Rolling Country 2021

The Emily Scott Robinson album is a love letter to Lori McKenna. All these poignant, beautiful mini narratives about people that feel like they're written by someone twice her age. She's just unparalleled at writing about the toughest subjects - "Hometown Hero" about an Afghanistan vet's suicide is the kind of thing that in the wrong person's hands would be a disaster but is very successful to my ears. "Lightning in a Bottle" might be my favorite, replete with vivid but relatable imagery:

The summer that I turned nineteen was a hundred shades of green
I just wanted to be seen
Heavy like the air before it rains, clean like grass and summer sage
I lost track of all the days
Warm like the sunshine on the pines, fresh tomatoes off the vine
Pickin’ peaches for the pie
Cold, like that first beer on my lips and those midnight skinny dips
Careful like your kiss

Thanks for the tip; I just now listed on bandcamp, and yeah several strikers-to-stunners right off (opener "Old Gods" my new theme song). I did have the impression that she keeps the lid on the musos a bit too often, like early Brandy Clark, and when/if she's really singing for "The Cheap Seats," better do it louder.
Also a couple of melodies seemed trite, though can't cite titles yet.
The only song that REALLY BOTHERED ME was "Hometown Hero": here, in the midst of all this focus on taking chances, breaking goo-goo rules (for boys as well as girls!), cos you gotta get real at some point---"Things You Learn The Hard Way"- owning up to and owning indeterminacy----this is way too predetermined, too on the nose. If he really did "have everybody fooled" (did he?), how do you know he lost "the war inside his head?" Which you could say about any suicide, yeah, but here he's the veteran etc. There's a certain mystery about suicide, even more than homicide, and who knows why one person commits either, at a certain time etc., and another, similar person in similar circumstances does not?
People want to wrap it up, put a bow on it, very understandably so---but, especially given Robinson's characteristic themes, it's frustrating that she doesn't, however gently, put a little distance between herself as writer and narrator---I hope she did, and I just missed it.
(Only song I've heard that comes close is Isbell's "Dress Blues," not about a suicide, but someone else who also served his country in battle---a shit or at lease baffling war, judging by the sound of the narrator, who's swaying, maybe drunk, maybe about to hurl, while surrounded by ceremonial palliatives.)
But other than these quibbles, helluva debut:
https://emilyscottrobinson.bandcamp.com/album/american-siren

So far, and right off, Mickey Guyton's Remember Her Name is bracing pop country, entering the mainstream with no lack of blackness in accessibility, musical or thematic: "What Are You Gonna Tell Her?" in part re preparing for The Talk about how to conduct oneself so as not to, for instance, not get shot, also rape culture tendencies of society, and basically, getting past the insularity of necessary protectiveness, tending to become a fear-baked facade, getting through that to reality principle, w/o mainly conveying the anxiety via your effort. Parenting central, and work to do on yourself.
Rich-to-florid music can be Romantic, straight-up fun, wry, scary, always lucid, even while stressed. It's life.

Also, in "WAYGTH," there is even something, though I haven't caught the exact lines yet, to the effect of comparing the man's possible grooming of your daughter for victimhood---to your own grooming her for victimhood, via inadequate preparation, telling her how to be on the look out, also just helping her to get her brain wrapped around the possibility, also yours (think the guy is referred to as family member, by marriage, maybe). It's concise.

The Mickey Guyton album is my my most disliked album of 2021. I hear overstatement, generalization, MSNBC special interest stories.

She sounded good on the American Music Awards last night. Not clear how any of her lyrical flaws are worse than any of a million other country singers . Doesn’t she get points for at least attempting topics few others are choosing. Should she just sing about pickup trucks instead?

To each his own, but sounds to me like a lot of it comes from personal experience, personalized experience too: what she's seen, heard and heard of, and not just via media---impression of overstatement might come from the fact that she's venting, incl fucking finally gets to make the album she always meant to make, or---given pop country proclivities---had to make, putting it all in there while she's got this opportunity, incl. whatever backing, along with what I called the "rich-to-florid" musical approach she's always seemed into, or that seems to suit her, I think, though some of the EP tracks were uneven: in part a result, perhaps of the direction and advice she's said she tried to follow, confusing and confused though it turned out to be: oh whut shall we do with a black woman who wants to be pop-country star, gettin too funky, while hickhop boyz bump along to the top again:that's one thing she's brought up.
I suppose she may eventually say screw it, just put tracks on bandcamp and go to the Americana circuit.

Doesn’t she get points for at least attempting topics few others are choosing. Should she just sing about pickup trucks instead?

The lyrics in her songs exist on a generalization level that makes me think she exists for award shows

and, curmudgeon, few of the women writing and singing in country write and sing about pickup trucks

She's got a good album in her, though, and I suspect she's in this for life.

xxpost (re bandcamp, Americana transplant)Which she could have done from the beginning, as other black female artists have, of course, but why should she have to, especially when it doesn't really suit her, is her point, I take it. Not so say Americana is nec. pop-exclusive, or at least: I knew from interviews that Allison Russell's Outside Child would at least reference in part some bad early experiences---but wasn't prepared for all the hooks, gen. catchiness too, w/o distracting from serious themes.

"Personal...personalized" comes through in way she sings, as well as what she sings (incl. detail that fits the musical approach).

Also that most recent Valerie June album, I think, though need to listen again.

re pop engagement in Americana-tagged albums.

https://genius.com/artists/Mickey-guyton

Here are some Guyton lyrics. Not sure they’re any more generic than most other women or men country singers but yeah each may have our own take.

Maybe we need some pickup truck songs from a female perspective! Or maybe they’re out there and I have missed them or forgotten them

Whitney Rose has written some, like the early one w "I locked my keys inside your truck, like I locked my days inside" our relationship, or something to that point. Later she's running away with another local in his truck, knowing it's wrong, trying to sedate herself w the miles and miles going by etc, most famous is "Trucker's Funeral," where two of the deceased's families meet--but he's a longhauler, def not a pickup guy, except maybe when he's at home(s).
Surely there are more? Could have "Slow Down, Nascar," Rough Rider," "He Ain't Worth The Gas," "Flatbed Moon." A cover of "Hotwire My Heart," since a lot of mainstream pop country is based on old rock anyway.

Agree that Guyton's stuff is paper thin.

Went back to The Marfa Tapes this weekend. Put it on while sitting outside with the sun going down and had a whole experience there for a bit. Special album. Will be listening to it for a long time.

I'm enjoying the debut from Margo Cilker, Pohorylle. Gives me classic Lucinda Williams vibes.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vx8A86D4Nns

https://www.savingcountrymusic.com/nashville-scene-abruptly-cancels-20-year-country-critics-poll/

“Following Geoffrey Himes’ Paste column on “Afro Americana” (which has since been heavily edited and redacted), we decided to part company with Himes on the CMCP, and told him he could take it elsewhere if he liked. The Scene will keep on championing quality country music.”

After receiving the email from Geoffrey Himes, Saving Country Music offered to run the poll in 2021, but with the complex weighted scale the poll uses and the sheer number of participants, it wouldn’t be possible to put it together properly for this year. “Knowing how much work is involved in the few remaining weeks, I’ve given up on doing a poll this year,” Himes replied.

huh

Did anyone follow the implicit controversy around this article? News to me.

https://www.pastemagazine.com/music/americanafest/nashville-americanafest-rhiannon-giddens-charley-c/

Editor’s Note: Due to a breakdown in our editorial process, a previous version of this piece contained racially insensitive language that fell short of Paste’s standards. We sincerely apologize for the oversight, and will retain the updated piece to serve as a reminder of our intent to recognize reader feedback and accept responsibility when we falter.

Here's a response Paste published:

https://www.pastemagazine.com/music/afro-americana/the-insidiousness-of-afro-americana/

Maybe we need some pickup truck songs from a female perspective! Or maybe they’re out there and I have missed them or forgotten them

― curmudgeon,

I wish you'd stop posting this crap.

Ouch. But you holding Guyton up as worse than anything else seems like an opinion that many might differ with.

You keep insisting on my defending truck songs vs Guyton when I've done no such thing.

The link: https://www.pastemagazine.com/music/afro-americana/the-insidiousness-of-afro-americana/

Weird. It's not working either. Try here:

I'll miss taking part in the Nashville Scene country poll (as I've done for several years) and reading its results (as I've done for much longer). But I made that decision months ago after Geoffrey Himes' outrageous essay. I doubt I'm the only one. The Scene made the right call.

— Charles L. Hughes (@CharlesLHughes2) December 2, 2021

Looks like Paste has taken down both links.

https://web.archive.org/web/20210922050157/https://www.pastemagazine.com/music/americanafest/nashville-americanafest-rhiannon-giddens-charley-c/

https://web.archive.org/web/20211011051918/https://www.pastemagazine.com/music/afro-americana/the-insidiousness-of-afro-americana/

Heh, was starting to wonder where the ballot was.
Oh well, I'll just post my Best Of on RC 2022, using the basic ballot format with my own categories added, as always. Yall do that too.

Dear Voters,

As you may have heard, the Nashville Scene has decided to discontinue the Country Music Critics Poll. This sudden, unilateral decision was made against my wishes—even without an opportunity for me to argue on the poll’s behalf. This is a sad development for arts criticism in general and for country music criticism in particular.

I would have sent out this note earlier, but I was hoping to find a new home for the poll. Alas, I haven’t succeeded, though I will try again next year. For 21 years, the poll was a terrific arena for thoughtful and emotional arguments about country music—thanks to your contributions. I hope it will have a second life, but its first life was pretty amazing. Geoffrey Himes
According to Indexed's pasted quote above, the way Saving Country Music tells it,
After receiving the email from Geoffrey Himes, Saving Country Music offered to run the poll in 2021, but with the complex weighted scale the poll uses and the sheer number of participants, it wouldn’t be possible to put it together properly for this year. “Knowing how much work is involved in the few remaining weeks, I’ve given up on doing a poll this year,” Himes replied.
Credible, but now he makes it sound like nobody wanted us.

Guess he means he didn't find a new place in time to do it.

https://www.pastemagazine.com/music/afro-americana/the-insidiousness-of-afro-americana/

This was a response to the Himes article.

That's a very measured & thoughtful response.

The Himes article was odd. He lumped a bunch of artists together as Afro-Americana (rather than just calling them Americana), took a shot at some attention he said they were getting, hailed a few and dissed many others strongly (Alison Russell) , and then added odd phrases about how some black artists need the opportunity to fail first before they can release good records (tone-deaf re what Black folks face in life)

Thing I don't get is why Himes is the only one who can conduct this poll. You'd think Nashville Scene -- after making the decision to end their partnership with Himes -- would just figure out how to do a poll. According to Saving Country Music, it's a much bigger lift than one might expect, but I don't really buy it. It doesn't have to come out on Nov. 28th. Just do it now and put it out when it's done?

Yep. He might have done the heavy lifting for the poll, but one would think a Nashville Scene editor could take the lead , and they get interns to help count the ballots and put the results out in January. But since it was his baby they decided to give it to him and he couldn’t find another site to handle it.

I started thinking about responses to the article, as it's described by curmudgeon---then remembered some of his year-end Scene Poll commentary, and realized that I might be over-thinking it...is this piece still available anywhere?

Indeed provided a web archive link to Himes' piece upthread.

INDEXED

Thanks! I'd tried the others, but overlooked the Web Archive save. He does a good (better than expected) vivid and carefully detailed description of the albums he likes, incl. the obvious observation about extended range of Giddens' latest---but to say that the albums he doesn't like are up for awards and how can such things be, must be inverse racism---is the most kneejerk-at-best default---it figures that Trigger/Saving Country Music jumped right in there, not that it isn't a good story, newswise. There are sites that would never say a bad word about any of these artists, but they wouldn't say a bad word about almost any other artist, not in reviews; more like, It is our sad duty to report that So and So has been charged with/arrested for this and that---at most.

I'm digging the fuck outta the Lainey Wilson album several months later.

― So who you gonna call? The martini police (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Friday, October 29, 2021

I fully expect the same to be true for me, now that I've finally checked out Sayin' What I'm Thinkin'. In the wake of that, Spotify is floating "Two Story House," which isn't on the album, but goes w many of its sufficiently poignant tunes, though not as much their usually rock-inclined guitars: the album's a primo example of how to do that in service of accessibly expressive pop mainstream country, with that voice, them tropes, and "Small Town, Girl" even goes toward psychedelic crossroads while making its point, "Straight Up Sideways" is truthfully titled, like all the rest, like romantic ballad "Dirty Looks"("good on you boy, good on you boy, good om you.") "WWDD" is Stonesy if not Ac/DC-y intro with rueful musical question, "What Would Dolly Do?"--followed by vibe-y, Dolly-worthy "Rolling Stone." Rec to fellow fanz of Maren and Miranda.
How the hell did I miss her previous? Also good?

The opener,"Neon Diamonds," so far seems clunky, but I always appreciate getting the duds out of the way right away(and it may grow on me).

Now I'm getting the memo on her duet w Cole Swindell, "Never Say Never": uneasy sex drama ballad w guitar shadow imperative, "I told my mama when it comes to you, 'Never agaiiin"--"Should say that none of this is inflationary;the album is 12 songs in 38 minutes and change.

Her music always conveys a sense of people singing while getting undressed and dressed, or at least getting ready to thinking about it (in "Sunday Best," by the sound of it), never dropping whatever tempo, can't afford that.

Speaking of wakes, I was wondering if I should audition Willie Nelson Family right after Lainie, and thinking I might just be relieved if it wasn't too marginal, but enjoyed it pretty much, in a calm December way. Religion-associated themes overall, but 7 out of 12 are very Willie originals, and the rest fit. Also wondering of offspring vocals might be too duffuse, but no they mostly lend good enough, unobtrusive support (ditto bass, drums, occasional harmonica) to Dad's vox & guitar, Bobbie's keys. Lukas sounds okay lead-singing "All Things Must Pass" (couldn't tell you how compares to orig. track, sorry George), also Keep On The Sunny Side," and, although not seeing his credit,think also "I Thought About You, Lord," which seems like Willie might be reworking the presumably secular shuffle of almost the same name (good Willie picking here and all over). Dad sounds just as hale on penultimate "Too Sick To Pray" as he does on the rest. although it's about no longer being like it says in the title, so now checking in (while he can, is the inevitable read-in at this late date, of course) Upfront, no tarrying (12 tracks, 31:55)
But I can't listen to the closer, "Why Me; Lord"; it really is too much of a tearjerker for me. and I was scarred at a tender age by KK's original vocal. Sorry, son Micah.

Always discover at least a few new gems on this list. Not a fan of his writing or his brand but his selections are often undeniable.

https://www.savingcountrymusic.com/saving-country-musics-2021-album-of-the-year-nominees/

Thanks! Not seeing Capps' I Love San Antone anywhere, incl. his site---???

It's on Spotify for me?

D'oh! I was looking for Grayson Capps---in my defense, they look alike and so do their albums. Anyway, I went on to Billy Strings, put a brake on that halfway through, went to Melissa Carper's Daddy's Country Gold--title in part re her sonic sense of humor about her retrophilia,I take it---music folds and flexes bits of western swing, freight train boogie, bluesy inflections, in what is, yes, still trad country gold: tight, but didn't know there were drums 'til saw credits--steel and pedal steel are most prominent, answered by fiddle---no banjo, no uke, no horns (though accordion and guitar can fill in for those, passing through), occasional piano and/or organ, moving right along, following the boss's cute, slightly worn little voice---some Texas dust in the pipes, Appalachian hardness at ends of lines, sometimes: it's a tad more simple-subtle than Sierra Ferrell, but one for her fans (and she contributes harmonies).
"Back Then" reads kinda bleak, but the person who recalls workin' and wishin' and hopin for one who accepted her marriage proposals "now and then" ain't sorry.
The exploiter and appreciator of "My Old Fashioned Gal" has no regerts either: "I do as I please" while MOFG writes a letter, and on paper, puts it in an envelope, puts a stamp on that. takes it to the mail---also makes violet jam, lots of other things: the song has so much calm fun with the prismatic detail of the classic early 20 Century styles--slightly undersold, just slipping in there, as always.

Yeah, I can see how the Capps gets played in the SCM office a lot: it moves right along in an agreeable way, not distracting, because singing and some of the songs are agreeably limited, though always detailed, thoughtful---modelling your approach this close to Doug Sahm, a miss is as good as a mile, because normie Doug still sounds more intense than this, and is gonna go somewhere else pretty soon---a good faith offering, though---I'll listen some more, but right off seems more Hon. Mention than Top Whutever. (Does make me want to visit San Antone, which Doug never did.)

The opener,"Neon Diamonds," so far seems clunky, but I always appreciate getting the duds out of the way right away(and it may grow on me).

― dow, Tuesday, December 7, 2021

It's the weakest song, yeah

Went back to The Marfa Tapes this weekend. Put it on while sitting outside with the sun going down and had a whole experience there for a bit. Special album. Will be listening to it for a long time.

― Indexed, Monday, November 29, 2021 9:26 AM (one week ago) bookmarkflaglink

been kinda dabbling more in country over the last handful of years and just dropping in to say i love the marfa tapes release. love how raw and unpolished the whole thing is.