Rolling Country 2010

Ah, OK, a bit more into this and yeah, it's a ton of soundalikes and gimmicks and novelty. Still interesting as a funhouse view of its period, though.

We write about old records and reissues all the time, so there's no reason you shouldn't. Stick around.

Got back from a Seder too late to review Kenny Chesney's "Ain't Back Yet" for Rolling Country. Would've given it an 8 or so, kicks hard while still treading lightly.

Poptimists is starting theme orgafuns, the first one being "Best Songs About Women Getting Violent And/Or Creative Revenge On Men!." You only get one nominee but you can list and link all you want. So far country is dominating the show.

On a related note, I'm in an interesting convo over on one of Tom's Tumblrs with a woman named Petra on the subject of how angry songs by women are perceived and not perceived (convo inspired by a horrendously bad trend piece in the Guardian). (I suppose that "horrendously bad trend piece" is a redundancy.)

Also, if I understood correctly, there's going to be a country poll tomorrow at Poptimists. (That's the general site link; I'll post a specific one when it appears.)

Frank likes that new Chesney single way more than I do (though it's conceivable I've been underrating it.) Some Jukebox review roundups:

Kenny Chesney "Ain't Back Yet"

http://www.thesinglesjukebox.com/?p=2134

Tim McGraw "Still"

http://www.thesinglesjukebox.com/?p=2135

Miranda Lambert "The House That Built Me"

http://www.thesinglesjukebox.com/?p=2111

still unhappy i didn't post my blurb for the lambert; really like that song a lot.

Here's that Poptimists country poll I was telling you about.

Been liking (not loving, but liking enough to play it a bunch of times) this new white blues album on Alligator, The Devil Is An Angel Too, by Janiva Magness, who I never heard of before. Includes covers of songs by Ann Peebles ("I'm Gonna Tear Your Playhouse Down," which I've always thought of as Graham Parker though apparently Paul Young did it too), Joe Tex ("I Want To Do Everything For You"), Nick Lowe ("Homewrecker," never heard it before), Tift Merritt ("Your Love Made a U-Turn," written by a McClinton who may or may not be Delbert), Strong-Whitfield-Penzabene ("End Of Our Road," apparently previously done by Marvin Gaye and Gladys Knight), and Jeff Barry ("Walkin' In The Sun," apparently previously done by Glen Campbell), so maybe what I'm liking is that it's as much a soul (or soul-country) album as a blues album. Maybe somebody else can figure out where the other songs came from; lots of different credits. Some warm melodic guitar parts too, and she saves the one torch/lounge schlocker 'til the end, so I don't mind much.

http://www.myspace.com/janivamagness

http://www.janivamagness.com/

Caramanica calls Gary Allan's Get Off On The Pain "the best country album of the year so far" in the NYTimes. I disagree - I'd definitely take Chely Wright, Laura Bell Bundy, and Merle Haggard over it (and Legendary Shack Shakers and Drive By-Truckers, if those count as country, and Slim Cessna's Auto Club, if it counts as country and doesn't count as a reissue); almost definitely prefer Ray Wylie Hubbard and Josh Turner, too, and maybe Willie Nelson, Elizabeth Cook, Lady Antebellum, and even uh Shooter Jennings -- none of which I'd even much recommend, at least so far -- as well.) (Some of which are admittedly not out yet, so maybe they don't fit under the category "so far.") But his blurb will probably inspire me to give Gary Allan one more chance:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/04/arts/music/04play.html

He makes me curious about Marvin Sapp, too; been on a bit of a gospel kick lately, since Spin asked me to do an Essentials column on the genre, but I know even less about recent gospel than I do about old gospel. Have been liking the three-disc late '09 archival compilation Fire In My Bones: Raw + Rare + Otherworldly African-American Gospel (1944-2007) (Tompkins Square) a whole lot this month, though.

along those lines:
what would you guys say are the best country releases of Q1 2010?

I like the Easton Corbin debut a lot. It's pretty much a top notch George Strait album--you can take that as a criticism or a recommendation depending on taste.

My favorite so far this year is the new Alan Jackson. There's a simplicity to it, a reining-in after his more sprawling, showy last album, that I enjoy a lot.

I didn't hear too much country while lying low for Lent, but I did enjoy Blake Shelton's EP and Josh Turner's concept album about what an awesome husband and father he is.

Also good is the Carolina Chocolate Drops' Genuine Negro Jig, which is getting love over on the "What's Worth Listening To in 2010?" thread. It got reviewed on the 9513, so it counts here. I hadn't heard of them before. They're a black Appalachian string trio on Nonesuch, and the first six songs are fast and fun. They can play, but they're not bloodlessly virtuosic like some bluegrass. They all three sing and trade off on banjos, fiddles, jugs, bones, and whatnot. They also cover "Hit 'Em Up Style," which totally fits in the context of all the old-timey stuff. Second half isn't as interesting, but there's still a couple good barn dance numbers, enough to recommend it overall. The liner notes, like the music, are cheerfully low-key re the impressive amount of research that must have gone into this. Seems more like fun than school.

Also, re this upthread: saw jamey johnson last night, it was an interesting show. he's weird onstage, sort of diffident except that he's the guy with the microphone. Totally--I saw him last summer at the fair, and I think his only onstage patter was the spoken sections of "Give It Away." At one point he raised a cup of beer to the audience, who cheered. His show wasn't that long because he was the opening act, and his only cover was "The Door Is Always Open," but the crowd loved him and man, his band is great. (The sound was great too.) On those slow waltzes, it sounded like he and the drummer were daring one another to see who could go slower, and the pedal steel player generally got to space out at the end of every song.

I reviewed the Carolina Chocolate Drops awhile back live for the Washington Post. They did a fun show, but I haven't heard the newish cd yet. And yes they have researched the history of black banjo and fiddle players thoroughly and have gone and met and played with surviving old-timers, while still staying aware of current music in other genres.

i interviewed them all a time or two; they're real bright people. New disc is great, the title song is awesome. They were obscenely well received in NYC at Bowery; the crowd was crazy into it.

Easton Corbin album left me cold; haven't heard the new Alan Jackson but I'm thinking I usually prefer him when he's less simple (unless Alison Krauss helping him get jazzy counts as simple, which I doubt) so I'm kinda skeptical; listening to Carolina Chocolate Drops on Rhapsody now (lined up in front of new Ted Leo and Titus Andronicus, neither of which I expect to like but I'm going to give them the old college rock try) and thinking they pull off the energy of Mississippi Shieks (or whoever) rhythm more than the energy of Mississippi Shieks or whoever vocals -- overall they sound, well, schooled, yeah.

There's something lackadaisical about the singing that's not grabbing me -- in Depression years, this music had a lot more wildass in it.
Bet they were Arrested Development fans, once upon a time (if they're old enough.) But that doesn't mean I won't like the album. Heard their Blu Cantrell cover; thinking it comes off more adult-alternative Middle Eastern worldbeat than any era of string-band. Not that that's a horrible thing; just not convinced that the song melds with their sound in any way. Some of the more instrumental passages ("Snowden's Jig" on now for instance) strike me arty chamber group that might, say, play in the foyer of your local suburban library; something Penguin Cafe Orchestra about that one. Which again, isn't awful. My wife heard them on NPR and said they reminded her of the Squirrel Nut Zippers, though, ick. "Why Don't You Do Right" now; tasteful torch nostalgia, not buying the schtick but I can't say the girl's voice is entirely devoid of warmth. Might like them more if they just schtuck to their main style. (Actually, you know who their eclecticism reminds me of? The Duhks.)

Matt Cibula listed these '09 albums he's liked on another thread last night; sounds like at least a couple might have some country in them. (Okay, maybe not the Czech guys; I wouldn't know, but I'm intrigued. I think Don Allred -- where is he lately anyway? -- tried to make a case once for Gogol Bordello counting as country, and their new album is starting to grow on me, though at first I thought it was just more of the same -- in the second half, they get into Latin rhythms, cool):

Traband, Domasa (Venerable Czech nutjobs, rollicking Romany rockin')
Brandon Wright, Boiling Point (fun & funky jazz, post-boppery but with an edge)
Big Light, Animals in Bloom (file under power-pop alt.country new wave jam band, but better than that sounds)
Anne McCue, Broken Promise Land (Aussie blues singer/guitarist, compare to Wilson sisters)
Pie Eyed Pete, Lake County All Star (I think he's like Ike Reilly's next door neighbor, good Midwestern songs)

"strike me as an arty chamber group that might..." etc. (Guess the operable adjective for Chocolate Drops is "middlebrow." Not a word I'd apply to, say, the Memphis Jug Band. Definitely prefer the fast songs to the slow ones, either way. "Kissin' And Cussin'" on now, its chorus inexplicably reminding me of "Muskrat Love" by America/Captain and Tenille, except the Chocolate Drops are trying in vain to make it feel "dark." Now "Sandy Boys" -- a cover, I'm betting? How many of their songs are public domain? -- where at least they're kind of doing the vocals as rhythm to go along with the strings. Has a decent bounce to it; think I wrote in my Duhks/Donna The Buffalo/Old Crow Medicine Show roundup in the Voice that these sorts of quasi old-timey bands should do that more often. And now "Reynadine," which takes us to the Renaissance Faire, but the girl's voice isn't quite lovely enough.)

No problem at all calling them "country," though -- they're as country as the Duhks etc. are country.

And oops, meant those albums Cibula listed are '10, not '09. (He should post more about them here!)

re: drops - Dom is more a showman than a singer and Justin is only a bit better but Rhiannon is operatically trained and fully capable of carrying any of these. Her inflection is, I grant you, very specific and may not be for everyone.
The only song on the new album that anyone on the band wrote (as opposed to arranged) is Kissin' and Cussin'.

xp Also didn't mean to disparge Ted Leo & Titus Andronicus (neither of whom might have any country in their music, being from New Jersey, but whatever); if I had something against them, I wouldn't be trying out their albums. And actually, I don't expect to dislike them as much as I expect to find them both potentially interesting but not compelling enough that I'll want to expend much more energy trying to figure then out. (Which is pretty much being confirmed with Leo's album, which is on right now. I know he's supposed to be very political and all, but I can almost never understand why while actually listening to him. For such an intense and committed guy, he's quite the mushmouth. And he never sounds half as much like Thin Lizzy or Joe Jackson as I wish. I really liked "Timorous Me" back on The Tyranny of Distance nine years ago, though. And on the new album, "Bottled In Cork" seems to be an okay touring song and there was one goofy part in an earlier song where Ted yelled out that the means of production are now in the hands of the workers; wasn't sure if he was trying to be funny or not. And the guitars work up a decent jangle now and then. But nothing's making me feel I need to hear it again, and on track #10 out of 13 I'm getting impatient. At least there are a couple fast songs. Maybe I'd like him more if I liked the Jam more. But they were better than him, too.)

Okay, track #11, "Tuberculoids Arrive At the Hop" -- this one has some British folk to its acoustic guitars (which I like -- song itself is pretty dull, but the guitars are really good). Not country, but close. (Just didn't want everybody to think I totally derailed the thread.) (Cut after that, "Gimme The Wire," Ted's rhythm section finally wakes up! And they stay awake for the last song, "Last Days," which seems to have something to do with people claiming the end is near. It's hard to figure out what, but I don't mind much thanks to the "My Sharona" riff.)

The Drops are so NPR it's not even funny. But hey, I gave money to NPR. I forget what the "R" stands for in Jody Rosen's DORF matrix, but they definitely qualify for the "Dead" and "Old" quadrants. Based on their repertoire, of course, not their actual status as human beings. (The DORF matrix explains which black musicians get NPR play.)

Does anyone else subscribe to Josh Turner's theory that homosexuals are loveless aliens?
I wouldn't be a man if I didn't feel like this
I wouldn't be a man if a woman like you
Was anything I could resist
I'd have to be from another planet
Where love doesn't exist

He's like a scientist!

My 600-character Rhapsody mini-reviews of new albums by Laura Bell Bundy:

http://www.rhapsody.com/laura-bell-bundy/achin-and-shakin#albumreview

And Peter Wolf (which has a lot of alt-ish country on it, though not much in the songs I actually like):

http://www.rhapsody.com/peter-wolf/midnight-souvenirs#albumreview

Second heat of the Poptimists 2000-2005 country poll has now started. "Portland Oregon" is leading "Kerosene" by two ticks, which pisses me off, but I ticked both so I shouldn't gripe. "Before He Cheats" won heat one, and "Goodbye Earl," "I Love This Bar," "Alcohol," and "Hotel Yorba" all qualified.

John, I don't have anything to strongly recommend that you don't know about through Jukebox except that I second Xhuxk's thumbs up for Laura Bell Bundy's "Giddy On Up"; and Jaron And The Long Road To Love's "Pray For You" made me laugh out loud as a send-up of pious forgive-your-enemies sentiments. Jaron has the right reedy voice for it, and I think he might have potential even when he's not joking (assuming that's ever; I've only heard this track).

On the basis of "Bring On The Love," I think Coldwater Jane is worth exploring more; song is a good half-rocker, and the women sing with half-husky voices, will have you rocking in your seat though you'll probably forget about it as soon as it's over. Jason Sturgeon sounds like a poor man's Eric Church on "Simple Life"; the song is no great shakes as a vaguely Mellencampish semi-rocker, but he was strong enough to pique my interest. The tune to Brandi Carlile's "Dying Day" reminds me a bit of "Wild World," which is a compliment, though it would be more of a compliment if the tune reminded me more of "Wild World" and if she didn't fall so heavily into her rich voice. Worth following up to find what else she does with that voice; she's been singing folk and alt country for years with respectable reviews without my hearing her, or, if I have heard her, without my remembering. Interesting that I heard this on a country radio promo compilation, since I can't imagine her ever actually crossing to country radio.

Taylor Swift and Mallary Hope sing a karaoke "Gunpowder And Lead" at a Nashville Christmas party. Taylor sounds totally natural with it, Mallary not bad but trying to figure out which chops to apply, while Taylor just lets the Miranda style take her. Makes hand motions to illustrate the lyrics. Is wearing a black glitter dress.

In-studio vid for Little Big Town's "Little White Church." Good stompin' little stomp. I'd categorize it as Willingly Abstaining From Sex Until The Guy Marries Her Already, which means it's not really eligible for the latest poptimists orgafunnery, which calls for songs on the theme of Willingly Abstaining From Sex And/Or Relationships Until You Find True Love Or A Decent Man/Woman Or Somesuch. (Surprisingly, I could only think of one, "Past, Present and Future" by the Shangri-Las. Surely there must be country songs that qualify.)

Intocable's latest, "Estamos en Algo," moves from dramatic accordion flourishes, to what I'll inadequately call "soul," to something resembling ska with gang shouts in the background, to a groovy beat that resembles "Ode to Billy Joe", I think:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xJF3g4M7IXc

But that's not why I bring it up here. No, I mention it because my mother-in-law, a wonderful woman who's fluent in Spanish but not a native speaker, said it was "too country" for her, and she prefers her Spanish music to come from Spain. Plus, hasn't Cibula made the case for Intocable as a country band before?

Anyway, the lyrics are weird. "Estamos en algo" strictly translates as "we are in something," which is either an idiom I don't know or Cartesian poetry. Here's the verse:

Si no estas
Pensando en mí
No estas en nada
Pero yo
Pensando estoy
En tu mirada

Y si estas
Pensando en mí
Estas en algo
Yo por verte
Este día
Se me hace largo

Doesn't it just LOOK beautiful on the page? I think the gist is that our existence is proven when we think of one another, maybe because thinking leads to longing, and longing lets us know we're alive. But I could be reading too much into it.

(Sorry, I meant to just post the link.)

i will hunt those down Frank, thx.

I forget what the "R" stands for in Jody Rosen's DORF matrix,

Retro I think...NPR likes Black musicians that are Dead, Old, Retro, or Foreign

Josh, I love that Intocable song. I'll need to listen to more.

Yeah, me too. And Matt Cibula definitely has called Intocable country before. (Speaking of Cibula, he may be happy to know that my new favorite new non-reissue album of 2010 is Domasa by the Czech prog/goof/rock band Traband, which he recommended -- and not only for the blatant Dylan and Neil Diamond steals, though that's part of it.)

Also loving Intocable's "Hay Ojitos," which I heard on the radio over the weekend. (Finally settled on a Regional Mexican station to pre-set in the car. Not sure why it took me over a year in Texas to do that.) Youtube posting dates suggest the song's from late last year, though I could be wrong about that. Be sure to check out the highly entertaining video, which features skimpily dressed women, guns, and a cock fight.

Caramanica on Laura Bell Bundy's album (scroll down). He prefers the slow half, which is nuts, but at least we agree "Curse The Bed" is the best slow song. Was not aware that the ballads were "produced and written in large part by Nathan Chapman, the behind-the-scenes architect of Taylor Swift’s sound."

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/12/arts/music/12choi.html

My haiku-length Rhapsody reviews of new Colt Ford (liked this a lot more than I expected, btw, but have still yet to determine how much):

http://www.rhapsody.com/colt-ford/chicken-and-biscuits#albumreview

And new Legendary Shack Shakers:

http://www.rhapsody.com/legendary-shack-shakers/agridustrial#albumreview

By the way, Wiki writes this about Colt Ford's debut album, which I still haven't heard and never heard of until a few days ago, but which actually apparently went to #24 on the country chart two years ago: "Ford's debut album also has guest appearances from country singer Jamey Johnson, as well as Bone Crusher and Jermaine Dupri, and Jeremy Popoff of Lit." Bone Crusher behind a 300-pound crunk rapper from Atlanta, for those unaware. A guy at roughstock.com compared the album to Bubba Sparxxx. Also from Wiki: "He also appeared on a rap remix of Montgomery Gentry's late-2008 Number One single 'Roll with Me.'"

And speaking of previous albums that I never knew existed, I also learned recently that, on Laura Bell Bundy's self-released debut album a couple years ago, she covered "Dancing With Myself" by Generation X/Billy Idol. (There are videos of her doing the song live on youtube.)

"Bone Crusher being...," I meant. (I thought Colt Ford's new album was closer to Cowboy Troy than to Bubba Sparxxx, for what it's worth, but maybe with Kid Rock's taste for hard rock riffs -- or okay, Jason Aldean's taste for hard rock riffs, at least -- and maybe a little rapping that hip-hop fans might not dismiss as completely corny.)

rap remix of Montgomery Gentry's late-2008 Number One single 'Roll with Me.'"

This is hearable on youtube, too, and Colt's flow is more like Bubba than Troy in the remix, so I'm guessing they consciously tried to make him more "country" and less "rap" -- hence, less threatening to country fans -- on the new album (his fourth, technically -- second studio one and a live one both charted in the 40s on the country chart last year.) He also does "Roll With Me" live with MG on a couple videos on youtube, but the sound's not good on either. He's definitely a big boy, though.

Aspiring country singer-songwriter and tenth-place Nashville Star finisher Justin Gaston attempts "If I Can Dream" as a guest on American Idol (to help promote some other Simon Fuller-produced reality show he's on). He's anonymous but nicely gentle on the soft bits at the start, is inadequate to the strong emoting he tries for later, achieves some sparks in the last minute in back and forth with his duet partner, who's effectively emotional as always and is the reason I listened.

Colt Ford had a brief guest spot on Bone Crusher's funk-rap "Round" three years ago (shows up about 3 minutes in). Here are "Mr. Goodtime," "Ain't No Trash In My Trailer," "Ride Through The Country, and "Cold Beer," the four singles from his first album Ride Through The Country. I think he's best when the arrangements don't overrun his voice (so "Mr. Goodtime" and "Ride Through The Country"). Xhuxk's right about the Bubba Sparxxx drawl. Album rose higher on the rap chart (#12) than the country (#24), though those two charts probably aren't analogous (rap being much more a specialty chart, as opposed to "r&b/hip-hop").

Jon Caramanica (who I got the opportunity to debate Laura Bell Bundy sides with in Seattle this weeked) on the new Merle Haggard album (which he underrates) and new Willie Nelson album (which I haven't decided what I think of yet -- leaning toward well sung, well selected old songs, but otherwise just another pointless album add to the Willie pile who cares, but I may be wrong about "pointless" and "who cares"):

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/19/arts/music/19choi.html

My own Haggard review is written but not on line yet.

Also got to spend some time over the weekend talking to University of Wisconsin PhD in history candidate Charles Hughes (who is doing is dissertation on the relationship between country and soul music in the '60s and '70s, and who did a super informative EMP presentation about how FDR's Rural Electrification Act changed music in the '30s) and Kansas City English professor and Heartaches By Number: Country Music's 500 Greatest Singles co-author David Cantwell (whose presentation on log cabin songs of the '20s was also excellent) -- two really nice guys who I'd never met before. Here's the blog they share:

http://livinginstereo.com/

http://blogs.wsj.com/speakeasy/2010/04/18/academy-of-country-music-awards-2010-carrie-underwood-wins-entertainer-of-the-year/

Here’s a complete list of the winners at the 45th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards:

ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR: Carrie Underwood

TOP MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR: Brad Paisley

TOP FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR: Miranda Lambert

TOP VOCAL GROUP OF THE YEAR: Lady Antebellum

TOP VOCAL DUO OF THE YEAR: Brooks & Dunn

TOP NEW ARTIST OF THE YEAR: Luke Bryan

ALBUM OF THE YEAR: “Revolution” - Miranda Lambert

SINGLE RECORD OF THE YEAR “Need You Now”- Lady Antebellum

SONG OF THE YEAR: “Need You Now” - Lady Antebellum

VIDEO OF THE YEAR: “White Liar”– Miranda Lambert

TRIPLE CROWN AWARD: Carrie Underwood

HUMANITARIAN AWARD: Montgomery Gentry

The show kicked off with a performance by Miranda Lambert and Underwood in which the women were joined by fiddler Charlie Daniels, Brad Paisley and John Fogerty. “That’s how you start a television show, son,” Daniels said at the end of the number.

HUMANITARIAN AWARD: Montgomery Gentry

This is pretty funny. Maybe they got it for not killing any more domesticated black bears this year?

HEY! Some people change.

Incidentally, Mom-in-Law checked with an ESL student and reported back on "Estamos en Algo":

"Estamos en algo" means there is a connection between us. And "Se me hace largo" means that it seams like a long time (since we were together). Makes more sense.

Just to recap: "we are in something" = "there is a connection between us". I love that. Just got the CD from the library, so I'll report back at some point.

now get me a confirm on watagatapitusberry

I'm a little more country than THAT.

(consults urbandictionary, throws drink in forksclovetofu's face, eagerly looks up song on youtube)

kekekeke

My emusic Merle Haggard review (scroll down):

http://www.emusic.com/album/Merle-Haggard-I-Am-What-I-Am-MP3-Download/11911349.html

Listened to the imminent Dierks Bentley album Up On The Ridge this morning and...I dunno. trad bluegrass move, feels kind of clinical and stiff but then most trad bluegrass moves do, to me. Guests: Alison Krauss, Chris Thile (of Nickel Creek), Vince Gill, Del McCoury, Kris Kristofferson, plus Miranda Lambert and Jamey Johnson on the same song, which didn't jump out at me the first time. Dierks covers "Pride (In The Name Of Love)," interesting because I've definitely heard U2 in his guitar sound before and because it's about MLK, maybe a mildly brave statement in the Obama age (at least people thought so when Brad Paisley made his MLK statement), but I'm skeptical. Also covers a Buddy & Julie Miler song, plus Dylan's "Señor (Tales Of Yankee Power)" (from Street Legal, an album I've never actually heard); potential sympathy-with-immigrants/anti-globalism statement maybe? Though I'm conjecturing that just from its title, no idea about the song itself.

Leaning toward deciding the new Elizabeth Cook album only has one song I really care about ("El Camino"). New Bill Kirchen album has less.