "Fish"

2011-05-14T08:00:00.003-05:00

Songwriters: Craig Campbell, Arlos Smith, Ashe Underwood

Craig Campbell's self-titled debut album has drawn well-deserved praise for a sound that is distinctly country enough to appeal to traditional-leaning fans, while still being fresh and contemporary enough to be commercially viable. Where the album all too often goes wrong is in mediocre lyrics with a few failed attempts at cleverness. In that regard, the current single "Fish" ranks as one of the worst offenders.

"Fish" draws on a double entendre in which a fishing trip is used as a drawn-out metaphor for sex. It pairs a lethargic melody with a forgettable hook ("Man that girl sure loves to fish"), resulting in a real yawn of a single. With cliche-filled verses that are continually dull in content, "Fish" is too nondescript to be offensive, and too bland to be amusing. It's hard to determine the point of the song's existence.

I really do like Craig Campbell. He's a talented guy with an enjoyable musical style. But when it comes to showcasing Craig's talent and artistic potential, "Fish" is a wasted oppurtunity.

CRAIG'S SCORE: 5
(Scores are given on a scale of 1 to 10)

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Album Review: Victoria Banks - Never Be the Same

2011-05-13T14:11:00.000-05:00

Never Be the Same, the second studio album from Canadian singer-songwriter Victoria Banks, includes a fair helping of delicious slices of pop-country, kicking off with the charming opener “Come On.” It’s about as simple a song as its title leads us to expect, but with an uplifting melody, a cool fiddle-laced arrangement, and a competent lead vocal delivery, the sum of its parts make for an enjoyably breezy contemporary country love song.

The track “Jackson” might have you expecting a cover of the well-known Cash classic, but it’s far from it. It boasts the most attention-grabbing opening line of any song on the album – “It’s a long way back to Jackson in a beat-up Cadillac/ With a Bible on the floorboard and a body in the back.” The absorbing story-song is easily the most striking track on the album. It reaches a climax in the bridge after the second chorus, when Victoria’s character sneers at the ineffective justice system, and opts to take things into her own hands – “There was never any crime, ‘cause there wasn’t no proof/ But a big sister always knows the truth/ So when he gets home tonight, I swear I’ll make things right/ I’ll be waitin’ inside with a forty-five.”
Title track “Never Be the Same” is sonically interesting thanks to Victoria’s nuanced lead vocal, but the song is lyrically unfulfilling, leaning upon the crutch of laundry-list songwriting. It touches on a number of life experiences the narrator has had, with her simply concluding that she “will never be the same.” On the song “Somebody Does,” Victoria visits similar lyrical territory to that of the recent Sugarland hit “Little Miss,” in which a narrator offers comfort and encouragement to a downtrodden companion. It’s a solid concept, but the lyrics seem to call for a little added specificity, with the hook “Right now you think nobody cares, but somebody does” seeming hollow and vague.
Never Be the Same is clearly not an album without its faults, with lyrics that don’t often scratch below surface level. Even on the strongest songs, layers of production often act as an unnecessary distraction. A primary example is the rather awkwardly-constructed empowerment anthem “Barefoot Girl,” which extols the joys of pick-up trucks and torn-up jeans, while the heavy beat and thumping production would seem more at home in the “high-rise high heels world” that the narrator rejects. The trait re-surfaces in the spousal abuse tale “Remember That, written by Victoria with Rachel Proctor, which appeared on Jessica Simpson’s 2008 country album Do You Know. Victoria’s performances sounds a degree more invested in the lyrics than Jessica’s, but her sincerity is undermined by an overwrought arrangement. The arrangement threatens to detract from the fact that “Remember That” ranks among the album’s strongest lyrics, in which a woman addresses an abused victim in a manner that is gentle, sympathetic, and not at all condescending.
As a whole, Never Be the Same includes many of the building blocks necessary to construct a great album, but they sometimes wind up scattered hither and thither with needless clutter falling in between. Still, the album has its share of great moments demonstrating the magic that can happen when all of the pieces fall into alignment.

VICTORIA'S SCORE: 7
(Scores are given on a scale of 1 to 10)

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Wynonna, "Love It Out Loud"

2011-05-11T00:01:00.000-05:00

Songwriters: Wynonna Judd, Cactus Moser

On hearing a new track from Wynonna, one might wonder if it will be closer to the classic "No One Else On Earth" version of Wynonna, or the underwhelming "I Will Stand By You" version. As it turns out, her new single is definitely closer to the former. Much closer.

"Love It Out Loud" was written as a tribute to Wynonna's mother and musical cohort Naomi Judd. But instead of laying on the sap, "Love It Out Loud" turns out to be a rocking throwback to Wynonna's "No One Else On Earth" glory days. Fiddles and electric guitars sit side by side in a driving country-rock arrangement, yet Wynonna's Ferrari of a voice continually acts as the main instrument. Her voice shows some signs of wear, but that does not detract from our listening enjoyment in the least. She throws herself into the performance head on with all the gritty soulfulness that has characterized her best work. Her voice rises from a deep growl to an aggressive roar while exuding a punctuated swagger in a consistently engaging performance.

Besides the obvious fact that "Love It Out Loud" is such an unabashedly cool record, it has a heart and a message at the core of all that toe-tapping fun, not to mention a great title hook. "Love isn't love, really love, until you love it out loud," Wynonna sings with fierce conviction. Isn't that true? 'Love isn't love until you love it out loud' is great advice that could be applied in just about any relationship scenario, whether it be a parent-child relationship or a romantic relationship. The chorus is surrounded by a variety of quirky rapid-fire rhymes that don't always have a close tangible connection with the title hook, but that still contribute to the consistently interesting lyrical content.

Had it been released in the mid to late nineties, "Love It Out Loud" would have totally torn up the charts. Whether it will do so today is less certain. One thing is for sure: If country radio programmers ignore it, they will be ignoring what is hands down one of the best country singles of 2011.

WYNONNA'S SCORE: 9
(Scores are given on a scale of 1 to 10)

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Jake Owen, "Barefoot Blue Jean Night"

2011-05-09T20:18:00.001-05:00

Songwriters: Eric Paslay, Dylan Altman, Terry Sawchuk

Jake, I hate to break this to you, but Rascal Flatts already did this. So did Jack Ingram. And Brad Paisley. But maybe you realized that. Maybe you realized that another song about hot girls and cold beer is about as unique and memorable as a speck of dirt. You had to know that you weren't going to make any lasting impression with those lyrics. Maybe that's why you went for all-out cheesiness instead.

With a cacophony of echoing whoa-oa-oas and robotic hand claps, "Barefoot Blue Jean Night" is easily bad enough to make the listener physically cringe on the first listen. Purists have often complained that modern mainstream country sounds like bad eighties pop, but it's almost eerie to hear a song that fits the description this perfectly. Thus, instead of evoking feelings of youthful nostalgia, "Barefoot Blue Jean Night" only leave an extremely bad taste in your mouth.

"Barefoot Blue Jean Night" is another calculated effort to capitalize on country radio's annual obsession with summer songs. Like most of its fellow summer songs, its lyrics don't delve much deeper than the requisite references to hot girls and cold beer. But summer songs are not inherently evil. The right amount of cleverness and personality can be just the right thing to get listeners in the summertime party mood (see "Redneck Yacht Club"). There's no personality here - The track sounds like business as usual, but with an extra layer of bad taste.

"Barefoot Blue Jean Night" tosses out cleverness in favor of the generic, aiming only to fit in comfortably between all the other summer songs on radio playlists. This leaves the finished product feeling like a clumsy grasp at commercial success, and a lazily thrown-together mashup of random ingredients.

JAKE'S SCORE: 3
(Scores are given on a scale of 1 to 10)

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Music Video Round-Up - May 2011, Part 2

2011-05-08T22:54:00.001-05:00

Stealing Angels, "Paper Heart"

Margaret Durante, "Maybe Tonight"

Jennette McCurdy, "Generation Love"

Corey Smith, "Twenty One"

Ronnie Dunn, "Love Owes Me One"

Eric Church, "Homeboy"

Taylor Swift, "Mean"

Music Video Round-Up - May 2011, Part 1

2011-05-06T22:36:00.000-05:00

Lots of great new vids to talk about this month, so we're going to split this round-up over two parts. Part 2 will be coming soon!

Josh Abbott Band, "Oh, Tonight"

Overall simple, but including a few more dramatic touches - like fire, for instance. The music video preserves the same conversational tone that the song itself has, in that it shows Josh Abbott and Kacey Musgraves playing guitar and singing to each other in a simple fireside setting.

The Dirt Drifters, "Something Better"
(Embedding disabled - Click here to watch)
This video follows a blue collar worker through his grueling everyday routine. It includes quite a few odd camera angles, and a good bit of humor. Quirky, fun, and off-beat, just like the song.

David Nail, "Let It Rain"

Eh, didn't really care for this one. Kind of boring. Never really went anywhere. All that really happened was sitting around and watching the soon-to-be-ex-lover get dressed.

Thompson Square, "I Got You"

A Sonny & Cher spoof - seems appropriate, considering the song's title. This video finds Keifer and Shawna Thompson playing muliple roles - the hosts of the Keifer & Shawna Show, themselves performing as Thompson Square, and others as well. Still not a fan of the song, but this is a cute video.

Sugarland, "Tonight"

Some interesting visual elements, including a variety of colorful costumes worn by Jennifer Nettles.

Emerson Drive, "Let Your Love Speak"

What could possibly be a cooler setting than Sydney, Australia?

Chris Young, "Tomorrow"

Simple, yet very well played out.

Lady Antebellum, "Just a Kiss"

2011-05-03T10:21:00.000-05:00

Songwriters: Dave Haywood, Charles Kelley, Hillary Scott, Dallas Davidson

Their previous single may have been one of their weakest, but the new single from Lady's Antebellum's upcoming third album may be a step in the right direction. On "Just a Kiss," lead vocalists Hillary Scott and Charles Kelley play the parts of young lovers in a budding relationship, experiencing strong feelings of desire, yet adhering to their better judgment. They opt to take it slow, settling for "Just a kiss on your lips in the moonlight, just a touch in the fire burning so bright."

As a lyrical composition, "Just a Kiss" is neither memorable nor outstanding. Lyrics about being "Caught up in this moment, caught up in your smile" aren't particularly interesting. Without the right treatment, a song like "Just a Kiss" would be a total bore, but the song is saved by the grace of Charles and Hillary's beautifully acted out performances. As Hillary sings the opening verses, her vocal carries just the right air of vulnerability combined with passion. Charles' deep-throated voice supplies the ideal contrast to Hillary's restrained delivery.

"Just a Kiss" is very much a straightforward pop power ballad, similar in some ways to the Jason Aldean - Kelly Clarkson smash "Don't You Wanna Stay," though without the obligatory steel guitar fills. It's not country by a long stretch, and it doesn't pretend to be, with a twang-free line-up of piano and strings pulling the weight instead. Like the aforementioned hit, "Just a Kiss" is largely built around one big chorus that serves as the song's centerpiece. The chorus boasts a surprisingly infectious melody, which carries a sense of urgency, while echoing the underlying passion of the song's characters, not to mention planting itself firmly in the heads of listeners. As a lyric, "Just a Kiss" is not groundbreaking, but as a performance, it works.

LADY A'S SCORE: 7
(Scores are given on a scale of 1 to 10)

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Goodbye to the 9513 - The Web's Premiere Country Music Blog Retiring

2011-05-02T19:06:00.001-05:00

I received some sad news today, and I couldn't let the day go by without writing a few words about it. The 9513, deservedly the web's number one country music blog, is retiring, as announced today by editor Brody Vercher.

Since it's first post in 2006, The 9513 has defined what a great country blog should be, featuring reliably excellent writing, a wide variety of music covered, and a consistent standard of high-quality content, all overseen by founders Brady and Brody Vercher. News roundups were posted regularly, helping readers keep thoroughly well-informed on all the goings-on in the world of country music. In addition, it included the insightful musings of columnists such as Barry Mazor, Paul W. Dennis, and Chris Neal. Impossible to forget are the site's detailed, well-thought-out, and unabashedly honest reviews of current album and singles, authored by talented writers such as Jim Malec, Blake Boldt, Karlie Justus, Juli Thanki, and C.M. Wilcox. The 9513 was valuable for the way it introduced us to talented artists of the independent music scene, while still giving mainstream country generous coverage as well. The 9513 writers always praised the music where praise was deserved, while never hesitating to offer criticism when such was warranted.

If it were not for The 9513, The 1-to-10 Country Music Review would not exist. It was The 9513's insightful, yet always entertaining content that inspired the creation of my own little blog. I've been happily blogging away for over a year now, growing as a writer, meeting great new people, and having a good old time. I have The 9513 to thank for that.

We'll miss it.

Jason Michael Carroll, "Numbers"

2011-04-30T10:58:00.001-05:00

After accruing a modest catalog of Top 20 hits, Jason Michael Carroll joins a number of country crooners taking the Cracker Barrel route. His third album Numbers will be released on July 25 via Cracker Barrel, with the title track being shipped to radio as the first single.

Here Jason offers a song that is exactly what its title promises, with a hook that means exactly what is says on paper - nothing more, and nothing less. "Numbers all around, flying by up and down" he muses against the backdrop of your typical country-but-not-too-country instrumental line-up. "Most of them mean absolutely nothing, but some of them mean everything." Unfortunately, that's about as deep as the lyric gets, with the bulk of it made up of randomly-strung-together number references, ranging from "doin' seventy-two in a '65" to "We were both nineteen, and she was a perfect ten." Some of the numbers are related to some life experience, but the height of the song's cleverness comes with a namecheck of "Highway 101 on 102.5."

There are instances in which "Numbers" offers a half-hearted attempt at lyrical depth, such as the second verse's account of when the narrator first met his significant other. But instead of completing the storyline, the song offers one more chorus and guitar solo, and then regresses to superficial references of "John 3:16" and "the second coming."

"Numbers" briefly touches on the numbers that "mean everything," but spends way too much time on the numbers that mean nothing. It ends up being a self-fulfilling prophecy. The end result is a song that means "absolutely nothing." With an abundance of inanity, and a lazily-constructed narrative, "Numbers" is only three and a half minutes of pure boredom.

So here's one more number for you, Jason. Sorry, but you might not like it.

JASON'S SCORE: 4
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Album Review: Zoe Muth and the Lost High Rollers - Starlight Hotel

2011-04-28T11:54:00.000-05:00

In sharp contrast with the slick, polished, and predictable mainstream country fare, it’s refreshing to hear a record characterized by such simple charm as that of the new sophomore release from Seattle-born songstress Zoe Muth and her band the Lost High Rollers. Starlight Hotel is a record replete with light acoustic arrangements, as well as soft restrained vocals on the part of lead singer Zoe Muth. She’s backed up by some fine musicians. The sweet sound of Ethan Lawton’s mandolin winds its way around the notes in each song. Dave Harmonson supplies the weeping sounds of the pedal steel. Meanwhile, Mike McDermott accompanies on guitar as Greg Nies keeps the beat on drums.

Zoe Muth continues to prove herself an exceptionally talented songwriter, claiming writing credits on all of the albums tracks, all of which are consistently engaging in content. Her lyrics explore themes of emotional vulnerability, restlessness, and a wide spectrum of other topics. The album opens with “I’ve Been Gone,” which tells the tale of a woman’s lust for the open road, and her desire for companionship on her never-ending travels. The track is complete with a charming mariachi horn section that sounds reminiscent of Johnny Cash’s “Ring of Fire.” “Whatever’s Left” finds a woman looking for reassurance of commitment from her lover, as expressed in the well-crafted hook “When something is broken or something is bent/ I want to hear you say/ We can make do with whatever’s left.”

The theme of romantic disappointment is given ample treatment, particularly on songs such as “Before the Night Is Gone” and “New Mexico.” On the former, a woman silently grieves over the sad state of a relationship, pining for reassurance of her man’s affections. “Won’t you tell me our love will linger on/ And knock that chip of your shoulder/ Into your heart of stone to start a spark,” she wonders, “’Cause I need some way to see in the dark.” In the comparatively lighter tune “Let’s Just Be Friends for Tonight,” Zoe’s character is a bit further into her healing process after the dissolution of a relationship. She finds consolation in a bar, listening to sad old country songs, and sharing “a wink and a smile” with a man she meets there. “But,” she says, “I don’t want a new love unless it’s a true love/ So let’s just be friends for tonight.”

“Tired Worker’s Song” is a strong lyric, but rather pedestrian in melody and performance. It has a dull melody that doesn’t combine well with Zoe’s understated vocal style. In contrast, “If I Can’t Trust You with a Quarter (How Can I Trust You with My Heart)” has an odd set of lyrics, but boasts a pleasant steel-guitar-laced mid-tempo arrangement. The song is about a woman who meets a man she is initially interested in, but declares it a deal breaker when he takes her quarter and plays the wrong song on the jukebox. The track may garner smiles from some listeners, and raised eyebrows from others.

Still, even those two lesser tracks display notable strong points of their own, just as every other track on the album does. There are no tracks on Starlight Hotel that are weak enough to be labeled as missteps. Overall, Starlight Hotel is a solid effort that rings with simple, earthy sincerity throughout the track listing. It’s an entertaining, absorbing listen that will make a welcome addition to any country music record collection.

ZOE'S SCORE: 8
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Billy Currington, "Love Done Gone"

2011-04-26T18:14:00.001-05:00

After hearing enough beer-drinking anthems and sleepy love songs to last me a lifetime and a half, I was desperately wishing that Billy Currington would shake up his catalog a bit. In listening to his latest release, it sounds like I may have gotten my wish.

Do my ears deceive me? Am I actually hearing a summer song, by Billy Currington no less, that nowhere mentions hot girls or cold beer? In contrast, "Love Done Gone" finds Billy singing a breakup song - but not a sad breakup song, a happy one. The lyrics offer little insight into the circumstances surrounding the breakup. The single's defining feature is, not the song lyrics, but rather a jolly melody and horn-infused production. It's clear that the song mainly aims to be catchy, and it definitely succeeds in that department.

The song's narrator essentially sounds like the same laid-back character that has surfaced in most of Billy's recent hits. In the wake of his recent split, he shrugs off any feelings of hurt or disappointment, and accepts the relationship's end as an inevitable happening that was bound to come sooner or later. The majority of the lyric sheet is filled with examples of things disappearing, fading away, or coming to an end.

Many of these various similes and metaphors - ranging from "leaves on the trees when the autumn comes" to "bubbles disappearin' in a glass of champagne" - toe the line between clever and hokey. Ultimately, the oddball lyrics and quirky production make for a single that is oddly charming, ridiculously catchy, and instantly recognizable right from the opening "ba-ba-da-ba-da-ba" hook.

Only time will tell how this single offering will wear on us. Perhaps we'll find ourselves loving it, then hating it, and then loving it again after some time away from it. At any rate, "Love Done Gone" is the most interesting single Billy's put out in quite some time. It works for me.

BILLY'S SCORE: 8
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Trace Adkins, "Just Fishin'"

2011-04-24T21:23:00.000-05:00

In a surprising display of good taste, country radio didn't jump on board with Trace Adkin's recent vomit-inducing ditty "Brown Chicken Brown Cow." Trace's new single "Just Fishin'" finds him retreating back into safer lyrical territory, but it also finds him doing what does best - tugging heartstrings. At any rate, Trace has once again delivered a quality single that is just enjoyable enough for us to forgive the massive turd that preceded it.

While listening to this new single, it's hard not to be reminded of Trace's 2008 hit "You're Gonna Miss This." Like that past chart-topper, "Just Fishin'" emphasizes the fleeting nature of the special moments in life. Whereas the former utilized the common three-act story arc to make its point, "Just Fishin'" specifically focuses on parenthood, and isolates one significant moment in a father's life - that of taking his daughter fishing.

The daughter is unaware of the special significance her father attaches to their simple outing. To her, it's just a normal experience, during which she chats with her father about everything from ballet shoes to kittens, thinking that they're "just fishin'." Her father, on the other hand, savors every moment of the time spent with his daughter, wistfully aware that she will one day grow up and leave the nest. He's fully aware that these moments won't last forever, so he's fully enjoying them while they're still here.

As a major plus, "Just Fishin'" reminds us once again of what a talented singer Trace is. He has a recurring tendency to squander his million-dollar baritone on stale cheap fare, but when he gets a hold of a really good song, it's a real treat to listen to. His delivery of "Just Fishin'" is warm, down-to-earth, and brimming with sincerity. One would expect that Trace, being a father of five daughters, would have a deep personal connection to this lyrical scenario. That connection comes through in his vocal.

Though it does bear a similarity to "You're Gonna Miss This," "Just Fishin'" still manages to offer a different variation on a familiar formula, and a well-executed attempt ends up a strong success. If Trace is going to make it back into the Country Top 10, "Just Fishin'" deserves to be the song that gets him there.

TRACE'S SCORE: 8
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Thompson Square, "I Got You"

2011-04-22T07:30:00.006-05:00

"A car's got gasoline to run down the road. A crop's got rain, dirt, and sun to make 'em grow. A song's got rhyme. A clock's got time..."

I bet you can't guess what comes next, can you? "You got me, and baby I got you"! Did Kiefer and Shawna not realize that we could see that coming from a mile away? The second verse rolls around, and the painful predictability continues. Now they sing about how they "don't need a big old house full of stuff," because being wrapped up in each other's arms is enough. I can't shake the feeling that I've all this before.

The best and most interesting songs on Thompson Square's self-titled debut album are those that offer witty takes on the ups and downs of a relationship, and that carry a hint of authenticity. There's nothing unique or authentic about songs that are so obviously tailor-made for radio. Like its similarly uninteresting predecessor "Are You Gonna Kiss Me Or Not," all "I Got You" really says is "I want a Top Ten hit." There are a million other songs that sound just like it. Once it's chart run is over, it will just be another one of those "million other songs" that we refer to when criticizing a future release.

Not only is the song a bore, but the production is enough to cause a headache. Again with all the incessant banging and crashing! Wouldn't it be great if record labels showed some confidence in artists by using simpler arrangements that allowed the artist's performance to pull its own weight? Instead of that, country radio has become the site of a never-ending battle over who can make the loudest records.

Dear Nashville: Please stop dumbing down artists who could actually be good.

Unsolicited advice: Quit drowning them out with unnecessary overproduction, tone down the thrashing guitars and drums, and have them sing a song that's actually somewhat interesting.
THOMPSON SQUARE'S SCORE: 4
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Album Review: Alison Krauss & Union Station - Paper Airplane

2011-04-20T07:54:00.000-05:00

When a band consists of such superb bluegrass musicians as Alison Kruass, Dan Tyminski, Barry Bales, Ron Block, and Jerry Douglas, it's a given fact that the collaboration will result in something beautiful. It's been eight years since the magic was at work on Alison Krauss & Union Station's previous album Lonely Runs Both Ways. But the wait is over with the release of Paper Airplane, the band's first new album release since 2004.

You could lift the vocals right out of Paper Airplane, leaving it as an instrumental set, and it would still be a great album. Then again, why would you want to? Alison Krauss posesses one of the most distinctive and immediately recognizable voices in all of country and bluegrass music. Her gorgeous vocal performances polish each track until it shines.

Alison Krauss & Union Station know a thing or two about being lonely - It's a topic given ample coverage on this album. The set open with the gorgeous and melancholy title track, which finds a character dwelling on the fragile and fickle nature of love. The track "Sinking Stone" expresses resignation toward an inevitable breakup, as emphasized in the memorable hook, "I'm untying this sinking stone." Another theme dealt with is that of longing for unrequited love, and wondering whether to continue holding out hope for it, which the Tyminski-helmed track "On the Outside Looking In" handles deftly.

The album also has its share of more serene moments, such as the romantic ballad "Dimming of the Day." This track is notable for the way it expresses longing for companionship, while carrying sensual undertones in such lines as "Come the night, you're only what I want/ Come the night, you could be my confidante." Alison pines for the peace and serenity in the final release of death in the song, "Lay My Burden Down," which she aces with her restrained whisper of a vocal delivery.

Dan Tyminski performs lead vocals on three tracks, in addition to his rightly revered guitar and mandolin picking. "Dust Bowl Children" hearkens back to the days of the Great Depression, during which many left the Oklahoma Dust Bowl region in hopes of finding employment and a better life in the cities. Dan's fierce lead vocal forcefully conveys the anger and desperation of one facing such a plight, especially on such hard-hitting lines as "The only work I ever got was standing in a welfare line," making "Dust Bowl Children" a memorable standout track. He takes his final turn at lead vocals on the richly-colored boatman's tale "Bonita and Bill Butler."

Paper Airplane boats impeccable thematic cohesion, with heartache being the permeating theme, closing with a beautiful acoustic interpretation of Jackson Browne's "My Opening Farewell." Expert musicianship and intelligent introspective lyrics define Paper Airplane from start to finish, making it a substantial and enjoyable listen, and a worthy addition to the group's discography. Was it worth the wait? Oh yes it was!

ALISON'S SCORE: 10
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Emmylou Harris, "The Road"

2011-04-19T07:00:00.002-05:00

In the tradition of her classic song "Boulder to Birmingham," this new single from Emmylou Harris finds her once again singing about her late mentor Gram Parsons. But this time, besides expressing grief over his death, she expresses thankfulness for the experiences they shared together, and for the lasting influence he had on her.

Emmylou's voice doesn't have as much power as it did back in her younger days, but her age has had no ill effects on her ability to convey emotion and sincerity in her performances. It's apparent that this song comes from a very personal place, as it conveys elements of nostalgia and sadness, but ultimately concludes that "On that road, I'm glad I came to know you, my old friend."

Good as the song is, however, I have to say that I'm not big on the slick production. The guitars seem to get a little too loud on the bridge, during which Emmylou sings in a falsetto, and they get to be a slight distraction.

Still, "The Road" finds Emmylou in remarkably fine form. Her open and honest authencitiy is extremely refreshing in comparison to the recycled songwriting concepts that mainstream country music constantly cranks out. Beautifully written, and beautifully performed, "The Road" is both an enjoyable reminisce of days past, and an enticing preview of Emmylou's upcoming studio album.
EMMYLOU'S SCORE: 8
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The single is available as a free download at http://www.emmylouharris.com/

Sugarland, "Tonight"

2011-04-18T16:49:00.000-05:00

It starts out bad, and then it only get worse.

To Sugarland's credit, their overall-disappointing album The Incredible Machine at least managed to produce two killer singles with "Stuck Like Glue" and "Little Miss." Unfortunately, those were the only two good songs on the album, and the inevitable third single exemplifies much of what was wrong with the album as a whole.

Once again, empty lyrics meet overcrowded production. The lyrics of "Tonight" attempt to convey longing for one who does not reciprocate the narrator's affections, but that ship never really leaves the harbor. Instead, it sinks under the weight of self-indulgent mediocrity thanks to the endless repetition of the title hook. The lyric sheet offers two four-line verses, and then robotically repeats itself for the remainder of the song's four-minute length. Thus, "Tonight" comes across as a lyrically unfocused, scatter-shot effort.

Perhaps the biggest disappointment of all is a grating, stuffy-throated performance on the part of lead singer Jennifer Nettles. Ever since the days when Sugarland was a trio, its defining feature was Jennifer's distinct, powerful voice. Since then, she has often been regarded as one of the most talented female singers country music has to offer. Sadly, her performance of "Tonight" begins in an annoying nasal delivery, and ends with her shouting to be heard over bombastic production, and the magic in her emotive Georgia twang is lost.

Jennifer's performance has often been the saving grace that elevated even less-than-stellar material to an enjoyable level. In this case, however, it's the final death stroke for a single that was already an insubstantial miss.

SUGARLAND'S SCORE: 3
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Luke Bryan - "Country Girl (Shake It for Me)"

2011-04-16T06:00:00.004-05:00

Summertime isn't here just yet, but mainstream country artists are already armed with loads of brainless summer tunes to throw at the wall, and see how well they stick. During this time of year, we find that many male artists live in a world filled with attractive women who exist only so that men may stare at their 'badonkadonks.' Thus, the only question that remains is "How bad is it going to be this year?"

If the new Luke Bryan single is any indication, then we're in for a long and bumpy ride. Okay, Luke, let's see how many summerish country cliches you can spit out in the next minute. Ready? GO! Pick-up truck! Boots! Georgia mud! Tractor! And now, as an extra twist, we shall place the gyrating female tush on top of the hood of said tractor!

DING! Time's up. Now on to the next challenge: You must now repeat the phrase "Shake it for me, girl" over and over until you drive all discerning listeners to self-injury. Congratulations! You now have me banging my head against the barn wall in perfect time with the heavy drum beat and guitar licks.

To Luke's credit, the amount of personality in his performances often lifts even his not-so-good material to a somewhat tolerable level. But in this case, his country boy charm is merely the only thing keeping the song from getting an abysmal score of 1. He all but won me over with the super-fun "Rain Is a Good Thing," but "Someone Else Calling You Baby" was a step down from that, and this song is an even bigger step down from that. Now that the song has been thoroughly beaten into the Georgia mud, "Country Girl (Shake It for Me)" seems like a strong contender for the title of "Most Insufferable Country Summer Tune of the Year."

But wait... Here come the Frankie Ballard and Jake Owen entries! So stay tuned! Or don't.

LUKE'S SCORE: 3
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Brantley Gilbert, "Country Must Be Country Wide"

2011-04-15T07:00:00.000-05:00

Weren't you just thinking that country radio could really use more songs about how cool country life is? And that it would be nice if such songs bore little resemblance to actual country music? Neither was I. But that seems to be what Brantley Gilbert thinks, since he so loves writing formulaic songs on that very topic, some of which have been delivered to country radio via Jason Aldean (Think "My Kinda Party" and "Dirt Road Anthem").

In some ways, "Country Must Be Country Wide" attempts to re-create what worked about "Hillbilly Bone." Like that Blake Shelton hit, it portrays the country lifestyle as being inclusive in nature, while also emphasizing its increasing ubiquitousness. Where it goes wrong is in trading the personality and clever novelty elements for all the usual formulas, such as namedropping. "In every state there's a station playin' Hank, Willie, and Waylon," Brantley sings. But let's be real - They're not playing Hank, Willie, and Waylon. They're playing Rascal Flatts, Taylor Swift, Lady Antebellum, and Jason Aldean.

"Country Must Be Country Wide" may very well serve its intended purpose, which was likely to provide Brantley with a raucous set-opener to get the crowd on their feet at his shows. It's also entered the country chart, whereas his two previous singles both failed to chart, so it might even be some sort of a hit. But as an artistic endeavor, it's generic, disposable, and totally interchangeable with any other rocked-up backwoods cliche-pile on country radio.

BRANTLEY'S SCORE: 4
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Bradley Gaskin, "Mr. Bartender"

2011-04-14T07:00:00.001-05:00

If I were to say that Bradley Gaskin's musical and vocal style bear a striking resemblance to that of Travis Tritt, I would only be saying what nearly every other critic has already said. So I'll just say this: They're right.

With a voice eerily similar to that of the talented nineties star, Bradley Gaskin delivers a debut single that is shamelessly neotraditional. "Mr. Bartender" is a straightforward barroom weeper in which romantic disappointment leads a man to seek comfort at his favorite watering hole.

As a lyrical composition, "Mr. Bartender" isn't exactly groundbreaking. It doesn't get much more clever than imploring "Mr. Bartender" to "Take me out with one shot." Instead, this single makes it mark through Bradley's big-voiced soulful delivery and through the unapologetic countryness of the arrangement. It's still a darn good single, but "Mr. Bartender" may only be scratching the surface Bradley's talent. To some extent, it may be a teaser of even better things to come, but "Mr. Bartender" is still several notches superior to most of what's on country radio today.

"Mr. Bartender" received an overwhelmingly positive reception when Bradley performed it for radio programmers at Country Radio Seminar, leading his label to rush-release it to radio. That may be a reason to be optimistic about the song's hit potential, but we'll have to wait and see how it plays out. Releasing a song like this to country radio is a gutsy move, since radio clearly prefers country music that is only marginally country. While there's definitely nothing wrong with hearing a good pop-country song every now and then, here's hoping that the success of Chris Young and Easton Corbin has paved the way for some more unadulterated country music to be heard on the radio as well.

BRADLEY'S SCORE: 8
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Reba McEntire, "When Love Gets a Hold of You"

2011-04-13T07:00:00.001-05:00

Though Reba recently seemed to have reclaimed her hitmaker status on country radio, her chart record hit a nasty bump when her cover of Beyonce's "If I Were a Boy" stalled disappointingly outside the Top 20. Follow-up release "When Love Gets a Hold of You" is a safe middle-of-the-road offering that will likely restore Reba to chart domination. It's not good, and it's not bad. Nothing about it will shock or surprise country radio's audience, or frighten radio programmers away from giving it endless airplay.

The lyrics are anchored by at least some form of a narrative, but weighed down by a plodding melody, and by all the little cliches that keep popping up. It's basically an uninteresting way of saying 'You just wait. You'll grow to love me eventually.' You'd think a soon-to-be Country Music Hall of Famer with a 30-year career behind her would have more to say than that. The track is thoroughly leveled by a bland, murky, typical Dann Huff arrangement. Even as talented a vocalist as Reba is, the depth and color in her voice doesn't shine through when surrounded by such a generic mix of drum and guitar punctuated by the obligatory steel guitar fills.

It's understandable that Reba is concerned with remaining commercially viable at this late point in her career, but commercial success should not come at the expense of making music that's actually interesting - especially not for an artist of Reba's stature. At the very best, "When Love Gets a Hold of You" may supply Reba with one more Top 10 hit to add onto her lengthly resume, but it will be quickly forgotten thereafter. One thing is for sure: If Reba had built her entire career on material like this, she would not be the legend that she is today.

REBA'S SCORE: 5
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Blake Shelton, "Honey Bee"

2011-04-11T17:07:00.000-05:00

"This might come out a little crazy, a little sideways, yeah maybe..."

Thanks for that warning, Blake, though I don't think anything could have prepared me for the sheer lameness of these lyrics.

"You'll be my [soft and sweet/ glass of wine/ sunny day/ honeysuckle], I'll be your [strong and steady/ shot of whiskey/ shade tree/ honey bee]."

What could be more romantic than three and a half minutes of endless variations on that not-particularly-clever formula?

"Yeah, that came out a little country..."

Of course. Time to plug the country boy image again.

"But every word was right on the money."

Seriously? I might have to disagree there.

"Now hold on 'cause I ain't done..."

Good Lord, what next? Now she'll be your little Loretta, and you'll be her Conway Twitty?

Blake's new single has a pleasant groove to it, but it's hard to get over the fact that the lyrics are essentially about nothing. Few of the 'You be my this; I'll be your that' pairings offer a clear portrayal of the relationship the song describes, and most of them aren't even all that interesting in the first place. That leaves the song seeming awfully repetitive and boring.

Ever wonder if an artist's commercial success in inversely proportional to the quality of his music? (It hardly seems fitting to use such big words in discussing such a dull and simple song, but please bear with me) Jamey Johnson becomes a critic's favorite - Country radio tosses him out. On the other hand, Blake Shelton has finally become an automatic add on country radio, but only after his material has taken a definite turn for the worse. "Who Are You When I'm Not Looking" seemed to be a sign of progress, but "Honey Bee" is an enormous step backwards. Obviously, radio will reward it anyway, but it surely won't be the first time country radio has displayed poor taste.

BLAKE'S SCORE: 4
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Toby Keith, "Somewhere Else"

2011-04-11T12:38:00.000-05:00

Gloomy lyrics meet a catchy singalong melody on "Somewhere Else," the third single from Toby Keith's current album Bullets In the Gun. It's a solid, if not groundbreaking potrayal of romantic disappointment in which the character seeks solace at his favorite bar. The narrator broods over all the little disappointments in his life, from the loss of his woman to the Cubs getting beat on Sports Center. He emphasizes the aimlessness of his existence in the hook "If you don't know where you going/ You might end up somewhere else."

The lyrics handle the theme of heartbreak competently, but the performance is the single's most notable characteristic, with Toby rattling off the verses in a fast-talking delivery that makes the song stick in your head.Toby has many times proven himself to be a talented vocalist, and his strong performance on this track does not disappoint. The production includes an interesting mix-up of acoustic and electronic instrumentation, which makes for a fun and engaging listen.
Enjoyable as it is, "Somewhere Else" might not be particularly well-remembered after finishing its chart run. We might forget about for a while, and then get back into it after some time away from it. In summary, "Somewhere Else" is not what you'd call a career record, but it's solid enough to build on the legacy that Toby Keith has already established.

TOBY'S SCORE: 7
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Sunny Sweeney, "Staying's Worse Than Leaving"

2011-04-10T13:55:00.002-05:00

After three years of being ignored by country radio, and three non-charting single releases, Texan neotrad artist Sunny Sweeney re-emerged last year with a sound that was more polished and commercially friendly, while still showing a strong connection to her traditional country roots. As a result, she gradually fell into the good graces of country radio, and netted the first Top 10 hit of her career with "From a Table Away."

On her follow-up release, Sunny is backed by a drum-heavy arrangement of electric and steel guitar with peels of fiddle. Like her previous-single, it has enough polish to make it palatable to country radio, but it is still unmistakably country, such that tacking on the "pop-country" label would still seem like an enormous stretch.

"Staying's Worse Than Leaving" finds a character on the tail end of an ill-fated relationship. She is clearly resigned to the fact that things are not going to be easy for her. "Leavin's hard," Sunny sings. "It'll shake ya, damn near break ya." She views leaving as an ultimate last resort, but as the state of the relationship deteriorates, she eventually concludes that "Staying's Worse Than Leaving," so she packs up her bags.

The lyrics portray a conflagration of emotions. The woman is desperate, but at the same time bold and determined, not caring "who passes judgment on [her] reasons." She strains to be hopeful, but struggles with uncertainty ("It's gotta get better - It can't get worse/ Hope it's a blessing and not a curse"). Both the lyrics and Sunny's performance cause the listener to feel the ache along with the song's narrator.

Perhaps the most appealing characteristic of Sunny's new single is the way it so candidly addresses the theme of heartache. The mainstream brand of music that we call country sometimes prefers to forget the fact that it was once the go-to genre for all brokenhearted individuals in need of a song they could relate to. In modern times, country radio often favors uplifting and inoffensive material over the heartbreak songs that had previously been country music's specialty. "Staying's Worse Than Leaving" makes no attempt to lighten it's emotional weight. It knows that it's a sad song, and owns it.

"Staying's Worse Than Leaving" is an excellent follow-up to one of the best country singles of 2010. Radio may or may not continue to allow Sunny a regular slot on playlists, but her consistently excellent material guarantees that if her success continues, mainstream country music could get a whole lot more interesting.

SUNNY'S SCORE: 9
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Music Video Round-Up - April 2011

2011-04-10T13:50:00.000-05:00

Lee Brice, "Beautiful Every Time"

Due West, "When the Smoke Clears"

Keith Urban, "Without You"

Rehab, "Talk About"

Alison Krauss & Union Station, "Paper Airplane"

Jason Aldean, "Dirt Road Anthem"

2011-04-05T14:20:00.000-05:00

Most of Jason Aldean's recent rocked-up hit songs about country folks and country livin' have been in a fairly predictably vein, but his new offering contains one somewhat fresh component - country rap. Such an addition might prove polarizing for many fans, but it's appreciable to hear an artist making some attempt to do something out of the ordinary.

There's a little caveat though. Rapping only works if the words are interesting and creative, and if you deliver the rhymes with gusto and personality. The only other recent example of country rapping in a mainstream radio hit is Sugarland's "Stuck Like Glue," in which a quirky, fun, and joyous performance made for a most charming little earworm. In the case of "Dirt Road Anthem," the rap portion is a dull lackadaisical affair delivered with minimal enthusiasm. Boring rhymes such as "I'm tired of talkin', man y'all ain't listenin'/ Them old dirt roads is what y'all missin'" make it an even bigger yawn, and the rapping ultimately ends up hurting the song instead of helping it.

Outside of the rap portion, "Dirt Road Anthem" sounds like generic Aldean. It may have been originally recorded by writers Colt Ford and Brantley Gilbert, but it slips comfortably into Jason's not terribly distinctive catalog with the usual references to pick-up trucks and ice cold beer. He also continues to indulge his affinity for name-dropping country legends - This time it's George Jones - without paying a hint of tribute. It's a bit odd that this "Dirt Road Anthem" lacks any of the qualities commonly associated with anthems, such as power, purpose, and enthusiasm. The tune's meager artistic means are unlikely to slow its rise to the top of the charts, but "Dirt Road Anthem" is sure to sink country radio even deeper into the same quality rut that it's been in for years.

JASON'S SCORE: 4
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Gloriana, "Wanna Take You Home"

2011-04-04T18:12:00.000-05:00

When a song's lyrics begin by rhyming "girl" with "rock my world," it's going to take a lot for the song to win me back. It doesn't get better from there as the Gloriana quartet achingly rehashes every trite romantic cliche in the book. The first single to Gloriana's upcoming second album displays songwriting so juvenile that it should be embarrassing.

It's depressing to hear song that aims so low. "Wanna Take You Home" aspires to be nothing more than weightless, insignificant fluff. As soon as you listen to this song, you get a mental image of an uninspired writing committe thumbing through a rhyming dictionary trying to come up with something just bland and generic enough for country radio to accept (The committee behind this little beauty was made up of band member Tom Gossin, Matt Serletic, and Wendell Mobley). According to Tom Gossin, "We are excited to release this song because we really feel it displays the growth of our band over the past few years."

Growth in which areas, exactly? The only interesting thing about it is the sparse pop-country production. At best, "Wanna Take You Home" is a plateau effort, if not a regression. There are no memorable hooks. Even the melody falls flat. Besides that, any song with lyrics this bad is going to sink like a stone. If the Gloriana troupe considers such a disposable effort to be evidence of growth, then we have little reason to believe that the rest of their upcoming album will be any less forgettable.

GLORIANA'S SCORE: 3
(Scores are given on a scale of 1 to 10)

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Getting to Know Melanie Denard

2011-03-29T23:36:00.000-05:00

Melanie Denard is an independent artist on a small label who is already making a name for herself through her powerful personality-infused vocal performances and her distinct country-soul musical style. Her first album Dare to Live was released just last year. In the time since the release, Melanie has continued performing and working toward her goal of achieving household-name recognition as a country artist. This talented artist recently took the time to have a chat with me about her musical style and the career she hopes to create.

Ben: Would you like to start by telling a little bit about your background, and your early experiences in singing?

Melanie: Oh gosh, how much time do we have?

Ben: We have time!

Melanie: Well, let’s see. I’ve always known from an early age that I wanted to sing. It’s something that was definitely a God-given talent. There’s a lot of musical talent in my family. I have an uncle that’s in a gospel quartet. My grandmother sang and played guitar. My brother writes. So I get it honest. I started out singing in church, and then from there in high school I was in a national touring company and toured the world pretty much, doing performances. Once out of high school, I was in an opera company for a few years, and then after that I joined some bands. You know, just club bands, played in a Southern rock band and a country band, and then got a job working at a Fortune 500 company, kept the band thing going, and then met my manager, which is why I’m sitting here today in Nashville! It’s been a wonderful musical journey my whole life.

Ben: I understand you’re known for putting your own signature style on a song, or “Melanizing” it as they say?

Melanie: Oh, that’s right! You did your homework!

Ben: So how do you do that?

Melanie: Well, that’s a hard question to answer. I’ve spent much of my life doing a lot of cover tunes. I just try to take the song and make it my own, and just put a little soul in it, and I guess that’s what they call “Melanize.” My manager came up with that word. It actually fits. Yeah, I do that. I just make songs my own.

Ben: I understand your style draws on a mix of influences. How would you describe your style?

Melanie: Country-soul! A lot of soul influence, a lot of blues. I grew up lovin’ Wynonna Judd. I think our voices are really similar. She’s a big influence of mine. Elvis Presley – I’ve always loved him. It’s just a style I sort of developed. When I moved here to Nashville, I tried to sort of lose some of that to be more commercial, but then I realized that I can’t. That’s why I really love the producer I met up with, Dan Frizsell, because he let me be me, but he kind of kept me commercial for country.

Ben: When I was listening to your song “All I Ever Did Was Love You,” I got a bit of a “No One Else On Earth” vibe from it.

Melanie: Oh yeah? Well, good! That’s a compliment! Thank you!

Ben: It absolutely is. I love that song.

Melanie: Well, thank you. That’s one of the songs on the album that most describes me and my singing style.

Ben: Since you’re known for being an energetic live performer, what would you say makes for a good live show?

Melanie: You just have to keep the audience interested. I go see artists perform, and there’s milling around the room and people are talking and not really paying attention. A lot of times I notice that when I step onstage and I start singing that all eyes are on me, and that’s what I try to do – just enthrall people and feed off of their energy. It gives me more energy and allows me to bring more passion and excitement to the music. I do that – I get people’s attention.

Ben: Any artists in particular who serve as role models or influences for you both in style and in performance?

Melanie: Well, Wynonna of course. I grew up loving her. Bonnie Raitt – huge influence on me as far as the blues aspect goes. I like all music. I grew up listening to all music. My daddy liked country music, and that’s how I was introduced to country music at a very young age, and I’ve listened to it ever since.

Ben: I understand you’ve also covered the Dusty Springfield hit “Son of a Preacher Man.” Would you like to tell a little bit about your connection to that song, and how you put your own spin on it?

Melanie: That’s a song that I’ve always sang in bands and whatnot, and when I moved to Nashville in my first year of living here, there was a competition that GAC announced for the next video star. They had a video contest. That’s one of the songs that was on the list of songs to do, so I picked it because I knew it already and knew it well. That’s actually the first song that I recorded with my producer, before I ever started the Dare to Live album. We did “Son of a Preacher Man,” and I told him I wanted it to be a country version of it, so we put some fiddle on there and a little bit of steel. It turned out really, really well. Nothing happened with the video contest, but once I finished the album, I decided since “Son of a Preacher Man” turned out so well, I’d like to throw it on the album, and I’m so glad I did. It has proven to be a great idea because on the radio tours and everything I’ve gotten so much great response from that song. Everybody just loves that song.

Ben: It’s definitely very well-suited to that country-soul kind of style.

Melanie: Oh yeah!

Ben: And it’s like the country elements don’t seem slapped-on. It seems more natural than on some cross-genre covers.

Melanie: Right. It’s a great song. I’m glad I put it on the album.

Ben: So do you have any favorites among the songs you’ve recorded for your album?

Melanie: Well, I didn’t write any of the songs on the album. I’d like to take credit for the songs, but I was pitched so many great songs by wonderful well-known songwriters here in Nashville, I just couldn’t pass a lot of them up. I do write. Hopefully on the next album I put out I’ll have some co-writes and writes on it. But it was very important to me to be able to relate to the songs as if I had written them so I could bring more passion to it, and I think I did a really good job of doing that.

Ben: Definitely. Are there any songs you wish you had had a part in writing?

Melanie: Gosh, all of ‘em! [Laughs] “Dare to Live,” I’d have to say, the title track from the album, because I picked that song mainly for what it talks about and what it says. Because it’s my story. I risked everything, moved here, and quit my job and sold my house in Georgia just trying to do this thing. I’d have to say “Dare to Live” if I had to pick one, but I wish I had written them all!

Ben: Do you have any career goals that you hope to accomplish as a country artist?

Melanie: Well, I hope to have a sold-out show at the Bridgestone Arena this time next year! [Laughs]

Ben: I’ll buy a ticket!

Melanie: I’m just blessed to able to follow my dream. I live my dream every day. I’m just gonna do what I do. Hopefully the major goal is to get a major label deal. I have a label showcase coming up this year in April, and I’m very excited about that. I’m gonna start touring with the band. We’ll try to do the casino circuit and try to get out there and perform! I just hope I get a major label deal and one day be a household name.

Ben: One more question - What is country music to Melanie Denard?

Melanie: Oh gosh, it’s my life! I grew up listening to it. I can relate to it, as a lot of people can. When I hear country music, it reminds me of growing up with my dad and riding in his truck and listening to country music when he’d pick me up from school. It’s my life. It’s what I do, and I hope that one day the world will know who Melanie Denard is, and love my music as much as I love singing it to people.

MELANIE ON MYSPACE

Dierks Bentley, "Am I the Only One"

2011-03-27T07:00:00.002-05:00

Joy. Another "Sideways." "Am I the Only One" who thinks that Dierks just might be selling himself short here?

He made a pretty bold move in releasing a bluegrass album while his career was at a commercial high point, and daring country radio to play something different than the usual fluff. But after the disappointing chart performance of the album's two singles, Dierks has gone back to fitting in and playing it safe.

While the lyrics could use some added cleverness, I could have gotten past that if Dierks sounded like he even cared about the song himself. Instead, he delivers a bland and lifeless lead vocal, and then relies on just about every lame crutch imaginable to make up for it. That means laying on the overcooked electric guitar solos, and finishing it off with an uber-cheesy sing-along chorus at the end.

One could offer the easy-out argument that it's 'just a fun party song,' but that would be irrevelent. Party songs don't always have to be as uninspired and one-dimensional as this one is. At any rate, "Am I the Only One" represents a sudden and dramatic artistic nosedive for Dierks, who has abruptly gone from beautiful bluegrassy goodness to releasing one of the worst singles of his career.

DIERKS'S SCORE: 3
(Scores are given on a scale of 1 to 10)

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Chris Young, "Tomorrow"

2011-03-25T12:07:00.000-05:00

With the success of his number one hit "Gettin' You Home (The Black Dress Song)," Chris Young gained entry into the relatively small group of commercially-successful mainstream artists waving the banner for traditional country music, even as the country-pop and country-rock subgenres continually threaten to crowd it out of radio playlists. As much as we love his steel-laden musical style and emotive deep-throated drawl, he has often had one recurring problem - The quality of his lyrics doesn't always measure up with the other factors. Fortunately, the first single from his upcoming third album just might be the beginning of an upward climb.

"Tomorrow" tells the story of a relationship that is clearly not working out. Though it seems a split is imminent, Chris implores his soon-to-be-ex-lover for one last fling before the flame is extinguished for good. The lyrics give the listener insight into the conflicting emotions of the narrator as his romantic attachment struggles against his better judgment. It's clear that the situation has been going on for quite some time as Chris tells himself that "Tomorrow I'm gonna let you go and walk away like every day I said I would." Such sentiments cause us to wonder if we really believe that the narrator will leave like he says he will, and we might wonder if he even believes himself. He constantly reiterates his determination to end the doomed relationship, saying that "Tomorrow, you won't believe it/ But when I pass by your house, I won't stop/ No matter how much I want to."

It's a beautiful lyric with organic layers beneath the surface, and an added level of maturity. Chris sounds more invested in the lyrics than ever before in a performance that has just enough restraint to convey the narrator's frustration without beating us over the head with it. A crying fiddle and a wailing steel guitar echo his pain and heartache. Without a doubt, "Tomorrow" is Chris Young's finest single to date, with a strong lyric and a deeply emotional performance making it an obvious winner.

CHRIS'S SCORE: 9
(Scores are given on a scale of 1 to 10)

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Album Review: The Roys - Lonesome Whistle

2011-03-24T19:15:00.000-05:00

Lonesome Whistle, The Roys' first album release for Rural Rhythm records, chugs out of the station this week. On this charming 11-track set, siblings Lee and Elaine Roy pour their voices into a set of beautifully written songs about the values they cherish. But the sentiments don't come in the form of the hollow cliches that plague the music of mainstream country radio. Each track fleshes out its theme with a well-defined narrative while Lee and Elaine deliver the verses in tight harmonies that ring with sincerity.

There are moments when Lonesome Whistle touches on religious themes, but it does so without sounding arrogant or preachy. A trio of Lee and Elaine's musical heroes - Ricky Skaggs, Sharon and Cheryl White - lend their voices to the track "That's What Makes It Love," which describes examples of love demonstrated in action, and points to Christ's sacrifice as the ultimate example. Another highlight is "I Wonder What God's Thinking," which is a man's reflections on what effect mankind's follies must have on his Creator. With images of poverty and genocide leading in to questions such as "When the rain falls from heaven, is it the tears from His eyes/ Is an angry clap of thunder His voice crying why," the sad lyrics carry a heavy weight of poignancy. In "Give a Ride to the Devil," a man reflects on his youth and relates experiences that have taught him the importance of resisting temptation. The song features a memorable hook of "If you give a ride to the devil/ Someday he's gonna wanna drive."

In addition to the reflective moments, Lonesome Whistle also includes a fair share of fun banjo-laced barn burners such as the lighthearted love tale "My Oh My How Time Flies." A sprightly tempo and upbeat melody belie dark and forlorn lyrics on "Nothin' I Can Do About It Now," as the narrator weeps over his helplessness in stopping his woman from leaving him on a train out of town. In a similar vein, the title track tells of a woman who says goodbye to her man as she leaves on a train to go to war. When he later takes his "last ride," his memory is forever linked with the sound of that "Lonesome Whistle."

One track that doesn't quite measure up to the standard of the rest of the album is the woman's anthem "Trailblazer." Lyrics such as "Her restless spirit leads the way/ It's time to take that leap of faith/ Chasing dreams that just won't wait" aren't particularly interesting, to say the least. But the track's primary weakness is that fails to place its character in a lifelike setting, and doesn't bring her down to a believable, relatable, human level. Instead, she seems like a vague and unfathomable figure.

Fortunately, that one weaker moment is dwarfed in comparison with the solid songwriting that dominates the album. The album succeeds on a sonic level as well, with producers Andy Leftwich and The Roys themselves backing the performances with delightful bluegrass instrumentation (including Leftwich on fiddle, Mark Fain on bass, Randy Kohrs on dobro, and Cody Kilby on acoustic guitar). Overall, the album is full of great songs and strong performances, making The Roys debut on Rural Rhythm Records an impressive one indeed.

THE ROYS' SCORE: 8
(Scores are given on a scale of 1 to 10)

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EP Review: Ashton Shepherd - Look It Up

2011-03-22T17:06:00.000-05:00

Despite the rather bland first single "Look It Up," I actually had somewhat high hopes for Ashton Shepherd's new EP, as well as for her upcoming second album Where Country Grows. Ashton is definitely a talented vocalist with a knack for delivering emotive and expressive vocal performances accented by her down-home Alabama twang. In addition, her traditional-leaning country style has made her a welcome radio presence to devotees of traditional country music. But while this new EP Look It Up does showcase a few glimmers of the Ashton Shepherd we know and love, it is weighed down by one gigantic problem - too many cliches!

The title track and current Top 30 hit "Look It Up" finds Ashton dwelling on well-worn phrasing related to the subject of infidelity, and delivering it the form of rather tedious dictionary definitions. "Where Country Grows" contains a small amount of rather appealing imagery of Southern country life, but we have to swallow a good-sized pile of lyrical formulas (church, Mama, soldiers, etc) along with it.

"Beer On a Boat" is a lighthearted summer tune that I would fully expect to see single release come the warmer months. It has a fairly simple lyric about (surprise!) drinking beer on a boat, but with a fun melody and fiddle-laced production, it does what it does well. The EP closes with the typical small-town ditty "More Cows Than People." It has a clever title hook, but that hook is the only clever thing about it. It spends most of the time on safe and predictable images of churches and tractors.

Though Ashton's delivery of "Look It Up" begs for an extra dose of spunk, the EP as a whole finds her in fine voice. The problem is that she simply needs better songs. Each song on Look It Up sounds carefully tailored to fit in with a common country radio stereotype, making it seem like a pandering effort. The EP as a whole finds a promising artist singing songs that are beneath her talent, which adds up to an awfully disappointing preview of the upcoming album.

ASHTON'S SCORE: 4
(Scores are given on a scale of 1 to 10)

Martina McBride, "Teenage Daughters"

2011-03-19T07:00:00.002-05:00

For the past decade, this four-time CMA Female Vocalist Award winner has mostly been delivering commercially safe offerings such as power ballads, female empowerment anthems, and songs of domestic bliss. The title of her new single may have had you expected one from the latter category. But in fact, "Teenage Daughters" - Martina's first release for Republic Nashville - is perhaps her edgiest single since the late nineties.

Martina draws on her own mothering experiences in this quirky, witty portrayal of the struggles of raising teenage girls. She describes the shift in the parent-child relationship as teenage girls enter the phase in which they would like for their parents to disappear out of their lives, also addressing their persistent quest for independence.

Releasing a song like this is a gutsy move at a time when mainstream country music is becoming increasingly obsessed with a youthful image. These days, young platinum blonde sorority girls are often favored over veteran female hitmakers such as Martina. But instead of trying to act younger than she really is (a la Reba McEntire), Martina releases a song that unashamedly and unmistakably identifies her as a member of the over-40 crowd, and addresses the issues faced by adult women, which makes the song feel real and authentic.

Good as the song is, however, the treatment leaves a small stain on it. Martina's vocal delivery sounds a bit affected, as if imitating the voice of another singer. To say the least, she doesn't quite sound like herself. That characteristic, along with some rather intrustive-sounding guitar work, takes some of the shine off of "Teenage Daughters."

Fortunately, the song triumphs thanks to its deftly accurate and subtly charming treatment of its subject matter, as well as the fact that it resists the temptation to devolve into saccharinity. In some ways, it could have been even better, but it's still a strong single in its own right. It displays a newfound level of inspiration in the artist delivering it, and hints at the possibility of more good things in store on Martina's forthcoming album.

MARTINA'S SCORE: 7
(Scores are given on a scale of 1 to 10)

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Eric Church, "Homeboy"

2011-03-17T07:00:00.001-05:00

After going Top 20 with "Smoke a Little Smoke," Eric Church churns out a new single offering that attempts to be inspiring, strains to be clever, and ultimately ends up a step down from all the other one-dimensional anthems espousing the country lifestyle at the expense of the urban lifestyle.

Eric assumes the character of a rural small town dweller supposedly urging a rebellious youth to readjust his wayward life course. Though the lyrics briefly mention some cocky behavior ("Heard you cussed out mama, pushed daddy around"), the main focus is on an urban lifestyle, as if hip-hop culture is to blame for all of the evils in the world. What is the alternative solution Eric suggests? He superficially asserts that the young man would be better off "sittin' on the gate of a truck by the lake/ With your high school flame on one side, ice cold beer on the other."

It's hard to see what power pick-up trucks, high-school flames, and beer have to keep a young man on the straight and narrow. In effect, all Eric really says here is "Don't be a city boy. Be a country boy." As much as we may love our small-town country life, let's be humble about it - It's not for everybody. The end effect of Eric's sentiments is nothing more than exalting one culture over another.

Regrettably, the problems don't stop there. The song is soured further by the way its narrator implores the said youth in a superior, condescending manner, particularly by addressing him as "boy." As an extra negative, "Homeboy" isn't even pleasing on a musical level, with a cacophonous mishmash of an arrangement serving as an enormously annoying distraction. Thus, the single not only fails, but fails spectacularly.

ERIC'S SCORE: 3
(Scores are given on a scale of 1 to 10)

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Retro Album Review: Reba McEntire - For My Broken Heart

2011-03-16T07:00:00.002-05:00

It was on this day twenty years ago that country superstar Reba McEntire, in the midst of all her critical and commercial success as a country artist, found herself in her "darkest hour" as a tragic aviation accident claimed the lives of eight members of her touring band - Chris Austin, Kirk Cappello, Joey Cigainero, Paula Kay Evans, Jim Hammon, Terry Jackson, Anthony Saputo, and Micheal Thomas. Reba reacted by pouring all of her grief and heartache into her music. The result was one of the greatest albums of her career.

Reba's sixteenth studio album For My Broken Heart, dedicated to her deceased road band, was released in October 1991. In the liner notes, we find Reba's mission statement for the album:

"It seems your current emotional status determines what music you'd like to hear. That's what happened on the song selection for this album. If for any reason you can relate to the emotion packed into these songs, I hope it's a form of healing for all our broken hearts."

A huge critical and commercial success, the album became one of the era's best-selling albums by a female artist with sales of over two million. In addition, For My Broken Heart produced some of Reba's best-known classic hits. As the album begins, a long and somber string section intro sets the tone for what is to follow, leading into the opening title track. "For My Broken Heart," also the album's chart-topping first single, walks listeners through the healing journey of a brokenhearted narrator who comes to the sobering realization that "The world ain't gonna stop for my broken heart." The beautifully emotional lyrics, penned by Liz Hengber and Keith Palmer, allude to the narrator's ability to overcome her hurt and move on with her life, but they do so in a way that does not lessen the song's emotional impact by downplaying the depth of her heartbreak.

Also featured on the album is Reba's smash hit "Is There Life Out There," in which a wife and mother begins to wonder if she is missing out on anything in life. This was a song that connected with many women on a deep level, as did the accompanying music video, which portrayed the song's character pursuing and earning a college diploma Though the dialogue-heavy video was criticized by CMT for supposedly putting "message ahead of music," its spot-on rendering of the song's theme won it an ACM Award for Video of the Year. The video was adapted into the 1994 CBS television movie Is There Life Out There?, in which Reba portrayed the lead character.

Impossible to forget is Reba's epic performance of the Vicki Lawrence pop hit "The Night the Lights Went Out In Georgia," in which Reba effortlessly eases into her character as she delivers the chilling tale of murder against the swampy, bluesy production. The single finished it's chart run at an unremarkable peak of #12, but the song nonetheless lives on as one of Reba's career-defining hits. After "Georgia" saw the end of its radio run, Reba made a swift return to the Top Ten with the beautifully-performed ballad "The Greatest Man I Never Knew" - a story of an emotionally-distant father who dies without his daughter ever hearing him say "I love you."

Each track on the album approaches the theme of heartache from its own unique angle, making For My Broken Heart an album that is thematically consistent from beginning to end. "He's In Dallas" relates a woman's regret-filled story of the dissolution of her once-happy marriage. In "Buying Her Roses," a wronged woman attempts to make sense of her tangled emotions, and tries to determine what she should do in response to her husband's flagrant philandering. In the album's penultimate track, a woman expresses her regret over letting love slip through her fingers in "I Wouldn't Go That Far."

Another remarkable characteristic of this album is that it addresses topics that are out of the ordinary realm of country music lyrics, but that carry no less emotional weight. The fiddle-laced ballad "Bobby" is a sad but heartwarming story-song of a man's unwavering devotion to a woman, unhampered by fear of people misunderstanding him for the way he demonstrates it, and ultimately leading him to end her life. "All Dressed Up (With Nowhere to Go)" is a tearjerking tale of an aged woman who resides in a care facility, and who keeps in constant expectation of a visitor who all others know will never come.

The album closes with one of the most personal songs of Reba's career. The sparsely-produced "If I Had Only Known" puts into song a woman's feelings as she contemplates the death of a loved one, tortured by the thought that she may have taken her loved one for granted. Of all the songs on the album, "If I Had Only Known" is the one that is the most closely connected to Reba's grief over her devastating personal losses. The song was never released as a single, but it did chart at #73 from unsolicited airplay. Due to her deep emotional connection to the song, Reba has said that she could only bear to record the song in a single take, and has performed the song live only on very rare occasions.

In summary, this is undoubtedly very special album. Every track is a great song in its own right, with each lyric evoking a unique emotional response in the listener. Being the twenty year anniversary of the disaster that inspired the album, this is a fitting time to revisit this remarkable work of art. This record is not the result of an artist pandering to the tastes of country radio, or struggling to fit in with current trends. This record is the work of an artist bringing out her deepest emotions, and channeling them into achingly sincere performances. The greatest albums in country music come from such deep places, and For My Broken Heart is doubtlessly one such album.

REBA'S SCORE: 10
(...which, unfortunately, is as high as the scale goes)

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Brad Paisley, "Old Alabama" (featuring Alabama)

2011-03-14T17:00:00.009-05:00

My interest level in Brad Paisley's new album quickly plummetted when I heard the first single and title track "This Is Country Music." Instead of restoring my interest, the disappointing second single only threatens to kill it stone dead. "Old Alabama" is meant as a tribute to the legendary country super-group Alabama, but poor execution makes it come off more like a parody.

The song's verses are unimportant. The song exists for the sole purpose of throwing together some Alabama references, sampling their hit "Mountain Music," and having Randy Owen sing a guest vocal. Obviously, it begs the question of "Why not just listen to Alabama?" (I asked a similar question of Kid Rock's "All Summer Long" - Why not just listen to "Sweet Home Alabama"?) Brad brings very little of his own style and personality to either the lyric or performance - He just sounds like he's trying to be Alabama. When he goes so far as to start singing about "love in the first degree-yee-YEEEE," it just sounds awkward and jarring to listen to.

Is this what an Entertainer of the Year-winning artist's career has come down to? Can he only sing songs about other songs instead of making a statement of his own? Such uninspired material does not offer much hope of Brad's music becoming interesting again, nor does it offer an enticing preview of the album to follow.

Hey, here's an idea - Let's just listen to the real "Mountain Music" song instead.

BRAD'S SCORE: 4
(Scores are given on a scale of 1 to 10)

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Hooked

2011-03-13T07:00:00.001-05:00

Here's the random topic that's on my mind today: What is a great hook?

What raised this question in my blogger mind? It first came up when I read Jim Malec's review of Heidi Newfield's "Stay Up Late" on American Noise a few months ago, in which he cited Heidi's hit "Johnny and June" as an example of a song that has a great hook:

"“And when you go, I wanna go too/Like Johnny and June” is an enormously simple hook, but Newfield belts it with devastating conviction.... That’s a desire that transcends a piece-by-piece analyses of the lyrics and what they say. That’s what great hooks do—they communicate something beyond just what they mean. “Johnny and June” communicates an essential, fundamental desire—and that makes us want to blast it from our radios for the world to hear. We all want a love like Johnny and June, and when we hear that hook we say, “Yes! That’s me!” It’s not a cerebral thought, but a feeling that comes from a much deeper place."

Just out of curiosity, I looked up the word "hook" in the dictionary. Besides the obvious literal meaning, the word was defined as "something intended to attract and ensnare," which is most often how we use the word when discussing popular music. In that sense, a great hook could come in the form of something as simple as a few catchy instrumental chords. But a hook in its most meaningful form is often a simple line in a song that manages to channel thoughts and emotions beyond what the words themselves mean, thus connecting with listeners on a deep level.

The song "Anywhere" from Sara Evans new album Stronger is a foremost example of a song that desperately needs a better hook. The song has its share of weaknesses, suffering from a few cliche lyrics, but I found it was the lack of a great hook that mainly proved to be the song's downfall, such that even a great voice like Sara's is unable to save it. The lyrics attempt to convey the joy and excitement of a carefree romance, but the hook "We can go anywhere" means exactly what it says on paper - nothing more and nothing less. Such a hook can only create a black-and-white picture of its theme, without being able to supply color.

An ideal contrasting example is Jo Dee Messina's beloved hit "Heads Caroline, Tails California," which deals with the same theme as "Anywhere," but with a much better title hook. Those ten syllables of the song's title are enough to say "We can toss a coin to decide where we will travel to. That's how little I care about our destination, as long as I get to go there with you." Just like that, the listener is caught up in the scenario. How many country fans would love to have a romance so reckless and carefree that the two lovers would determine their travel destination with a simple flip of a coin? This is a great example of how a strong hook can connect with audiences.

Here are a few more examples of my favorite hooks, with links to the accompanying songs:

"Don't be falling in love as she's walking away"

"Didn't you know how much I loved you?"

"When you're fifteen and somebody tells you they love you/ You're gonna believe them"

"Always know that I will find a way to get to where you are/ Baby, there's no place that far"

"Whose bed have your boots been under?"

"Even if the whole world has forgotten/ The song remembers when"

"There's no use crying over spilled perfume"

"So God bless the boys who make the noise on 16th Avenue"

"The only time I wish you weren't gone/ Is once a day, every day, all day long"

"You walk by, and I fall to pieces"

Basically, this is my long-winded way of posing a few simple questions: What would you say makes for a great hook? What are some examples of songs with great hooks? What is an example of a weak hook?

Leave a comment below with your answers to any of the above questions. While we're thinking about this, what say we watch Jo Dee's "Heads Carolina, Tails California" video? It's awesome!

Taylor Swift, "Mean"

2011-03-11T07:00:00.002-06:00

By now, it should be a well-established fact that if you bite Taylor, she bites back - a fact which John Mayer, Joe Jonas, and many other songwriting subjects can no doubt attest to. Over the course of her career, she has regularly been criticized for weak vocals, and sometimes off-key live performances, but with her new single "Mean," Taylor minces no words in letting the critics and 'haters' know exactly what she thinks of them.

It's no secret that "Mean" is largely inspired by the oft-heard claims that "Taylor Swift can't sing." Indeed, Taylor directly addresses such naysayers in the third verse as she imagines a drunken critic "rambling on about how I can't sing." But the song's overall focus goes beyond such criticism to address meanness in general. Taylor describes the effect that cutting words have on her ("I walk with my head down tryin' to block you out, 'cause I'll never impress you"), analyzes the motives behind such cruel behavior ("I bet you got pushed around. Somebody made you cold"), and vows to rise above it ("But the cycle ends right now, 'cause you can't lead me down that road").

The biting lyrics are crafted in such a way that just about anyone who's been rudely or disrespectfully treated can connect with them, even if we don't necessarily relate to Taylor's specific situation. How many of us have been put down by someone bigger or more powerful? Taylor doesn't sugarcoat her reactive sentiments - she cuts right to the chase with "All you are is mean." Juvenile that may be, but when addressing behavior that is insulting and immature to begin with, that's really all that needs to be said.

As another plus, "Mean" earns points for a cool acoustic-based arrangement featuring generous amounts of fiddle, banjo, and mandolin. The song stands out as the most uniquely country track on a largely pop-oriented album, and arguably Taylor's most country-flavored single release to date, and it will likely stand out among its company on country radio. It's always good to see a popular mainstream artist stepping outside the box in a sense. If any artist could get away with such a move, not losing radio airplay as a result, Taylor Swift would likely be one such artist.

Still, the real treat here is a smart set of deliciously contemptuous lyrics that serve as a universal reply to mean people everywhere. Add a cool arrangement and a snarky spitfire of a lead vocal, and you get one heck of a mean single. Pun intended.

TAYLOR'S SCORE: 9

(Scores are given on a scale of 1 to 10)

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"It Was a Fun Journey" - Interview with Brett Eldredge

2011-03-09T07:00:00.006-06:00

Brett Eldredge made an immediate impression on fans and critics with his touching debut single “Raymond,” which told the story of a young man’s friendship with an elderly woman who suffered from Alzheimer’s, and who thought he was the son she had lost in death decades earlier. “Raymond” continues to climb the country singles chart, having just reached Top 30 status. In addition, Brett Eldredge has had the opportunity to perform on the Grand Ole Opry, and has extended the invitation for his fans to share their own experiences with Alzheimer’s on his official web site, and to share how his song has affected them. In a recent interview, Brett discussed the inspiration behind his special song, as well as his connection to country fans and to the hallowed Grand Ole Opry.

Ben: Would you like to tell a little bit about your background, and what led to you making the decision to move to Nashville and to pursue a career in country music?

Brett: Yeah, I’m from Paris, Illinois, which is a tiny little town of about 9,000 people, about 4 ½ hours from Nashville. I lived there until I was about 18, and then I moved to Elmhurst, Illinois, to go to my first two years of college. I found myself in love with Nashville one time when I came to visit to see my cousin [Terry Eldredge] play – He’s a bluegrass musician in the Grascals. So I came down to see him down at the Station Inn, which is now my favorite venue still to this day. I got up there, and I sang a song with him. I was hooked. I’ve done a lot of different genres, and sung a lot of different stuff. My love was already country music, but when I got down here and saw that in the flesh, and got to hear the actual instrumentation and the fiddle and all that stuff, I was like ‘This is it. This is what I want to do.’ So I transferred schools down to MTSU, and I was like ‘I’m gonna go make this happen. I’m gonna figure out how to make this happen. I didn’t know what I was doing really; I just kind of showed up! I didn’t really know anybody. I got to Nashville and went to MTSU for college, and I’d go back and forth every day after class. I just started writing songs with people, and playing those songwriter night when there would be like two people there. It was a crazy, crazy experience. There was actually one time when my buddy’s dad came to visit, and it was just his dad in the crowd, and I was just playing these songs that I wrote, and I was just starting to figure out how to write songs. So I started to develop songs, and eventually signed a publishing deal. I just kept writing and eventually developing myself as an artist, and figuring out who I was. I was eventually showcased, and found myself a record deal. It was a fun journey so far.

Ben: So would you like to describe your songwriting process?

Brett: There’s no certain exact process that I do. Sometimes I’ll have a title or something that I’ll just write on this paper sitting here, like from the newspaper, or something I might hear in some kind of conversation that somebody had at the McDonald’s. There’s never an exact form that I follow. If I have a title, I might go and say “This is something I heard. This could be a cool title for a song.” I might write that, or I’ll just show up and start singing something, especially if it’s a co-write. You know, somebody’s sitting there playing something, and I’ll just start singing. I don’t even know what I’m singing. A lot of times people would laugh because it’s actually gibberish, and most of the time it is gibberish and I’ll start to put words with it. With some of it, it’s not like we’re going to record any of that gibberish. But sometimes on some of the work tapes and recordings, you can hear some of those random lyrics come out. But eventually we put real words to it, but it’s a fun thing. I love to write songs, and I still write songs all the time. I’ve got at least two hundred unfinished songs. On my phone, I’ve got a recorder, and I’ll just record something, and I’ve got a million of those that I’ll probably never ever listen to again, but maybe one day I’ll have a bored day on the airplane. I’ll hit PLAY on something and then all of a sudden I’ll have it back in my head, and I’ll start writing it. So it’s cool. I love songwriting.

Ben: Would you say that you’re a singer first, or a songwriter first?

Brett: I moved to town as a singer first. I still always want to be a singer first for sure. That’s how I grew up, and that’s how I started. That’s why I moved here. Then I discovered songwriting, and I discovered a whole other part – singing songs that you wrote, and being able to tell a story even more if you lived it, or had a part in making that song. Singing has always definitely been my passion, but now songwriting is too – a little bit of a combination of both, if that’s a fair answer.

Ben: Yeah, kind of like “Which wing does the bird like better?”

Brett: Yep!

Ben: So would you like to tell about the artists that have influenced your style the most?

Brett: Yeah, there’s a wide range of artists that I love. I love Ronnie Dunn, Brooks & Dunn. Ronnie Dunn’s voice – I just was captured by it. One of my favorite singers of all time. Frank Sinatra – huge fan of him and that whole generation. The way he phrased words and sang songs, you could believe everything he said. I’m a scholar for singers – I love those crooner kinds of guys. I love Ray Charles and Vince Gill. They’ve got this naturally God-given gift to feel, and sing their butts off. I love those kinds of singers.

Ben: Would you like to tell about the inspiration behind your current Top 30 hit “Raymond”?

Brett: It’s inspired by my grandmother who has Alzheimer’s. She still has Alzheimer’s now and has had it for several years. She was getting worse with it about three and a half years ago. That’s when I wrote this song. It was a call from my dad that sparked this idea to write this song. My dad called and said “Your grandmother’s starting to forget people in the family. She’s starting to slip up a little bit.” So I was torn up. She means the world to me. She’s the lady who cooked me fried chicken every Sunday, and just did everything for me. To hear that she was starting to lose some of who she was – It was killing me. I had to find some way to find comfort in the situation. A lot of times I go to songwriting. So I went and told a friend who I’d never met actually – He wasn’t even a friend at this point, Brad Crisler. I showed up, didn’t even know him, and I started telling him about the issue that was going on with my grandmother, which I never do. I’m not that kind of guy. I keep my family issues to myself. But I had to tell him, and he was taken in by the story. He had relatives in nursing homes growing up, and so did I, so it was just something that was so real to us. The song pretty much wrote itself at that point. We had both experienced it. We’d been there. All of a sudden it would just take off, and stuff would really start flowing out. We didn’t have an idea called “Raymond” anything. It just came. It was weird. It just came from some special place I guess. It only happens every once in a while as a songwriter, but when it does, you know it.

Ben: I understand you’ve also opened up the opportunity for your fans to share their own experiences with Alzheimer’s.

Brett: Yeah, on bretteldredge.com, my web site, there’s a little box where you can call. People can share their stories, and there will be a recording on my web site. People share their stories of how the song’s affected them or how Alzheimer’s affected them. It’s incredible how the song has touched certain people. A lot of times they’ve just got done listening to the song, and it’s crazy. They’re like already crying at the beginning. People are so passionate about it. They see it every day. A lot of people have Alzheimer’s, and live with it for a long time. You got to see that. So you hear the message of people that have the same struggles, and everybody’s in it together. It’s a big deal – 5.5 million people have Alzheimer’s. It’s like an epidemic now. So it’s crazy to see what kinds of people are getting affected by it. It’s a cool deal to hear their stories, and I enjoy that part of it, though I hate to hear it.

Ben: Would you like to also describe the creative process behind your music video for “Raymond”?

Raymond - Brett Eldredge - Brett Eldredge Videos

Brett: The music video is a crazy concept. This is my first major video. I roll up in a parking lot, and there’s two huge trucks with forty people of a crew, and I was like ‘Is this for me? Is this how this works? Am I at the right place?’ But it was a really cool process making the video for “Raymond.” Shaun Silva shot it, and he’s an unbelievable director. He’s done a lot of Chesney videos and all that stuff, but he’s just a really talented guy at making it real. For making a music video, a lot of people have different ideas of how the video could go. He was the one that I felt really brought it home in capturing the kind of relationship we’re trying to capture with this song. In a lot of the video, you’re seeing me and the lady, Katherine Davis, talking. Shaun said “Talk about something from your childhood – some really emotionally special point in your life.” She started telling me about when she was a kid around Christmas and all that stuff. She got teary-eyed and crying, and I was getting teary-eyed. It was an emotional kind of moment, and so in a lot of the video that’s the kind of stuff we’re talking about. That’s how he made it feel real, and I felt a good relationship with her, so it was a cool thing.

Ben: Yeah, it really brings the song to life. Seeing as you made your Grand Ole Opry debut last year, would you like to tell about that experience, and about your connection to the Opry?

Brett: The Opry is country music. It’s a special place – a place that I had been trying to get to play for a long time. When I signed with the agency, I had no reason to be on the Opry yet, but I kept telling them I wanted to be on it. They were like ‘We’re working on it. We’ve got to get there at the right point.’ I finally heard that I got to do it, and I was just pumped. There’s nothing like it. It’s a special place, and there’s so much history behind it. I’m gonna go stand on the same circle that Hank Williams and Johnny Cash and Elvis stood on – Elvis only one time, but he was there. So many people have been up there. To know that I was gonna do that was a special thing. So I got to bring my family, and Bill Anderson introduced me. He was a mentor of mine. The cool thing was I got to play a song that Bill and I wrote together. So all of it kind of came full circle. Literally, I walked out into the circle, and I saw my parents and grandfather and grandmother and brother and everybody. It was a special feeling. Though I was kind of nervous walking up – The closer I got to that circle, my heart beat a little faster. But once I got out in that circle and looked out in the crowd, I felt the warmth of the country music fans. They’re just so accepting, and I was home. I’ve played four times since, and I hope I get to play it for a long, long time.

Album Review: 77 El Deora - The Crown & the Crow's Confession

2011-03-08T12:32:00.000-06:00

Maurice Tani and Jenn Courtney's 77 El Deora is a California-based alt-country band that has been amassing a loyal fan following with their distinctive vocals, well-crafted songs, and simple organic sound ever since the band's formation in 2004. Maurice and Jenn share lead vocal duties, backed by Maurice on guitar, Mike Anderson on bass, Steve Kallai on violin, and Christopher Fisher on drums. While their sound is a mixture of genre styles as opposed to straight-laced traditional country, 77 El Deora's lyrics are composed of the same themes that country music has always embraced.

The band's most recent project, The Crown & the Crow's Confession, offers many varying takes on the tried-and-true themes of love, loss, and heartache. Guitarist/vocalist Maurice Tani takes writing or co-writing credit's on every track except for their version of Springsteen's "County Fair," which is reinterpreted as a duet backed by acoustic-based instrumentation. The track ranks as one of the most romantic moments on the album. Opening Track "I Just Dodged a Bullet" is a humorous satirical account of a tongue-in-cheek discussion between a couple who decide to end their relationship, neither party expecting the negative emotional consequences that are too follow. In a duet performance, Maurice fills the man's role, with Jenn filling that of the woman. The song culminates in the memorable hook, "I just dodged a bullet/ So where did this blood come from?"

The album has a good share of dark moments that couldn't be finer. It is here in particular that Jenn Courtney often emerges as the recurring star of the show, with her full-throated voice creating the perfect mood for each song she performs. Maurice's emotive vocals serve as the ideal counterpart. A foremost example is found on the song "Rain," in which Jenn's smooth delivery envelops the gloomy melody against soft orchestral touches. Maurice's harmony vocal joins hers in the chorus, as if filling the role of the departed lover the song's narrator longs for.

The Crown & the Crow's Confession is an album replete with highlights - not a single weak track in the bunch, closing with the engaging instrumental track "Cowboy." Anchored by Maurice Tani's excellent songwriting, and full of dynamic spot-on performances, The Crown & the Crow's Confession is surely a gem worth seeking out.

77 EL DEORA'S SCORE: 10
(Scores are given on a scale of 1 to 10)

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Alison Krauss & Union Station, "Paper Airplane"

2011-03-07T08:12:00.000-06:00

April 12 will mark the release of the first new Rounder Records studio album by Alison Krauss & Union Station since 2004's Lonely Runs Both Ways. The title track, "Paper Airplane," is being offered as a free download to all who join the email list on Alison's official website. Though the song is not being pushed as a radio single, you just might find it to be the best money you never spent.

There are plenty of things to love about this new track, though that doesn't necessarily come as any surprise. Alison's shimmering lead vocal still has the same sweet angelic sound that has captivated listeners for over two decades. Furthermore, when one's backing band consists of such seasoned and renowned bluegrass musicians as Jerry Douglas (dobro), Dan Tyminski (mandolin), Barry Bales (bass), and Ron Block (guitar), you can be sure that they will not disappoint.

The band's latest tune was penned by Robert Lee Castleman, whose material Alison has often recorded before (Think "Forget About It," "Let Me Touch You for Awhile, and "The Lucky One," the last of which won a Grammy for Best Country Song). The song is described by Alison (in an interview with The Boot) as being about "going through a trying time, and knowing it will end, but at the moment you're in the middle of it." Singing from the depths of despair, the song's character finds little to be positive about. She ignores optimistic cliches that may be offered as a means of comfort. The cloud may have a silver lining, but "every silver lining seems to have a cloud." Ultimately, she concludes that "Love is like a paper airplane... riding high, dipping low."

If you could set loneliness to music, it would probably sound something like this. Alison's melancholy delivery begins as a restrained whisper, but she lets her voice rise as she approaches the chorus. Palpable hurt and emotion resonate from her voice throughout her performance. "Innocence is fair game, but I'm hoping I can hold it in/ Our love will die I know," she sings as the song ends on an abrupt note, with her character feeling no need to temper her sentiments with any hint of a happy ending.

It's an understated truth to say that "Paper Airplane" is a beautifully written song. Such a gem could not have fallen into more worthy hands than those of Alison Krauss & Union Station. They've won more Grammy Awards than their arms can carry, and have come to be among the most well-known and respected names in modern bluegrass music, and one of the biggest reasons why is found in gorgeous performances just like this one.

ALISON'S SCORE: 10
(Scores are given on a scale of 1 to 10)

Music Video Round-Up - March 2011

2011-03-04T11:31:00.003-06:00

Zac Brown Band, "Colder Weather"

Very artistic. The editing effects, especially the fact that the video is in black and white, really seems to fit with the mood of the song. Well done.

Sarah Darling, "Something to Do with Your Hands"

It's hard not to use the word "cute" in describing this video. She's in love with a handyman, so she keeps intentionally breaking things to get him to spend time with her.

Darius Rucker, "This"

I like how this video shows Darius singing in the Ryman Auditorium. Who doesn't love the good ol' Ryman?

Reba McEntire, "If I Were a Boy"

A definite improvement over the "Turn On the Radio" video. Reba's simple yet elegant video for "If I Were the Boy" almost seems to lend the song more maturity in a way. Great video!

Carter's Chord, "A Little Less Comfortable"

The Victorian-era setting makes an interesting visual element, and the storytelling is fantastic.

The Band Perry, "You Lie"

You Lie - The Band Perry - The Band Perry Videos

Some great performance footage, and another interesting setting similar to that of the Carter's Chord video.

Trace Adkins, "Brown Chicken Brown Cow"

The puppets were kind of cute, but I hate it when Trace tries too hard to be sexy.

The JaneDear Girls, "Shotgun Girl"

2011-03-03T08:00:00.001-06:00

It's hard to tell what the point of this song is. As far I can suspect, the only reason for this song's existence is to provide an image of a pickup truck, namecheck "Waylon, Willie, and Merle," and then to get to the cutesy "Yeah-eh-eh" hook. The song merely paints a generalized picture of a typical stereotype, refusing to add anything new or interesting of its own.

It doesn't help that the Susie and Danelle's vocals on this track sound like they could be those of any karaoke wannabes randomly plucked off the street. Their performance here is not only weak, but totally devoid of color and character. Their vocal delivery is every bit as stale and boring as the song itself.

For a single to be truly great, it needs two things: Great lyrics, and a great performance. "Shotgun Girl" has neither. There is nothing saving this single, so it just ends up one enormous dud. Even if tone-deaf radio programmers spin it all the way to number one, it will still be a dud.

THE JANEDEAR GIRLS' SCORE: 3
(Scores are given on a scale of 1 to 10)

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Album Review: Sara Evans - Stronger

2011-03-01T10:10:00.001-06:00

The following review is a guest contribution by Stephen Fales

Multi-platinum recording artist Sara Evans is well known for her impeccable country credentials. This farmer's daughter grew up singing and playing mandolin in her family's bluegrass band from the age of four, paid her dues covering country standards in honky tonks as a teenager, and was discovered and promoted by Harlan Howard himself. During the course of her 14-year professional career, Evans has managed to please critics and fans alike with the artful blend of traditional and contemporary sounds in her music.

Now after an extended hiatus, Sara Evans is back with her sixth studio album, Stronger. Like a refreshing breeze sweeping over an arid musical landscape, Sara's warm and expressive voice is welcome relief, returning like an old friend. She sounds as glorious as ever, friendly and fun on the uptempo numbers like "Anywhere" and full of heartland pathos on ballads like "Alone," which seems to be on-deck for the next single.

Stronger took roughly two years to produce amidst several false starts, trial balloon singles that fell out of consideration, as well as some very worthy songs ("In the Pines" comes to mind) that didn't make the final cut. But the one song that should have been left on the cutting room floor unfortunately became the album's opener. "Desperately" is the weakest lead track from any of Sara's albums to date. The melody is forgettable, the lyrics trite and the overwrought production and bubblegum harmony sounds like something from the Partridge Family.

Fortunately, "Desperately" does not set the tone for the entire record, and the album just gets better from there - much better. The captivating title cut "A Little Bit Stronger" (as of this writing, a top 20 hit) has already garnered many fans from it's inclusion on the Country Strong movie soundtrack, but even this first single is not the strongest song on the record. That distinction is shared by the rollicking "Ticket to Ride", (not the Beatles' classic, but a brand new song co-authored by Evans and the great Leslie Satcher) and "What That Drink Cost Me."

On an album like Stronger there are many potential hit singles. But "Ticket to Ride" may well be the ultimate "worth the price of admission" song. It is a rebound love story that really takes flight, and Evans brings it home for a landing with finesse and a breathtaking vocal flourish at the end.

"What That Drink Cost Me" is a heart wrenching lament, a traditional sounding cautionary tale of the sometimes fatal risk of having one too many. "If you could put a price tag on everything that haunts me then you'd know, what that drink cost me."

Sara's homespun vocals serve her very well as she pours her country soul into nine worthy vessels. Her voice still has that fine wine flavor to it, and is a supple, nuanced and at times intoxicating instrument. As usual, she displays an artistically mature command of dynamics and nuance. The inherent rich and rustic textures of her voice work extremely well on the more traditional numbers as expected, but her vocal timbre is also very well suited to the more pop-oriented material such as her remake of Rod Stewart's "My Heart Can't Tell You No". Saturated with steel and drenched with sadness, the spell of Sara's wailing vocals transforms the Stewart classic is into a real country heartache song.

Stronger contains only 10 songs, but this quality-over-quantity approach works very well for the most part. This is a well-balanced, well-produced album thanks to Nathan Chapman, Tony Brown and to co-producer Sara Evans herself. It features a great mix of moods and tempos, as well as various country musical styles ranging from contemporary to neotraditional and bluegrass. And once again, Evans demonstrates what a capable songwriter she is, having co-written six of the ten tracks including some of the album's finest. Brother Matt Evans is also credited as a writing partner on three songs, including the delightfully electric and syncopated "Anywhere."

Stronger is a thoroughly enjoyable album and a most welcome return. It is a worthy addition to Sara's solid discography, but as great as it is, it doesn't really seem to advance the state of her art. Stronger seems to be a plateau album, but with Sara's usual high standard for excellence, at least the plateau is a lofty one. In this age of cookie-cutter songstesses, Sara Evans has carved out her own niche and coined her own unique sound, a distinctive blend of pop and pure country. Still, the hope remains that Sara will delve even more deeply into her pure country roots next time and harvest a great bluegrass or pure country album, something truly timeless and remarkable for her legacy. By digging deeper, there is little doubt that she could climb even higher.

Sara closes Stronger with a wonderful bluegrass remake of her signature classic "Born to Fly." This latest rendition is brilliant but overly percussive, and would have been even better with dueling fiddles blazing away for a fade-out finale that would have rivaled the awesome original. Still, this performance, like the album as a whole, is ample reminder that more than anything else Sara Evans was born to make great music.

SARA'S SCORE: 8
(Scores are given on a scale of 1 to 10)

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