Tuesday 29 November 2011
Jake Owen raises money for St. Jude (from his kitchen)
Friday 25 November 2011
Country Christmas
Thursday 10 November 2011
Swift's win shows problems with CMA
Friday 28 October 2011
Country star celebrates birthday today
Monday 17 October 2011
Sunday 9 October 2011
Rucker's return
Sunday 2 October 2011
Blake Shelton announces January 2012 tour on Twitter
Tuesday 27 September 2011
Monday 26 September 2011
Thursday 22 September 2011
Thursday 8 September 2011
National Kiss Day Playlist
- "Kiss A Girl" -- Keith Urban
- "Are You Gonna Kiss Me Or Not" -- Thompson Square
- "You Shouldn't Kiss Me Like This" -- Toby Keith
- "Just A Kiss" -- Lady Antebellum
- "Shut Up And Kiss Me" -- Mary Chapin Carpenter
- "Kiss An Angel Good Mornin'" -- Charley Pride
- "This Kiss" -- Faith Hill
- "Kiss My Country Ass" -- Blake Shelton
- "XXX's and OOO'x (An American Girl)" -- Trisha Yearwood
- "Kiss Goodbye" -- Little Big Town
- "Kiss This" -- Aaron Tippin
- "Kiss Me When I'm Down" -- Gary Allan
Sunday 4 September 2011
Saturday 3 September 2011
Friday 2 September 2011
Thursday 1 September 2011
Wednesday 31 August 2011
Trace Adkins at the New York State Fair
Big Kahuna Donut Burger |
The zoom on my camera is actually really good. |
Thursday 18 August 2011
Best of Trace Adkins
- "Songs About Me"
- "Ladies Love Country Boys"
- "Cowboy's Back In Town"
- "Ain't No Woman Like You"
- "I'm Tryin'"
- "Then They Do"
- "High"
- "You're Gonna Miss This"
- "Every Light In The House"
- "Muddy Water"
- "I'd Sure Hate To Break Down Here"
- "Semper Fi"
- "This Ain't No Love Song"
- "Find Me A Preacher"
- "Just Fishin'"
- "Chrome"
- "Honky Tonk Badonkadonk"
Loretta Lynn concert postponed
Loretta recently cancelled several shows to recover from knee surgery, and I hope she recovers soon.
Monday 15 August 2011
New single, tour dates for Lady A
Also, Lady A and Dierks Bentley announced fall tours. Lady A won't return to CNY after their State Fair appearance, but they will play in Massachusetts and Pennsylvania. With Edens Edge opening, I'd say it's worth the trip to Wilkes-Barre, especially if you miss Lady A at the Fair. Dierks' full schedule hasn't been released yet, but he's bringing Jerrod Niemann and the Ely Young Band with him. I've seen Bentley and Niemann in concert, and believe me, this will be one heck of a party.
Friday 12 August 2011
Review: "Tailgates and Tanlines"
1) "Country Girl (Shake It For Me)" -- I don't know if everyone shares this opinion, but Bryan comes across as a bit of a creep in this "Country Girl (Shake It For Me)." The chorus just sounds like it should be spoken by a creepy old guy. That being said, it's still kind of a fun song, and I like the sound.
2) "Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye" -- Look at the middle word of "Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye." That's what this song reminds me of, Chris Young's recent hit "Tomorrow." Bryan asks his leaving lover for one last night together before the inevitable end of the relationship. While not awful, it's not nearly as good as "Tomorrow"
3) "Drunk On You" -- Bryan titled the album "Tailgates and Tanlines" and with "Drunk On You" you start to get a good idea why. Like "Country Girl (Shake It For Me)," Bryan sings about a girl in a truck. Again, not a horrible song, but nothing special.
4) "Too Damn Young" -- Bryan reminisces about two kids falling in love out on a dock in "Too Damn Young." Again, nothing special with this track.
5) "I Don't Want This Night To End" -- And, we're back to the girl in the truck. The formula starts to get a bit stale on "I Don't Want This Night To End." On its own its not a bad song, but three of the first five songs on the album address the same thing.
6) "You Don't Know Jack" -- "Tailgates and Tanlines" finally starts taking off with "You Don't Know Jack," a song about a man who's lost everything to Mr. Daniels. To this point it's the best song on the album.
7) "Harvest Time" -- A song about the work those who provide us with our food put in, "Harvest Time" probably won't resonate with everyone. However, it's still a decent song.
8) "I Know You're Gonna Be There" -- Bryan belts "I Know You're Gonna Be There" to his ex who's going to the same bar. He's got his strategy all planned out, bringing another girl to make her jealous, accidentally walk by her table, yada yada yada.... Another ho-hum offering.
9) "Muckalee Creek Water" -- Definitely the most aggressive song on the album, Bryan sings about the peace he finds when he disappears into the "Muckalee Creek Water." Definitely one of the top two tracks on "Tailgates and Tanlines," Bryan captures the essence of letting worries go when you slip away from society for awhile.
10) "Tailgate Blues" -- Bryan addresses what happens when you have a tailgate but no tanlines in "Tailgate Blues." Hands down the best track on the album, it's a simple track about having the blues on a tailgate (obviously). Bryan again gets away from it all to bemoan the loss of his lover, with only the crickets singing to console him. Definitely worth a download.
11) "Been There, Done That" -- Sung from the opposite perspective of "Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye," "Been There, Done That" features Bryan singing as the one who's ending the relationship. When she begs him to come back, Bryan refuses, saying he's already "been there, done that." Another one of the better tracks on the album.
12) "Faded Away" -- Bryan mournfully remembers a wild spring break weekend with "Faded Away." While it seems like the memory would be what fades away, he vividly recalls the details of the affair, with the girl being the one who faded on him.
13) "I Knew You That Way" -- Bryan closes the album with "I Knew You That Way," the fourth straight song about a heartbreak. Again, not a bad song, but the formula gets old.
Honestly, I was very disappointed with "Tailgates and Tanlines." I think Luke Bryan has the talent to be one of the best singers in country music, but he takes a step backward with this album. Most of the songs on this album blend together, with only one or two standouts. The rest of the tracks are very average, which is unacceptable for someone with Bryan's talent.
Thursday 11 August 2011
Under the Covers -- "Come On Eileen," "Dirt Road Anthem"
Sunday 7 August 2011
Review: Trace Adkins "Proud To Be Here"
"Proud To Be Here" - Trace Adkins |
1) "Proud To Be Here" -- I love country songs that I can really relate to, that's what I think the genre is all about -- "Songs About Me," if you will. "Proud To Be Here" tells a story we have all been through. Solid song about focusing on all we have been given, despite our best attempts to screw it up.
2) "Million Dollar View" -- While some prefer exquisite ocean scenes and others enjoy stunning mountaintop vistas, Adkins lets listeners know he's got the best view of them all in his living room in the upbeat "Million Dollar View." While Trace has succeeded on some gushy love songs before, I could live without this one.
3) "Days Like This" -- Speaking of gushy, "Days Like This" fits in this category. However, he slows the tempo down in this one and knocks the song out of the park. Adkins nails the sentimental tune about leaving the troubles of the world behind on a beautiful day. One of the top tracks on "Proud To Be Here."
4) "That's What You Get" -- Adkins lays down the law to his "pretty thing" in "That's What You Get," letting his woman know exactly what to expect from him. Of course, he's going to give her two strong arms, a big heart, you know, everything he's got. I like the lyrics, but Trace is very aggressive singing them, almost like he's mad. I think the song would have benefited from a slower pace.
5) "Just Fishin'" -- The lead single off the album, "Just Fishin'" really brought Adkins back into the limelight after recent singles "This Ain't No Love Song" and "Brown Chicken, Brown Cow" struggled for airtime. "Just Fishin'" hasn't had that problem, and it's easy to see why. I loved this song about a father and daughter bonding without her even realizing it from the first time I heard it. Great song.
6) "It's A Woman Thing" -- Men and women are different is the premise of "It's A Woman Thing." Kind of a typical song on an overdone topic.
7) "Love Buzz" -- Adkins shows off his bluesy side on "Love Buzz," singing about the overwhelming effects his romance has on him. Adkins even sounds a little intoxicated while singing ("Yessir, ociffer"), making the song that much more believable. I like the slow, smooth sound this song has.
8) "It's Who You Know" -- Superstar quarterbacks and CEOs who look like they've "been carved from granite" seem to have the edge in life, but Adkins turns the tables on them in "It's Who You Know." The message he delivers is it doesn't matter what you do in your life, a relationship with God will be the most important thing "at the end of the road." This is my favorite song on the album, but I could have done without the crazy preacher screaming at the end.
9) "Poor Folks" -- Again, Adkins is out to flip the script on who's rich and who's poor on "Poor Folks." The song has a very traditional feel, and echoes "Million Dollar View" in that no matter his financial situation, Trace feels like he has it all.
10) "Always Gonna Be That Way" -- Another ballad that reflects an earlier song, "Always Gonna Be That Way" is reminiscent of "That's What You Get." Adkins again informs his significant other how he's going to feel about her, but is much softer and sweeter in this one, making it a much better song.
11) "Damn You Bubba" -- Some people aren't going to like "Damn You Bubba." Some people are going to outright hate "Damn You Bubba." I really, really like "Damn You Bubba." Maybe it's because the morning I heard it I was seething about my own brother taking some work I should have had, much like the song's protagonist ("Bubba done filled that spot. Damn you Bubba"). I'd recommend giving it a listen, but it's definitely not for everyone.
12) "More Like Us" -- Speaking of "not for everyone," "More Like Us" definitely fits the bill. Adkins informs our leaders in Washington that he's willing to fight for his God, and there's more like him coming. Patriotic, religious and in-your-face, it's a stereotypical country song. Like "Damn You Bubba" some will like it and others will hate it.
13) "If I Was A Woman" -- "If I Was A Woman" sounds like something you would here in a saloon (musically, of course). Adkins teams up with Blake Shelton, reuniting the "Hillbilly Bone" duo. On that hit, Trace commented on how he "always wanted to sing a bone song." Well this time the big boys sing about an entirely different topic, what they would do if they were women (fall in love with themselves, of course). It's a funny song, and Adkins and Shelton have a good give-and-take throughout the tune. I recently said that Shelton should headline his own tour next summer, and I think Adkins should open for him. The two clearly have great chemistry, making this track shine.
14) "Semper Fi" -- If you call a country song "Semper Fi" you better bring it, and again Adkins doesn't disappoint. While other military-themed country songs are sung from the view of a soldier, "Semper Fi" is honoring those who sacrifice so we can be free. While "More Of Us" highlights the division in America today, "Semper Fi" unites us and is a great end to a very good album.
While Adkins may just be "Proud To Be Here," I'd say he's put together an album to be proud of. From the ballads to the rockers, Adkins hits the right notes for most of the album and shows he's still got it... much like Bubba's old Tonka Truck.
(Tracks 11-14 are found on the deluxe edition of "Proud To Be Here")
Thursday 4 August 2011
CNY country radio debate
I must confess that I'm a pretty lucky guy. I live in between Syracuse and Utica, giving me access to four different country radio stations. So, which one is the best to listen to?
Bug Country - Bug Country broadcasts from the Mohawk Valley area, so Syracuse listeners will have a hard time picking it up. I found this station recently, and I like what I hear. I've heard them play new songs before anyone else, but they also play more classic songs than the other three stations, which is a nice change of pace. My only complaint is that they frequently remind listeners they're not Big Frog. We get it.
Wolf 105.1 - Wolf 105.1 is a new station, beginning broadcasting a few years ago. They play a good mix of songs and their on air personalities keep the chatter to a minimum, aside from Big D and Bubba in the morning. While the duo are funny, it's a national show, where I prefer a morning team who can address issues in this area.
B104.7 - To be completely honest, I don't listen to B104.7 much. It's not a knock on the station, it's just never been my first choice. The final station on the list is the reason why.
Big Frog 104 - I confess, when it comes to radio stations, I'm a homer. I've listened to Big Frog since I was a kid, back when it was just the Frog. I need Matt Herkimer when I wake up in the morning and Greg "Splashin'" McShea to get me through the workday. It just feels like home, which is what country music is all about.
Wednesday 3 August 2011
"Remind Me" video most boring ever?
Obviously, making a humorous video for this song makes no sense, so I understand that. I also understand that both performers are married and wanted to keep things "delicate." And I even understand the metaphor, but was walking through the desert to each other really all they could come up with? Really? I mean, that could have been part of it, but the whole thing? It's excruciatingly boring. Why couldn't they have had actors play the lovers' roles and just done cutaways of Brad and Carrie in the desert? I think it would have been a much better approach.
Don't get me wrong, "Remind Me" is an excellent song, and it's worth listening to over and over and over, I just wish the video could have provided a similar spark. To quote the great William Shatner: "The end of the song, I liked it... You know when the song ends and you come to a complete stop, I liked that."
Monday 1 August 2011
Review: Eric Church "Chief"
"Chief" |
Thursday 28 July 2011
Under the Covers - "Friends In Low Places"
"Friends In Low Places." If you aren't familiar with it, you should probably turn in your country music fan card and pick up the latest Jeezy record. It might be Garth Brooks' best known song, and that's saying something for a guy who seems to have a hit song for every state in the country.
So, who did the most famous cover of the song? Hint: The answer isn't someone at every karaoke night, ever (close second). Nope, the answer is actually Garth himself. While Garth made the song the classic that it is, Mark Chesnutt originally cut the song on his album "Too Cold At Home."
I wonder if Mark is still kicking himself for not releasing that song.
Concert Review: Brad Paisley H2O II Wetter and Wilder World Tour
Just one of Brad's trailers. |
Edens Edge |
Judge Jerrod |
Blake drawing his biggest cheer of the night, by drinking. |
Does Brad play guitar better, or sing better? We may never know... |
Hey, what are you doing way up here? |