See the Facebook post from Dunn here.
Posted by: Cobra According to a Facebook post by Ronnie Dunn, it appears he has officially signed on with NASHIcon, as rumors have been indicating.
See the Facebook post from Dunn here.
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Posted by: Cobra I'm always looking for new things to post about.. For today's post, I decided to post about some artists who I've come to either despise, or in a couple instances, for whom I have simply have come to have far less respect. These are artists who have, in five of the seven instances, sold out completely and now make almost exclusively crap, or in the other two instances, abandoned the country (or at least solid pop-influenced-country) that they once made for music that has almost nothing in common with country music at all. I'm going to start with the latter two instances first. First on the list is Lady Antebellum. For their first three albums, Lady Antebellum made solid country or pop-influenced-country music. They were far from traditionalists, but they had country roots in their music. Since then, they've released two albums that have moved into more and more pop and less and less country, becoming almost exclusively pop at many points, with their last two singles, "Bartender" and "Freestyle" being absolutely unbearable to listen to. However, off of their first album, this song, "One Day You Will," was a particular highlight. Next up is Kenny Chesney. Up until his most first Greatest Hits CD, Chesney also made decent country music. He even had several songs that were *gasp* very very good. Sure, that collection also contained the abysmal "She Thinks My Tractor's Sexy," but to be honest, if such a motif hadn't become what it has in mainstream country, the song would be a novelty song worth laughing with instead of at. After that Greatest Hits album though, he went on his island vacation and has seemingly never returned. However, Greatest Hits also included this gem, "What I Need to Do," which is very reminiscent of George Strait's "If I Know Me." He still puts out a decent song every now and then, but overall, this song shows Chesney in an element where he wasn't just an island boy. So much for the half-sell-outs. From here out, it's the big-guns. Those who have shown in the past they can make good country music, but have abandoned that completely in favor of a brand of music that flat out gives country music a bad name, at least in the mainstream. First, Toby Keith. In a similar vein to Kenny Chesney, up until his first Greatest Hits CD, Keith put out some really strong material. Then he entered his "How Do You Like Me Now" era and just become as brash as he could be, with each progressive album becoming more and more about being a drinker who's out to kick the ass of anybody who dares to disagree with him. Every so often, he'll sprinkle on a decent song, like "American Soldier" or "Cryin' For Me," but the Keith who made the albums that contributed to that first greatest hits album is long gone. Here's one of his earlier songs, off of his Blue Moon album, "She's Perfect.: Jerrod Niemann put out one really decent album before moving away from country music and into an era of music which includes songs like "Donkey" and "Drink to That All Night." We can all still look back though at his second single "What Do You Want" and remind ourselves that this guy wasn't always a tool. Jason Aldean. Jason, Jason, Jason. What are we going to do with you? You've drifted so far away. "Dirt Road Anthem"? "1994"? Fucking "Burnin' It Down"? This is so far away from what you're capable off. Remember this song, "Back In This Cigarette" off of your second album? Go back to making songs like this, Jason, and maybe gain back some of the respect you've lost. Yes, even Brantley Gilbert once made music that didn't make him sound like a complete tool. Here was an early song that wasn't on any of his albums. It was a song called "You Promised," and Gilbert actually shows he's got some vocal ability. Sure, he's not an award winning singer, but he's also not the asshole singing "Bottoms Up" or "Small Town Throwdown." Finally, Luke Bryan. I know, I know. It's difficult to remember a time when Luke wasn't shaking his ass in skinny jeans gradually making his way closer and closer to falling off of a stage. But before his first album hit it big, he put out a few really good songs that showed some real promise. One of those songs was called "Small Town Favorite Son," and despite a title that sounds like just another song about being from a small town, there was actually some real substance to the song. Take a listen. Granted, most of these artists have gone so far in the wrong direction that they're unlikely to turn back. But good songs should be respected, no matter who they're coming from. And these songs, despite the artists they are from, show that there was once something more to them. Posted by: Troy Today's review is again brought to you by Contributing Writer Troy. Once again, it's Troy. Cobra has been busy with his day job lately & has some solid reviews coming our way very soon, so be on the lookout for those. Since he didn't have the chance to review Jason Aldean's new LP Old Boots, New Dirt, I told him that I will spare him the torture of listening to it & take one for the team. I must be a glutton for punishment y'all, but I will do my best to be as objective about this album as I can because Aldean is a very polarizing figure in the world of country music nowadays.
Posted by: Troy For folks for have read my comments on here and on Saving Country Music, I tend to bash Jason Aldean quite a bit. I do that because he is capable of putting out quality material. His last 3 albums, including "Old Boots, New Dirt", have songs that vary from being atrocious dying cat synth to surprisingly good.
Posted by: Cobra Go onto the YouTube videos of the pop songs that are marketed as country. I usually prefer to do this with the Florida Georgia Line songs, or the Luke Bryan songs, or the Brantley Gilbert songs. But there are other options. Or go onto a website like Taste of Country which is constantly reporting on these "artists."
Go to these various different arenas and tell the fans of these artists that the music isn't country. Or simply look through the comments that are already there on the subject. And watch the fanboys and fangirls (hereafter referred to as F&F's) cry foul. Posted by: Troy Stoney LaRue has been a part of the Stillwater, OK/Texas Red Dirt country community for a long time now. He's also sung backup vocals for Miranda Lambert's single "All Kinds of Kinds" for her Four The Record LP. A friend of mine recommended Stoney's music when I mentioned to him that I was looking for quality music to listen to and was having a bitch of a time finding it.
Posted by: Cobra Today's review is a bit different. I'm not reviewing a brand spanking new album that has just come out. However, it's also not a throwback review of an older album (though older work by the artist will be referenced for context). Instead, this is an album that came out in January, before I started this blog. I've looked on a few of my fellow sites like Saving Country Music and Country Perspective and have not found any reviews of it, so I thought I'd go back and take a look at the album and share some thoughts on it.
Posted by: Cobra For today's post, I'm going to share something new. I am presenting my list of my Top 10 Favorite Live Albums.
Keep in mind, this isn't meant to be a list of the "best" live albums ever release. This particular post is not meant to be a critical ranking. Yes, one or two on the list may in fact belong on a list such as this. But this is meant to be a list of live albums I find particularly strong, a list of personal favorites from artists who I find to be great country singers. Posted by: Cobra Eli Young Band is a Texas Country act, one of the few that on occasion gets mainstream attention. And while they may not be Texas Country in the same vain as Wade Bowen or Randy Rogers Band, Eli Young Band can be relied on to put out a pretty solid album.
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LINKS
Here are some links to other pop culture websites and blogs worth checking out:
- Saving Country Music - Country Perspective - Farce the Music - Country Exclusive - This Is Country Music - Country Music Minds - Matt Lynn Digital Pop Culture Potpourri Writers
Cobra is a Human Resources professional from the Greater Cleveland Area with a love of good country music and a disdain for pop, rock, and rap mislabeled as country music. His favorite artists include (but are not limited to) Wade Bowen, Randy Rogers Band, George Strait, Alan Jackson, Turnpike Troubadours, Hayes Carll, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Trisha Yearwood, Dwight Yoakam, and Johnny Cash Archives
December 2017
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