Album Review – Easton Corbin’s “About To Get Real”
Operating a site called “Saving Country Music” for the last eight years, I’ve learned the patient art of losing every single day with grace. It is the ever-present conceit of the living to believe that the present times are the worst there’s ever been, and country music is no exception. Don’t fool yourself into thinking that people weren’t yelling that the sky was falling when John Denver was winning the CMA Entertainer of the Year, or Juice Newton was topping the country charts.
But 2015 has been especially sinister in how it has turned the knife in the heart of steadfast country fans by making turncoats out of what used to be the last vestiges of substance and country roots in the mainstream. Where Bro-Country was at least compartmentalized, in 2015 it is sell out or shut up and go home. Virtually nobody has been spared a bite from the “commercial relevancy” bug, and you can now add Easton Corbin to the list of the infected.
If we’re honest with ourselves, we’ll admit that Easton Corbin was never that exceptional. He was just really good for the mainstream. And it’s only fair to consider an artist by measuring them against their peers and the time period they’re in. It’s not that About To Get Real is super terrible or without its good moments. But I never thought I’d hear Easton Corbin mentioning Fireball Whiskey in a song, or replacing hi-hat cymbal hits for electronic hand claps. That’s 2015 for you.
About To Get Real is Easton Corbin going fake, no matter how much steel guitar you slather on the chest wound he leaves in the trunk of his core listeners. Yes there’s steel guitar, and a twang to his voice. There’s also Easton giving Florida Georgia Line a run for their money for the amount of times he says “girl.” There’s also a song called “Yup” (and yup, it’s bad). About To Get Real evidences the modern resignation to rhythm at the expense of lyric and melody, and does so through unfortunate dalliances with electronically-generated sounds. It’s also about as laundry list and “Bro” as it gets. It’s Easton Corbin turning in his pearl snaps and T-shirts for a metro tie.
Corbin himself says, “Even though the music mixes the modern with the classic, it’s entirely real. Like the music of my heroes, it’s the real deal.” Trust me folks, when someone has to tell you how real something is, that’s a sure sign that it’s probably fake. “Real” speaks for itself. I could almost forgive Easton his trespasses against country music if he’d just fess up to them instead of trying to hide behind the “real” moniker. That makes it a measure worse.
But About To Get Real is not all bad news. Is it true that this album is better than what we’re used to from most of mainstream country’s male entertainers? Yes it is. Is it more country? Certainly. And there’s some pretty decent songs. “Wild Women and Whiskey,” despite hitting on the same tired Bro-Country themes the rest of the album does, is refreshingly organic in the instrumentation, and classic in the approach. Written by Ronnie Dunn and Terry McBride, it’s one of the album’s redeeming moments.
“Are You With Me” wasn’t terrible either. It has a new school approach, but it hits on a little something. And “Like A Song” is outright excellent. It’s like a classic early 90’s hit, and it’s a shame songs like this get put as the last on a track list, and will never be released as singles.
But there’s also songs like “Guys and Girls,” “Diggin’ On You,” and the ridiculous “Just Add Water” that make you hang your head in “used to be an Easton Corbin fan” shame. What is going on here? Does Easton really believe he’s going to reach a bigger audience with this pablum? Even though Tim McGraw had some worse singles, he put out a better album. Even though Florida Georgia Line is worse overall, at least they don’t know any better.
Again, let’s not oversell Easton Corbin’s contributions before About To Get Real, but at least he was a symbol of pragmatism in country music—someone traditionalists and contemporaries could both nod their head to in approval. And give him credit for attempting to stick as close to his roots as he could sonically with this record. But unfortunately it’s not enough to redeem these songs. About To Get Real was a letdown, and one from an artist we were hoping may be able to help lead country music out of the abyss instead of following country music into it.
1 1/2 of 2 Guns DOWN.
July 1, 2015 @ 8:35 am
Damn shame. Out of all the mainstream artists, I thought he would stay relatively traditional. Also, his voice is about as close to George Strait’s as I’ve heard, which makes it that much worse.
July 1, 2015 @ 10:03 am
My sentiments exactly (I bought his first two albums for my mother). Oof… :p
July 1, 2015 @ 9:01 pm
Exactly! I’ve always said that about him, “This dude has a little George Strait in his voice and style.”
But this album is exactly what I feared. Trigger put it best, “About To Get Real is Easton Corbin going fake, no matter how much steel guitar you slather on the chest wound he leaves in the trunk of his core listeners. Yes there”™s steel guitar, and a twang to his voice. There”™s also Easton giving Florida Georgia Line a run for their money for the amount of times he says “girl.” There”™s also a song called “Yup” (and yup, it”™s bad). About To Get Real evidences the modern resignation to rhythm at the expense of lyric and melody, and does so through unfortunate dalliances with electronically-generated sounds. It”™s also about as laundry list and “Bro” as it gets. It”™s Easton Corbin turning in his pearl snaps and T-shirts for a metro tie.”
And, “But there”™s also songs like “Guys and Girls,” “Diggin”™ On You,” and the ridiculous “Just Add Water” that make you hang your head in “used to be an Easton Corbin fan” shame.”
I’m so bummed he sold out.
Great review Trigger. Also, you’re spot on about 2015 being the year some of the last traditionalists sold out, i.e., Chris Young. Well, I reckon that was ’14 but y’all get my point.
August 19, 2015 @ 12:53 pm
I thought Easton had the potential to be the next George Strait. He still does, here’s hoping he stays true to himself on the next album
July 1, 2015 @ 8:37 am
I don’t know… I played half an hour of vintage video games today, now I’m about to go to the record store. That’s real. But nobody wants to hear a song about it.
July 1, 2015 @ 8:43 am
If I look on songwriting credits for albums and see names like Ben Hayslip, Rhett Akins, Ashley Gorley etc like on this one. I can assure you, I’m not gonna give it the time of day.
July 1, 2015 @ 8:49 am
Three co-writes for Corbin, and that’s it. How are we supposed to know who he is as an artist? What differentiates him from every other male country singer?
July 1, 2015 @ 9:03 am
Cue Easton Corbin defenders in 3,2,1… “Because he sounds just like George Strait Trig. Didn’t you know?!? He really does!” Who cares.
July 1, 2015 @ 9:15 am
When it comes to him, all I’ve ever heard is…. He sounds like George, as u stated, and hearing girls talk about wanting to see him cause they think he’s attractive ( which we all know this is what it takes to be a country star, smh).
July 1, 2015 @ 9:14 am
Did he have more writing credits on past albums? Typically artists start out with more credits than they end with in the mainstream, showing their grasp on their own careers suddenly loosening. See Blake Shelton, Jason Aldean, Luke Bryan, etc. That doesn’t mean they don’t willingly play along, though.
July 1, 2015 @ 9:52 am
I think he only had two or three on his last album as well.
July 1, 2015 @ 10:02 am
His self-titled debut has 4 credited co-writes (“This Far From Memphis,” “The Way Love Looks,” “That’ll Make You Wanna Drink,” and “Leavin’ a Lonely Town”) and ‘All Over the Road’ has 2 (“A Thing for You” and “This Feels a Lot Like Love”).
July 1, 2015 @ 10:47 pm
Very true statement here. How are we to know? Not saying you have to write all the songs but when one does it gives more of a personal effect. I mean George Strait rarely wrote songs ( thanks Dean Dillon), but, u knew exactly who he was and the type of man he was portraying. He always seemed like the man in the songs. Long live the king, Pure Country is on lol.
July 1, 2015 @ 9:01 am
Come on Easton! What’s up with metro-looking tie and jean jacket from JCrew.??
I can’t muster the energy to listen and be disappointed at this moment. I’ll get back to my sandwich now.
July 1, 2015 @ 9:07 am
I am glad you acknowledged the fact that it is at least more country sounding than what most male country artists are putting out there so far in 2015. Because it is. I’ve always respected what Easton Corbin has done but do agree that he needs to find a way to differentiate himself from everyone else. Those are the true artists. I did hear “Like a Song” while driving on Sunday, a radio station was playing it in anticipation of the new album. I thought that was a damn good song. Was refreshing to hear something like it on mainstream country radio, if only once.
July 1, 2015 @ 9:13 am
A near flawless and completely entertaining review Trigger . One of your finest and THAT is saying something , I believe.
I could not get enough of Corbin’s first record and that first single ” A Little More Country Than That “. From the impeccably crafted lyrics and melodies to the instrumentation and arrangements and musical performances , the brilliant sound of the entire effort and , of course , the unique vocal styling of a guy who knew what and why he was singing . I had convinced myself Easton would be the new messiah . The new Randy Travis , the saviour of all things that matter to the genre as we knew it .
Then came the next records and now your frighteningly accurate observations and your assessment of how and why it all went off the rails . Simply put , an artist with a complete grasp and commitment to what it takes to keep country COUNTRY in 2013 and a unique voice has sold most of his soul to satisfy the warped sense of priorities the business has succumbed in order to placate ” country” radio and its kiddie listener-ship .” Easton .,…..we hardly knew ye !”
July 1, 2015 @ 9:13 am
THANK YOU. And the “good ole days” keep moving that much closer to where we are now. Nonetheless, I’ve never understood what the deal was with John Denver and Charlie Rich. If it had been George Jones or Waylon that burnt the envelope, that’d be one thing. Say what you want about John Denver, but his music was more country than Rich’s, at least on Behind Closed Doors. Why wasn’t THAT a dark spot? Isn’t that album the reason Rich won Entertainer the previous year to begin with? There’s hardly any twang on that album at all. Regardless of quality (and it’s good music, don’t get me wrong), it’s countrypolitan to its core.
Well, at least we can count on Alan Jackson offering a solid offering of mostly traditional country later this month.
July 1, 2015 @ 11:37 am
You know what, I like John Denver. Not love him necessarily, but he’s always struck me as pretty likeable along with his music.
Sure, plenty of his discography was pretty lightweight. But many of his songs had a genuine love of place, and “Back Home Again” was a charming album with a lot of heart: whether it be humor in “Grandma’s Feather Bed” or gravitas in “Matthew”. I also really appreciate “Windsong” looking back, in that it’s rare to have artists profess a love of nature and ecology and how we’re all connected to it these days.
Without reservation, I’d take the late John Denver over almost any male entertainer currently charting.
*
“Jim & Jack & Hank” was a lyrical disappointment to my ears, but I’m still wildly optimistic about “Angels & Alcohol” as a whole.
“Thirty Miles West”, after all, was preceded by the not-bad-but-forgettable “Long Way To Go”, and the album as a whole turned out much better than that.
July 2, 2015 @ 5:16 am
Yeah, maybe it’s just nostalgia for me (I was a teenager in the ’70s) but Back Home Again is one of my favorite albums from that time. I especially liked “This Old Guitar”.
July 1, 2015 @ 12:39 pm
Of course it was countrypolitan thanks to good ol’ Billy Sherrill. Charlie Rich was an original Sun Records artist who fell under sway of that non-country string-loving pop country sherrill.
July 1, 2015 @ 1:17 pm
What do you think of Sherrill’s recordings with Johnny Paycheck?
July 1, 2015 @ 3:16 pm
Sherrill also worked with David Allan Coe for the majority of his career.
July 1, 2015 @ 3:57 pm
Yeah, I’m thinking he has more country cred than Mule is letting on, or perhaps was even aware of. Was Charlie Rich’s material twangier when he was at Sun?
July 1, 2015 @ 9:09 pm
How do y’all do that sweet italics quote thing?
July 2, 2015 @ 10:37 am
It’s a fairly easy, if tedious, process. Firstly, commands such as italics and bold, in addition to the quote option, are done as follows: whatever words/characters you want to have emphasis need to have a command on either side.
Use greater than and less than signs >< instead of parentheticals, and don't forget the backslash to end the formatting:
(i)word(/i) italics
(b)word(/b) bold
(blockquote)word(/blockquote)
July 4, 2015 @ 9:42 am
(blockquote)did it work?(blockquote)
Nope
July 4, 2015 @ 9:55 am
You need to use ‘< ' and '>‘ instead of ‘(‘ and ‘)’
and don’t forget the ‘/’ in the second tag to close it out.
July 4, 2015 @ 12:01 pm
July 4, 2015 @ 12:29 pm
Yep!
July 1, 2015 @ 9:14 am
Well this ruined my day…haha. Was looking forward to Corbin’s new album. Been a fan since his debut. But after reading your review Trig, I may not even bother buying this. Damn haha.
July 1, 2015 @ 9:55 am
This is just my opinion. You may have a different one.
July 1, 2015 @ 9:15 am
In other news…I actually watched Mo Pitney on Cmt this morning. Not all is lost.
July 1, 2015 @ 10:22 am
I’m glad you mentioned Mo Pitney, because in some way he reminds me of Easton Corbin out of the gate, while in another way I’m tempted to believe he’ll prove to be more of the real deal in seeking better written songs.
“Country”, admittedly, felt forced lyrically………………in that it largely smacks of “Let’s cite all the applications of the word ‘country’ in one song!” But at least it felt affecting, particularly in the final verse. And I genuinely enjoy “Clean Up On Aisle Five”.
July 1, 2015 @ 5:04 pm
Facebook page to Support Mo Pitney’s music:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1469550696671702/
July 1, 2015 @ 9:14 pm
I completely agree Noah. “Country” is as about as cliche as can be, but I’ll be danged if ain’t country as all get out. I really like it. Like you alluded to, hopefully he’ll choose better written songs in the future. He’s got a great voice.
July 1, 2015 @ 9:16 am
“Baby, Be My Love Song” is so awkward. There’s no discernible trajectory, the melody is atrocious, and it does absolutely nothing with his voice. At least “Clockwork” was interesting and tolerable, even if it was a downward spiral.
I won’t be buying this album. I honestly don’t understand what makes these guys go away from what made them great in the first place.
Does anybody ever wonder if guys like this somehow ended up broke? It’s just too bad Easton couldn’t pull of a “I’m a Fire” type album like David Nail did. Good pop country is a lot better than this nonsense.
July 1, 2015 @ 10:23 am
Not to mention utters the line: “Be the buzz in my Dixie cup!” and “Be my ‘Oh hell yeah!'” n the chorus! -__-
July 1, 2015 @ 9:18 pm
Yes! When I heard it, I was like, “Really Easton? This is where you’re going with your music?”
So disappointing.
July 1, 2015 @ 9:47 pm
Lol I cited “be the buzz in my Dixie cup” in my review of this album, which for me was a contest to see which song could produce the worst pick-up line. (Possibilities include “I’m buzzin’ on, kissin’ on, trippin’ on, diggin’ on you” and “damn girl” as well).
July 1, 2015 @ 11:58 pm
You should have added this lyric from Randy Houser’s “We Went”:
“Nobody knows how to get me going quite like you do when you do the things you do.”
July 2, 2015 @ 12:02 am
By the way, congratulations on the launch of your new blog! I’ve bookmarked it! =)
July 2, 2015 @ 2:09 am
🙂 thanks! I was just doing this album (which says something in itself) but this gives me an idea for a later post of the worst pick-up lines in bro country. Seriously, are there girls out there who find this crap appealing?
July 1, 2015 @ 12:32 pm
glad you mentioned “I’m a Fire by David Nail. Still believe that record was the best mainstream offering last year. that album is absolutely mind-blowing, expecially tracks like Brand New Day or Burning Bed and The Secret. the title track is so beautifully written and has a very pleasant melody. it’s a perfect summer record, it’s beautiful pop country. I think it’s very underrated and choosing Kiss You Tonight as the second single was the stupidest move his team could have done. Broke My Heart is so much more appealing and it would’ve been another #1 for David.
July 1, 2015 @ 9:21 am
Easton Corbin has been one of my radio faves for a long time. I about threw my phone out the window halfway thru this one yesterday. Such a disappointment.
July 1, 2015 @ 9:31 am
I sampled the album. I didn’t go real in depth on it yet, but from what I’ve heard I think you went really harsh on this one. There are some duds, but overall it’s not as bad as I was expecting by reading the review. I’ll spend more time listening to it this weekend and maybe hear what you’re saying, but from what I have heard – not terrible. “Are you with me” was on his last album which makes me wonder if it will be a single this go-round.
July 1, 2015 @ 9:58 am
There’s some conspiracy theorists out there saying something is up with this album since “Are You With Me” is on it, and there was such a delay with its release. The music does feel dated to me, like it should have been released 18 months ago during the height of Bro-Country, and now Easton feels like he’s chasing trends that have already fizzled.
July 1, 2015 @ 10:26 am
I am pretty sure “Are You With Me” was deliberately included because it was sampled by Belgian producer Lost Frequencies and released as a single in October of last year…………….and became a massive hit internationally.
This is their way to acknowledge its mass appeal recently and hoping to drive up sales stateside out of curiosity.
July 1, 2015 @ 9:34 am
Honestly, I enjoyed this album. You can certainly see the bro-country influence, but the record sticks closer to a traditional sound than its contemporaries, and Easton’s delivery is as solid as ever. Even the lyrics seem a bit classier than the standard bro fare.
Also, I thought this quote from a recent CMT article was interesting:
—
““We came across three songs called ”˜Guys and Girls,”™ ”˜Diggin”™ on You”™ and ”˜Yup,”™” Corbin said. “I feel like these three songs really complete this record. So we took off three existing songs we had cut and replaced them with these three songs.”
—
This statement, combined with the fact that 18 months passed between the release of “Clockwork” and the full album, makes me wonder how much pressure the label placed on Easton to move towards a bro sound.
July 1, 2015 @ 10:01 am
Yes, very interesting. I do think there was something going on behind-the-scenes that led to what in my opinion was a disappointing (and delayed) release. You take those three songs off the album and replace them with what we’re used to from Easton Corbin, and this review takes a completely different tone. The album probably gets 1 1/2 guns up.
July 1, 2015 @ 10:17 am
This raises another question: Josh Turner’s “Lay Low” didn’t perform much better than “Clockwork” on the charts, and despite some statements from Josh saying the album is basically done, we haven’t heard anything official about a release date. What might be going on there?
July 1, 2015 @ 10:29 am
That’s a good observation. Both Easton Corbin and Josh Turner have seen delays with their latest releases, under-performing singles, and both are these kind of 2nd-tier, more traditional mainstream stars. Labels might be saying that either it’s time for these guys to develop or they’re not going to put much effort into the projects.
Also interesting this album was released July 4th week, which is usually a difficult week for releases.
July 1, 2015 @ 12:53 pm
I have asked and searched all around the world wide web for news on Josh. It is like his album has become the Man in the Iron Mask.
July 2, 2015 @ 11:13 am
Such a shame too because Lay Low is one of my favorite songs and of course it never had a chance as a single.
July 2, 2015 @ 8:28 pm
He has another new song called “Bench Seat” that he plays in concerts. It is a really good truck song, if only the truck trends was at its peak. I still say his label should have released “Whatcha Reckon” instead of “Find Me a Baby” in 2012. “Reckon” was a bro-country song without the ugly aspect of the subgenre. “Find Me a Baby” was a 90’s country song that didn’t stand a chance among the current 18-34 demographic. Tailgate titans don’t want to hear about a man looking to start a family.
July 1, 2015 @ 9:24 pm
Great points.
July 2, 2015 @ 2:22 pm
The song sounds very country. That is a start. Steel guitar and a fiddle, u would think that might have tamed the onslaught.
July 1, 2015 @ 9:35 am
Well that sucks! So sick of what contemporary country music has become.
July 1, 2015 @ 9:35 am
Yeah, his first couple of releases sounded a bit like George Strait, even in the style of the songs, like “I’m a Little More Country Than That.” I think the rest of the sentence containing the album title was probably something like: “I was about to get real when my record label told me if I wanted a career in Country Music I’d do damn well what they told me to and like it!” Too bad but I’m afraid we’ve lost any chance of a country singer finding his or her way to commercial radio. I say this and I work in commercial radio!
July 1, 2015 @ 9:26 pm
Yup, I’d say that’s pretty much accurate.
July 2, 2015 @ 8:00 am
Haven’t listened to Easton Corbin’s new album in its entirety, but cringed when I heard “buzz in my Dixie cup” reference on his latest single. Actually love his last album, as I’m a fan of both traditional as well as some of the modern country. But getting tired of so much bro-country and such blatant repetition of songs on many of today’s country radio stations.
It seems as though Easton may be going through the same type of thing that happened with Patty Loveless, who released so many classics in the ’80s and ’90s,only to have her style of music fall out of favor with mainstream radio. The difference is, Patty chose to stay true to her roots rather than cower to the commercialism so rampant in today’s music industry. She chose to release the kind of music she loved and was awarded not with stellar commercial sales and radio airplay but accolades for her performances. Judging by the comments on his latest release, I fear Easton may have decided “if you can’t beat ’em, join ’em” rather than take the path of more traditional country fare.
Just glad I’m able to stream the kind of music I want to hear rather than be held captive to some of the drivel I hear repeated over and over on my local station!
July 10, 2015 @ 4:07 am
I’ve known Easton personally a long time so there is my bias from the jump. Let me simply say that all he has ever wanted to do is sing and play music. You cant begin to appreciate his vocal power until you hear him sing Eleven Roses. You’ll leak from the eye. However, in order to be relevant today…it is a business. I liken it to a marriage: I love my wife. I don’t give a darn about coconut oil, any movie she has every hit the play button on, or my house smelling and looking like a field of freaking daisies. I don’t want to be known as that guy – That stuff isn’t me – but I want to live with her. So, I do that stuff cause it keeps me in the big picture. What would you have Easton do? Buck the label? Rebel so hard and heavy against relevancy and country radio that he has to self-produce his records and book his own gigs. I get it – that’s the way for some but that life is not for everyone. Easton never set out to be a music businessman nor did he cut his teeth playing clubs. Have you seen him in interviews? looking a little awkward and uncomfortable? That part is not his gig. Dude loves music. Loves to sing. Used to play the heck of a six string. He was taught guitar by an old time studio musician. Easton doesnt have that Luke Bryan charisma but he is doing all he can to strike balance between doing what he loves and being relevant enough to be able to CONTINUE to do what he loves. With digital music wreaking havoc on profits (money made on ticket sales and those subsidized by endorsements) and short attention span society – youve got to have songs that get people to shows. Youve got to be relevant to get on a tour (which, unless I missed something – he isn’t on) It comes at a cost. He knows it. It makes you bitter and jaded but at the end of the day – I think he did a fine job putting out music he could sleep with at night and keeping a job.
Eleven Roses – Easton’s cover
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z5bnY2_PT50
July 1, 2015 @ 9:52 am
Really disappointing. The instrumentation is fairly traditional but the lyrics on a lot of the songs are full fledged bro-country.
July 1, 2015 @ 9:59 am
I still say that despite “Truck Yeah,” “Two Lanes of Freedom” was a very solid album, as was “Sundown Heaven Town” despite the abysmal “Lookin’ For That Girl.”
July 1, 2015 @ 10:03 am
I agree, and that was the point I was trying to make bringing up McGraw. Easton Corbin did not make a good album. There’s a few good songs, but he made a bad album. This may be worse than releasing one bad single because at least fans can look past it and still enjoy the music.
July 1, 2015 @ 10:03 am
I got about half way through the album before turning it off. Really disappointing.I always thought he would stay more traditional. No one is safe I suppose.
July 1, 2015 @ 10:10 am
I don’t have an issue with the songs themselves on this album. I don’t think its particularly a bad balance. My feeling is that if the Bro-Country Era never took place, people wouldn’t come down as hard on this one and it would simply be considered just a modern country record. But people are very irritable right now because it did take place. Should it effect an artist’s approach to their own album having never been involved in the issue before? I don’t know…But as far as the issue of Eason Corbin being “real”, I’m inclined to agree that it does comes off kind of fake. He didn’t write on enough of the songs to even convince the audience of who he is. It makes the album appear too suspiciously strategic and that there were songs chosen specifically to strike a chord with popular trends, and honestly a lot of it just does come off as authentic or believable for him.
July 1, 2015 @ 10:16 am
Doesn’t**** come off
July 1, 2015 @ 10:24 am
I agree Anthony, this album is a victim of the Bro-Country era, but as an artist and a production team, Easton and his producers need to know and anticipate that going in. They need to know where he fits in the mainstream marketplace, and not try to force him somewhere else. If this album was released five years ago, people may not think twice about the lyrics aside from them being a little narrow and shallow in places. If he released this 18 months ago he may have blown up like Florida Georgia Line. But today? It feels both calculated and dated.
July 1, 2015 @ 10:11 am
“I Can’t Love You Back” was on constant repeat after my 1st breakup. That debut record of his was so good, it’s a shame he got metro-brainwashed.
Also, what was the whole deal with John Denver being controversial? The guy had prominent banjo and steel guitar in his country offerings, and besides a string section, didn’t really sound pop at all. Was it just because he was a pop guy “going country”?
July 1, 2015 @ 10:16 am
There’s not a single mainstream country singer/songwriter that has disappointed me more over the past decade than Easton Corbin.
Remember when he released his debut single “A Little More Country Than That” when everyone was praising and hyping him as the next George Strait? Beneath just Kacey Musgraves, the hype surrounding Easton Corbin at that time was arguably the most overwrought. Many were EXPECTING him to wield the traditional country baton and proudly sprint on down the road with it in a time when traditional country was beginning to thin in terms of influence on the radio dial.
But here’s the thing. While Easton Corbin clearly has one of the more richer and distinctive voices among the genre’s mainstream males, “A Little More Country Than That” struck me as a most shallow song lyrically. Actually, when you really take it in, the lyrics are fairly terrible. Then he followed it up with another dime-a-dozen beach song titled “Roll With It”. Sure: again it SOUNDED good, but took absolutely no chances and, if we were to size it up with Strait’s discography as a whole (which has more than it’s share of insubstantial fluff too if we’re being honest with ourselves), it would fit among his weakest 10% of releases. Then I gave his debut album a listen………………and while it was better than the two singles suggested, again it struck me as no better than the parade of mediocre albums Strait was releasing for a while in the mid-nineties with only a couple standout cuts in “That’ll Make You Wanna Drink” and “This Far From Memphis”. And I think the main reason the album didn’t do much for me is that I felt absolutely convinced ANY male country entertainer could have cut the strong majority of those tracks because they completely lacked a distinctive point of view and struck as gimmicky.
Then I heard “All Over The Road”, and that was a worse album to my ears. Aside from the infuriating title track that shamelessly trivializes the issue of distracted driving, it was chockablock with interchangeable fluffy love songs that, again, lacked any distinctive point of view whatsoever. All I could ask myself after listening was: “WHY should I care? WHAT distinguishes Easton Corbin from his peers? Does he actually have something unique to say?” All while I continued to see many critics and folks on country music message boards continue to praise him like the best thing since sliced bread became buttered.
*
And, just after listening to the second single from this album, “Baby Be My Love Song”………………..I was enraged.
Which is rare that this happens to me because usually I can expect mediocrity from many entertainers. But a straight-up bro-country song from Easton Corbin? Part of me actually didn’t rule this out considering the gimmicky tracks he had already cut, but part of me still felt offended all the same by the realization that he sang: “Be the buzz in my Dixie cup!” and “You’re looking so damn hot!” in a radio single.
So I was NOT looking forward to “About To Get Real” (HA! About time! 😉 ) at all………………………and I got exactly what I was expecting from this: another album dearth of identity and artistry, and replete with interchangeable fodder for radio programmers.
It has gotten to the point where the George Strait vocal performances and his traditional country stylings just smack as a cop-out, more than anything, from his pandering to tropes and lyrical laziness. The bro-mance title track sounds exactly like something Luke Bryan would sing. “Guys & Girls” is dripping with cliches from the ad-libbed Saturday night tailgating to nonsensical attempts at rhyming with eye-rolling lines like “Girls give guys that all night rush, and guys give girls that butterfly crush.” and sounds like a Kenny Chesney song. “Yup” sounds like a blatant rendition of Joe Nichols’ “Yeah” albeit without a towering chorus and flowing more on a groove. “Diggin’ On You” sounds like a rendition of “Big Green Tractor” except taking place in a truck. And “Damn Girl” and “Just Add Water” sound like mid-level Florida Georgia Line fare.
“Like A Song” is truly the only song here that impressed me upon listening. It’s a genuinely heartfelt moment that closes the album and where we get a brief glimpse into how Corbin could use his strong vocals to carry more authentic and affecting material. Which makes it especially infuriating that you have to wait until the very last track to find anything resembling substance. Seriously! I don’t get what it is about entertainers like Chase Rice to Tyler Farr on his first album even bothering to insert a track where they’re actually trying for something affecting as the final song on their respective albums. Why bother when the first ten to fourteen songs are anything but?
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In the end, “About To Get Real” continues Corbin’s downward trajectory and stands as his worst album to date……………….but most unfortunately, it has only underscored my suspicions and disappointments in him all along and does absolutely nothing to inspire second thoughts in my considering him the singe most disappointing male country singer/songwriter of the past decade.
This gets 1 3/4 Guns Down, with Corbin’s vocals, “Like A Song” and the production of “Wild Women & Whiskey” (lyrically it’s embarrassing) the only things keeping it from Two Guns Down.
July 1, 2015 @ 10:26 am
When I heard a “Dixie Cup” reference in “Baby Be My Love Song” I had a similar enraged feeling.
I don’t even think Florida Georgia Line releases “Just Add Water.” So damn hokey and contrived.
July 1, 2015 @ 11:09 am
“A Little More Country Than That” struck me as a most shallow song lyrically. Actually, when you really take it in, the lyrics are fairly terrible. ”
Noah . I have to respectfully disagree with your take on the song noted above. As a writer (and I appreciate that to some extent these things are subjective ) the lyric and VERY fresh melodic ideas in the song , along with the superb , laid back conversational performance and that SOLID groove , made this thing a killer song commercially and artistically . Prosody oozed from this track and the lyrics are riddled with terrific traditional country imagery supporting the title . I know commercial country is limited by the depths it can troll lyrically ….that’s just a fact ……but I think this track went as deep as it could into REAL crafting musically and lyrically without seriously rocking the boat when it came to fitting formats ( at the time ) . Not to mention the fact that there was a consistency of production and sound throughout that record that is increasingly rare with people chasing the latest trend each time they go to cut the next track for an album . Most new albums sound quite fractured in that respect and the songs and artists are interchangeable . But I digress , if ever so slightly . A Little More Country Than That was the perfect song to keep radio aware of how contemporary tradition could sound in the right hands .
Unfortunately , as you so correctly point out , it has all gone downhill for Easton when it comes to material that tells us who HE is .
July 1, 2015 @ 11:25 am
I don’t have any issue with the overall production, vocals and instrumentation of “A Little More Country Than That”. I’m actually in agreement with you that it serves as a fitting example of “how contemporary tradition could sound in the right hands.”
I just thought it was fairly terrible from a lyrical standpoint.
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Take the first verse, for example. He tells you to imagine a dirt road full of potholes, and then moves straight from there to a creek bank “catching channel cat.” Huh?
Or the second verse? What does an old hound sitting on the front step of a small town courthouse have anything to do with the narrator insisting his authenticity and fidelity to the subject?
And don’t get me started with that verse mentioning being way off track if you’re thinking a brick home in a school zone. Sure, I get he’s attempting to say that he’s not going to close himself off from her and will be open and reciprocal in their relationship. But why was it even necessary to bring up brick homes and school zones in that same breath? Are there not plenty of country folk who live in brick houses? Are there not countless families who live in the sticks and go out of their way to drive their kids to school? I’m sorry, that just really rubbed me off the wrong way.
We can agree to disagree at the end of the day, but I think “A Little More Country Than That”, to this day, strikes me as worse-than-mediocre lyricism plastered to an otherwise enjoyable production and vocal.
July 1, 2015 @ 11:41 am
“What does an old hound sitting on the front step of a small town courthouse have anything to do with the narrator insisting his authenticity and fidelity to the subject? ”
This is classic small town country imagery, Noah ….not tailgates and drunk girls shakin their asses in the moonlight . And as such it totally supports the title and the statement . He’s more country than that , even …..he is MORE country than all of those country images he paints lyrically . Any listener ….city or country …would totally get the message he’s sending us based on his comparing his roots and beliefs and upbringing to THOSE classic harmless ,honest, inoffensive , idyllic images we can ALL somehow tap into and relate to just through the vibe. They serve the message and the integrity of the singer …not the rhythm or the more common borderline vulgar way of trying to ” Impress ” the girl by telling her how good she looks drunk and dancing on the tailgate half naked .
“But why was it even necessary to bring up brick homes and school zones in that same breath? Are there not plenty of country folk who live in brick houses? ”
He’s not going to live in the city when his roots are country
But as you say ….of course we can agree to disagree .
July 1, 2015 @ 12:03 pm
If you’ve kept tabs on my commenting over these past two years, you know damn well the worst of bro-country (meaning that which goes beyond formula and also has misogynistic undertones along the line of what you described) lyrically infuriates me like none other.
Still, the “At least it’s not THAT…” excuse doesn’t automatically make weak lyricism better overnight. Just as I wasn’t hesitant to hint my misgivings with “Jim & Jack & Hank” last week in that legends will slip up time to time as well and we must keep anyone honest regardless of their overall reputation and track records………….the same rings true here.
Because who talks like the verses of “A Little More Country Than That” in reality? When have you heard anyone come up a woman and say: “Hey girl……………..if you thought a Hank song from days gone with a lot of pedal steel that sends a chill down your back was as country as you can get…………….well, I’m more country than that, baby!”
I just get the sense, when I listen to this, that this is more a showcase of technical songwriting prowess. Which there will always be a place for technical songwriting and it has a vital importance where melody and hooks are concerned especially………………especially when you’re just trying to get your foot in the door and launch a career in noting this was his debut single, understandably. Which it clearly worked in becoming a #1 hit. But it doesn’t change, to my ears, that their main motivation was to make sure the lines in each respective verse and the chorus rhyme and the vocal phrasing consistently follow an undulating arpeggio rhythm……………while the lyricism was a lesser priority as reflected by the lack of cohesion between imagery from verse to verse aside from it being identifiably country.
July 1, 2015 @ 9:42 pm
“Because who talks like the verses of “A Little More Country Than That” in reality? When have you heard anyone come up a woman and say: “Hey girl”¦”¦”¦”¦”¦..if you thought a Hank song from days gone with a lot of pedal steel that sends a chill down your back was as country as you can get”¦”¦”¦”¦”¦.well, I”™m more country than that, baby!”
But that’s my favorite verse:(
July 1, 2015 @ 12:38 pm
I agree, however I really enjoyed his song “Tulsa Texas” off of the album All Over The Road. I think that is the best song he has ever released.
July 2, 2015 @ 11:04 am
Agreed, Tulsa Texas is definitely his best song
February 14, 2016 @ 1:35 pm
Hang on Noah, if you didn’t like Easton Corbin from his very first album, then how could he be your biggest disappointment to Country Music in the last decade? This is a flaw in your opinion; in order to be disappointed, you have to at some point have been a fan.
July 1, 2015 @ 10:41 am
triggaman destroyed this guy. to remove even more credibility. ‘little more country than that’ wasnt even his, it was written by joey and rory.
July 1, 2015 @ 11:56 am
“A Little More Country Than That” is a debut song written by Joey + Rory’s Rory Lee Feek, Wynn Varble and Don Poythress, and recorded by American country music artist Easton Corbin” (wiki)
Not written by Joey+Rory.
July 1, 2015 @ 7:22 pm
Sometimes mainstream artists just can’t win on the SCM comment board.
If a major artist records a great song written by someone else, then that artist deserves praise both for releasing such a high-quality song and for shining a spotlight on a deserving songwriter, not criticism.
July 1, 2015 @ 10:43 am
Damn
Great review Trigger. I must admit to enjoying “A Little More Country Than That” but now that seems like it was a different artist.
On a similar note I grabbed a free download of Drake White’s newest song and was like WTF…I saw this dude in concert and this isn’t what I heard….sad times…
July 1, 2015 @ 11:17 am
All you have to do is look at the album covers. In his first album cover he was sitting on a front porch pickin’ a guitar wearing every-day workin’ man clothes. On his second one, he went from the front porch to someone’s office or restaurant in in a white t-shirt….and now….now he’s gone corporate with the denim jacket, nice haircut, make-up and shirt and tie.
July 1, 2015 @ 11:27 am
Hahaha, that’s actually a most astute observation! I’m surprised I didn’t notice that! 😉
July 2, 2015 @ 3:06 am
Couldn’t agree more. Well said.
As someone stated below. You “don’t even have to listen to the album to know what is coming”…….
July 1, 2015 @ 11:28 am
The thing with this album is that, it goes back to the argument of “just because it’s country doesn’t mean it’s good”. What I mean, is that, yes this is more country sounding than other mainstream projects, and honestly the sound isn’t what made me mad. The albums biggest, and essentially only (IMO) issue is the songwriting. Sure you can give it a steel guitar, but if all you’re singing about is a hookup with a girl, who cares? I don’t blame Easton necessarily, I feel like he was pressured to give in to the bro trends by his label, and honestly it’s an incredibly dumb move. Not only is bro-country not nearly as popular as it once was, but when you’re giving it “slight” country elements, there’s not going to be am audience that cares. You’re playing both sides of the fence.
July 1, 2015 @ 11:42 am
Which is what I mean in that the “Oh, he sounds just like George Strait!” and “Oh, but he plays traditional country! TRADITIONAL!” assertions merely sound like cop-outs at this point, as well as excuses as to why he doesn’t need to stretch himself artistically.
Predictably, at any rate, much of the critical press and country music discussion message boards are going to continue to praise his mediocrity all because of the aforementioned two arguments. He could cut the next “Donkey” and he’ll still be forgiven to an extent all because, hey………………he sounds like George Strait and the song sounds like early 90s country! =P
July 1, 2015 @ 11:45 am
Exactly, I mean it may sound “neo-traditional” but honestly is it really? Or have we just slipped so far that this stuff is excusable?
July 1, 2015 @ 12:07 pm
I’d call it traditionally influenced. Maybe traditional-ish.
That might be overly generous too, but at any rate his stylistic choices differentiate him from virtually the rest of his male peers currently charting. It’s more in terms of song structure where you begin to note the egregious similarities with the likes of Luke Bryan and Jason Aldean (i.e. “About To Get Real” sounding like something you can effortlessly picture Luke Bryan singing, and “Diggin’ On You” sounding like something Jason Aldean would sing)
July 1, 2015 @ 12:31 pm
As an aside, I was just peeking at the Pulse message board (where I formerly contributed until I felt the moderators started to overreach in babysitting discussions, I felt my kind of contributions became antiquated and most discussion tends to be more in the vein of chart-watching anyways, which they’re good at) out of curiosity as to how they’re regarding this album…………………and like always, the consensus is glowing.
I infamously got into some heated discussion there regarding “All About The Road” in particular. I was almost a lone wolf in my denouncing of the song’s lyrics and the way the reckless distracted driving apologizing is off-putting when coupled with a sunny, happy-go-lucky production. I thought the way I articulated my feelings of the song as a whole were nuanced in that I did give credit to his vocal performances and the instrumentation, but I’m going to be a straight-shooter when something is off to my ears. And my harsh critiques of its lyricism didn’t go over well with that forum and essentially began to signal my realization it was time to find pastures new. They still have some great, dedicated contributors that watch the charts rigorously and make eloquent observations, and you get some worthwhile spirited discussions there. But they just tend to limit genuine debate.
Of course, I remind myself that they think more from a “what works for radio” perspective. They’re closer to the likes of Roughstock, Taste Of Country and The Boot than us, Country Perspective or Spectrum Pulse. I don’t know………………I just can’t help but feel if Corbin cut a song like “Donkey” with the same overall production choices and instrumentation he generally uses, they would hypothetically still rate it no lower than a 6/10 because of his voice and “keeping it country”. Much like the aforementioned sites.
July 1, 2015 @ 12:50 pm
Yeah, I know my thoughts sound glowing, but honestly I don’t know how to feel about the album, I keep telling myself that hey, he does a good job of keeping it somewhat despite the cliche lyrics. But then I also have another side of me thinking, well wait, what’s the difference between a song like “Diggin’ On You” and say, idk, “Tonight Looks Good On You” (weird example I know, but your comparison of comparing the aforementioned song to something Aldean would do made it stick in my head). I mean it all goes back to “ok, this song has a steel guitar or hey, there isn’t a heavy R&D production!……..but so what?” I still don’t want to hear about Easton singing about hooking up with a girl. When it comes to country, the lyrics have always been first and foremost, it’s the thing that most country fans, I think, look for in a song. I mean, in Eastons defense, this does have redeemable moments, like “Are You With Me”, and “Like A Song”, but there’s also clunkers. While those clunkers aren’t nearly as atrocious as what we’re used hearing by now, it doesn’t make it excusable, especially when there’s no reason for it. Bro-country is irrelevant now, sure we still see acts that are hanging on for dear life, but to be an artists trying this out NOW is just suicide to one’s career.
Overall, I’m not sure how I feel about this album, I’d probably lean closer to 2 1/2 out of 5 after actually listening to the lyrics in these songs.
I agree with you about Pulse Music Board Noah. Just the other week I got into a fight with someone because I stated that I didn’t like “John Cougar, John Deere, John 3:16”. He/She was nothing but a hurt fan who couldn’t take that I insulted their favorite artist. I really wish there was an Alt-Country/Americana thread there….
July 1, 2015 @ 4:53 pm
For the sake of the genre’s diversity, I believe it is essential that we call out transgressions to the identity of the genre, as well as to the homogenization of both its music and themes, as we see them.
I’m simply not going to give this album a pass just because it has country instrumentation and Corbin is among the better male vocalists in the mainstream presently. Just as I refused to give Joe Nichols’ “Crickets” and Chris Young’s “A.M.” passes in that they were mediocre, lacking efforts as well.
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I’m not going to go much further with Pulse because I’m not intending to start a flame war or anything in that I actually have respect for plenty of contributors there and realize their discussion is more geared towards commercial concerns, while our discussions are more concerned with artistry. There’s a place for both.
What I will say is, it’s a waste of time when I don’t have an outlet that provides space for spirited debate aside from obvious and egregious forms of trolling and demeaning language. No one has to ask for my opinion. I’ll just tell you, warts and all. I get that they’re closer to the likes of Roughstock and Taste of Country than us, but I’ve seen them, on multiple occasions, dismiss us as a bunch of negative nancies who hate pretty much everything mainstream……………..which is simply not true. We’re quite a diverse community, in actuality.
I don’t know, I think they view a lot of things as a clique through fan goggles. I remember when I was a contributor how they tended to deify anything released by a female as top-notch, while being much more critical of Brad Paisley compared to the average listener. And I remember countless contributors saying: “I will never get why critics still seem to love this guy so much!” and saying he needs a vocal coach and to go away for a while and everything.
Yet, surprise surprise, they almost all seem to praise anything Sam Hunt releases now, and though they’ll admit that his music isn’t country, still smack as apologists as to him being on country radio because it is the only format that will ensure him radio success! -__-
July 1, 2015 @ 11:45 am
This album doesn’t sound bad, some of the drum machine moments aside. Like you said, it’s the lyricism where it loses you.
If a song has really strong lyricism, I’m willing to overlook some sonic liberties. But you can take the most cool-sounding country song ever, and if the lyrics are awful, I’m out.
July 1, 2015 @ 1:13 pm
….”If a song has really strong lyricism, I”™m willing to overlook some sonic liberties. But you can take the most cool-sounding country song ever, and if the lyrics are awful, I”™m out.”….
I’m am completely the opposite on that, Trigg.
I’d rather hear the lyrics of bro-Country, set to the sound of early-sixties Ray Price; than the lyrics of Mickey Newbury, set to any of the “Country” sounds of the last 15 years or so.
July 1, 2015 @ 1:42 pm
I think both perspectives are valid. I can’t get into Fleetwood Mac because the actual music doesn’t excite me, I would better stand Luke Bryan, who has a tolerable voice, but his lyrics are so stupid… That’s one of the reasons Iove Broadway musicals, usually a composer and a lyricist work together and play to their strengths, and the end result is great lyrics with great music.
July 1, 2015 @ 9:36 pm
Fleetwood Mac had some VERY boring music ( grooves and arrangements /progressions etc.. )..I agree. The melodies seemed to work in terms of sticking , though .
July 1, 2015 @ 5:35 pm
I agree with Clint.
Take Easton Corbin’s “Baby Be My Love Song” and Ray Wylie Hubbard’s “Mother Blues”, for example. The first song features bro-country lyrics but a smooth and very varied melody. The second song features fantastic, classic country lyrics but an almost completely flat melody.
I would much rather listen to “Baby Be My Love Song” than to “Mother Blues”.
July 1, 2015 @ 9:32 pm
Melody is SO much more important than most writers realize . It is almost always the weakest part of contemporary country ( that’s saying something when you consider the lyrics ) and especially so in AMERICANA music ….although the lyrics really do the heavy lifting in the latter . Yes …shitty lyrics are more easily disguised by a strong melody …but when you have neither you’ve got what I believe is the biggest hurdle facing mainstream country music today in terms of the shelf life of a tune .
July 2, 2015 @ 5:12 am
Albert: Melodies or no, the music just drones on and on and it just doesn’t do anything for me.
Eric: I’m guessing you aren’t too familiar wit Peter Ostroushko, one of the house musicians on “A Prairie Home Companion.” The dude is one of America’s finest composers, but his album “Pilgrims on the Heart Road” was a songwriting effort. The man’s lyrics are fantastic, but the melodies, while extremely original, aren’t particularly captivating. My take on a lot of bro-country, is that it isn’t relevant to my life; I can’t immerse myself in it, likewise I don’t listen to Tammy Wynette or Dottie West, it isn’t relevant to my life. I’d take lyrics I can relate to over a melody that excites me with lyrics that are irrelevant to me any day.
July 1, 2015 @ 9:56 pm
Agreed Clint, instrumentation, structure, and composition are more important to me than lyricism.
Not to say lyricism isn’t important to me either.
July 2, 2015 @ 10:38 am
I’m kind of split on this. I do look for lyrics first, but even with a song like “Baby Be My Love Song”, it’s a good enough song sonically that I can listen to it over a lot of other songs on the radio. I’ve never been a huge fan of Eason Corbin because he never takes chances lyrically, but his songs are so good sonically that I don’t care as much about the lyrics.
July 1, 2015 @ 11:31 am
I didn’t even need to read the article. As soon as I saw the picture, I knew what was going on.
July 1, 2015 @ 12:26 pm
Half the time the comment section is better than the article anyway.
July 1, 2015 @ 3:59 pm
So what is your picture of, Clint? It’s small and a bit nondescript so I can’t really tell.
July 1, 2015 @ 4:56 pm
(winces) Wow, I can’t tell either! I think it’s a small Life Savers package, but I’m not entirely sure.
July 2, 2015 @ 10:28 am
Noah, I had actually never seen the flag before. My comment was not intended as irony or otherwise disrespectful language to either side of said debate, I was just curious. Pardon my naivety on this particular issue, but my next response to Clint is very much indicative on my own feelings about the matter. I really don’t consider it to be on my personal plate.
July 1, 2015 @ 7:17 pm
It’s a crossed-out gay flag.
July 2, 2015 @ 10:31 am
Thank you for clearing that up. I really couldn’t tell and had never seen the flag before, however I’m fully aware of all of the hubbub the Supreme Court ruling has caused. I just didn’t know there was a flag ordaining homosexuality. I know my comment probably came across as snarky, but I was being completely sincere and appreciate you taking the time to let me know what I was looking at.
July 2, 2015 @ 9:43 pm
No worries, Acca! Having lived in the Bay Area for several years, I know about that flag quite well.
July 1, 2015 @ 8:05 pm
Wow, AD. If you really don’t know what my picture is, then I truly envy you. I wish I didn’t know.
You must not watch the news much. And to that I say you’re better off.
July 1, 2015 @ 9:41 pm
I hate watching the news. However, that doesn’t mean I’m entirely out of the loop on social issues. If it’s indeed a crossed out gay flag like Eric said, I really don’t see why you would envy me. My opinion on the issue is pretty basic: there are bigger issues in the world at large, both here and across the world, than who you call your lover and share your bed with at night.
July 2, 2015 @ 5:07 am
I don’t have much of an opinion on “Marriage Equality.” I’m neither a supporter nor an opponent. My attitude is that gay people aren’t hurting anybody, per se, whereas, say Isis, or Hamas is slaughtering people.
July 2, 2015 @ 11:39 am
Well, I’m a transgender female, and even I wish it wasn’t being made so much of an intensifying issue as it is if I had my druthers.
Between what gender one chooses to identify with, who you call your lover at night and share your bed with at night, I for one can’t get my head around why they are such polarizing issues to so many.
Meanwhile, for instance, I almost never hear the environment or ecological conservation emerge as a major issue as of late. Or building our green jobs economy.
July 2, 2015 @ 11:42 am
I identify as a unicorn, the rarest and most special of all God’s creatures…
July 2, 2015 @ 11:45 am
Nice! =D
July 2, 2015 @ 12:36 pm
Noah: If I may, it’s a polarizing issue because SOME members of the community are aggressive towards anything and anyone who disagrees for any reason. I have gay and cross-dresser friends, and they don’t call everything hate speech and call for the removal of any and all things religion or call everybody a bigot. The people who do those things get the most attention in the media, and then make everybody angry and the whole community. And since I’m commenting, I consider your long drawn out posts to be insightful and entertaining.
July 2, 2015 @ 3:04 pm
Awwwwwwwww, thanks so much! =)
I was bullied, including physically, growing up for being viewed as too “girlish” and “gentle” in the eyes of some peers. I wasn’t even wearing makeup or skirts or dresses then. I mostly just adopted gender roles because though my heart was in another place, I didn’t think there was any other way and it was “just the way things are”.
Now, I think otherwise. I’ve been through a lot, and so the often unflattering remarks I hear tossed at the broader community truly pale in comparison and don’t daunt me personally. But I’m self-aware that while the times are changing all around, the country and rap listening demographics are less likely to fully understand the GLBTQI community compared to, say, the EDM and pop listening communities.
I believe there’s a place for that community in country music, and there are many like myself on that spectrum that also desire to see traditional country music live on and not subvert its key instrumental, storytelling and emotively lush and simplistic traditions. I also value faith’s place in the tradition. It’ll take time, and awareness and advocacy is key to any conscious effort and outcome.
July 2, 2015 @ 3:11 pm
Noah, you’re one of the most genuinely open-minded and insightful people I’ve ever had the pleasure of talking with. You truly give every perspective a chance. Many people SAY they do that, you show it in your words and (presumably, since I don’t know you) actions. Carry on.
July 2, 2015 @ 9:49 pm
Wow, Noah.
Goodness, I find myself again wishing that the “like” feature still existed…
July 3, 2015 @ 12:22 pm
AD,
I said I envy you, because I wish I were fortunate enough not to be exposed to the hate-filled, militant, Nazi-esque homo movement.
If the issue were as simple as, “who you call your lover and share your bed with at night”, then you’re correct, it would not be the big deal that it has become. Unfortunately, this issue, and it’s political and cultural ramifications are one thousand times more complex.
I’m going to leave it there because this is a music website.
July 5, 2015 @ 2:45 pm
Thanks y’all! =D
Blessed to be here as always and value your kind words! =D
I answer to the chosen name Nadia Lockheart across social média and professionally, and am making the push to have it regarded as my légal name too. Up to this day I have, admittedly, been using my given name cautiously because while I intuitively sensed more than enough would be understanding and receptive, I also was concerned admitting being transgender would result in too many heated off – topic discussions considering how prolific à commenter I am…………..and wanted to spare the community that.
But now, I think it was a silly concern, in retrospect, and counterintuitive not being upfront. So you can expect me to address myself by my chosen name from this point forward! =)
July 3, 2015 @ 3:13 pm
“Nazi-esque”
Godwin’s Law has been invoked…
July 3, 2015 @ 3:25 pm
True, Eric. But I couldn’t think of a better term that so accurately describes the end-game for this movement.
I think I did a real good job of not escalating a debate about this, on this article. Can we please keep it that way?
July 3, 2015 @ 3:27 pm
Well, you did escalate by calling the movement “Nazi-esque”.
Nonetheless, this is a music forum, and we should move on to more germane topics.
July 4, 2015 @ 11:16 am
You know, Eric, this is why I wish Trigger would open a message board here on SCM, where we could discuss whatever we wanted.
This is a relatively neutral playing field with a lot of articulate people, where interesting conversations could be had.
July 1, 2015 @ 10:52 pm
Clint, you’re my favorite commenter on this site hands down. I’m being serious
July 2, 2015 @ 5:06 am
It’s either Clint or Albert for me. Some troll a long time ago referred to Albert as Clint’s counterpart, and at first I thought they were referring to me as his counterpart not Albert.
July 3, 2015 @ 12:23 pm
Thanks Brett. Unfiltered bitterness, must be your cup of tea.
July 3, 2015 @ 4:04 pm
I don’t think you’re bitter, I think you’re honest.
July 3, 2015 @ 4:13 pm
Well Fuzz, I’m glad you noticed. But bitterness and honesty are not mutually exclusive. Take my word for it; I’m very bitter.
July 5, 2015 @ 10:36 am
Clint: I remember an Episode of “Country’s Family Reunion” in which they played Grandpa Jones’ “Christmas Guest” and Mac Wiseman told everybody that he was never really gone as long as he would still hear his music. Just my opinion, but Chase Rice and co. can make whatever bad music they want, they can’t stop Kenny Price’s records from being amazing, they can’t stop Patsy from being one of the best female singers of all time, and they can’t change the quality of Lorrie and George Morgan’s albums. The good stuff can’t go away, and the heroes may leave in body, but look at Django and Jimmie, (the people, not the album.) they’re music is still going strong, and they’ve been gone for decades.
July 3, 2015 @ 5:42 pm
Alright, have it your way, you’re bitter. Unrelated but have you heard “Django and Jimmie?” If so, any thoughts?
July 4, 2015 @ 2:41 pm
No, I haven’t heard it. And to be honest with you, Fuzz, I doubt I will. Hag’s voice is shot, and it makes me feel sad to listen to him. Willie’s a great songwriter, but I’ve never been all that crazy about his singing. I down mean to be a downer; of course these guys will always be better than the current radio filth, but I don’t want to listen to another reminder that all the heroes will gone soon.
July 1, 2015 @ 12:50 pm
Noah for someone who uses such big words you don’t seem to get lyrical imagery very well.
You honestly don’t understand how a creek bank and cane poles… catching channel cat; or a dirt road full of potholes that might lead to said creek bank are interconnected? They all form visions of country and/or simple living. As for the old hound sleeping while the old men chew the fat… These lines bring to mind an old country town, where old men sit out and visit, and people know each other…like on Andy Griffith.
I don’t believe you don’t get it. I think you’re exaggerating because you don’t the the direction Easton is going. That’s fine, but why play ignorant?
Do you also think I can’t love you back means the girl loves him and he doesn’t reciprocate that love? Your statements about a little more country are just as ridiculous, and I have a feeling you know it.
July 1, 2015 @ 1:12 pm
I mostly appreciate his insightful comments on musical issues, but his continuing mentioning and degrading of “All Over the Road” has become border-lined parody. It is a silly song about love, it is not legitimately excusing distracted driving. And now, “Jim and Jack and Hank” has become a first stringer of disappointing in his arguments.
July 1, 2015 @ 1:29 pm
Don’t misconstrue this as ” ganging up ” on Noah’s comments , Bobsled- he makes some sound points ( no pun intended ) ….but yes .I think you totally get the approach , the direction and the importance of that lyric ( A Little More Country ..etc) . It HAS to be written that way to make the point not only visually but in terms of a vibe the singer wants to put across to the girl . Yes , the lyric may be considered more’ technica’l than most throwaway tripe …but great lyrics will always be technical to some extent if a great writer is using all the craft available to him to make his point ( Bob Dylan , Jimmy Webb , Joni Mitchell ) The secret is to NOT cross that line where a listener ( not another writer or critic ) is concerned BUT making your lyric stand out as a fresh approach to the same ol’ same ol’ . The writer did that with the Easton Corbin song in question , I believe . The fact that it went number one doesn’t make it a great lyric ….there are lots of #1 records with the shittiest lyrics ever mumbled . BUT in this case I think the marriage of lyric to vibe to rhythm to THIS artist all worked the way it was supposed to while maintaining a strong conversational approach .
July 1, 2015 @ 5:01 pm
My take is just an individual take. Simple as that.
Take it or leave it, I genuinely say what I think. And especially with “Jim & Jack & Hank”, I even admitted in a disclaimer I KNEW it would be an unpopular viewpoint. Despite how unpopular it may be, I’m still going to be forthright about my interpretations. We all owe that to ourselves as reviewers and passionate fans of music.
In contrast, there have been times I’ve strongly disagreed with opinions stated here or on other review sites I respect. Still, I respect them for their honesty and would never dissuade them from articulating those viewpoints regardless of how at odds they are with my own.
July 1, 2015 @ 7:25 pm
Bobsled, if you want to call out another commenter, you should respond directly to his comment. Otherwise, that person will have no opportunity to receive email notification of your comment.
Just a procedural note.
July 1, 2015 @ 1:20 pm
I like how barely anyone has mentioned “Clockwork” yet tons of his other new songs are mentioned. Clockwork is a great song, and is how modern country should sound. it was “too country” for country radio thats why it flopped. I believe the hold up on the release of this album is the same reason that Montgomery Gentrys album as well as Josh Turners album have been held back – because the lead singles underperformed on the charts. Clockwork was lucky to get 950 plays a week for lile three weeks, then it fell off th face of the earth after peaking at #32. Baby Be My Love Song is eastons label grasping at straws to get him airplay for the time and money they lost on Clockwork.
July 1, 2015 @ 1:42 pm
Great point.
I think Easton’s career was on the bubble and he needed to release something that the dopes at radio would play. The label wasn’t gonna release a new album on the heels of a song very few even got to hear more than once or twice.
I agree that Clockwork is a great song.
July 1, 2015 @ 1:57 pm
“Clockwork” isn’t a great song in my opinion, but I didn’t have a problem with it either. That is why I didn’t mention it. It’s fine. The problem is right now nobody knows what the hell to do on Music Row. They’ve backed themselves into a corner and are grasping at straws. This album should have been released a year ago. Now it’s not good for his core audience, or for radio.
July 1, 2015 @ 5:26 pm
Fair enough.
July 1, 2015 @ 1:38 pm
Yeah I’m not trying to initiate a gang-up against Noah’s insights. He offers some really good ones. That being the case, those questions he posed about a little more country in the post to which I replied just don’t jive with the entire body of his usual posts.
In any case, I guess I’ve gone off topic now. . .
July 1, 2015 @ 6:22 pm
No worries! =)
July 1, 2015 @ 1:43 pm
I bought his last CD, which will be the last of his I will purchase, and it was awful.
The cover of the CD makes it look like he is a male (I think) model for Armani cologne.
July 1, 2015 @ 2:06 pm
I hate to say this, and it might seem irrelevant now, but when Easton Corbin first came on the scene he was married. And little by little he stopped talking about his wife, and was never pictured with her. I assumed that this was a way to attract more female listeners. But the minute a person tries to hide his spouse for promotional reasons he has already signed the first page of his contract with the Devil. His music has gone downhill since. It’s hard to be a pretty face in country music and still have some dignity.
July 1, 2015 @ 5:57 pm
That’s pretty standard stuff now though. Corbin is far from the first or last artist who has been directed by the label to avoid talking about their family for promotional reasons.
When was the last time you heard Luke Bryan talk about his wife and kids? Kind of a buzzkill for the young girls and pathetic housewives who want to jump into bed with Luke Bryan if he starts talking about how much he loves his wife.
July 1, 2015 @ 3:47 pm
With this kind of music, he’s not even cute anymore. And I used to think he was the best lookin guy out of all of them. Just from the fact that he put a shirtless picture on twitter, he talks a lot in interviews (which he didn’t do at first), and he’s all over women in his stupid music videos, you can tell his ego is too big. Neither one of his first two albums were perfect, but there were some reallllly good songs on them. I don’t even want to listen to this one right now. I can’t support this crap. The singles I’ve heard from it are awful, so there’s no appeal to me. He could do so much better.
July 1, 2015 @ 4:39 pm
I’ve read all the comments from above and I think it’s safe to say that everyone expected more from this guy than the material he has produced. I have to agree. Potential is there, he just never got over the hump in any direction. I feel he is destined to become a solid opener for years to come. Sometimes I will see artists who have been around for years but really haven’t built a massive fan base for whatever reason (Rodney Atkins, David Nail) but occasionally reel off a number one hit or two. I feel as though we are looking at that scenario. Also because I mentioned David Nail I want to add that I’ve been listening to some of his older stuff and he is really an undervalued underrated artist. The guy has a great voice.
July 1, 2015 @ 6:14 pm
https://youtu.be/tnmvcQWxsHQ
David Nail “the secret” as proof.
July 1, 2015 @ 7:27 pm
I’ve always thought David Nail was underrated as well. I’ve also noticed looking at his set lists that he regularly covers Randy Rogers Band ” Interstate “. Wonder if he plans to cut it one day.
July 1, 2015 @ 5:34 pm
Just so everybody knows, not only has Chase Rice and Lady A collaborated with EDM artists in the last month, now Zac Brown has. Sam Hunt is becoming the most powerful man in country music….scary stuff.
July 1, 2015 @ 5:54 pm
It was starting before Sam Hunt though, remember Jerrod Niemann?
The reality is Music Row has no clue what they are doing and are basically hopping onto one fad after another. It’s no way to sustain a genre, much less build it.
You know, I havent watch pro wrestling since I was a kid/teen, but Music Row is looking more and more like WCW at this point. All WCW did was basically parrot whatever ECW and to an extent WWE was doing and it eventually blew up in their face and they closed down. Modern Country music is essentially the same thing, none of the artists have any voice and all they basically do is ape whatever was popular on Top 40 Pop radio a few months ago and run with it.
July 1, 2015 @ 6:08 pm
Ya it has been on the horizon for some time. But I think what we’re talking about with Sam Hunt, is the man who in all likelihood, will be making it very difficult for the CMA’s and ACM’s not to award him Male Artist of The Year whether its reluctantly or not very soon. At this time next year he is very likely going to have 6 Platinum #1 singles under his belt and ready to take over the country world. I don’t even think he’ll go for a 2nd round of opening for a major tour.
July 1, 2015 @ 6:50 pm
Yet, I find it interesting how, every time he is interviewed, he still sounds like he is on the defensive and thinks himself as an underdog that has to prove himself.
I wonder why he even bothers to continue feeling self-conscious. The gatekeepers (or lack thereof) have supplanted him in Music Row. He’s exactly where any country/”country” entertainer with eyes on ubiquitous mainstream success envies being.
I think his sophomore album will reveal a lot about his overall fate. I remain unconvinced he has the stage personality and charisma to solidify himself as that kind of entertainer that will continue to chart highly for at least a decade. I may be no Luke Bryan fan, but even I can acknowledge his charisma and impressionable stage presence as an entertainer and so it’s not hard to see why he’s still conquering the charts. On the other hand, Jason Aldean has absolutely no charisma or stage presence whatsoever, but I’m convinced the reason he has succeeded in sticking it out for a decade comes down to his ability to court the disaffected former-corporate late 90s to early 00s Active Rock listening crowd, and sculpt an image as a hard-rocking cowboy.
I can’t envision Sam Hunt succeeding much the same way as Aldean in imaging. I think this because, like him or hate him, Aldean has generally had a keen read of his audience and has consistently kept his live show loud and meat-and-potatoes to court his chief demographic. But Sam Hunt’s appeal stems exclusively from the monogenre. And the longer he goes just toying around with all these monogenre devices without at least pretending to settle on an identity, the sooner listeners will find their eyes wandering to the next flavor of the year and latch on that bandwagon.
July 1, 2015 @ 9:08 pm
The underdog thing probably has to do with marketing him. Let’s face it, his sound is different than most of Country radio (it doesn’t even try to pretend to be Country) so he and the record label probably try to market him as the underdog/outsider in an attempt to court the teens and young girls that make up his audience.
I don’t see him winning a top award just yet. Luke or Blake Shelton probably have those locked up for the next couple years. If anything I could see Sam Hunt having a Jerrod Niemann career flameout before him winning Entertainer of the Year or something.
July 1, 2015 @ 10:06 pm
That underdog thing is exactly right Mike. It ties into what I was saying below but I didn’t reply in this thread by error.
July 1, 2015 @ 7:02 pm
He has never been anything more than a George Strait clone. And it doesn’t always sound natural the way he copies GS. The great Tony Brown even commented on how Carson copied the production of GS records on Easton’s first two albums. This kid was never destined to do anything beyond being an imitator.
July 1, 2015 @ 7:07 pm
I don’t think self-conscious is necessarily what he truly feels. I think its just his way of keeping the pressure on himself low so that he is able to be the artist he is looking to be. I think he feels like he is above having to sell himself in anyway. And I think that quiet confidence goes hand in hand with his persona that probably resonates with females. He wants whatever he does end up accomplishing to speak for itself. But I definitely agree with that middle paragraph Noah and maybe he will end up just being the symbol of another trend passed like Bro-Country is.
July 1, 2015 @ 7:52 pm
The more ” moldable” lightweights that get into the act on country radio , the more , I believe , the REAL artists and songwriters and players get out or avoid the sham altogether . If you were a gifted football player considered the best in your field ,would you want to work with a team that doesn’t practice , has little knowledge or respect for the game and has BAD coaching ? I believe that to a large extent , the country music business today attracts the disenfranchised , the folks who are no ” threat ” to the powers that be when it comes to obeying the marching orders . Very very few of the A-line “artists” seem to have any input artistically which would showcase their individuality in terms of unique talents . So many GREAT songs are being left to rot in a drawer that its a wonder anyone even wants to be a songwriter anymore. I seek out a lot of the great stuff just to keep me inspired and its harder and harder to locate .
July 2, 2015 @ 2:55 am
Albert, couldn’t agree more with you but it is just where the money is…..and folks follow money no matter the business. Look at concert sales right now with Aldean, Bryan and GA-FL…. I mean you can’t blame a young guy to be attracted to such fame and fortune. However, the bigger scam going on today, and what some have alluded to might have happened to Corbin here, is these damn labels are pushing good artist to do things they don’t want to do…..which goes back to ticket sales and singles. Until fans stop buying the music and tickets, the record companies are going to continue to follow the money. I’ve had some of the biggest song writers in Nashville admit to me personally they are not writing music they like, they are writing music they can sell. Sad but true.
July 2, 2015 @ 8:25 am
“I mean you can”™t blame a young guy to be attracted to such fame and fortune. However, the bigger scam going on today, and what some have alluded to might have happened to Corbin here, is these damn labels are pushing good artist to do things they don”™t ”
The country music business seems like such a desperate place to be making a living right now . Integrity in terms of any artistic vision doesn’t seem to exist . No …I don’t blame someone for thinking ” Hey ..if I just do what ” they” want me to do ,maybe I can make some quick $$$$ without having to ” go to work” . This was my point above . These are not artists or creative people . These are talent show hopefuls …(some of whom do indeed have a bit of talent ) ..hoping to be the next one to win the music lottery . But to do that in the music business , I think more and more you must be willing to prostitute yourself…sing what ” the man ” wants you to sing , dress and behave like ” the man ” wants you to dress and behave , and be willing ( to turn a phrase,) to be HEARD but not really SEEN when it comes to doing their bidding . Again , there’s nothing wrong with finding a way to make a living no matter what your chosen field . But do you want to pander to the absolute lowest common denominator to maintain that career and forsake any real control over your output ? I think real artists with integrity and creative vision would answer NO to that question and ultimately avoid the situation where they needed to address it at all . It has become increasingly obvious that the business in its desperation to stay operative has attracted many with a very little bit of talent but have a total willingness to tow the company line in order to , hopefully , just make a living .
July 2, 2015 @ 8:34 am
It is not hard to imagine a scenario where the country music industry needs to chase an even younger demographic to stay afloat and the ” talent” will be forced to sing TWINKLE TWINKLE LITTLE STAR in order to generate revenue . It is sliding in that direction already with the shit Sam Hunt , Luke Bryan , and many many more are releasing compared to the kinds of songs we heard 15-20 years ago .
July 2, 2015 @ 9:51 pm
Heck, Twinkle Twinkle Little Star is better written and features more melody than most current “country” songs.
On the other hand, I’m sure that this group of “country” singers will even find a way to ruin a nursery rhyme.
July 1, 2015 @ 8:05 pm
Thanks, Eric.
July 1, 2015 @ 9:10 pm
I would like to buy this cd but I don’t really know after this point.
July 1, 2015 @ 10:23 pm
As far as mainstream guys that have actually had a hit or two, maybe it’s time to get on the Jon Pardi bandwagon. He still has some substance and I have enjoyed ” the B sides “. Hell, he’s been touring a lot with Alan Jackson and still wears a cowboy hat sometimes lol.
July 2, 2015 @ 2:47 am
Trigger, first off great review. Very entertaining read with real meat to your review.
My comments: besides agreeing with everything you said 100% the cover photo really bothers me. Is Mercury pushing him towards the dreaded Sam Hunt look? I mean seriously what is up with the tie and jean jacket Corbin??? I digress back to the music. This kid has some talent and has proven such before. After sampling I couldn’t say it any better than you did….. He ruined the entire album with a small handful of songs. I heard several (can’t remember the names) that were solid work.
However this appears to just be another example of a guy allowing his record company to turn him into a country music puppet. Sad to see. Great review Trig…..
July 2, 2015 @ 9:08 am
Thanks Big Cat.
As another commenter point out, you can follow the regression of Easton Corbin simply by looking at his cover shots. You can’t judge a book by its cover, but in this case, the covers are pretty telling.
July 2, 2015 @ 6:42 am
Ehh rating this that bad is too harsh. And I read several comments saying “Didn’t make it through half the record” which means you listened to maybe the first 4 songs….Missing the best ones. Typical narrow minded listeners.. Like the guy above me comparing Corbin to Sam Hunt..Ridiculous comparison. If youve actually “listened” to Sam Hunt and Easton Corbin, you will draw no comparisons. but really…..
Believe me there are some pandering songs on this record, some all out bro country songs with WEAK writing and stupid drum loops. But do you really think a major label mainstream top 40 artist can release a country record without the pandering songs? And don’t say Chris Stapleton because although he is major label, he is not top 40. I don’t think there is a track on this record as bad as “Drunk on a Plane” but you didn’t rate ‘Riser’ it this bad.
For the few really great songs on this record, I think a 1 and 1/2 guns down rating is too harsh. and btw, Easton has never been much of a writer. Typically his cowrites are the weakest tracks on his records. jmho
July 2, 2015 @ 8:40 am
Good point about “Drunk On A Plane.” I thought Riser was way overrated by critics in general, and I’m a Dierks fan. Chris Young is another who can probably be compared to Corbin, but there is nothing as atrocious as “Aw Naw” on About to Get Real either.
July 2, 2015 @ 9:05 am
I agree the 2nd half of this record is better than the first half, and arguably the best song comes last. But I’m also not going to blame people if they listen to the first half and bail. That’s the risk you run when you front load your material that looks to pander to the vast benign middle. When you bury your best material, you can’t complain when your worst material is what represents you. Obviously I think the rating is fair, but I do agree there’s some decent and good songs here that it’s a shame will be overlooked. But Easton and his producers are just as much to blame for that as the listeners.
July 2, 2015 @ 10:37 am
I rated it 1 3/4 Down and I fully stand behind my rating. And yes, I did listen to the entire way through, uninterrupted.
This isn’t merely a case of a few pandering songs thrown in the mix. Almost the ENTIRE album is pandering. As Green Akers pointed out somewhere near the top of the discussion section, Corbin admitted that they shelved three songs to replace them with three that all happen to be among the bro-leaning songs on this record.
Better instrumentation and solid vocals simply isn’t enough to vastly “save” an album if the songs themselves are weak all around. To me, anyway, the song is generally more important than the singer. There are exceptions surely, but this doesn’t cut it for me. Especially going on three albums into his career where he has yet to demonstrate almost ANY growth as a songwriter and interpreter.
July 2, 2015 @ 7:10 am
Disappointed in this album as well. I listened to it twice yesterday and it’s not very good. I am a big Easton Corbin fan, his live shows sound almost identical to the studio versions of his song. The best song on this album is “Are You With Me” which was on his previous album and somehow missed out as a single. Hopefully, it will be released as such this time. It’s pretty well known in Nashville that Easton isn’t much of a songwriter, but whomever is picking his songs for album release isn’t much better. A shame because Easton has a tremendous, old school voice.
July 2, 2015 @ 8:39 am
As a big Easton Corbin fan, I was ready and expecting to be hugely disappointed by this album. The delays, the radio trends, etc…I was just expecting him to completely bro-out on this to try and maintain some hope of radio play. But after listening one time through, I actually think it sounds pretty good. I do wish there were a few more ballads on it, and there is certainly nothing as country as “Tulsa, Texas” from his previous album. Sure there are some terrible/awkward lyrics and bro-ey moments, but not nearly as many as I was expecting. The reference to Fireball, however, is unforgivable.
July 2, 2015 @ 8:43 am
I finally heard all of ” About to Get Real ” and yes ….HUGE disappointment not just in the songwriting /subject matter but much of Corbin’s phrasing sounds forced throughout ….like he’s right out of his vocal comfort zone . Then again , I’m certain he must have been out of his comfort zone with those lyrics after what we heard him deliver on his first record .
Like many of you have suggested above , this is very very disappointing and frustrating to think that this was an artist who was obviously a fan of the traditions of the genre and has done an almost complete 180 with this release . I think Easton is destined to fall through the cracks unless he starts to wiggle his ass ( no pun intended ) and get himself a ball cap .
July 2, 2015 @ 8:46 am
Maybe the actual album name is “It’s About To Get Real Shitty.”
July 2, 2015 @ 11:10 am
I’m not sure why people on here are commenting on his writing. He had NEVER been a writer. Not a big deal. Waylon and Strait were weak writers too. If you’re going to blast the guy that’s cool. Just don’t blast his writing skills, which he has never claimed to have.
July 2, 2015 @ 11:15 am
Big disappointment from Easton. His last two albums were traditional and I was expecting more here. I knew it was coming just looking at the track listing. He’s gotta smarten up.
July 2, 2015 @ 12:00 pm
So after listening to it twice, disappointed is definitely the feeling. I was really looking forward to this one too. I think Easton is at the crossroads of becoming obsolete or fall in line. The few songs that are good on the album show that he can still be the traditional country artist I think he wants to be. I would guess he sat in the office, much like “Fence Post” and “Standards” suggest, with some record executive telling him to drop the traditional outfit if you want to make it. It’s a sink or swim moment for sure. Maybe when this album doesn’t do as well as they plan, he’ll realize that he sold out his traditional sound for a few bucks, which didn’t pan out. I would compare this to when Randy Rogers released “just a matter of time” album. I was way disappointed in it but if you look at what Randy did after, he got back to what he wanted to do. Money talks and bull shit walks.
July 2, 2015 @ 12:41 pm
I saw Easton in concert this past fall and was pleasantly surprised by his set. Great stage presence, good band, and he treated the whole ordeal as a country show, not a rock show. He only played the 2 singles off this album.
I was hoping this would be better. I actually really enjoyed “Clockwork” and thought it was a decent way to modernize his sound for radio without totally abandoning his image. But most of this album failed to strike as good of a balance.
He has provided some really cool songs over his career and if he had come about in 1993 I think he’d have been a great artist, similar to Mark Chesnut or Sammy Kershaw. It’s a shame.
Luckily, “Are You With Me” will likely be his next single and it’s one of the best tracks on this album.
July 2, 2015 @ 2:37 pm
Well TBF to John Denver Charlie Rich wasn’t doing anything too much different than John at the time, really. But alas another one bites the dust or uh… kicks the dust up. This salad is getting more wilted buy the day. Think I need to order a panzanella.
July 2, 2015 @ 3:12 pm
So Matt Bjorke (guy who runs Roughtstock) had some words for us commenters (and Trig) at SCM:
“They trash it because it’s mainstream radio-ready stuff, or is at least perceived as that. No surprise there. I think it’s a solid record I just think he’s stuck trying to figure out who he is. What was once an asset as the George Strait sound-a-like is actually probably a negative at this time. “Are You With Me” is a song that can really change those perceptions and it was shrewd to add it to this album too”
July 2, 2015 @ 3:51 pm
With respect, where was he when we praised Cam’s latest single? Or Florida Georgia Line’s “Dirt”? Or Eric Paslay’s “She Don’t Love You”?
We’re a much more diverse and nuanced community than his strawman makes us out to be. Heck, I’ve stated repeatedly that I don’t consider bro-country as an entire sub-genre bad. The issue I have is that so much of it leans toward the monogenre and misogyny. But it CAN be done right, and there are moments I actually like bro-country myself. As well as more polished, pop-leaning production.
Hell, I’ve even been more lenient on Florida Georgia Line compared to the sound majority here. When many have lambasted them as the worst of the format, I’ve semi-defended them as hardly being among the absolute worst, even if they’re not my cup of tea and have yet to show substance beyond “Dirt”. I’ve said that I mostly consider them generic and dumb as sand, but ultimately harmless, pop music with a twang.
I don’t think it is that much to ask when we desire more lyrical substance and authentic personality in our mainstream music.
July 2, 2015 @ 4:00 pm
You hit the nail on the head Noah, and just for the record as to avoid confusion, I DON’T agree with Matt statements and may actually send him a response of my own, just figured I would let folks know what’s going on behind the scenes.
Bow Noah, where else would he say this but Pulse Music Board? 😉
July 2, 2015 @ 11:24 pm
Not that it was ever any secret what he thought in the first place! 😉
Matt is a great person with a great sense of character and a strong sense of purpose. If it sounds like I can really give him a hard time, I assure you it isn’t anything personal. It’s more the virtue of keeping each other honest and challenging each other: since he speaks more from the role of industry insider and I speak more as an industry outsider.
There’s room and respect for both. I’m sure even Matt is aware he expects nothing less than me being direct with my points. But at the end of the day, as much as he shamelessly plays devil’s advocate, I respect his dedication and contributions.
July 2, 2015 @ 4:37 pm
“…. generic and dumb as sand, but ultimately harmless, pop music with a twang….”
a fair take on the Kruise Kids …..LOL
July 2, 2015 @ 4:32 pm
I have respect for Matt and his opinions, even if they differ from mine. He comes here upon occasion and comments, and usually does so in a respectful manner. But the whole “you only hate it because it’s mainstream” thing really is unfair and tiresome. I think I (and many of the commenters) have proven themselves to be open-minded and willing to champion a mainstream song or artist if it is warranted. I’ve written positive reviews for Florida Georgia Line, Carrie Underwood, Tim McGraw and others. Nothing is ever discounted simply because it’s mainstream.
July 2, 2015 @ 4:39 pm
“Nothing is ever discounted simply because it”™s mainstream.”
And nor should it be , Trigger , if there’s any hope whatsoever of improving the daily menu and introducing the uninformed and undiscerning to the options.
July 2, 2015 @ 11:14 pm
We want lesser – known names to be recognized through their hard work, and we want mainstream names to get better. There has never been any inconsistency here on that front.
2015, as a whole, has been a BRUTAL year thus far where the mainstream is concerned. I’d dare say the worst year for mainstream country in history to date. But there’s a wealth of talent perfectly capable of mainstream recognition that I enjoy as well.
July 2, 2015 @ 9:15 pm
Easton Corbin why! just like Jake Owen and Jerrod Neimann singing 2 stupid songs each. EYB, Randy Houser and many more who like to sing bad music.
July 2, 2015 @ 9:41 pm
As several have said, I believe this album is a product of record company pressure to produce radio friendly hits or lose the deal. I’ve sat here with mixed feelings watching it happen – happy that someone I feel has some talent and respects the traditions of country music is finally getting more widespread attention – and sad at what he’s had to do to get it. Less than a year ago I saw Easton Corbin play at a real country fair. This year I passed on seeing him at the Windy City Lake Shake (hideous name for a festival) because I didn’t want to pay hundreds of dollars for a pass where I wasn’t interested in most of the acts. I only hope he can stick around long enough for the trends to swing back to allowing him to do better songs again. I blame radio more than Easton.
July 4, 2015 @ 3:38 pm
” I blame radio more than Easton”
.I think we need to start blaming the artists . Many seem to indicate through interviews that they know there are songs they’ve released that they’d rather NOT have to sing and they KNOW a good country song from a piece of pandering radio pop-fluff . How ’bout the artists start taking a stand . I mean , without them there’d be no radio , no labels , no ” star maker machinery ” . Maybe the artists need to be reminded of how much power and control over their careers they really do have . How ’bout more of what Zak did when he called Luke Bryan’s song the worst song he’d ever heard ?. How ’bout they hold themselves accountable to the genre , to the REAL fans and most importantly to THEMSELVES if they truly believe they are Country Artists and not sock puppets for the Scott Bullshittas of the industry ? How ’bout we start to acknowledge and give some exposure to the REAL driving force of the music industry …the REAL songwriters who craft songs and lyrics about something and who can’t get cuts unless they write down to the dumbed -down demographic with another nursery rhyme riddled with relentless syncopation ?
July 10, 2015 @ 4:38 am
I blame radio more because they hold the power. You know how this works:
Label calls radio: we need more spins on so and so’s song. Trying to get a number 1/trying to make our money back/the people need more time before it “catches” and we will reward you handsomely with a: vacation, new ipads, concert tickets. Ever wonder why every radio station in the country has tickets to every luke bryan show every hour of every day? And, Sometimes they are trading one artist to get another a spot.
So, imagine if radio JUST SAID NO!! No, label, that music is pop/rap/crap. Eventually, the labels would have to start releasing records that RADIO will play (and encouraging acts to shift/signing better talent) in order to get played on the radio – which is the key to relevancy which is the key to ticket and merchandise sales – which is the key to relevancy – which is the key to tour sponsors – which is how you make money.
Sad thing is our society is so sheepish now – if radio played COUNTRY music – and told the fans they like it and everyone else likes it….guess what – they would still buy it and still like it.
Cue Alan Jackson Gone Country
July 5, 2015 @ 4:02 pm
“I’m a little more [fill in the blank]] than that.”
1. metro
2. motitvated by money
3. ready to sellout when I have to
As for me, I was hoping he had higher expectations for his music than that. That song featured in the video clip is straight up awful. Corbin was right, this stuff is real…real damn awful/embarrassing/deflating.
Cue the Queen song, “another one bites the dust.”
July 6, 2015 @ 8:41 am
maybe my ear is out of tune or out of touch but I’ve heard Be My Love Song twice this past weekend on Nash FM and without stating the artists name, I actually thought it was Joe Nichols. I was guessing and I see I was wrong.
July 6, 2015 @ 1:00 pm
Corbin was on Lon Helton’s countdown this weekend and said how much he loves “Diamond Rings and Old Barstools” after they played the song — then he said he passed on it when it was offered to him three years ago. Too bad. I wonder how many others did the same.
July 6, 2015 @ 1:50 pm
I just wonder why he turned it down! Why anybody would.
July 7, 2015 @ 12:46 am
Hits Daily Double has ran the final Building Albums Chart tally, and they estimate “About To Get Real” to open with about 20,000 copies sold.
This is in line with his approximate one-third sales decline from album to album. His eponymous debut album bowed with roughly 43,000. “All Over The Road” bowed with roughly 29,000.
*
Mercury Nashville knows that both Easton Corbin and Billy Currington are in their twilight years as mainstream acts. They obviously won”™t admit this publicly, but they are essentially milking them both for their remaining mainstream worth”¦”¦”¦”¦”¦”¦”¦..and that means putting shorter leashes around their necks when it comes to song selection and themes.
I expect his follow-up singles are going to struggle a lot and his airplay fortunes will only continue to diminish from here no matter what trends he chases. They certainly carried “Are You With Me” over to this album as a form of insurance because they know, with Lost Frequencies earning a massive hit internationally re-mixing that deeper cut, that is their best (and probably only) bet at another hit because of leapfrogging off of Lost Frequency’s momentum.
July 8, 2015 @ 9:51 am
Like most everyone else, I have been disappointed with Corbin’s output since his first album. The solid start has not really been followed up on with consistency. There have been some great moments (Tulsa Texas) but the rest has been pedestrian to awful. For someone who was rightly regarded as a bright spot in Nashville’s stable, it has been discouraging.
Now, having said that, I have been given an a somewhat different experience. I never listen to country radio out here, since the only station we have is dismal. If I am at home and want radio, I stream some of my favorite stations that I listened to when I was in school out int Texas. However, the last few weeks I have been helping friends with some projects and have “had the opportunity” to listen steadily over the course of the day. The waves these days is full of a lot of stuff that does not even rise to the level of schlock (worst offender: Kelly Clarkson, Heartbeat Song, who actually makes that Ballerini girl sound marginally country) and it is both culturally discouraging and sonically boring. And then, in the midst of that, Easton Corbin comes on with “baby be my love song” and by comparison, it sounds positively country. So, maybe the album has some crap tracks and it sure seems that the label does not know what to do with him. Yet, he is still putting out something that, however less than ideal it is, still does a solid job carrying the country mantle in a place and time that where he is one of the very, very few to do so. Hopefully he can make a strong statement next time. In the meantime, he is exposing folks to something that is catchy and has a little more tradition behind it.
Also, the observation about the album covers is pretty good. The first one said everything that needs to be said. The new one looks fake. Period.
July 8, 2015 @ 8:40 pm
You Guys are insane, this album is amazing and is his first number 1 album on the charts for a reason,, how can u even down him comparing to luke bryan crap, jason Andean, fgl, chase rice Easton Corbin is still the best out there !!
March 1, 2016 @ 2:07 pm
I am a fan of Easton Corbin I wished he would have a concert in Boston. I’ll visit with my small brother… Hope, he’ll love it, too. God, i’m listening to Easton every day… He’s just awesome!!!
April 25, 2016 @ 11:33 am
Hey Trig, do you think the success of Chris Stapleton and the loading up of the stables with guys like William Michael Morgan and Mo Pitney might do something to turn Easton Corbin’s career around? With him, they would already have a guy with some (tarnished) cred, some hits and name recognition and a bit of a fan base. I could see him cutting an album similar to his first or something and building on the momentum that has been gathering around other artists. Any chance something like this can happen?
April 25, 2016 @ 2:35 pm
I guess there’s a chance, but I would kind of be surprised. Nashville’s major labels are showing no signs of giving up their old ways, especially their model of almost solely marketing artists through radio. And as long as that culture exists, artists are going to be forced to make heavy compromises in their music to see it released.
April 25, 2016 @ 2:47 pm
It is a shame to waste a guy who seemed poised to make a positive contribution. I know there are plenty of other folks in a similar position. I still think Tulsa Texas (from an otherwise bad album) was one of the best mainstream country songs in quite some time.