Cloud 9 is more pop than country in total, and includes a few full-blown pop songs. But the country influences here are inescapable, almost curious in frequency—and for actual country fans, refreshingly welcome.
It’s official, ladies and gentlemen. Country music has entered a new neotraditional age. There may be no better evidence than Megan Moroney’s “Lucky.”
The recipient of the inaugural CMT Equal Play Award has been announced as Jennifer Nettles, known both as a solo performer, and most notably for her work in the country music duo Sugarland. But there is a problem with presenting Jennifer Nettles as a “equal play” advocate.
This new song Rita Wilson just released called “Where’s My Country Song?” hits at the heart of something really important. Well-written aside from maybe the bouncy and somewhat list-like chorus, it’s the perspective forwarded in the song that makes it such an interesting specimen and discussion point.
For six glorious years, God Almighty graced us poor little creatures moving about the face of the earth looking for shelter and sustenance by abstaining from raining any new Sugarland material down upon us as the band stayed on indefinite hiatus, with the real possibility of staying mothballed until eternity.
I like the idea of Lindsay Ell. A badass guitar-slinging chick that can play her own leads and write her own songs is something that could really spice up the boring mainstream country music scene, and add a shot of adrenaline into the effort to give more women artists attention in the top reaches of the industry.
Have you ever been scanning through photos of your favorite (or least favorite) artists and thought, “Hot damn! That dude look just like this other dude!” From eery similarities like Sturgill Simpson and Javier Bardem’s creepy character from the movie No Country For Old Men, to Johny Paul White and Johnny Depp who I am pretty much convinced are the same exact person…
When you look back at some of the early songs, early albums, and even the early image of some of country’s biggest current stars, it can stimulate downright culture shock. Of course styles change naturally over time, but many of these artists came from small towns and had simple dreams. But the problem with money and fame is that you can always have more of it….