Is Eric Church Trying Too Hard To Be A Rebel?

I have said before that Eric Church is one of the best artists in mainstream country, and I'll still stand by it. He always had a rebellious attitude so he fit right in when music row started the new fake "outlaw" bit. I'll admit unlike his friends Jason Aldean and Justin Moore, he does actually make unique, non-safe music that isn't poppy and doesn't talk about trucks. The thing is it isn't always country either. It doesn't have to be super country to be good, but to make music that isn't country at all and get it played on country radio isn't fair. Even the pop country truck songs try to hide a little steel guitar or something to make it somewhat fit the genre it's in. With Eric's new song "The Outsiders" there is little to no effort in trying to make it a country song. It is just a rock song put into country because Eric is known as a country singer. It is probably just to draw attention to him because his new album is coming out and he needed to do something really different to get noticed. He has every right to try new things and experiment with his music, but like in the case of Taylor Swift's music, country isn't the place for it.



It would be one thing if the song itself was great, but it really isn't. It is different, I think that is the word that describes it the best. I would rather listen to it than a lot of things on the radio, but that isn't saying much. I don't hate it but I don't like it either. The thing is, I think he is trying way too hard to be different. He wants to come across as this rebel outlaw badass, I get it. This song is just an anthem for his crazy hardcore fans who need something to fist-bump the air and shout along to. It's like a musical pep rally to get everyone in the crowd riled up. What exactly are they "outsiders" from though? Eric is one of the top 5 male vocalists in country music. He obviously has mainstream appeal and that's because a lot of today's country fanbase is made up of these rebellious, super tough-guy guys that are "tough" just because they drink, smoke, and fight. That's not really an "outsider," just a guy who wants to be "cool." Shooter Jennings (who doesn't even refer to his music as country) made a way more legitimate country sounding song called "The Outsider." The meaning is different but the theme is the same. In Shooter's song, the "outsider" is someone who tries to live as free as they can because they think differently than what others tell them to think. Critical thinkers, protesters, conspiracy theorists, etc. You can compare it to Waylon fighting for creative freedom over his music or Johnny Cash wearing black to remind everyone that the world isn't perfect. Those kind of people who break the rules for a purpose are the real outsiders, not some stoned Eric Church fan.



Then comes this song preview for a new song off Eric's album called "Waiting On Me To Cross That Line." It is so good. It sounds like his older and more country sounding songs. He kept the rebellious theme going but in a way that sounds natural and a lot less forced. See it just proves he can combine all of the aspects of a good country song and tell a story to make something I'd be very interested in listening to. If a single like this could catch onto the radio it would be great. If he can do it right I do think Eric Church can help spin country music in a different direction. Not by songs like "The Outsiders" but by songs like this. Is he trying to hard to be a rebel? Yeah maybe, we will find out when his album is released in February, but he has a vision and he knows what he's doing. If any dominating male in mainstream country can change things, it's him. Not because he has the best voice or wrote the greatest songs, but because he is the only one who is brave enough to do it.

Two For Tuesday: Memory Of A Past Love 8/27/13

If you're looking for a simple sad song about getting over a memory of someone, you won't find it easily in today's country. When sad songs do come around today a lot of the time they spend so much time trying to make it catchy and radio friendly that they forget the purpose of it in the first place; to ease the pain for someone else, and the writer. Sad love songs written in big Nashville office buildings just aren't the same.


"Outta My Head" - Craig Campbell
This song tries to sound serious, yet to the casual listener who isn't paying much attention it sounds no different than the happy love songs. The chorus has so many "Yeahs" and "Girls" you probably wouldn't know the difference. This song sounds like sing-along pop, which is probably why it's big right now. I just don't get it. If you're gonna write a sad song the very least you could do is make it sound like you wrote with actual feeling. If the only reason you have a depressing song out is because you did too many happy songs in a row, just go ahead and keep making happy stuff because a sad song with no feeling is just pointless.



"Sweet Savannah" - Shooter Jennings
This song tells a story. If I was a guy who couldn't get over a long hard relationship, I would want to listen to this. You could tell that the listener would pay attention because real thought and feelings were put into here and it seems real. The first song just used a gimmicky hook to make people listen. I don't get why songs like this can't be on the radio. I can't believe a song needs to have a certain amount of happiness to be accepted as a sad song these days.

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.