Rolling Country 2013

Good example of McAnally's point: Brandy Clark's "Hungover", with her steady rise through the eternal shade of her hubby's sub-Easter Island headload (no matter how many steps she climbs, still got to mind the gravity, feel the pull)(she still cares; can't tell him to buzz off or get out of the way, even). That's the 12 Stories track that keeps finding its way to replay in my own head, but still not sure about the album as a whole. (Several--prob a majority/plurality--of keepers, duh, but so far she and Monroe and Musgraves seem more effective as team players--co-writers and demo/live mini-set singers--than on their own whole solo studio albums. I'll keep listening, though).
Just now spent the morning with that xpost Buck 'Em: The Music of Buck Owens (1955-1961), out yesterday and already on Spotify, unlike some. Can def see what the Beatles seem to have learned from him (and maybe even vice versa--ditto the Everlys?) also rec to fans of buckskin Neil Young, Gram Parsons, Dwight Yoakam of course. What I didn't expect, aside from his own apporach to rockabilly, which sounds like no one else I can think of, is his own apparent influence, the Louvin Brothers---even aside from overdubbing, or maybe singing with Don Rich or somebody, he can go it alone, go from Ralph's legato tenor to Ira's "boy alto" (or damn near) and back (and forth), but with his own droll soul, while exploiting sentiment and accent: stretching, bending, adding syllables, leaning out from the beat. There's at least one---blanking on the title, after listening to 50 tracks at one sitting---where he chortles and complains like uptempo Hank Williams on the verses, yelps like the Louvins on the chorus. (Mostly: mono singles, with some alt versions, punctuated by a few live shots, and a couple of great instrumentals: "Buck's Polka", which doesn't bother with accordions or fiddles, and "Buckaroo", kissin' cousin to Lennon-McCartney's "I Feel Fine", which doesn't bother with feedback---more like these, please!) I'd probably just keep 35-40 out of 50, but hey.

Did ya watch the CMA Awards tonight?

Kacey Musgraves - 2013 Anticipation

some comments here

Given up on awards shows, at least for now; the commercials are getting me claustrophobic, or agoraphobic, strictly speaking (both, as the dread marketplace presses me). Thanks for the link, but I'm putting off getting back to Musgraves. On Veteran's Day and free Spotify, when I don't wanna spend any unpaid-holiday money and have nothing better to do, I've just now listened to Divided & United: Songs of the Civil War. Think I might should listen more before saying much about it, but it's mostly, maybe all, good-to-great Top Ten bait, with hardly anything seeming merely mopey(perhaps a few where they're just killing time before or after the battle, but those fit too). Tracks:
1. Take Your Gun And Go, John Loretta Lynn
2. Lorena Del McCoury
3. Wildwood Flower Sam Amidon
4. Hell's Broke Loose In Georgia Bryan Sutton
5. Two Soldiers Ricky Skaggs
6. Marching Through Georgia Old Crow Medicine Show
7. Dear Old Flag Vince Gill
8. Just Before The Battle, Mother / Farewell, Mother Dirk Hamilton & Steve Earl
9. The Fall Of Charleston Shovels & Rope
10. Tenting On The Old Campground John Doe
11. Day Of Liberty Carolina Chocolate Drops
12. Richmond Is A Hard Road To Travel Chris Thile
13. Two Brothers Chris Stapleton
14. The Faded Coat Of Blue Norman Blake
15. Listen To The Mockingbird Stuart Duncan
16. Kingdom Come Pokey Lafarge

Disc 2:

1. Rebel Soldier Jamey Johnson
2. The Legend Of The Rebel Soldier Lee Ann Womack
3. The Mermaid Song Jorma Kaukonen
4. Dixie Karen Elson & the Secret Sisters
5. The Vacant Chair Ralph Stanley
6. Hard Times Chris Hillman
7. Down By The Riverside Taj Mahal
8. Old Folks At Home / The Girl I Left Behind Me Noam Pikelny & David Grisman
9. Secesh The Tennessee Mafia Jug Band
10. The Battle Of Antietam T Bone Burnett
11. Pretty Saro Ashley Monroe
12. Aura Lee Joe Henry
13. Johnny Has Gone For A Soldier AA Bondy
14. When Johnny Comes Marching Home Angel Snow
15. Battle Cry Of Freedom Bryan Sutton
16. Beautiful Dreamer Cowboy Jack Clement

Uh-oh, that paste didn't catch some duet partners:
Richmond Is A Hard Road To Travel--Chris Thile & Michael Daves
The Faded Coat Of Blue--Norman & Nancy Blake
Listen To The Mockingbird--Stuart Duncan & Dolly Parton
Pretty Saro--Ashley Monroe ft. Aubrey Haynie
(Nor did it get Steve Earle's final "e", but he'll live.)

No L.L. Cool J or Brad Paisley on it?

Maybe they declined---like Neil Young and Springsteen coulda been on The Lost Notebooks of Hank Williams---and originally, Bob Dylan was given the opportunity to do the whole album, but he declined (said it was too great a responsibility). Would've liked to have seen what Taylor Swift, Carrie Underwood, Toby Keith, Gary Allan, Sugarland might've brought to the table, in that case or this---but mebbe they declined too.

I'm kinda squeamish about songs about the Civil War tbh

anybody own the new Kellie Pickler? What I heard sounds pretty solid but the songs aren't as sharp as 100 Proof's.

Will check the new Pickler; good review in recent Rolling Stone. Here's Emmylou & Rodney's whole Nov. 2 Austin City Limits show,(they'll be on ACL's Americana awards show too)Still got the good Geritol:
http://video.pbs.org/video/2365109950/

Okay, just listened to Pickler. I hope 100 Proof is better; I'll check that too. So far, mainly digging "A Little Bit Gypsy", which seems a little bit Bangles in the writing & vocals, with mainstream country pop's now nearly obligatory 70s arena rock guitar; "Buzzin' "; "Closer To Nowhere" ("Out where the stars get crowded, but we can get just as lost in your car in the driveway", or something to that effect); and "Someone Somewhere Tonight" (first steps, first kiss, everything else to be thankful for--but also, simultaneously, other someones getting last rites, trying to make it though the bottle tonight; living in prison, etc.) A candlelit boudoir arena ballad, risking buzzkill---but not getting out of prison may mean not getting run over by a truck, so count that too, She's so sweet, totally unconvincing as a badass. Well, the one about selling the ring her cheatin' fiance's still payiing for could work, but goes nowhere past the first couple verses, like many hits, but in, this case, the chorus isn't strong enough to keep the static sparky. Yeah, "Bonnie and Clyde"--they're prob her matching malties!

I'm def not liking this Pickler as much as the last one.

Haven't heard it yet.

Caramanica in the New York Times re Florida Georgia Line live:

They started out with one that perhaps only dedicated listeners would appreciate, Lil Troy’s Houston-rap hit “Wanna Be a Baller.” Then it was Macklemore & Ryan Lewis’s “Thrift Shop,” a cheap ploy to snare the casual listener. After that, TLC’s “No Scrubs,” 50 Cent’s “In da Club,” Juvenile’s song about derrières with an unprintable name, and Kanye West’s “Gold Digger.” After that, Mr. Ford rewrote Dr. Dre’s “Nuthin’ but a ‘G’ Thang” as a country song, and everyone rapped along.

Wait — what?

That a country band can drop a string of hip-hop and R & B songs into its set (as opposed to ones by Alan Jackson and George Strait) and no one bats an eye — indeed, the audience cheers — says everything you need to know about the disruptions that have been shaking country music lately. Quite suddenly, Nashville is a hip-hop town, whether it likes it or not.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/16/arts/music/florida-georgia-line-at-best-buy-theater.html

From original hick-hop (which has been around, now and then, for a decade or so, maybe starting with Toby Keith and the Groovegrass Boyz) to adaptations and straight-up covers.... oh well, I'll check it out.

The Florida-Georgia Line album though is not straight-up hick-hop

I meant I'd be more interested if he'd reported that F-G's doing original hick-hop, as Toby etc. started doing a long time ago, than just throwing in some covers (as some other country pop biggies now routinely add arena rock chesnuts). Okay by me, but c'mon, suddenly, Nashville is a hip-hop town, whether it likes it or not? It's just a nod to the (multi-)generational appeal, mutual congratulations on what we all came up hearing with and still like. They could also cover something from Dark Side of the Moon, another family favorite down here.

But yeah, I'll check out the shows on YouTube and the album on Spotify.

saw this on the Year-end Critics Poll 2013 thread:

TheBoot.com - Best Albums of 2013
http://theboot.com/best-albums-of-2013/

01 Keith Urban 'Fuse'
02 Kacey Musgraves 'Same Trailer Different Park'
03 Luke Bryan 'Crash My Party'
04 Brad Paisley 'Wheelhouse'
05 Ashley Monroe 'Like a Rose'
06 Patty Griffin 'Silver Bell'
07 Kenny Rogers 'You Can't Make Old Friends'
08 Sheryl Crow 'Feels Like Home'
09 Emmylou Harris and Rodney Crowell 'Old Yellow Moon'
10 Joe Nichols 'Crickets'

haven't seen anything here about toby keith's drinks after work. like all his recent albums, it's about three-fifths good to great and about two-fifths not. i love the title song, which musically reminds me of john mellencamp circa the lonesome jubilee and lyrically is, well this is toby keith, so it's about exactly what you think it's about: asking a girl at the office out for a drink. (though apparently he didn't actually write that one.) "last living cowboy" is a fun merle haggard-y throwback whose protagonist is 87 years old and "all the way drunk half the time." i have no need whatsoever for the deluxe edition's "margarativalle" cover featuring sammy hagar, especially when the non-deluxe version already gets the jimmy buffett vibe down perfectly with "i'll probably be out fishin'."

so much music to listen to, so little time (for me lately)

TheBoot.com - Best Albums of 2013
01 Keith Urban 'Fuse'

This is interesting to me. I found that album disappointing for some reason, and I really enjoyed his last couple.

Yeah, and I'm surprised to see Patty Griffin's Silver Bell on there: recorded with a 2000 release in mind, incl. originals beautifully covered by the Dixie Chicks--but otherwise, it's mostly, um, art-rock, for lack of a better term. Her meant-for-2013 American Kid would be a better fit, (but what the hell, they're both excellent).
Jason Isbell's Here We Rest often relied on the words, and some live versions were even shakier, but onSoutheeastern, he's got his tuneful tightness back (playing a lot of the mostly acoustic instruments himself; the 400 Unit plug in on cue and on point, but don't get co-billing). Time to put the spotlight and the pressure back on himself--the voice was never a problem, which was a problem. No matter how wasted and/or woolgathering he got, could always release a few more of those high lonesome sweet bluesy Lowell George notes, and tell himself everything was still okay and not okay, in that alone-together way.
The words are better too, deep and horizontally active enough, back and forth in time and space--the richest lode is the opener, "Cover Me Up", with some kind of imaginative but not imaginary although certainly motorvatingly metaphorical invalid, with strong lungs, calling for "medical assistance, or a magnolia breeze", while he and significant other are riding a flood in a cold house "I ain't chopping no wood...hang up your wet dress" and get that cover workin'. This is also very tender-sounding, since the lonesome monster is now ready to face whatever reality may and will surely bring--whole album's known knowns wed to known unknowns: very family values, very commuting-community-minded, very country in its way.

Outlaw country singer Wayne Mills dies in bar shooting

Nashville justice

or not

So I was just now flipping channels, and got hooked by Rich At Night, which I thought was an agreeably non-specific, holiday special, cos the philosophy employed was "everyday's a holiday", in honor of Americans who make and fix stuff, mentioned pretty often, in between "Hail Yeah" and "Yee Haw"---but it's actually (also) the premiere of John Rich's new talk show on TVGN,, from the streets and futurestar bars of Nashville to the house (some would say "building")in the bar of JR ("I'm the only one who can kick me out, and it's only happened a couple times so far"). He makes up songs from gruesome audience holiday tales (assisted by Wayne Brady, who's surprisingly okay). Rich also takes Gretchen Wilson to sing (guess what) with one downtown bar futurestar-by-night, kindergarten teacher by day, Becki McLeod, who's got a strong voice and her own tracks posted, but I haven't checked 'em yet. Wynnona Judd belts good, Kicks Brooks and Big K materialize briefly (non-simultaneously, alas)--it's more TV than music, but a good combination of wired and laid-back, with all commercials corralled into reasonably occasional, reasonably timed appearances, so far.

Everytime I thought Rich was gonna veer into a Tea Party rant, he didn't (so far).

oops forgot (not strictly necessary, but vs. soggy weather)
http://brightcove.vo.llnwd.net/d21/unsecured/media/2178772909001/201311/983/2178772909001_2855249188001_XtraJohnRich3TVGN-26635-797x449.jpg?pubId=2178772909001

http://www.cmt.com/news/cmt-offstage/1718073/wanted-songs-about-southern-guys.jhtml

hmmm, hadn't thought about this

Help. Need a couple more singles (and more than that would be good), or else I'll whiff altogether on my Country Critics Poll. This is what I've got so far. I haven't been listening enough.

1. 2YOON "24/7"
2. Miranda Lambert "Mama's Broken Heart"
3. Kacey Musgraves "Blowin' Smoke"
4. The Civil Wars "The One That Got Away"
5. Luke Bryan "That's My Kind Of Night"
6. Sturgill Simpson "Life Ain't Fair And The World Is Mean"
7. Gwen Sebastian "Suitcase"
8. Charlie Worsham "Could It Be"

(I like most of the Sturgill Simpson album more than that single, by the way.)

@Frank_Kogan

"Railroad of Sin" was also an official single from the Sturgill Simpson album, if that helps. I have it on my ballot.

"Borrowed" and "Gasoline and Matches" were the '13 singles from LeAnn Rimes' album, if that was to your liking.

"Borrowed" is great, but think it was released in very late '12? So, by poll's very strict rules, doesn't qualify (I did list it for '12). Frank, have you considered these, from Gary Allan's real good Set You Free?
"Every Storm (Runs Out of Rain)"
Released: September 17, 2012
"Pieces"
Released: February 25, 2013
"It Ain't the Whiskey"
Released: September 23, 2013 (my fave of these, though some album-only tracks are even better)
Also, maybe:
Dylan's "Pretty Saro"
Natalie Maines "Mother" (think it and her album will both make my ballot; ditto the Allan alb and maybe "It Ain't")

Frank, 4 of your top 5 made my ballot (which I sent yesterday.) I either never heard or barely remember your other 4.

Other singles you might consider (all of which I like, to widely varying degrees):

Regulo Caro – Empujando La Linea (El Minilic)
Lady Antebellum – Downtown
Taylor Swift – 22
Mavericks – Born to Be Blue
Pistol Annies – Hush Hush
Toby Keith – Drinks After Work
Jason Aldean – 1994
Ashley Monroe – Like A Rose
The Band Perry – Done
Gary Allan – It Ain’t the Whiskey
Kacey Musgraves – See You Again
Kacey Musgraves – Follow Your Arrow
Ashley Monroe – Weed Instead Of Roses
Chris Stapleton – What Are You Listening To?
Sheryl Crow - Easy
The Henningsens – American Beautiful
Carrie Underwood – Two Black Cadillacs
Eli Young Band – Drunk Last Night
Randy Houser – Runnin’ Outta Moonlight
Cassadee Pope - 11
Brandy Clark - Stripes
Lady Antebellum - Goodbye Town

Oops, sorry about including "Every Storm"!

Well, yeah: the Keith, Pistol Annies, Mavericks--maybe "Truck Yeah" too

love love love the toby keith single. love love the brandy clark single (but was her "what'll keep me out of heaven" not a single?). well yeah to both ashley monroes too.

if you're down with timely reissues…

https://soundcloud.com/secret-seven/blaze-foley-cold-cold-world

"Stripes" was the only official single from the Brandy Clark album; "Like a Rose" was first released last November but didn't get a video until this Spring. "You Got Me" was also officially pushed to radio, though radio didn't bite.

Thanks, everybody.

Chuck, I don't think I remember everything on my singles list either. Well, don't remember "Could It Be," and someone's asleep 10 feet away from me so I won't go immediately to YouTube and listen.

I haven't yet figured out if "See You Again" is a reissue or where it came from (seems to've been recorded several years ago). Not that I pay much attention to Geoff's strict date-of-release* rule, which is a dumb rule (P&J does much better by recommending year of impact and allowing boundary jumpers, so more accurately gauging a song's actual critic support). I don't think he strictly enforces it anyway. And a video release counts as a release.

Taylor will sometimes release the same single in more than one year, a promo download release in Year 1 and a big-splash release in Year 2.

*I told him back in '03 that the only time I worry about date of release is when I'm in jail.

"And a video release counts as a release." I mean, I count a video releases as a release. Don't know what Geoff does.

I feel fine counting Musgraves' Miley cover (presumably recorded who knows when) as this year because Rhapsody carries it only as the lead cut of a 5-song/multi-artist EP called Stars Of Montana supposedly released (or at least added for streaming) on 18 Jan 2013 (and, like you Frank if I remember right, I count lead cuts of EPs as singles by definition.)

Taylor Swift "22" came out as a single March 12, 2013, according to Wiki. (No idea whether it had charted as a download previously.)

Keith Urban "Come Back To Me" guys!! It's so haunting and still and every line is breathtaking. 'I wanna hold you but I don't wanna hold you back'. Written by Brandy Clark/Shane McAnally/Trevor Rosen.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cwanePAsIX0

oh wait i guess that isn't a single w/e

the label that released that compilation w/ musgraves's "see you again" cover on it (triple pop) says it was released in 2008. itunes says the same.

OK thanks. Rhapsody actually lists the label as TuneCore, whatever that is (one of my top 10 P&J singles, a Southern Soul song, has the same label listed), but I'm going to take your word for it and assume that opens up a slot on my Top 100 for something non-Musgraves. ("See You Again" didn't make my Nashville Scene ballot anyway actually.)

tunecore is the most prominent of the services that lets any artist or label self-distribute ther work to online services. it's mostly unsigned artists, but some smaller labels use it too (as well as a few bigger artists who are over the whole label thing). don't know if they have ther own label on the side. maybe some people who use them enter "tunecore" as their label 'cause they've got nothing else to put in that box.

A few more pretty-good-or-better singles I forgot to list above:

Lauren Alaina – Barefoot and Buckwild
Lee Brice - Parking Lot Party
Brandy Clark – Pray to Jesus (came out months before the album, lead cut on a 3-song, uh, TuneCore EP -- possibly a demo version)
Toby Keith – Hope On The Rocks
Mavericks – Back In Your Arms
Willie Nelson feat. Mavis Staples – Grandma’s Hands
Johnny Solinger – Rock n Roll Cowboy Man
George Strait - I Got A Car

As well as stuff already mentioned, I'm quite partial to the McAnally-penned "Fuzzy" by the Randy Rogers Band:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0NreVs1e4GM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_udpQffCt4Y

How do people feel about Eric Church's "The Outsiders"? AFAIK Al hates it, but that's all the talk I've seen about it.

So I relistened to Charlie Worsham's "Could It Be" and it drifted into the sunlight and off my list (though he does an okay cover of "Gangnam Style"). Working my way through your recommendations. Toby Keith sings best; Chris Stapleton sings worst but has the best song, and he'll probably get the nod for not disappointing me (in that I don't think I've heard anything else of his ever). I'll probably decide that "22" is country eligible (though it makes no effort to convince me it is). This still leaves one spot to fill, and I'll give these more of a chance. With Gary Allan I keep feeling "He's been there and done that," which I realize isn't much of an explanation for why I've gone meh on him recently, given that I regularly fall for freestyle and disco rehashes from South Korea.

Do u Spotify? I do, now that we don't have to sign in via Fecebook. I thought the same about Allan before hearing the whole album a couple times. But if you're not into albums, may not help (the whole Drinks After Work seems amazingly good so far, compared to my expectations, anyway).