Posted by: Cobra There are few who would argue that Nashville is irrelevant. However, with mainstream country music growing more and more pop, many fans of a more traditional country sound are turning towards alternative country, Texas Country, and Americana…country music that is produced outside of Nashville. Critical of the output of Nashville, these fans are seeking an alternative source for the country music that they love.
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Posted by: Cobra To me, the problem current mainstream country music is never one artist or one song. To me, it's a general overall mindset about country music.
A week and a half ago, I made a post about “all-inclusive” mindsets of country music and how such mindsets are harmful not just to country music, but to all music in general. This post will focus more on how the mindsets have directly affected country music, and maybe, what might happen to fix it. Somewhere around the mid-2000s is when country music started adopting this "all-inclusive" mindset. I don’t know if anyone can point to a specific artist or song, but like I stated at the beginning, the problem isn’t about one artist or one song. But whatever kicked it off, it happened. And all of a sudden, anyone who wanted to could put out a country album, because that was what was "in." And it's only gotten worse. Posted by: Cobra Gary Allan has always been one of the most underrated singers, not just in country music, but in all of music. It’s an anomaly that his hits are so sporadic, while almost every song, every album, he releases is top-notch, top-quality, country music. Pick any Gary Allan album at random, you’d be hard pressed to find a true dud of a song on any of them. Sure, some of them may not be single-material, even if current country radio weren’t a hodge-podge of pop-rock-rap, whatever the flavor of the month is. But even those songs that might not be fit for single-release are still quality songs. Posted by: Cobra Country music has always had its drinking songs – songs about getting drunk with friends, oftentimes acting like fools. But have these songs lost their edge and become something that only serve to make a joke out of mainstream country music?
Perhaps there’s an element of looking at drinking songs of the past and trying to justify them as something more than they were. But drinking songs of the past usually fell into one of two categories: 1) drinking as a reason for driving loved ones away or as the result after they’ve left, or 2) drinking songs with a similarity to what exists today. However, even when they fell into the second category, there usually seemed to be an element of jest not present in drinking songs put out today. Posted by: Cobra Ronnie Dunn responded to some criticism from a friend in a Facebook Post posted on his page yesterday (8/4/2014) at around 8:00 PM Eastern Time. Dunn first posted an extended comment from someone whom he described as “a good friend and fan with the best of intentions.” In the comments by this friend, Dunn is accused of a multitude of offenses, including walking away from “one of the greatest, most successful, most popular acts of all time.” The friend went on to cite some of their favorite Brooks & Dunn songs and mentioned that there was music for the taste of any country fan. Of course there was the legitimate criticism that all that is on country radio now is the clichéd topics of trucks, beer, and girls, and the compliments that that was never Brooks & Dunn’s style. That’s when the criticism really began. Not only was Dunn’s solo work criticized as being nowhere near as good as anything from B&D’s heyday, but the friend flat out accused Dunn of not only “bashing” Kix, but also bashing the former duo as a whole. Dunn was criticized for bashing. He was criticized for basing his former label, Sony. And then, his new album was almost entirely disregarded, with the exception of a few songs. The friend then encouraged Dunn to make amends with Kix and to make an appearance together, and to make amends with his label, and even with radio.
I brought notice to the issue because it was, in fact the primary catalyst that led to B&D's radio demise. We stopped getting critical across the board airplay. I sincerely believe that Kix thought that his position with Cumulus might actually help ?”[sic] Finally, near the end of his comments, Dunn offered: “I haven't thrown in the towel… I'm just trying to sit still. I went at it with with all I had. I don't know what else to do ?”[sic] (For those who did not see the link at the beginning, you can click HERE to read the post in its entirety.
Now, my thoughts on this. First and foremost, from the few posts I’ve made so far (I believe this is now somewhere around my 15th, 16th if you count an updated one as two). I think I’ve made it abundantly clear how I feel about mainstream radio. That being said, s far as the criticism Ronnie has given to country radio has occurred and more importantly, his criticism of radio has been completely legitimate. I heard “Bleed Red” several times on the radio when it first came out, and I heard “Cost of Livin’” a few times, but after that, nothing. And his new album Peace, Love, and Country Music is outstanding. It’s a five-star album. But it hasn’t garnered any radio play. I’ve heard nothing from it played by my local station. Also, to suggest that Dunn should "make amends" with radio is suggesting that Dunn was wrong in some way. Dunn's criticism of radio has been spot on, and in that regard, he has nothing to apologize for. I'm sure Dunn is well aware that this may limit his airplay, but I think the integrity of Dunn's comments is much more important to him. During his response, Dunn cites his song, “Grown Damn Man” (off of his newest album) as his theme song. I got honest and said what and how I feel. It's simple but says a lot[…]People aren't buying hardcore country music right now. They may not be into buying Ronnie Dunn period.” Personally, I don’t think it’s fair to give too much criticism toward Ronnie Dunn for leaving the duo. Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely LOVE Brooks & Dunn. And I’d probably respond differently if he’d left the duo to go solo, and simply turned into a pop rock singer, selling out to make money because the hits as a duo had quit coming. But Dunn didn’t do that. The hits still haven’t followed, but the quality music has continued. He’s still making real country music the way he wants to. And arguably, Kix has been just as successful in his solo efforts. He put out a solo album himself which produced a Top 40 single, still remaining country and not selling out to pop either. They’ve both gone their own way. And only they can know if they’re happier for it. But the big question, the question that people have been asking almost since their final show. What about a reunion. Will Brooks & Dunn ever play together again? Now, this is where it gets interesting. Early in his response, Dunn did take the time to quote the Eagles and say that a reunion would happen “when hell freezes over.” This I found a bit perplexing, because, keep in mind, the Eagles did eventually reunite, putting out a live album called Hell Freezes Over fourteen years after Don Henley made that quote. Dunn is not musically ignorant. He’s clearly familiar with this Don Henley quote, and therefore, must certainly be aware of the live album which was eventually produced. And thirteen years after that, a new studio album was even released. I don’t think a reunion is in the works. That would be too much to hope for. But I really do believe that Dunn was giving a veiled concession of “maybe someday.” Posted by: Cobra Sean McConnell’s “Bottom of the Sea” has been released onto country radio in Texas. McConnell is of course one of several Texas Country artists who continue to make country music closer to the roots of traditional country. You won’t find endless songs about drinking and partying with friends on McConnell’s three albums and three EPs. McConnell is too busy writing songs with something to say. “Well the hardest part of living is knowing you’re gonna die And trying to leave a legacy with only so much time” “There’s nothing stronger than a heart that’s fighting for the truth So hold your nose, cannonball, someone let me through” McConnell’s song is about searching for something better within himself—digging deep within himself to find his purpose. In the chorus he admits that even if he fails in this attempt, even if life beats him down in the process, it’s worth the attempt that is made. “I’m going down to the bottom of the sea until I’ve found The deepest part of me and if I drown At least I’ll know that I died free Searching for my destiny without a doubt I’m going down” It reminds me of a line from an episode of One Tree Hill – “Sometimes the beauty is in the attempt” (Ref. 1). McConnell is not taking the attitude that “failure is not an option.” Instead, he knows that sometimes, failure is inevitable, but this shouldn’t stop him from searching for all he is capable of, for the best part of himself. Nor should it stop anyone else. Unfortunately, McConnell’s song is only on radio in Texas right now, meaning it won’t get the national attention a song of this caliber deserves. But as long as McConnell continues to write and record music like this, he’s doing a great job down at the bottom of the sea fulfilling his destiny. Ref. 1 One Tree Hill, Season 6, Episode 18, “Searching for a Former Clariity.” Posted by: Cobra The 50-year old RCA Studio A in Nashville has been sold to Bravo Development for nearly $4.1 million. After weeks of negotiations, including numerous pleas from groups anxious to preserve its history, the sale was announced early Monday with tenants being notified.
Rock singer Ben Folds had been one of the tenants and major proponents of preserving the building, which has played host to recording by some of the biggest names in all of music, including, but not limited to, Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, Elvis Presley, Bob Dylan, and Dolly Parton. Posted by: Cobra Thursday on the Today Show (Ref.1), Blake Shelton announced his new studio album which will be released September 30th, also revealing the cover art and title of the album, “Bringing Back the Sunshine.”
While Shelton has drifted into the “bro-country” trend on several singles over the past few years, including “Hillbilly Bone,” “All About Tonight,” and the abysmal “Boys ‘Round Here,” any of Shelton’s other singles, and album cuts in particular, have remained strong, or at the very least, inoffensive to country music. “Mine Would Be You” was a particular highlight single off of his most recent collection “Based on a True Story…” as was the album cut off of the deluxe version, “I Found Someone.” Posted by: Cobra “The joke’s on me and it ain’t funny And everybody but me can see the punchline coming A mile away” It’s almost ironic that Tyler Farr’s new single, “A Guy Walks Into a Bar,” starts out with the above lines, considering the fact that the song goes in an absolutely different direction than the title would suggest. Tyler Farr’s voice never seems to be consistent through any of his songs. You’d never know “Redneck Crazy” “Whiskey in My Water” and “A Guy Walks Into a Bar” are by the same singer just by the voice. But this is a Tyler Farr I’d potentially like to hear more from. The song isn’t creepy like “Redneck Crazy,” and doesn’t have overdone clichés about dirt roads and riding in a truck like “Whiskey in My Water.” |
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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