I’m just gonna lay it all out on the table: country music sucks. Oh, there are qualifiers (there are always qualifiers). Before you collectively leap down my throat, let me list them for you: I am aware that country music used to be fairly awesome. So there’s no need to remind me that Johnny Cash and Willie Nelson exist; I’m keenly aware of them and have nothing but respect for their art. “Jolene”? “The Gambler”? “The Devil Went Down to […]
Posts tagged "country music"
Spin Cycle: Taylor Swift, Red
The patron saint of heartbroken tweens returns with – comparatively – her most adult album yet, “Red”. Popblerd has the review!
Spin Cycle: Big & Rich, Hillbilly Jedi
The hillbilly party is back as John Rich and Big Kenny return after a five year hiatus. But does the world need more Big & Rich?
The Viewfinder: B.o.B. feat. Taylor Swift, “Both Of Us”
Unlikely pairing? Perhaps, but it works. B.o.B. and Taylor Swift team up for the “Both Of Us” video.
Spin Cycle: Lionel Richie’s “Tuskegee”
Lionel Richie goes all-the-way-country on his new album, “Tuskegee.” Does it make the grade?
The Viewfinder: Lionel Richie (and Shania Twain) Reprise “Endless Love”
An album of Lionel Richie covering his song with a gaggle of country artists might be a little on the lazy side, but from a marketing standpoint, it’s an excellent idea…and something Lionel should have done ten years ago. Better late than never, I suppose. Lionel’s southern roots lend themselves well to country…I mean, how much more ‘Bama can you get than Tuskegee, right? Of course, Lionel’s dipped his pinky toe in that genre many times over the years. From […]
The Blerd13 with… Brett Detar!
Brett Detar has been a part of the modern music scene since 1996, including a nine year run with alternative/indie band The Juliana Theory, but after a decade in the rock and metalcore scene, Brett took a hiatus, returning in 2010 with his first solo album, Bird in the Tangle. Fans of his previous work, however, were in for a surprise. Brett’s return stems from classic country and folk roots, rather than the hard rock of before. I was able […]
Chart Stalker: Throne Maintained; Weezy & Drake’s Domination
This week’s Billboard album chart has a familiar ring to it: Jay-Z and Kanye West hold the #1 spot for a second week with Watch The Throne. Featuring the hit single “Otis”, the hip-hop superstar summit rings up another 177,000 units in sales this week. It sells more than double the quantity of the week’s #2 album, which is–looky looky–Adele’s 21. Now riding the wave of a second hit single (“Someone Like You” hits the Top 40 this week), Adele’s […]
Spin Cycle: Jeff Bridges’ Self-Titled Album
Whether he likes it or not, Jeff Bridges’ new self-titled album falls squarely in the long shadow of his award winning portrayal of fallen country singer “Bad” Blake in 2009’s Crazy Heart. The album’s line-up of contributors certainly doesn’t help separate it from the film: producer and Americana legend T-Bone Burnett returns after his award-winning direction on the Crazy Heart soundtrack, Ryan Bingham (of “The Weary Kind” fame) jumps in on vocals for a few tracks, and three of the […]
The Jukebox From Hell 02: “Before He Cheats”
The relationship of our society to discrimination and oppression is, indeed, one of our nation’s most shameful characteristics; the rich white straight male archetype has kept a firm boot on the chest of every race, sex, and creed known to man ever since our inception. Clearly, this doesn’t work – not just because it’s morally reprehensible, but because it can, in some particularly severe instances, lead to awful songs. Let’s backpedal. No one’s disputing that men constantly demeaning women in […]
Spin Cycle: “This is Country Music” by Brad Paisley
So here’s two things I like about modern country: 1) There’s a greater emphasis placed on lyricism than in any other popular music genre these days. Ever listen to an hour or so of Top 40 radio and cringe at the pure stupidity of the lyrics? If I listened to Top 40 radio, I probably would. Even so, I hear enough modern pop music to wonder when the massive dumbing-down occurred. Listen to the average country hit-that is solid song […]
Chart Stalker 11/11/10: Yee Haw Once Again
award shows / Country Music / hip-hop / Indie Rock / Lists! / music / New Releases / news / Pop Music / rock music / soul music
Country music has officially taken over, it seems. On this week’s Billboard album charts, the genre boasts the Top Three albums, four of the top ten, and eight of the top twenty (nine if you count the country/folk-influenced Mumford and Sons). As far as the other genres in the Top 20 go: two albums qualify as hip-hop, five fall under the pop umbrella (a wide spectrum that goes from Rod Stewart’s standards to Katy Perry’s dance-pop), there’s one legit rock […]