Album Review – Morgan Wade’s “Obsessed”
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On her new album ‘Obsessed,’ it feels like Morgan Wade just trying to be Morgan Wade. It’s fair to warn country fans that this is not a country album as much as a singer/songwriter Americana album. It’s also the most Morgan Wade album yet.
So Really, What’s Up With All These Truck Songs in Country?
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So what’s behind all of these truck songs? The simple, easy answer is that Music Row is a copycat world, and when one song works, the idea is run over and over again until a new frontier for the word “cliche” is found. But I’m not sure if Music Row is the genesis of this. Instead, it might be Madison Avenue. Trucks are the most profitable vehicles, by both profit margin, and by sales volume.
The Erosion of Taylor Swift as a Role Model – UPDATED
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For years as a reactionary Taylor Swift hater, one of the main arguments that was made against my stance was that Taylor Swift was a good role model. My rebuttal was that being a role model was not a sonic element, so it could in no way refract the fact that Taylor Swift wasn’t country, and couldn’t sing. Is it too much to ask that our role models at least be able to fulfill their roles to even some average level of competency?
UPDATED – Hank3 & David Allan Coe Collaboration “The Outlaw Ways”
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The long-rumored, long-awaited collaboration between Hank Williams III and David Allan Coe may finally be in the offing. The song called “The Outlaw Way” was recorded early last year at Hank3’s home studio in east Nashville when David Allan Coe was in town. Hank3 first spoke about the collaboration in a live chat last February.
The Official Mike Curb Rap Sheet of Transgressions
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Mike Curb’s repressive stance towards artists and his sharky dealings with other labels is a given amongst the informed country music community, with his latest ploy being the release of a duets album from Tim McGraw two weeks before the former Curb artist is slated to make his debut on Big Machine Records. But Hank3 and Tim McGraw are just the tip of the iceberg.
Death of Mutual Friend Reunites Musical Talent
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The Farmageddon Records family suffered a grave loss last week when Richard Laferte II unexpectedly passed away Saturday, January 5th while visiting family and friends in Maine. Following a formal time of remembrance, the gathering turned to celebrating Richard’s life through music. The celebration included the reunification of 3 original members of the .357 String Band, Jayke Orvis, Derek Dunn, and Joseph Huber.
“The Lion’s Roar” of First Aid Kit’s Harmonic Bliss
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Being an American-flavored country roots band from the UK is a tough enough proposition. Take two girls whose native tongue isn’t even English, and tackling the task of trying to get the North American continent to pay attention to what they’re trowing down seems even more daunting. But that is exactly what the Sorderberg sisters from Sweden have done.
Mono-Genre Watch: 2012 End-Of-Year Sales
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The Mono-Genre Theory in short states that all popular music is coalescing into one big genre where influences and styles from country, rap, rock, blues etc. coexist without any true lines defining their differences. At the end of every year when the sales numbers are released by Nielsen Soundscan, it usually reveals evidence of this mono-genre coagulation. 2012 was no different.
Ray Wylie Hubbard’s “Mother Blues” on Letterman
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David Letterman whose locked in a ratings tussle with Leno and the recently-rescheduled Jimmy Kimmel decides to supplant booking a musical guest the American public already knows for one they damn well should. “Mother Blues” is about the perfect song for Hubbard to play on Letterman because it is both specifically autobiographical and generally badass.
2012 Artist of the Year – Marty Stuart
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If anybody asked me point blank, who is the artist that is most saving country music right now? I would answer without hesitation, “Marty Stuart.” Marty Stuart is the man. He breathes country music, and helps preserve it and pay it forward almost as if it was an involuntary action. He doesn’t know how to do anything different.
Luke Bryan Is New Female Co-Host of ACM Awards
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Country superstar Luke Bryan will replace Reba McIntire as the female co-host of the 48th Anuual Academy of Country Music Awards to be broadcast April 7th on CBS from the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. The announcement was made when fans “unlocked” Luke Bryan’s name as part of a Twitter campaign by the ACM’s to rack up 25,000 tweets.
Album Review – Aaron Lewis Of Staind “The Road”
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es, Aaron Lewis, the ultra-emotional singer from Staind that done “gone country” a couple of years back has a new album called The Road, and I have to say, this was not nearly as bad as I was expecting. The Road is a hard country, steel guitar, half-time, waltz beat, honest-to-goodness honky tonk album with some surprisingly good moments.
New Dale Watson Album “El Rancho Azul”
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2013 is already shaping up to be an excellent year for real country music, with some of the heavy hitters slating new releases before we even hit Easter. Just announced, Dale Watson and his Lone Stars have a brand new album titled El Rancho Azul to be released January 29th through Red House Records, featured 14 original songs and being touted as his “honkiest tonkiest” album yet of his 21-album career.