5 Albums You Should Be Listening To

These days who knows what country music really is anymore. I just want artists who are in it for the music, not the fame or money, because that's what makes a real artist. I want them to make music they are proud of and have it represent who they are. That concept is so lost in today's mainstream pop country music. The list below are some of the best albums I've heard this year. I don't care if it's the "countriest" sounding thing in the world or not. I just want it to be good music. Here are 5 albums that are very different from each other. I guarantee you will find something you like and will not be disappointed.  

 Like A Rose - Ashley Monroe 

Even though Ashley Monroe is best known as a member of the Pistol Annies, she proved that she can do just as well, if not better as a solo artist. The Pistol Annies gave her enough exposure to really reach out to the mainstream country fan base, and they listened. Her video for "Like A Rose" was on CMT Top 20 Countdown and she performed (very briefly) on the ACM awards. It's a start. It was great to see her amidst all of the other "types of music" in mainstream country. This is a short, simple, sweet 9 track classic country sounding album that really hits home. With personal stories being told in the the title track and others it's hard to tell how much is truth and how much is just good songwriting. She has you believing every word that comes out of her mouth that's for sure.  

The Other Life - Shooter Jennings

I'll admit to the fact that I don't love everything Shooter Jennings has ever released. Some of his songs are a little too hard edged rock for my taste. He has some really great country songs but asking him for an entire album of them would be crazy, that's not who he is. This album is the perfect combination of country and rock. Mainstream country tries to make country rock work. For the most part it doesn't go over well. (Listen to any Brantley Gilbert song if you need an example) Shooter is one of those people who can successfully defy the genre lines because they can make it work and create unique music that really fits who they are. Unquestionably this is his best album yet in my opinion. 

In The Throes - John Moreland  

A singer/songwriter from Oklahoma you probably never heard of wrote one of the greatest albums I've listened to this year. The combination of the simple acoustic instrumentation with his Bruce Springsteen-like voice and his heartbreaking lyrics just isn't fair. There isn't one bad song on this album. Every single sentence is beautifully written like lines from a poem. The whole album is the story of broken dreams, lost love, and running low on hope. It will leave you sad and heartbroken but inspired at the same time.

Southeastern - Jason Isbell

Jason Isbell is one of the most talented songwriters I've come across, probably ever. The musical style of this album is definitely in the alt country/Americana category. It's different from his other solo albums and very different from his early days as a member of the southern rock band Drive-By Truckers. The one thing has always remained the same is his hauntingly beautiful songwriting. I don't care if you call it Americana, rock, country, alt country, it doesn't matter it's just good music, music that continues to evolve into something more and more brilliant. It's stuff like this that really made me hate mainstream music. Why are these money driven pop singers getting all the attention when music like this exists? I guess we'll never know. If you are looking for a good way to transition into real music, then look no further than this album.

High Top Mountain - Sturgill Simpson

I love Americana music, I really do, but my all time favorite little sub-genre of country music would have to be from the Waylon, Willie, Billy Joe Shaver, Paycheck, etc. Outlaw Era country. If that existed today this album would be what it would sound like. It's new music that shadows the music I love that was long before my time. This is pure, real, country music. It seems like all the people who want to make actual country music are drifting off into Americana or some other genre. That's okay, but I love the ones that are still doing it this way. There are many great underground singers and bands like Hank 3, Dale Watson, Hellbound Glory, Rachel Brooke, and so many others that are keeping real country alive. People like them give me hope. It just shows that it will be hard to kill country music. There will always be someone out there still doing it right, and for the right reasons. Sturgill's sound is so unique for today's music that I think this is quite honestly the best album of the year so far, it'll be hard to top it. I think there's an Eric Church song that goes "We need a Country Music Jesus to come and save us all." Alright Nashville, I've found him. I can only dream that one day you can accept him. 

Album Review: "My Favorite Picture Of You" by Guy Clark

Since this is Guy Clark's first album in the past 4 years it just shows that true art takes time. It's the job of every songwriter to tell the story of their joys, heartbreaks, tragedies and little memorable moments life has to offer. This album is exactly that, and that is what you would expect from a songwriting legend like Guy Clark.

 The title track is one of the best songs on the record. It is a tribute to Guy's late wife Susanna. The song is about the picture of her he is holding on the album cover. "Oh and you were so angry it's hard to believe we were lovers at all. There's a fire in your eyes. You've got your heart on your sleeve, a curse on your lips, but all I can see is beautiful."  He sings the story of a true love that went through many hardships but somehow always stayed together and never faded away.

With lines like "Love's a gamble, love's a curse, love's a bitch, but it could be worse" he sings about the true battles of dealing with lost loves but still believing love is out there somewhere in "Hellbent On A Heartache." "Rain In Durango" also talks about the ongoing search for love "She's just waiting on some cowboy to lasso her heart and take her home." In "Cornmeal Waltz" he tells the life of an old dance hall with "Beat up old Stetsons," "beehive hair," and "belt buckles bumping in time." It's reminiscent of a time where life just seemed simpler.

Songs like "El Coyote" and "Heroes" tell stories with very serious messages. "El Coyote" is about the fatal troubles illegal immigrants have faced crossing the border. "Heroes" is a song that is downright just not fair. Featuring Emmylou Harris' always hauntingly heartbreaking vocals it talks about how a soldier's life is never the same after coming home. They will always continue struggling with everyday life because the vivid memories of war are always in the back of their minds. "Heroes can't always be heroes. Who's gonna save the hero from himself?"

We are living in a time where music is mass produced. Big name songwriters get together to try to write the catchiest, most cliche songs they possibly can to get it overplayed on radio. Why would you want a big radio hit if it will only be forgotten in a year or two? Albums like this are nice reassurances that there are still true artists and songwriters out there who put their heart and soul into every single song. They can create music that will be remembered years from now. The latest fads and trends will always fade away, but truth will always remain.

Essential tracks:  "My Favorite Picture Of You" " Heroes" "Hellbent On A Heartache"
Rating: A

Why Is Cassadee Pope In Country Music?

Reality singing competitions almost always lead to trouble.The winners of shows like The Voice and American Idol rarely are successful afterwards. That's why once they are signed to a record label it's the label's job to rush out a single for the winner while they are still relevant. If they wait too long they will be upstaged by next season's big winner and nobody will care about them anymore. With two seasons per year The Voice is realizing this now.


Cassadee Pope was the winner of  the third season of The Voice which ended in December. Her single "Wasting All These Tears" was released last month. Danielle Bradbery won the fourth season which ended in March and her single "The Heart Of Dixie" was released a few weeks ago. It seems already that the general public is paying more attention to Danielle now since Cassadee is old news. Both of them are members of some sort of branch of Big Machine Records. It's funny how quickly they released Danielle's new song and waited over 6 months to release Cassadee's. This wouldn't be as big of a deal if the two were in different genres.

Danielle was a 16 year old girl dressed in pretty little cowgirl boots and a sundress who auditioned with her idol Taylor Swift's smash "country" song "Mean." You knew right off the bat you were getting a bubblegum pop-country singer. She of course went to Team Blake. He made her sing some Carrie Underwood, and a little Sara Evans. Where they thought she really shined was when she sang what they actually referred to as "Classic Country." (AKA 90's Pam Tillis songs.) Whatever though, I get it. She's a typical teenage girl singing poppy country to appeal to other teenage girls who think they like country music. It makes me sick that that is what people my age buy into, but whatever I get why they put her in the country genre. What I don't understand is why Cassadee Pope is in there too.

Cassadee was the lead singer of pop-rock band Hey Monday. They were somewhat successful and are currently on hiatus so Cassadee could do her solo "country" thing. While on the show she sang songs by her idol Avril Lavigne, Maroon 5, Gavin DeGraw, and some grunge rock band. Her coach Blake Shelton suggested that she sing some country songs, she did, and it worked. The first thing that drew attention was when she sang Miranda Lambert's "Over You." It sold over 340,000 digital copies on ITunes, which is almost double what her current single has sold so far. She also covered songs by Rascal Flatts, Faith Hill and Keith Urban. It was reported that one of the lead destroyers of country music Scott Borchetta, who is the president of Big Machine records, was interested in Cassadee and they wanted her to permanently "go country." He was thrilled to find out Cassadee was on the same page because after singing all those "country" songs she felt like she really wanted to get back to her roots, the music she always loved, country music. How convenient it is today that once all these pop and rock singers careers turn to shit that's when they realize that they want to "return to their roots."

Her single "Wasting All These Tears" is mediocre at best. She has a really good voice but it isn't country at all. It sounds like a typical pop-rock song with a faint banjo in the background. Take that little banjo part out and add some other instrument it would be more than fine for pop. I think since mainstream rock is near dead she went country because it's easier than pop. That's what the country industry is today folks, a big melting pot. It's like one of those crappy dinners you have for the next few nights after Thanksgiving. Real country music is Thanksgiving, the pop stuff is the leftovers. It's similar to Thanksgiving but it just will never be as good of a meal. You have so much crap lined up in your freezer, why waste the time and money to go out and buy something new. You kind of just take all the leftovers and mash them all together hoping everyone else will deal with it. These singers singing different genres claiming it to be country are the three day old pieces of turkey. No one really wants it, but you just kinda deal with it because it's there. Everyone knows the big juicy steak at the supermarket would be a way better dinner, but no one is going to do anything about it. Some important person somewhere has to stand up. They have to tell the washed up pop stars to accept the fact that their careers are over because country isn't going to open it's doors anymore. Country is way too accepting of everything today. You can rap about trucks, whine about a high school crush, or sing about your rock-star days, because these days literally everything is considered "country" as long as you hide a faint little banjo run in your pop song. I'm telling you now there are so many good replacements out there that you don't have to settle for the leftovers anymore. Go to the store and buy that steak, you deserve it! Rant over! I'm kinda hungry...

Rant Review: "Two Step" by Laura Bell Bundy ft. Colt Ford

From the people who brought you "Truck Yeah" and "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together" here is their latest masterpiece. I think in order to move forward you have to accept how far back you really are. How are people going to think of country as anything other than a joke when they see stuff like this on TV? Laura Bell Bundy recently switched to Big Machine records. Big Machine is home to Taylor Swift, Tim McGraw, and Rascal Flatts. Branches of Big Machine Records like Valory Music and Republic Nashville are in charge of wannabe outlaws Justin Moore and Brantley Gilbert, as well as the ultimate douchenuggets Florida Georgia Line. Needless to say Big Machine is a death trap. They market image so much that any ounce of originality you have is stripped down until you are just a tiny puppet who does exactly what they tell you to.

 Laura Bell Bundy only had one other song that did somewhat decent. It was "Giddy On Up" back in 2010. This song is literally its ugly cousin. By looking at this picture from the video I'm sure you can tell you got a honky tonkin', air-humpin', fist-bumpin' good time going on. Her broadway background is dominant in all of her music videos. They look like they are a cross between dance instruction videos and bad plays in a church basement, but videos aside, it's the music that really bothers me. "Giddy On Up" isn't a song I would ever choose to listen to, but I wouldn't write a full length rant about it either. In addition to fiddles and banjos being played throughout the song, it actually has a direction, unlike "Two Step." It's about a woman confronting her cheating "cowboy" husband. The song and video actually do have many themes that try to be country. Fast forward three years and boy what a difference. Unlike "Giddy On Up," "Two Step" barely even tries to be country song except for faint country instruments in the background. Lyrically the song is near pointless, just a bad attempt to get mainstream attention. The beginning sounds like a typical women empowerment song. "I'm gonna wear what I want to cause I want to I don't need no man. I'm gonna drink what I want to cause I want to just because I can. Gonna spend my money cause it's mine, down on SoCo and lime. Cause it's girls' night out." The video of course starts off with a bunch of Rosie the Riveter type girls working in a factory like they just stepped out of World War II. They are so done with their jobs so they pull out their flasks, start drinking, and get all glamed up to go down dancing at some trashy Redneck Hip Hop club apparently. The chorus is just ridiculous "I'm gonna do my two step, do my, do my two step tonight. I'm doing my two step, watch where you step put you two steps behind. Hard to get but you want me ride that donkey straight to the back of the line. Gonna do my two step, do my, do my two step." Then she goes in to explain how to do this so called "Two Step" dance she sings about. "Slide, slide slide, two steps." "Grind, grind, grind, switch" Really? Do I really want to know how to do a dance when I hear a song on the radio. She left broadway behind to pursue a career in country music. If she really wanted to do that she should stop making all of her songs into little musicals. Knowing Big Machine they will market the hell out of this like they do everything else. I don't think people are going to get up and start dancing in their car or while they are sitting watching the video on their couch. The main outlet for this would be for people wanting fun dance songs for their "Country Themed" party or bar. This song goes to radio August 5th. The question is will the general population of mainstream country fans care about some trashy dance song enough to want to hear it on the radio? Knowing some stuff I hear I wouldn't be surprised if they did, but that's not even the worst part. 

Country rap! I hate seeing those two words together more so then any other two words in the world. Colt Ford is perhaps to blame for the mainstream success of country rap. He wrote "Dirt Road Anthem" a few years ago which was covered by Jason Aldean. Since that song in 2010 rap made it's way through the crevices of mainstream country music. Too many male country artists feel like they need to produce some sort of rap in their songs these days. It's never meaningful rap either. I don't like regular rap music at all but I could at least respect it if it has some sort of meaning. Like mainstream rap rapping about naked ladies and money, all mainstream country rap just talks about back roads, trucks, beer, and all that other stuff you need to "be country." Country rap has gotten so bad it probably actually removes brain cells as you listen. The only other thing that these new "rappers" rap about is hot girls. Which leads me into Colt Ford's little cameo in "Two Step."

Woaaah! No woman has ever showed me one of these before!

Laura Bell sings "I'm gonna rock my cowboy hat and pink stilettos. We're gonna stomp and kick until they make us all go home. You wanna see if a little country girl can get down, let me show you how." Then she is magically transported into ghettoville with spray painted walls, sideways flat bill hats, and booty shorts. This is all still country though of course because Colt Ford is wearing a cowboy hat. He raps "Hey little lady maybe you and me could possibly get together for a shot of Jack D and take a little spinner by the dance floor, tell me do you want more? All you gotta do is just say so. I can line dance, baby I can buck dance. Take you down a dirt road, back of a truck dance." (umm no thanks) Of course even though it's a hitting up a woman at a bar song they still have to mention a truck and a dirt road somehow. So much for this being a "I'm a strong woman and I don't need no man" song.

Really country music? Really! Have you really stooped down this low. Besides the fact that I personally don't want to see a bunch of half naked women on my TV, I don't think it's appropriate for the new younger country fanbase. Compared to mainstream pop, mainstream country used to be fairly innocent. Mama's would be okay with their kids watching country music videos because there wasn't any nudity or other "naughty things" frequently found in mainstream rap or pop. Today there are no filters for what they show on TV. Things like this are just "The Norm" for country today. Now don't get me wrong I don't mind bad language or themes in a song if the purpose is to accurately convey the emotion the writer was feeling. I feel like some people dumb down their music because they are worried other people will be offended. I'd prefer artists to write what they really feel and not care about radio play. Mainstream music has a problem with people saying "bad words," but they have no problem showing half naked ladies in their videos, makes sense right? It all is such cheap marketing that has nothing to do with the music. Am I gonna watch this? No! Will a teenage boy sit and watch this whole video? Oh yeah! Songs like these just really get me angry. Country used to be a more mature respected genre. Now since so many other influences from other genres are muddled into country, there is no way to tell what country is anymore.

Rating: D-

(only D- because unfortunately somehow there are worse things.)

Does CMT Actually Care About Music?

This Fourth of July I was very pleased that many of the main music TV networks were doing a 12 hour musical independence day from 6AM-6PM. MTV, VH1, and CMT all gave independent label musicians a chance to share their music with the world, although it wasn't exactly what I thought it would be. I thought it would be all indie artists but that wasn't the case. There were about 5 mainstream videos for every 1 indie video. In a way it was cool to see both kinds of artists side by side, but for calling it "Musical Independence Day" it definitely lacked Independent music. I wasn't even aware of it until the night before. I think with better promotion from all of the networks they can make this a real full blown annual deal. I think it is a great way to showcase artists who originally wouldn't receive any airplay at all. Little steps like an annual Independent music day on major networks are little rays of hope for the future of all music in general. Big major networks like those rarely play music anymore let alone Indie music. In a world where "Music Television" plays shows about teenage pregnancy and "Country Music Television" plays shows about vacationing rednecks "Musical Independence Day" shows they actually care a little about quality of their music instead of the size of their wallets. CMT also has another website called CMT Edge for Americana, Bluegrass, and other real country music. Maybe some day the music they talk about on there can make it's way into the mainstream network. I do watch videos on CMT and GAC time to time and sometimes they do throw in some of the good stuff. If they can continue to do things like that a little more maybe soon the public can catch on and start enjoying some great music by amazing artists who deserve a chance like everybody else.

 The main reason I knew the Indie day existed was because one of my new favorite singers Sturgill Simpson announced that his video for his song "Railroad of Sin" would air around 6:30 AM. I was flipping out because I thought CMT was actually picking it up. Turned out it was just for Indie day but it was cool nonetheless. Even though I already saw the video online, I'll admit to the fact that I camped out in my living room and stayed up all night until the 2 minute piece of pure country heaven graced my television screen. (I'm a total fangirl for that kind of stuff okay) I rewound it probably about 10 times as I sat in awe. I was witnessing Country Music Television playing real and I mean real country music, it was crazy! There are literally no words to describe the amazing, genuine hard country twang in his music. A modern day Waylon is about as good of a description as I could give you. Watch for yourself. Another great song I came across was called "Stripes" by Brandy Clark. I already heard her music but I didn't know it at the time. She co-wrote "Better Dig Two" for The Band Perry and "Mama's Broken Heart" for Miranda Lambert. She also co-wrote some of my favorite songs off of Kacey Musgraves's album Same Trailer Different Park including "Follow Your Arrow" and "It Is What It Is." Her song "Stripes" is a woman getting revenge song, well almost. It is similar to Miranda Lambert's song "Kerosene" but it has a very different ending. Songs like this prove that you can have a fun, upbeat, catchy song that does have a meaning, is still country, isn't stupid, and doesn't make me want to jab my eardrums out with a fork. Another good song I discovered was "Not the One" by the young country duo Striking Matches. They aren't super country, but I'd prefer them to most things on country radio these days. This song shows off their nice vocals with only two acoustic guitars to back them up. They tell a pretty believable story with this simple "love done gone" song.

What Happened To Country Music?

Well, I made this blog for many reasons. My main goal is to help promote real country music made by genuine country artists. Nashville got so off the beaten path that Country music's future doesn't look too bright. Right now I'm listening to the "Today's Country" station on Pandora radio to help fuel my anger with modern country music. (I told myself I would change it when I finish writing this and Florida Georgia Line just came on, so I'm gonna hurry.) Well I will begin with the fact that Blake Shelton stirred up controversy earlier this year by saying "Nobody wants to listen to their grandpa’s music. And I don’t care how many of these old farts around Nashville going, “My God, that ain’t country!” Well that’s because you don’t buy records anymore, jackass. The kids do, and they don’t want to buy the music you were buying." What he said was true for the stereotypes:  older people like older music, kids like modern music, but they aren't always true. I know of some older people who like mainstream radio. Then there are kids and teenagers who like "their grandpa's music." I'm one of them.

 It used to be cool to meet people at school who listened to country music no matter what kind because it was so rare. These days it seems like most people love country music. No wait I mean most people love "country" music. Most "country" fans these days don't know the difference. If I went up to any of these country fans at my school and asked them what their favorite Roy Acuff song was, well let's face it, they'd look at me funny. I was in my school's bathroom stall on the verge of tears when I found out on Twitter that George Jones died. I walked out to a world where girls have conversations about what they are wearing to the Luke Bryan concert in a couple of weeks. They  talk about how cute their new high heeled cowgirl boots they bought from Target will look with their tied up plaid and short shorts. (They have to look extra country because they were seeing a huge country superstar who sings super awesome country songs!) Then their boyfriends are gonna pick them up ( in their pickup trucks of course) and bring them to the concert. People like them had no idea. They had no clue that the music they claim to love just lost one of the greatest voices it had ever seen. I mean why would they care, it's just some old guy, right? Are those the "kids" you want to sell your music to Blake, really? I'm glad everyone worries about kids like them instead of kids like me.

 I guess I always just thought Country was different. I thought you had to respect those that came before you because they paved the way for today's generation. Today who cares about that, it's all about money and fame. They just ripped the roots right out of the ground. No one is lonesome, no one has regrets, no one has heartbreaks, because sad country music? That's crazy! It's all partying and drinking and having a good time out in the field behind your Grandpa's house with a couple of your buds and some hot girls in cutoff jeans sitting on the tailgate of your truck drinking some store bought moonshine in the moonlight, duh. I guess I'm an old fart for saying this but "that ain't country!" There are many people out there who are trying to preserve the greatness that country used to be. Even though it has to evolve with the times, I guess, I think this "evolution" has gone way to far. I guess right now country music is just a dying plant that got ripped out of the ground. It's so shriveled up it's hard to tell what kind of plant it is anymore, but you know what? I think there is still hope somewhere for country music. Its future relies on Underground Country, Texas/Red Dirt, Americana, Bluegrass, and all these little sub-genres of country music. Today the artists in those sub-genres make real Country music. Country music that is way "too country" for mainstream Pop-Country music. I don't think it's fair that any teenage kid making Pop music could add a faint banjo sound in the background and boom it's good country music. I also don't think it's fair that any old Rock or Pop star who wants to be relevant again can just "go country." If they are infusing Rap, R&B beats, and Pop and Rock elements, they should give real country a chance too. I mean Texas has it's own music and it's a lot more country, and people still like it! I think if they gave the lesser known artists a chance the public could start to actually enjoy real country again. I just think everyone deserves a fair shot. Of course that couldn't happen until a change is made. People are gonna get bored of the cliche "countryism" songs eventually. If enough attention is given to the roots artists then who's to say they can't be the next big "thing" in country music. I'm a teenager and I love their music. If other young people get on board it would make us "old farts" proud to call ourselves country fans again. I think these roots artists can take the seeds from the old plant and replant them and start again. They could make it grow again, and grow into something amazing. Who knows maybe some sort of modern day outlaw-esque movement could happen today like it did in the 70's. If there are enough people out there who put the music above everything else, it could be possible. In the meantime I'm gonna do my best to help promote real country music, because I do believe there is hope left and that's why I made this blog.