Music Video Round-Up - March 2011

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"

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

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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Kenny Chesney, "Live a Little"

"Live a Little," the third single from Kenny's current album Hemingway's Whiskey, is a safe and predictable up-tempo with a simple message: "Live a little, love a lot.... Have some fun." Sound familiar? Possibly because half of Kenny's hit catalog trumpets that same message? Or because the melody sounds like a carbon copy of "Keg In the Closet"?

The song couldn't be any more generic if it tried. It echoes a palatable sentiment that will throw no curves or surprises at country radio listeners, thus allowing Kenny's hit streak to continue uninterrupted. But that's not the only problem. Kenny doesn't even sound like he cares about the song, settling for a boring monotone vocal. He doesn't sound the least bit engaged or enthusiastic. And why should he? He does this same thing every year. This is just business as usual. Deliver the lyrics, hit the notes, and then sit back and watch it shoot up the charts.


Lyrics may be dull, generic, or inane, but that it not an insurmountable hurdle. Take Sugarland as a case study. "Stuck Like Glue" wasn't a particularly strong or interesting lyric on its own, but it was Jennifer Nettles' joyously wacky performance that had critics and fans alike (including yours truly) rapping "Wuh-oh wuh-oh, stuck like glue" nonstop for no apparent reason. But it's hard to really sell something that you don't sound like you'd buy yourself.


It's surely not unheard of for Kenny to revisit well-worn territory, but this single doesn't just sound like a re-tread. It sounds like he's not even trying anymore.

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

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Amber Hayes, "Wait"

The storyline behind FUNL Music recording artist Amber Hayes' latest single might not seem particularly interesting at first glance.  Girl meets guy at a coffee shop.  They're about to part when the girl is overcome by the feeling that this encounter could be the beginning of something deeper, and she implores him to "Wait... It might sound crazy/ I'm thinking maybe we could talk and talk all day."

The concept could easily have wound up a bore, but Amber sells it with her performance.  Her vocal delivery is tight and focused, but it also carries an air of longing, which is very appropriate for the sentiments her character expresses.  She acknowledges that the likelihood of this chance meeting blossoming into romance are relatively slim.  "It's a million to one," she admits.  "But..." she suggests, "Let's take it anyway!"  She is motivated not only by attraction alone, but by the knowledge that she would never know what might come to fruition were she not to take such a chance.  She desires "to find out if this spark really is a flame."  One could interpret this as underlying message that even if her aspirations are ultimately unfulfilled, she would still have the vindication of knowing that she did not simply let the opportunity pass by.

The production, notably pop-friendly in comparison to Amber's often traditional-leaning style, pulses along energetically as if to urge the character on.  Though a song like "Wait" could have seemed like a potentially boring or even fluffy concept, competent execution and a strong performance make this single a broadly enjoyable slice of pop-country fun.

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

HEAR IT ON AMBER'S OFFICIAL WEB SITE

Tim McGraw and Gwyneth Paltrow, "Me & Tennessee"

This is an odd record.  Not that this is important, but where on earth do they get that title?  The phrase "Me & Tennessee" is not found in the lyrics, nor does it have a tangible connection to the song's overall concept.

"Me & Tennessee," Tim McGraw and Gwyneth Paltrow's new duet single from the Country Strong soundtrack, begins on a shallow note.  Nondistinct references to "all the good times we had... dancing on a Friday night" and so on aren't particularly interesting, and the chorus isn't exactly a step up.

When that old song comes on
Together we're singing, forever we're singing
That old country song
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah

The melody is gloomy, and it almost sounds like it's also trying to be catchy, but it isn't catchy.  It's a bit repetitive.  Then the second verse rolls around, and the lead vocal baton passes from Tim to Gwyneth.  The lyrics take a bit of a U-turn.  Now it's a cheating song, as Gwyneth sings about things her man has done that she "can't forgive."

What next?  One more lackadaisical chorus, and then the song ends.  Thud.  Just like that.  That basically leaves us with two songs rolled into one with nothing tying them together.  A well-crafted third verse could have added some better cohesion.  But with the way things are it's hard to tell what kind of story the song is trying to tell, or how's it's supposed to affect us as listeners.  Is it simply waxing nostalgic?  Is it trying to be sad?  Are we supposed to cry or something?

It's hard to tell what the point of this song is.  Maybe the only point of its existence is to pair Tim McGraw with Gwyneth Paltrow.  Granted, they're both capable vocalists (even if Gwyneth does upstage Tim somewhat), but next time can we give them a better song?

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

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David Nail, "Let It Rain"

Thus far, David Nail's radio offerings have generally shared one common strength - a strong and focused vocal performance - as well as one common flaw - bombastic production.  The critical point is often whether or not the song itself is coherent enough to overcome the flaw while highlighting the strength.  We definitely found that to be the case with his previous hit "Turning Home."  "Red Light"?  Not so much.

"Let It Rain" isn't the first country song to tackle a theme of cheating and heartbreak, nor is it the first to use rain as a metaphor.  But an important part of what makes the song work is its inclusion of personalized details that flesh out the story, which helps the song to distinguish itself from the many other variations of the same theme.  David reveals the cause of his heartache - a happy marital relationship shattered by one regrettable night of unfaithfulness.  "Seven years of good can't hide the one night I forgot to wear that ring," he laments.

The melancholy lyric draws out a powerful and emotive vocal from David.  To his credit, he is able to cut through the loud pop-country production without resorting to wild and unwieldy LeVox-esque vocal theatrics.  Another major plus is the audible sound of Sarah Buxton's distinct and beautiful voice on background vocals, which contrasts nicely against David's smooth and masculine lead vocal. 

It's not without it's weaknesses, but a solid lyric and a believable performance make this single an overall success.

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

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Bridgette Tatum, "Hillbilly Rockstar"

Sometimes you just immediately know what you're getting as soon as you read a song's title.  The title "Hillbilly Rockstar" might make you think that this song is essentially a headbanging country-rocker that apes country credibility through use of the word "hillbilly."  For the most part, you'd be correct.  We probably shouldn't be surprised, considering that this artist is one of the songwriters responsible for Jason Aldean's "She's Country."

At the very best, "Hillbilly Rockstar" is a vehicle for Bridgette Tatum to showcase her distinctive deep-throated vocals.  Though it almost comes as a slight surprise, the opening verse is actually somewhat catchy.

But oh, how the song falls apart in the chorus.

(Do you wanna) Party like a...
(Do you wanna) Party like a...
(Do you wanna) Party like a hillbilly rockstar

That seems like an awfully weak hook to build a song around - definitely not enough to keep me coming back for more.  It's obvious that this song isn't aiming to make a mark through strong lyrics, so it would take a good catchy hook to make the attempt seem worthwhile.  A great hook "Hillbilly Rockstar" simply doesn't have.  It doesn't help that the session musicians basically bang out the chords and call it a day.  Bridgette's vocals barely cut through the clutter as she attempts to sell the predictably inane lyrics.  I know it's only meant to be ear candy, but it doesn't quite hit my sweet tooth.

Last summer Bridgette impressed me with the bluesy grit of "That's Love Y'all," and I still believe she has great music in her.  I just don't believe I'm hearing it right now.

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

HEAR IT ON BRIDGETTE'S MYSPACE

Keith Urban, "Without You"

"Without You," the second single from Keith Urban's album Get Closer is a deeply personal self-penned composition for which wife Nicole Kidman serves as inspiration.

Actually it was written by Dave Pahanish and Joe West, but one could easily be forgiven for making the above assumption.

Without a doubt, there are plenty of things to like about Keith Urban's latest single.  The stripped-down musical arrangement served as a welcome change of pace on an album dominated by drum machines and electric guitars.  And what do you know?  It even sounds country, with fiddle and banjo included in generous amounts.  Not surprisingly, Keith delivers a deeply sincere vocal performance, which makes the record a success on a sonic level at the very least.

Regrettably, here is where the praise must end.  The song itself is a bore - depressingly one-dimensional, not to mention a bit self-indulgent.  We probably have Nicole Kidman to thank for this, since Keith's marriage to her has made him so gosh darn happy.  Though Keith's attempts at conveying sorrow and heartache have often resulted in brilliance (see "Til Summer Comes Around"), he doesn't always pick the best material for his happy romantic mood.  This song's sentiment sounds like something that would best be condensed into a couple of sentences instead of a five minute song.  In turn, the song would have been best left as an album cut instead of a radio single.

Though he undoubtedly means what he's singing, he's still not singing anything that feels vital, authentic, or artistically relevant.  I'm sure Nicole Kidman loves it - It's just hard to see why the rest of the world should be interested as well.

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

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DJ Miller, "Whatever It Takes"

This young 21-year-old Hoosier country singer has already shown that he knows how to party with his debut single "A Little Naughty Is Nice," and he appealed to our nostalgic side with "Snowman In Birmingham.  But DJ Miller now shows a more mature side on his third single "Whatever It Takes."

The verses tell the story of a young couple dealing with economic difficulties that have put serious strains on their relationship.  Though there is some audible use of auto-tuning, DJ's vocal delivery comes across as warm and sincere.  Such qualities are further drawn out by a laid-back arrangement with peels of crying fiddles.  The song's character assures his wife us his commitment by describing the measures he's willing to take to provide.  He'll sell his old guitar.  He'll work three jobs.  He'll do "Whatever It Takes" to "be the rock you can count on."

The concept is solid, if not groundbreaking.  It's a respectable entry from an artist who is known for his down-to-earth personality, in addition to his energetic live performances.  All in all, "Whatever It Takes" is DJ's best single thus far, and a decent introduction to a talented new artist.

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

HEAR IT ON DJ'S OFFICIAL WEBSITE