Eric Church – Chief

Chief marks Eric Church’s third album release and stands as a testament to the continued growth and development of one of country music’s brightest young talents. Church received much critical acclaim over the last few years for his first two albums, which included a handful of hit songs, but none that charted higher than #10 on Billboard’s Country Chart. Well, the winds are a changing my friends because it seems like the folks at Billboard and country fans in general are finally embracing Church’s rough-and-tumble style. Chief, released in late July, debuted at #1 on the Billboard Top 200 (for those of you who don’t know, this is all artists – not simply country). It’s a major credit to Church’s promise as a future headliner, and he certainly has the talent to back it up. A singer-songwriter, Church has never been one to shy away from some controversial (to say the least) topics. Most notably, his song “Lightning” from the Sinners Like Me album tells the tale of a prisoner’s final moments before “riding the lightning” from the perspective of a...um…murderer. It’s a brave and moving song, and although predictably it received little attention from country radio, it’s more proof that Church A) isn’t afraid to tackle tough subjects other artists might shy away from and B) really doesn’t give a damn about what is or is not popular with country radio. Slightly controversial and outspoken, poignant and hard-rocking, Church is on a roll. Anyway, some thoughts on Chief:

• Overall, the album is extremely up-tempo, which is a nice change from some of Church’s earlier releases. I think it was a conscious decision and I think the album is better off for it. There’s no doubt Church can kill a ballad, but he really excels with the rock-infused songs that make up the majority of this album.

• “Homeboy” was the debut single release from this album, and it’s a very interesting song to say the least. Completely different than anything out there on the radio right now and another tougher topic (the song recounts the story of two brothers who followed two very different paths). It’s heart-felt and the driving melody works great for Church. Kills it when the music cuts out in the bridge.

• “Country Music Jesus,” despite receiving some airplay, is largely forgettable. The instrumentals are too loud in the chorus and drown out the vocals. Went a little overboard with the rock feel in the background. Lyrics are good nonetheless. “Drink in my Hand” also falls in the forgettable category. The tune is very cliché, lyrics are pretty shallow, and overall, it just sounds too generic.

• “Hungover and Hard Up” is a complete disaster. The song has no direction, and I honestly don’t have a great idea of the story he’s attempting to tell here. The falsetto parts are weak and seem out of place. It looks like the song finally finds itself in the lead-up to the chorus (after the falsetto part – “Get on down the highway…”), but then it veers off course again.

(All business)

• Now for the good: “Jack Daniels” is right in Church’s wheelhouse and it’s a format we’ve seen before on earlier albums (it’s very similar to “Leave my Willie Alone” from Carolina). It’s a great example of keeping things simple – a few guitars, an informal feel (you can hear the guys joking around in the background), and a simple, tried-and-true guitar riff. It’s almost as if they were just messing around after recording one day. It’ll never get any airplay but its enjoyable nonetheless.

• Aside from “Homeboy,” which has already peaked at #13 on the country charts, the two other songs that stand to be hits on this album are “Keep On” and “Springsteen.” Lets start with the latter. I’m not a huge fan of artists offering songs as tributes to other artists – it fails about 10 times for every one time it works – but Church manages to pull it off here. It’s constructed in the “hit” format if you will. You can tell the producers decided this was going to be one of the singles from this album and one of their best shots at getting some serious airplay. Despite the Springsteen references, the lyrics are, unexpectedly, very good and the song is really catchy. It feels a little similar to Tim McGraw’s “Red Rag Top,” but Church makes it his own. I give this a 6/10 shot at being a hit. “Keep On” couldn’t be more different than “Springsteen.” With aggressive, heavily-rock infused instrumentals, the song displays both great lyrics and Church’s vocal range. The tune is well-worn and certainly nothing new, but Church basically jumps up an octave when he hits the chorus. The verses test the lower limits of his range and the chorus pushes the upper, and there’s nothing we like more at Urban Cowboy ™ than artists pushing their vocal limits. I give this a 6.5/10 chance at being a hit, just because it’s a little too “rock-esque” and short to be a major hit, but its great nonetheless

Overall, an excellent effort by Church who’s star is certainly on the rise.

Take a Back Road

Song of the day...

What to Make of Scotty McCreery?

American Idol and country music. Country music and American Idol. Two things that seemingly shouldn't go well together, but, for one reason or another, have enjoyed a remarkably successful symbiotic relationship since the show debuted a decade (I know, I know...make anyone feel old?) ago. Country artists and a vast majority of country fans routinely lament the crossover between pop and country, and yet, how do we explain a show essentially searching for America's next big pop star producing a number of viable country artists and one superstar? Let's take a quick look at AI's notable country alumni: Josh Gracin (8 country top 40 hits), Bucky Covington (5 country top 40 hits), Kellie Pickler (8 country top 40 hits), and of course, Carrie Underwood (too many awards to list). In addition, we've recently seen Kelly Clarkson, America's original Idol, branch out into country music with a hit duet with Jason Aldean ("Don't You Wanna Stay"). Obviously, the roots between AI and country music run deep, and so we're left to ponder the future of American Idol's first country winner since Carrie Underwood, Scotty McCreery.

First, a brief recap of McCreery's American Idol run for those who don't watch the show. A 16-year-old from North Carolina, McCreery possesses a beautiful, clear baritone, very similar to Josh Turner. Of course its no surprise then that McCreery chose Turner's "Your Man" for his audition followed by a brief cover of Travis Tritt's "Put Some Drive in Your Country." Right away McCreery established three important things: 1) His voice was starkly different than everyone else on the show, 2) He had the range to tackle a wide variety of songs (in fact, in many ways it was when McCreery went to his upper range that he was most successful), and 3) He had a firm grasp of his niche on the show. After his initial audition, McCreery hit a few more good country covers but ultimately left something to be desired. He seemed to shy away from some of the songs that would have been obvious home-runs for him -- songs by Randy Travis, Johnny Cash, and some of the other great country baritones. Even during "Elvis" week, McCreery passed up the obvious choices for "That's All Right," a song that did little to display his range. It was utterly confounding that McCreery left all these songs in the closet, opting again and again for light-weight tunes, while displaying a penchant for over-the-top facial expressions during the performance.

(Yep, I'm completely hammered right now.)

His final performance (and debut single), "I Love You This Big," defies all available adjectives -- honestly, there are now words that can accurately sum up how poor this song is. The lyrics are a joke and the production is incredibly boring. The song itself is virtually unlistenable. Here you have the opportunity, on the most watched episode of the season, with an audience of millions and millions of viewers, to display one of the most promising talents ever to pass through the show and this is the song they chose? I couldn't believe it then and I can't believe it now.

So we're left to consider where Scotty McCreery goes from here. The song itself has sold well (more a credit to Scotty's strong teenage-girl following and their mastery of Itunes than the song's actual quality), but has, unsurprisingly, petered out on its rise up the country charts. Now, McCreery heads out on the American Idol tour, but when he returns, he'll likely continue work on his debut album, one that is remarkably important to his place in country music and his future viability as a country artist. Already country radio has scoffed at Scotty's credibility as a true country artist (but honestly, how often do they get it right? Carrie Underwood followed the same path and what was her debut single again? Anyone? Anyone? Bueller? That's right, it was "Inside Your Heaven," another piece of unlistenable garbage that had zero impact on her future as a country star.) The most important thing Scotty can take from Carrie's success (and they are not as different as you might suspect -- both were young, runaway, winners with lots of vocal talent who embraced their country roots from the very first audition) is a willingness to chart your own course and break from the American Idol safety net. The show likes to market its own talent -- its the reason the winner traditionally received a record deal with a major label -- and for that reason, its easy to stay within the comforts provided by the American Idol team from start to finish (writers, producers, managers, etc.) Underwood shunned the push towards pop (although she has released many, many crossover hits) and instead pumped out hit after country hit which showcased her vocal talent and wowed country purists to the point that she is now the undisputed leading lady in country music. Scotty has similar ability -- his unique voice alone places him in elite and unique company -- and his age gives him an expanded audience to work with. McCreery would be wise to release a debut album heavy on the country, light on the pop, full of booming baritone ballads, a few up-tempos to showcase his range and maybe one or two collaborations with a Josh Turner or a Randy Travis. He's got the talent to be a major player for years, but the key here for McCreery is not to over think it, stick to your country roots, and for God's sakes, lay off the booze.

Man, That Girl Sure Loves To...Fish

...And We're Back!

Devoted Readers,

It's been a while now since I've posted on this blog -- about a year and three months be exact. I know you all have been waiting with unbridled anticipation, refreshing the page every five minutes just wondering when I would return to grace you with my thoughts, ramblings and reviews of country music. Well, I'm proud to say the waiting is over. After a hectic year or so, I've finally got a little downtime and in the coming months should be able to find a few seconds here or there every week to disperse my self-righteous insights into the far reaches of the internet. So without any further ado, I'd like to begin with a quick recap of the state of the country music industry and a review of a song I'm sure will be a #1 hit.

Quick disclaimer: I do not intend this blog to be an up-to-the-minute review of the latest country news or an industry-wide monitor of every new song or album released by some obscure artist. There are other country blogs with the resources to monitor these developments, and alas, at this current juncture I simply lack the personnel to compete. However, I hope you'll find some interesting tidbits of information on this site, enjoy some of the reviews, agree (or disagree) with some of my takes on industry developments, and, most importantly, hear some music you might not have never heard before. Ultimately, my goal is to spread the gospel of country music and this site is my pulpit -- let the preaching begin!

The past year or so has been a bit of an identity crisis for country music as a whole. The country-pop crossover acts that have been heavily embraced by country radio during the past few years seem like they are starting to lose their footing. Taylor Swift and some of the more whitebread acts are taking a back seat to more deserving talent like country's power couple, Blake Shelton and Miranda Lambert. Snagging the coveted male and female vocalist of the year awards, it was a watershed moment for Shelton and Lambert who struggled through some lean times to get to the top of the mountain. Years and years ago (okay, only about a year ago but it certainly seems longer), I gave the first (and extremely rare) Beer of the Week to Blake, and highlighted his range to succeed with a variety of different country sub-genres. Well, I guess the Country Music Association took heed of my words (although I never did receive the invite to the CMA's -- must have gotten lost in the mail) because less than a year later, Blake saw his hard work vindicated with the CMA nod. As for Miranda, I admit, I was a little further off on that one. I ripped "The House That Built Me" for being unoriginal and fabricated, and it went on to win Song of the Year and propel Lambert to A-list stardom. Um.... *crickets*. I'll be the first to tell you I got that one wrong, and after listening to the song a few more times, I was convinced -- Miranda and "The House That Built Me" were deserving winners.

This past year also saw the break-up of country music's most successful duo, Brooks & Dunn, the continued commercial success of some of the industry's bigger acts (Chesney, et al.), and a slew of up-and-comers who are both deservedly knocking on the door of stardom (Luke Bryan, Chris Young, the Band Perry) and those who need to re-evaluate the generic garbage they are re-producing (Justin Moore and Jake Owen to name a few). In fact, we're seeing more generic, good-ole-backwoods songs than we've ever had before. Now, I know its summer time, a season when country radio tends to get a little lax with its standards, often opting for the light-hearted than the heart-breaker. It's a sub-genre Brad Paisley mastered with hits like "Water" (which, I might add, some other country blogs trashed and one in particular, ahem, rightfully predicted would be a hit), but its constantly abused by the likes of Keith Urban, who seems to put out at least one not-so-subtle song every summer with the word "summer" in the title, banjoes his way about halfway up the charts and is gone before the leaves start turning gold. Some of these up-and-coming artists are attempting to parlay this formula into commercial success and country radio is continuously duped by one song after another that sound identical. Thankfully, its a self-correcting problem -- generally, these artists fall by the wayside as the more unique talents continue their ascent and find their niche. I think thats what we're seeing here. Chris Young's got the power ballad nailed down, Luke Bryan's got the head-banger, the Band Perry's got the tear-jerking harmony. Jake Owen? He's had success in the past, but his latest country anthem, "Barefoot Blue Jean Night" is almost unlistenable. Justin Moore? The new song isn't bad, but his breakthrough, "Smalltown USA?" Give me a break.

Anyway, enough with the negativity, let me shine some light on a song and an artist that deserve a little fanfare. Introducing...........Hunter Hayes. The nineteen-year-old prodigy from Louisiana truly has a musical pedigree far beyond his years. His debut single, "Storm Warning," is about as close to a guaranteed hit as you can find, a catchy, up-beat song reminiscent of early Rascal Flatts (Hunter sounds remarkably similar to Rascal's lead singer, Gary Levox). And this is no mistake. At the ripe old age of 18, he co-wrote Rascal Flatt's "Play," a hit off their latest album Nothing Like This. In addition to the impressive vocals Hunter displays throughout the track, perhaps even more startling is that he plays every instrument on the recording. The song itself has a really catch hook, creative lyrics and just the right amount of production -- by this I mean, the song doesn't feel overdone like so many others are these days. There's no unnecessary bongo drumming or a 20-part overdubbing, just a good combo of simple instruments and a slight harmonization during the chorus (I suspect it's Hunter overdubbed over himself). Also, the pick-up into the chorus is excellently done -- just the right amount of pace and power to really hit home. As far as debut singles go, you can't do much better. It's tough to really catch-on with a ballad so this choice makes a lot of sense from a career standpoint (especially for such a young talent). And it seems to be paying off. As of this morning, Hunter was slated to go on tour with Taylor Swift for a few weeks running through mid-August. Hopefully, this is more of an age-related pairing than a miscalculated recognition of similar talents (the overproduction I mentioned above runs rampant through most of Taylor's songs). Anyway, check out "Storm Warning," currently climbing the country charts -- we'll check back in a few weeks when it gets to #1.

A Keystone Light for Easton Corbin

Unfortunately, I can't find a banner for this week's Beer of the Week, and since we haven't handed out a brew in a while, I figured we better get back to it ASAP. Well today (I know, I know, it's a day earlier) we honor Easton Corbin, one of country music's most highly anticipated young stars. A few months ago Corbin released the first single from his debut album Easton Corbin, "A Little More Country Than That." Right away, one glaring comparison stood out -- this kid sounds almost identical to a young George Strait. I mean, it's scary. Close your eyes and listen to one of his tracks, and I bet you won't be able to tell the difference. Maybe Strait has a little more weight in his voice after years of singing, but Corbin matches the country legend's tonality almost perfectly. And it's not like we see George Strait impersonators popping up all over the place. There's a reason this guy is one of the most successful country artists of all time, and while part of it is due to his true cowboy persona, a lot of it can be attributed to the unique sound Strait has adhered to for years -- a no frills, straight up, Texas-style country song.

To get a sense of Corbin's talent just listen to his two hit singles -- "A Little More Country Than That" and "Roll With It." Corbin saw "A Little more Country" rise all the way to #1 on the charts -- an unexpected, but nonetheless, welcome success for the newcomer. The song seeks to establish Corbin in the George Strait mold -- a true cowboy from the backwoods. The song is produced to reflect the lyrical message -- it's relatively basic, not extraordinarily vocally challenging, and allows Corbin to make the song his own. Strait didn't make it big on the power of his vocal runs, he made it because the music he was making was true country, plain and simple. And that's exactly where Corbin succeeds on this track.

His follow-up single, "Roll With It," is a little more up-beat than his previous hit, and arrives just in time for summer when most artists are releasing more light-hearted cuts. It's a catchy song, lacking any deep message, that invokes the positive images of summertime and young love -- a tell-tale warm-weather country song. "Roll With It" is also not very complex, but with Corbin's delivery and Straitesque persona, it doesn't have to be. His future success will be determined by how closely he can stay true to this format, and how, perhaps, he can make it his own.

Coming soon -- a review of Alan Jackson's highly anticipated new album Freight Train!

The Curse of Pop

Adoring fans, thank you for your patience during this long layoff. To be honest, I'm finding it a bit more difficult than I anticipated to write as regularly as I'd like. Alas, this is reality -- so if you'll just bear with me, I promise I'll try to do a bit better on updates. I'd also like to take this opportunity to announce that I've been working on some very exciting music-related projects, which I hope I'll get to share with all of you in the coming weeks.

Today though I'd like to mix it up a bit and offer a review of a recent hit song and my thoughts on a questionable artist management decision. So let's begin shall we?

"Lover, Lover" by Jerrod Niemann -- Jerrod Niermann is a relative newcomer to the country scene and "Lover, Lover" marks his first major top 40 hit. The song has received considerable airplay in recent weeks and it's likely due to the unique chorus -- a multi-part harmony with minimal instrumental accompaniment. This innovative (and refreshing) production decision works like a charm in accomplishing its desired goal -- the song stands out. If you were driving down the highway listening to good old country radio and this tune came on, you'd know it, it just wouldn't blend in with everyone else you've been hearing. Not to say this tune is a rousing success. The verses are almost intolerably drab and generic, and Niemann often has to drag out syllables to make the verses work rhythmically, but overall this song is a breath of fresh air. Great production decision to cut out the music at the end and allow all the parts to go acapella in a great ending harmony. Check it out at the end of this post.

Now I'd like to wax poetic a bit on the decision of the Zac Brown Band to open for Dave Matthews on their upcoming summer tour. Listen, I've had my Dave Matthews phase, as I'm sure many of you have, and their music is great. There's a reason they have been one of the most successful and critically acclaimed bands of the last 15 years, and I know Dave has made a recent foray into country music (see "I'm Alive" from Kenny's Lucky Old Sun album), but I just don't think this is the right move for ZBB. True, they will get unrivaled exposure opening in front of massive crowds at huge venues for a widely diverse crowd (in terms of musical taste), and this could do a lot of good for country music. Exposing the unique country sound of ZBB to a bunch of non-country listeners could go great things for the industry, but I'm skeptical as to how this will be perceived by country purists.

ZBB has been hailed as one of country's most exciting new acts, a Georgia band that brings together awesome instrumentals (kind of a blue grass - Alabama mix) and poignant lyrics to every one of its songs. You've probably heard "Chicken Fried," but "Toes" and "Highway 20 Ride," and even the most recent hit, "Free," are equally as good. ZBB is killing it on country radio right now. Every song they release is an immediate hit. And yet, instead of opening for a major country star -- like Kenny, Brad, etc. -- or even headlining a tour themselves (an option that is not as far off in the future as you might think), they open for Dave Matthews? Is this going to allow them to emphasize their country roots or do they run the risk of crossing over into pop? If there's one thing I've learned in my years of listening to country music is that once a country artist releases a song that can be characterized as "pop," they are as good as dead to country radio. Look at major female stars of the 90's like Faith Hill and Shania -- once they toed the pop line, their careers experienced a serious fall off. To me, it's just not worth it for ZBB. Stick to country, or you run the risk of never being able to find your way back.