Eric Church, "Drink In My Hand"

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"

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"

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"

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)

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Christian Kane, "Let Me Go"

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"

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"

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"

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'"

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)

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Taylor Swift, "Sparks Fly"

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)