Song Review – Ashley Monroe’s “On To Something Good”
The country music female artist problem has now graduated to being measured by half decades instead of years, and really boils down to one basic fundamental concern: how the singles of female artists are selected and marketed. If you simply had songs making a big impact on radio, the problem would solve itself. But that takes the right songs being cut, the right songs being selected as singles, the willingness of labels to promote those singles, and the willingness of radio programmers to play them.
Ashley Monroe has all the assets that it takes to be a top tier female country music star, and in an environment where the industry seems to be desperately looking to anoint them. They refuse to let Taylor Swift go, they stretch to call Kelly Clarkson country, and resort to falling back on Martina McBride as the final name to fill out an award show nominee list even though her last album was R&B standards and didn’t do very well. Yet here is Ashley—a beautiful, astounding singer, excellent songwriter, known by the country music public from her work with The Pistol Annies and a recent Top 5 duet with Blake Shelton “Lonely Tonight”—yet three years into her major label deal and she still feels like the consummate critical darling/commercial outsider.
Her first album on Warner Bros. Like A Rose had critics and many fans singing her praises, but it didn’t result in one significant single. “Weed Instead of Roses” was a little too obvious, and the punchline was revealed in the title.
There’s big hope that Monroe’s second album will be a different tune, and that with the recent success of “Lonely Tonight,” maybe by chance Warner Bros. will put some scrilla behind her singles. If they do, they should keep their powder dry until after “On To Something Good” cycles through, because with all due respect to Ashley, it’s pretty pedestrian.
One of the problems is with the lack of success recently with female singles, there’s no metric, no example of what the public wants aside from something from Carrie Underwood and Miranda Lambert. This has A&R folks guessing, and relying too much on listener polling metrics which are imperfect at reading the zeitgeist and anticipating trends. Music Row just has no clue what to do with its women artists.
“On To Something Good” is certainly not a bad song, maybe a little indicative of a pop-trending Dolly Parton back in the day, but the lyrics and music offer little to latch on to, and the chorus rises too predictably. It sounds like the mix was made anticipating the insertion of a steel guitar or banjo that never came, and though the bouncy rhythm does elevate the pulse a bit, it doesn’t really resonate as a big pop single either.
And why are we releasing this exclusively to Spotify? How does that play into some sort of scheme to give this single a fighting chance? Same can be said for all these “exclusive” releases which have become fashionable, especially in the independent music world. All you’re doing is purposely limiting the audience of a song to the sphere of influence of a single outlet, starving its ability to increase its metadata performance and maybe get noticed by the outside world by going viral.
My hopes remain high for Ashley Monroe’s next record. But this Sheryl Crow-ish single just doesn’t feel like it has the ability to afford the larger spotlight Ashley Monroe’s talents deserve.
One Gun Up.
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If you do the Spotify thing, perhaps you can listen below.
February 21, 2015 @ 10:57 am
It’s a decent enough pop song, but we expect better from Ashley Monroe. I am concerned now about her upcoming album.
February 21, 2015 @ 11:20 am
I hope we aren’t going to see another situation like with Kellie Pickler’s last album where in my opinion she tried to straddle the line between the critical love of ‘100 Proof’ while trying to get radio play at the same time. In an effort to please everybody she ended up not really pleasing anybody. Not saying that is happening here just a concern.
And you are absolutely right about how the industry has no clue about finding and marketing female acts right now. They seem to just be throwing stuff against the wall and hoping it sticks.
Guess that’s what happens when you turn your genre over to a bunch of former rock executives, producers and writers.
February 21, 2015 @ 2:19 pm
Pickler’s album, while accurately described by you, was great to these ears. The “popish” songs still had country elements/instrumentation, and the rest never betrayed country roots.
One of my favorite purchases.
February 21, 2015 @ 2:52 pm
Yeah I didn’t mean to imply that it was bad just that it had the feel of a compromise. As if someone was saying ‘I don’t hear a single’ as the old music industry cliché goes. It was definitely better than the vast majority of albums released in this moribund era.
February 21, 2015 @ 11:34 am
“On to Something Good” is available everywhere including iTunes next Tuesday! It was a very limited exclusive. I don’t mind that so much.
OTSG does temper my excitement about the new album – actually scares me.
February 21, 2015 @ 12:16 pm
The fact that “Country” radio programmers hate Country music, is disheartening enough by itself. But you bring up something here that I knew, but hadn’t thought much about because I stopped following awards shows about a dozen years ago:
The Country Music Association, hates Country music too.
They would rather nominate famous, or semi-famous pop stars, than nominate a talented Country singer. And make no mistake: it’s not an oversight; Country music is embarrassing, to the Country Music Association.
February 21, 2015 @ 3:03 pm
You are exactly right. They had Megan Trainor and Ariana Grande at the CMAs. This year I heard they’re even considering Sam Hunt!
February 21, 2015 @ 3:25 pm
If Sam Hunt DOESN’T play the next round of awards shows, that would be the coup. He’s the biggest name in “country” music right now.
February 21, 2015 @ 3:49 pm
I was being sarcastic. Hunt is about as country as Trainor and Grande. I know, as sad as it is, that he will play the CMAs though.
February 23, 2015 @ 2:56 pm
Have you heard of Whitney Rose yet? Raul Malo from the Mavericks produced her upcoming record… Could be the answer you’re looking for.
http://www.whitneyrosemusic.com/
February 21, 2015 @ 3:27 pm
The “country” establishment is ashamed of country music, just as the GOP is ashamed of conservatism. Nashville treats traditional country artists in about the same way that Boehner, McConnell, and the Republican establishment treats conservatives. The genre’s most ardent supporters have become its black sheep, thrown under the bus in the pursuit of crossover appeal, compromise, and the desire to please the elites.
February 21, 2015 @ 7:56 pm
Aren’t there enough sites to post ridiculous political BS on? Foxnews.com? Teaparty.org? Maybe email them to tobyk@bootinass.com.
February 21, 2015 @ 9:07 pm
Believe it or not, Toby Keith is a Democrat.
February 22, 2015 @ 10:35 am
No, it is not political BS. I’m describing a situation that is very similar to the one facing country music fans, in which an institution is going through an identity crisis because its leaders identify more with the elites than with the grass roots.
February 22, 2015 @ 12:03 pm
I thought it was an excellent comparison Adrian. Very true.
February 22, 2015 @ 9:12 pm
Many “country” radio programmers and DJs hate country music but many also hate bro-country.
“And make no mistake: it”™s not an oversight; Country music is embarrassing, to the Country Music Association.”
Meanwhile we’re embarrassed by and there is nothing more embarrassing to country and “country” music and radio than bro-country and pure pop. Sam Hunt will probably be added to the 95% male embarrassing CMA Fest LP Field lineup.
February 21, 2015 @ 2:16 pm
“On To Something Good” is certainly not a bad song, maybe a little indicative of a pop-trending Dolly Parton back in the day, but the lyrics and music offer little to latch on to, and the chorus rises too predictably. It sounds like the mix was made anticipating the insertion of a steel guitar or banjo that never came, and though the bouncy rhythm does elevate the pulse a bit, it doesn”™t really resonate as a big pop single either.”
Another Spot -( ify ) on review Trigger . You’ve nailed Ashley’s plight and product precisely ..and Pedestrian is the perfect observation of this under-produced lack-lustre offering which , by the way , takes over a minute to reach its forgettable hook line….a hook line not worth the wait and in these attention deficit-addled times, the listener is likely ” On To Somethin Good-er ” on the next station over way before it happens .
I think that whenever they try any kinda ” molding ” with a rootsy – type artist in an attempt to make them more palatable to mainstream radio it will almost always turn out to be a filed compromise . Nice groove going on here ….but that’s about the ONLY thing going on here .
February 21, 2015 @ 2:19 pm
that’s ” failed compromise ” …..
February 21, 2015 @ 6:05 pm
Is this a case of Ashley choosing to try and make it more mainstream and go for the “hit” Or is the label pushing her this way under the threat of dropping her. When the last albums was so good why mess with it and try to hit mainstream. We’ve seen what word of mouth can do (i.e. Sturgill Simpson) so I say she should stick to her uh… guns and keep it traditional.
February 21, 2015 @ 6:07 pm
Sat chin on walker tho…
February 21, 2015 @ 6:08 pm
Ooops never do two comment sections at once. LOL! Mixing my SCM with my FTM!
February 21, 2015 @ 6:25 pm
I find Ashley Monroe to be a terrific songwriter, but a pretty average vocalist to be quite honest. I don’t get the very high praises for her vocals. And no, I’m not talking about belting out high note after high note (which I don’t like actually, reason why I avoid Kelly Clarkson songs at all costs). I was disappointed by her live performance when she sang her duet with Blake Shelton at the award show – cannot remember if it was the CMA or the ACM.
February 23, 2015 @ 2:32 pm
I agree with you, but then again when you listen to old country singers such as, Ferlin Husky, Hank Thompson, even Hank, their voices weren’t all that great. At this point I’d take someone that sounds like a drowning sheep over mainstream today haha.
February 21, 2015 @ 7:12 pm
Honestly I kind of feel like Ashley Monroe needs to pick what direction she wants to go in. It kind of feels like she is stuck between the styles the other Pistol Annies have taken, Miranda with continuing to court mainstream Country radio airplay and Angaleena deciding to go the “indie” Country route. Ashley feels like she wants to go both routes at times and instead she ends up in between the two styles and we end up with a pretty generic song like this one.
February 22, 2015 @ 12:08 am
I only heard a small snippet of the song ‘cos I don’t have spotify, but honestly if going mainstream will get Ashley Monroe on the radio, then I’m all for it. I’m sure she’ll have amazing songs on her album apart from the single and if not, we’ll always have her first two albums which are superb.
February 22, 2015 @ 8:53 am
I have a feeling that the same gun they held to Chris Young, Josh Turner, Joe Nichols and Easton Corbin’s heads is now being held to Monroe’s. That is, as the Godfather once said, either your brains or your signature will be on this contract, a contract dictating how your next album will sound and feel. I don’t think Chris Young truly wanted to release pure crap like “Aw Naw” or Corbin “Baby Be My Love Song” or Joe Nichols “Yeah”; just as I don’t believe that Monroe will have wanted to release half the crap that ends up on this album.
If you look at Chris Young’s latest album “A,M.” you still find glimmers of light where it looks like Young got to pick the material. “Text Me Texas”, “Forgiveness” and “Goodbye” all sound like cuts that could have feasibly been associated with his prior, ,more critically acclaimed albums. When you examine the rest of the album, its pretty clear to my eyes and ears that he’s being told what to do and how to do it. How else can you go from releasing songs like “Neon” and “Drinkin’ Me Lonely” to cutting lowest common denominator music like “Aw Naw” and “Lonely Eyes”.
In the case of those other artists mentioned above you see Corbin abandons what made him great on songs like “A Little More Country Than That” and “I Can’t Love You Back”, Nichols on “She Only Smokes When She Drinks” and “Brokenheartsville” and in Josh Turner’s case told to stop singing from his lower register and ditch the unique baritone sound.
Make no mistake about it, these guys and gals are being told what to do and how they should sound by record label executives and their sell-out, stooge songwriters and producers. Monroe’s forthcoming new album will be no different I’m afraid.
What these artists need are unions with union contracts that dictate creative control in them. Imagine if a swath or artists were able to go on strike and not release anything until they were able to get creative control on their material, that they’re the ones singing on. A striking group of singers (and songwriters and producers for that matter) would do two things . . .
1) Leave the record labels with only the true sell-outs and fraudulent artists left (Chase Rice, Luke Bryan, Jason Aldean, FGL, etc.)
and
2) It would bleed the label makers and their cronies dry. Just as Mike Curb sabotages careers, artists, songwriters and producers not working would return the favor to the label execs. A strong, powerful music union with the ability to strike and walk-out would change Nashville real quick. We may not see Luke Bryan morph into Randy Travis overnight, but we’d see those truly interested in maintaining standards and artistry come back around.
February 22, 2015 @ 10:58 am
Mike, this is an interesting idea. But I wonder if there is more to it than that. Do we really know what Ashley really wants? I don’t think I do.
It is possible that some artists stayed within the traditionalist niche over the past few years because it appeared to be too difficult to break into the mainstream. The triumvirate of Taylor-Carrie-Miranda had dominated the female scene in Nashville until recently. Now that Taylor has left the genre and Carrie is on maternity leave, the other artists see a bigger opportunity for themselves.
I think you are right that the execs want homogenization as a path to easy profits. But it is not as clear to me that the artists are strongly opposed to this. And the problem won’t be resolved unless the public stops buying watered down pop country. It’s not as simple as us vs them, artists vs labels.
February 22, 2015 @ 11:51 am
Motown Mike ….I could not agree more with your comment. All of the acts you’ve mentioned not only totally re-tooled for radio but they were among the BEST real COUNTRY singers ( Ashely notwithstanding ) in the pack . The BEST ! And yes …they still include songwriting gems on theri albums …but the singles are what get the attention and the downloads and come to represent who the artist is in the eyes of the young fan s. I’ve sent e-mails to Joe’s camp to indicate my disappointment that ” they ( labels ) ” got to him . All of these guys were born to sing REAL country music . They interpret and emote with an inherent talent and an innate grasp of what the art-form – yes I said art-form…. is all about as only a very few can in these times . Now they are just grouped in with all the talentless wannabes who were raised on , seemingly , everything BUT country music and display NO respect for tradition whatsoever. As I’ve maintained , certainly an entertainer has a right to sing, talk , rap or otherwise grunt any damn song they please . Just KNOW and understand that it isn’t country music and calling it that is at once disrespectful and comical .
February 22, 2015 @ 5:51 pm
Amen to your suggestion about union contracts. Just as with all other businesses, greater worker control is the only hope for counteracting the parasitic executive class.
February 22, 2015 @ 5:53 pm
Two things to keep in mind:
1. We’ve only actually heard one song so far.
2. The album was produced by Vince Gill, the same guy who produced the last one, and an all-around class act who is not likely to stamp his name on an album which consists of pure crap.
February 22, 2015 @ 4:06 pm
Would love to read Trigger’s thoughts on Angeleena Presley’s record.
February 22, 2015 @ 5:45 pm
Me too!
February 23, 2015 @ 1:09 pm
I don’t have a Spotify account, but I just saw the behind-the-scenes “unofficial video” for this. Talk about a song that evaporates into the ether as you’re listening to it; the groove reminded me a little of Sheryl Crow’s “Easy,” but at least that (to my ears) had a somewhat memorable chorus hook…
I am, however, intrigued by the fact that Ashley has written a song with Matraca Berg called “I Buried Your Love Alive”:
http://www.rollingstone.com/music/videos/go-behind-the-scenes-of-ashley-monroes-chic-on-to-something-good-video-20150223