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Kellie Pickler ‘Someone Somewhere Tonight’ – Review

‘Someone Somewhere Tonight’ is Kellie Pickler’s first single on Black River Entertainment, but it existed for some time before Kellie chose to record it. Previously performed by Kenny Rogers and Pam Tillis among others, to give Kellie the radio hit she so utterly needs and deserves they needed to update the song a bit musically.

And that is exactly what they have tried to do. Unfortunately, in my opinion, it doesn’t work. The song begins with delicate mandolin and acoustic guitar, with electric guitar beginning to make its appearance, with the occasional strum to build atmosphere. That’s all fine and good, but it continues to build and build, until the second verse sounds like a mess. It doesn’t help that the sound they’re using is quite a dirty, rough guitar sound, and it absolutely overpowers what should be a gentle, humble song. However, they’ve tried to make a sweet, thoughtful ballad into a big, powerful country rock ballad, and it’s just not one that can be belted vocally. That results in Kellie straining to be heard above the noise, and the other aspects of the production get totally lost.

It drops completely down for the second chorus, using fiddle to carry it, back to where it should have been in the first place, and it sounds much better. But then the solo (the biggest mistake I think), seems to hold a guitar-off, using too many pedals, too much distortion, too much overdrive, and too much tone. It shrieks unnecessarily in a song that should be a focus on the meaningful lyrics. These lyrics tell the stories of so many people all over the world, yet brings it back to the simple love felt between two people during the chorus. The third chorus is again trying to be big, and I can see why they would do that if they had chosen to make the rest of the song gentle, but that is not the case. Then yet again they drop it down to close, and it seems they simply couldn’t make up their mind what they wanted the song to be. Whilst trying to remain relevant, different and edgy they ruined a brilliant song that didn’t need to be over-done. It totally distracts from the premise of the song and erases any emotional effect it may have had.

Kellie’s vocals, however, are the song’s saving grace. Although more wavery than I’ve heard them before, there’s a vulnerability and a truth-telling in them, carrying the song and making some twists and turns without over-doing it. If it hadn’t have been for the over-production, I would have rated this song highly.

I was worried about the use of a ballad, and one that had been done many times before, to give Kellie the sales and radio boost that she was denied during her ‘100 Proof’ era. I was worried that it might come across as more “old-fashioned” and thus wouldn’t translate well with a young audience lapping up the likes of Florida Georgia Line and Hunter Hayes. However, clearly it would have been better off like that! I’m not sure how this song will fare, although I’ll tentatively make a prediction of top 20 on her fanbase alone. But as someone who had high expectations for new music from Kellie, I’m disappointed, and hoping for better when her album comes out.

You can watch the lyric video for ‘Someone Somewhere Tonight’ here:

 

Posted by Vickye (Guest Writer).
If you want to check out my own blog it's For The Country Record, and you can follow me on twitter @planmymistake. You can email me at vickye.countrymusic@gmail.com.

Lady Antebellum’s ‘Goodbye Town’ Is Underwhelming & Forgettable – Review

When I first listened to ‘Golden’, Lady Antebellum’s new album from which ‘Goodbye Town’ is the second single, I was significantly underwhelmed. True, I prefer music with a bit more twang and grit than is typically expected of Lady Antebellum, but I had enjoyed ‘Downtown’ and was hoping for more sass from their fourth record. However, ‘Goodbye Town’ accurately reflects an album which has few stand-out tracks, this one in particular not being one of them. I was surprised that this was to be the single, therefore, and disappointed that they chose to release a bland, predictable soft rock ballad over some of the more interesting songs on ‘Golden’.

It would probably be correct to assume that most of their fans will lap up ‘Goodbye Town’, as it does much of what they have done before: an atmosphere and guitar-led song about angsty love/heartbreak, with fairy standard lyrics that every teenage girl can post in a picture on their Tumblr with some romanticized imagery. In fact, much of the song musically reminds me of a single from their first album, ‘I Run To You’. If Lady A were looking to release a heartbreak ballad, they could have chosen ‘It Ain’t Pretty’, or if they were looking for something fuller production but similar tempo, ‘Get To Me’ is a fairly solid track.

Keith Urban’s ‘Little Bit of Everything’ – The Least Country Song This Year - Review

Let me get this straight: This is not a country song. I know these days classifying whether something is ‘country’ or not is subjective, but I’m laying down the authority on this one. I’ve never been a huge fan of Keith personally save a couple of songs, because I always found them too country pop in an overwhelmingly peppy way (and no, it’s not ‘country rock’ just because he has an electric guitar). However, when it came to listening to this song, and reading a fan’s comment, stating that this was ‘more country’, I pretty much lost faith in the state of country music today.

I don’t know what this fan was comparing ‘Little Bit of Everything’ to, but suffice to say I fail to align this song to anything remotely country. Apart from that token banjo that keeps popping up in everything laundry-list, the R&B beat, tinge of nasally autotune and technological edits that only serve to annoy simply sound like pop music to me. While the melody is sweet, it is bland; at best, this is cheery elevator or store music. Having said that, I did count my blessings when the bridge arrived, and the perfect conditions for a country rap presented themselves. Keith almost hints at it before dropping back into actual singing (remember that stuff?), and I breathed the biggest sigh of relief since Taylor Swift stopped winning country awards. Speaking of which, the explanation for Keith’s ‘new sound’ is clear: his new producer is Nathan Chapman, longtime producer of Swift. Maybe with his renewed popularity ‘with the kidz’ on American Idol sparked an interest, either from him or his label or both, in reaching that market with creative output. Because I honestly can’t imagine anyone older than the age of 21 taking this seriously as a great song, and frankly this is ridiculous coming from a man in his 40s.

Kacey Musgraves ‘Blowin’ Smoke’ Video Review

The video for ‘Blowin’ Smoke’, which is only Kacey’s second, is one that I was very much looking forward to. I hoped that Kacey would treat it with the same level of understated dry wit that she treats her music and this song in particular with, and luckily my wishes came true. The desaturation and vintage crackling film lines that we saw in the video for ‘Merry Go Round’ reappear here, flicking between color and black-and-white, with the characteristic clinks of glasses and plates that can be heard in the song elongated and emphasized. As the song tells a vivid story in itself there was not much need to deviate from that, and certainly Kacey merely builds on what she has already written.

Sara Mann’s Country-Infused ‘Lullabies’ Is A Welcome Break From Life – Review

Sara Mann is a woman of many musical influences. She has worked with Miley Cyrus and Pop/R&B American Idol runner-up Katharine McPhee as a backing vocalist, yet her own music weaves folk, country, pop, jazz and blues among others in a complex tapestry of serene sounds. Her new record, 'Lullabies', is a perfect concept for the kind of music Sara creates; after losing a child to ARPKD (Autosomal recessive polycystic kidney disease), and being diagnosed at the time she was ready to give birth to twins, she decided she had to share her story, and raise awareness about kidney disease. 'Lullabies' is what came out of this tragic occurrence in her life, in the hope of bringing comfort to all of those who are living with kidney disease, or have lost a loved one to the disease, at the same time raising funds and awareness for the PKD (Polycystic Kidney Disease) Foundation.

The music is gentle and comforting, full of melodic piano, expertly picked acoustic guitar and creates a much-needed space to pause and consider life. Some songs, like 'Big Day Little Boat', will fill your senses and make you gently move to the swung beat and fuller production, others, like 'You Belong To Me', you’ll want to listen to alone in order to fully appreciate the deep thoughts the song will provoke. Full of covers, some you’ll recognise, others you won’t. 'Baby Mine' is a particularly nice rendition with some pretty electric guitar, and fits Sara’s understated, warm vocals, in addition to the Eric Clapton track 'Tears In Heaven' (which features Billy Ray Cyrus, a good friend of Sara’s who supports the cause). This track is one of the album’s highlights, and clearly a great deal of care has been taken over covering such a famous and revered song. Sara’s and Billy Ray’s harmonies work really well here, and the song building over time is very effective.

'Lullabies' is an album to take time over, and requires a quiet space in order to fully appreciate its gentle approach and meaningful songs. And of course, it is perfect for its intended use; sending children straight to peaceful sleep. If you’re looking for an album to create a sea of calm in your life and allow you to explore your thoughts at leisure, this is the one for you. Plus, it’s all for as good cause.

You can visit Sara Mann’s website here, and follow her on Twitter @SaraMann. You can also buy ‘Lullabies’ on iTunes, and donate separately to the PKD Foundation here.

Posted by Vickye (Guest Writer).
If you want to check out my own blog it's For The Country Record, and you can follow me on twitter @planmymistake. You can email me at vickye.countrymusic@gmail.com.

 

Little Big Town – ‘Your Side of The Bed’ – Review

Little Big Town have had a moderately successful year (deliberate understatement). After the release of ‘Tornado’ the album last October, they’ve gone from strength to strength, selling more than ever before and picking up award after award. Nobody can deny it; right now, Little Big Town are hot stuff, and big money for that matter. There are multiple tracks on ‘Tornado’ worthy of being a single, including ‘Sober’, ‘Leavin’ In Your Eyes’, ‘Front Porch Thing’ and ‘Can’t Go Back’, which is why I was a little surprised when they chose ‘Your Side of The Bed’. Clearly they wanted to release a ballad, to truly showcase the power of their individual vocals and 4-part harmonies more clearly, and as they’ve had two upbeat singles from the album, this makes logical sense. However, for me, although it’s a beautiful track, I’m not sure if it’s dynamic enough to be a single, especially off the back of songs like ‘Pontoon’ and ‘Tornado’.

Daryl Wayne Dasher’s ‘great big sky’ Is One To Take You Back – Review

Daryl Wayne Dasher is undeniably a child of the old school. His music is certainly of the traditional country mindset, even down to the voice, with sounds strangely raw and grinding compared to the smooth edited vocals of modern country singers. Listening could take you back to a simpler, more authentic time in the history of country music, with Daryl’s glaringly honest emotion being conveyed in tracks such as ‘Soldier’ (admitting he’d rather the war was over so he could just go home). There are a multitude of musical influences on display too, from mainstream country of the 1960s and 1970s (‘Hello Sky!’, ‘I’ve Tried (I’m Dry)’, ‘What Does It Mean’) to bluegrass (‘Ride Along’, ‘Mountains of Montana’). Overall Daryl constructs a long-disappeared nostalgic musical landscape, peppered with introspective musings and heart-breaking laments, with a firm traditional structure that would put other contemporary artists’ claim to tradition to shame.

Scotty McCreery’s ‘See You Tonight’ Set To Be His First Top 10 Hit? - Review

Scotty McCreery is known for his catchy feel-good love songs, and this song is certainly no exception. ‘See You Tonight’ is his first non-Holiday single since ‘Water Tower Town’ last year, and it’s been long overdue. The direction they appear to be going in with this is one that takes influence from Luke Bryan, and seeing as Scotty is still lacking a top 10 country hit under his belt, I can’t blame them for wanting to follow in the footsteps of the reigning ACM Entertainer of the Year.

‘See You Tonight’ is more country pop than Scotty’s previous releases, but his trademark deep country drawl is still evident, gliding over the top of mandolins and guitars that are held together by a solid drum beat. This song screams summer, and that’s clearly what they’re aiming for, even including a little mandolin instrumental at the end, punctuated by gentle guitar licks and a tinkering of piano. It’s built from simple chords, sweet-sounding verses, and rockier elements to pack the chorus with a punch.

Lyrically it’s a love song, that beginning-of-relationship type that is so popular in country, highlighting all the possibilities for the future. It’s fairly youth-orientated in its approach, and will appeal to Scotty’s fanbase of teenage girls, and just about manages to escape the feeling of generic that often haunts this type of song. I’m not sure if it’ll reach number one; that accolade tends to be shared around the biggest artists, and a few novelty smash hits. However, what I am sure of is that this song will put Scotty back on the map for a lot of people. I’m hoping for a more regular output of singles that’ll see Scotty rise up the radar, and with the right promotion among its target audience, ‘See You Tonight’ should reach the top 10. It certainly follows musical trends in country, reaches the youth market, and is catchy, sweet and summery enough to have a good few months.

I’m hoping that his new album will have more traditional sounds on there as well, but ‘See You Tonight’ is a great way to kick things off and I wish Scotty the best of luck.

You can listen to ‘See You Tonight’ here:

 

Posted by Vickye (Guest Writer).
If you want to check out my own blog it's For The Country Record, and you can follow me on twitter @planmymistake. You can email me at vickye.countrymusic@gmail.com.

Kacey Musgraves’ ‘Blowin’ Smoke’ Is So Much More Than That – Single Review

‘Blowin’ Smoke’ continues where ‘Merry Go Round’ left off, putting Kacey’s storytelling skills to the test and displaying her penchant for glaring honesty and creating real small-town characters. This track is from the point of view of diner waitresses, and the description is image-heavy and powerful, “we're all out here talkin' trash, makin' bets, lips wrapped round our cigarettes”. The lyrics are interesting, narrative-specific and insightful, “Brenda's tradin' smokes for cake, still hadn't lost that baby weight, and that baby's 'bout to graduate from college”, Kacey’s wry smile almost audible through her vocals.

The single announcement comes as a surprise; at CRS week Kacey debuted ‘Follow Your Arrow’ a chirpy, cheeky, down-to-Earth track about making your own way and not caring what others think, including a significant stab of support of gay relationships. All the buzz was about this song and almost every album review has focused on it, social media gleefully wondering how traditional Nashville will take such a song and where it will sit at country radio. But perhaps Kacey and her record label decided to play it safe – for now.

Having said that, ‘Blowin’ Smoke’ is far from a ‘safe’ choice for most artists. It hides behind nothing. Smoke and mirrors are not Kacey’s style. The lyrics “wipe down the bar, take out the trash, light one up and count my cash, swear I'm never comin' back again” probably hit a little too close to home for a huge number of the population, never mind the real-life versions of the song’s waitresses. It is further proof that Kacey is going to tell the truth no matter how real it is, and helps her live up to the hype of saving the current mainstream country scene, full of good ole country boy myths and romanticized southern life. This is quintessentially country music at its best; no pretences or falsities, just real, ordinary people. I don’t think that can be emphasized enough. Yes, Kacey is probably making a joke of these women. But she’s laughing at herself too.

Musically the song is full of dirty guitars, banjo and a driving bassline that you could do more than tap your foot to. It’s an irresistible beat that only adds to the beauty of it, and the amateur-feel shouty chorused parts reinforce the narrative perhaps even more than the background mutter of customers and clangs of plates that is so instantly meaningful in its setting. Kacey’s vocals have an edge to them here, but she still doesn’t try to over-sing. Slightly melancholic, and resigned to the fate of the character, her vocals are punchy and slide between notes, showcasing her ability to play with tempo. This song is different to much of country radio, and I am worried no-one will ‘get’ it. But if everyone really knows a good song when they hear it, well this song is fun, honest, and just a damn good tune, to sing and dance to. Is it the best song to follow ‘Merry Go Round’? Maybe not. But it will certainly make you smile.

Maybe I fall into the trap of lauding Kacey because everyone else is. It’s easy to, after all. But I stand by my claims. She’s not saving mainstream country on her own, of course not. But she’s definitely doing her bit, and I for one love it.

You can listen to ‘Blowin’ Smoke’ here:

 

Posted by Vickye (Guest Writer).
If you want to check out my own blog it's For The Country Record, and you can follow me on twitter @planmymistake. You can email me at vickye.countrymusic@gmail.com.

Blake Shelton’s ‘Boys Round Here’… And Why I Don’t Hate It – Review

NOTE: This post is the opinion of a NashvilleGab writer and not necessarily the opinion of the owner. I respect my writers' opinions and their right to have them and hope that you all will too. In other words, please aim death threats at writer and not me. That is all. 

I expected to hate this song. I really did. All the opinions of my fellow critics of Blake’s recent musical offerings pointed to that exact conclusion, so I avoided it for a while. When I came to actually listening, however, I found myself – dare I say it – enjoying it?

Don’t get me wrong, Blake’s slow rapping is, for the most part, pretty terrible, but I hate all slow country rapping so that’s no surprise. The lyrics are also fairly appalling, as usual throwing in as many clichéd ‘countryisms’ (in fakery rather than truth) as is possible, for example “Drinking that ice cold beer, Talkin' 'bout girls, talkin' 'bout trucks, Runnin' them red dirt roads out, kicking up dust”, and phrases like “backwoods legit” that just screams ‘New Yorker trying to be country’ (yes I know Blake’s from OK). Then there’s all that horrible sexism that country songs are so keen on right now thrown in for good measure, “Yea, the girls 'round here, they all deserve a whistle, Shakin' that sugar, sweet as Dixie crystal, They like that y'all and southern drawl, And just can't help it cause they just keep fallin'”. Really? I mean REALLY?!

It’s not so much Blake, but more a wider problem of trends in country music that I have an issue with here, although Mr Shelton is certainly not off the hook for recording such a monstrosity of lyrical content. Aside from these aspects, however, ‘Boys Round Here’ is actually kind of… good?

Musically, a groove is instigated from the beginning that is pretty damn infectious. There’s some good slides and twang in there, and a multitude of different things going on. The chorus has fuller rockier production to give country fans something to hold onto, and even Blake’s rapping at times fits with the music rhythmically and creates a strangely perfect fusion. The Pistol Annies are barely audible which I’m disappointed with but their contribution works well, both in the call-and-response in the second verse and their gentle harmonies from then on. Whoever has mixed this has done a very good job.

I’m concerned that Blake identifies with this song as his life because a) it’s so over-done it sounds inauthentic and b) he’s super-rich, super-famous, and spends half of his time living in a mansion in LA and jetting all over the place to play for millions of people. He’s not the ‘good ole country boy’ he portrays himself as, and I see this song as further propaganda, over-done in order to compensate for the betrayal country fans may feel at his work on The Voice and in the pop music world. Like he’s trying to convince us he’s still just like us. I’m sorry, I’m not buying it.

But while I wouldn’t come out and say this is my favourite song, nor would I avidly recommend people listen to it (as it in all honesty reflects poorly on Blake as a person), I don’t mind it, and I have enjoyed listening to it to write this review. I guess pigs really do fly.

You can listen to 'Boys Round Here' here:

 

Posted by Vickye (Guest Writer).
If you want to check out my own blog it's For The Country Record, and you can follow me on twitter @planmymistake. You can email me at vickye.countrymusic@gmail.com.