I must admit, until I saw some tweets from other artists I follow and respect I had never heard of Red Shahan. After this though I checked out his new album and have been going back to it every few days even with all the flood of good new music coming out.
A kind of concept album about West Texas is very cohesive even if you've never been. The sound quality is great even if Red doesn't always have the greatest vocals. There's a little rock, a little country and a little blues making for a diverse sounding album.
I am much more about sound quality and production than lyrics as long as they aren't horrible so your mileage may vary on this. Jason Isbell songwriting this is not, but there's also nothing wrong with the lyrics. "Memphis" and "How They Lie" are both expertly penned about family dramas and are both contenders for my year end list.
There's also a nice balance with some all out rockers such as "Someone Someday" and "Revolution". The latter with it's nice riffs and lush keys reminds me a bit of some swampy southern rock songs.
Not everything is great, but even some of the more generic tracks both in sound and lyrics are still passable and fit with the overall theme.
This isn't going to be everybody's cup of tea, but if you like a good mix of rock with your country, this will be a good addition to an album collection.
Best tracks: "Memphis", "How They Lie", "Revolution", "Hurricane"
Worst tracks: "Idle Hands", "Try"
Score: 8/10
I recently introduced a country music loving friend to Turnpike Troubadours. When I asked him how he liked it, he replied "They sound old and new at the same time" which was a perfect response. This is how country music evolved and somehow the Turnpike Troubadours have raised their own very high bar.
The full time addition of Hank Early shines through on this record and the whole band sounds very tight knit and in focus. Somehow they keep getting better and this is their best album yet.
The opener "The House Fire" brings us back to old characters from "Good Lord Lorrie" and "The Bird Hunters" with some great harmonica work by Evan.
There is a lot of similarity with their older material but also new sounds and great lyrics mostly penned by Evan Felker. "Something To Hold Onto" sounds like something Alabama would have done in the 70's until the typical Turnpike sound comes back in the verses. I'm already looking forward to seeing this one live.
There isn't a bad song anywhere near this album, but the two mentioned and "Pipe Bomb Dream" are probably my standouts. Listen to the whole thing straight through. I've done this about 30 times and it still isn't getting old. 2017 has seen some pretty good albums released, but this is the absolute peak of the mountain. In a just world, they would be the biggest band around. Buy this album now!
I don't really know where to begin this. I know I'm going to ramble. Tom Petty is an all time artist and I feel no matter what genre people like, they would agree. How can one artist unite so many different fan bases?
One of the first cassette tapes I bought was "Full Moon Fever" which I saved up my allowance to buy when I was 7. When I got a cd player for my 12th birthday, his Greatest Hits album was one of the 7 for a penny cd's I got from BMG. "Mary Jane's Last Dance" instantly became one of my favorite songs and over 20 years later still is. I remember sitting in the back of the school bus and everyone singing along anytime the song came on the local rock station. There has never been a point in my life where I haven't listened to Tom Petty, which may make him the only artist I can say that about.
I remember taking 12 hour road trips with a college friend who didn't like country music. Tom Petty was probably in the cd player at least 25% of the time. On one of those vacations, two friends stayed up all night drinking the night before we were supposed to leave and ended up waking up the whole house while belting "Free Fallin'" at the top of their lungs at 4 AM. It was a rough drive home the next morning.
After Prince died last year, my wife and I lamented why we had never gone to see him. We decided to go see as many of our favorites as we could before they passed because you never know when that will be. I had the good fortune to see him live twice, once in 2010 and again in 2013, the second time with my wife and parents. My mom texted me last night to see if I had heard the news and said she was glad we all got to see him. It doesn't matter what generation people are from or how their musical taste leaned. Tom Petty was universal and classic. At every stage of my life, I've probably got some story that tangentially involves Tom Petty.
Tom Petty did what he wanted to do. That's especially refreshing in this time of age when labels tend to decide what artists are instead of the artists themselves. He spoke out somewhat recently about how awful Nashville is now comparing it to bland 80's pop music. He continued to release great records rather with the Heartbreakers or Mudcrutch right up until the end never having anything bad. He decided to form a supergroup with his heroes and made 2 fine albums. I still remember watching the video to "End Of the Line" on the countdown every week. Tom Petty was like your friend's cool dad. Everybody loved him.
Neil Young famously wrote "It's better to burn out than to fade away". This doesn't apply to Tom Petty. He never did either one. So many classic rock bands from the 70's burst onto the scene then fizzled or at least had fallow periods in their catalog. Tom Petty never did and somehow got even stronger in the 90's. Wildflowers may be his best album. It's certainly one of my favorites. If I'm ever in a bad mood for whatever reason, listening to Wildflowers tends to make it better. I consumed all of his 70's music in one setting, but starting with "Full Moon Fever" on, I consumed them in real time so those are the most special to me personally.
I still can't fathom his catalog is now set in time. There will be no more. Everyone knows his most popular songs even if they think they don't. Since he loved buried treasures so much, I'd like to leave this with some of his.
Lubbock, TX is turning into a hotbed for country music recently. William Clark Green and Flatland Calvary have released some of the best music of the last few years and another Lubbock local joins them with this album.
I first heard of Dalton Domino last summer when he opened for Turnpike Troubadours and instantly became a fan. His first album "1806" released in 2015 showed a ton of promise for a debut album. Classic Texas country songs with plenty of fiddle, some steel guitar, solid songwriting and vocals.
When I heard the first single "July" last year I figured it was more of the same. Nice mid-tempo rock leaning with some nice organ and some cool guitar licks. It's still one of my favorite tracks on this album, but the album goes so much deeper than this.
Dalton Domino recently got sober and started to move on into full blown adulthood as many in his age range are forced to do eventually. The result is some fantastic introspective songwriting wise beyond his years.
I wish people who think Sam Hunt and Thomas Rhett are "evolving" country music would listen to this. This album is solidly country especially in the songwriting which is very mature for someone still in his mid-20's. Dalton borrows from multiple other genres here and there creating a rich and complex diversity of sound owing to his time growing up in a variety of different locales.
Do you enjoy a swampy southern blues sound? Cue up "Sister". Want a groovy rock song lamenting lost love? Try "Mine Again". Want some Memphis soul complete with a horn section? Play "More Than You". Want some haunting steel guitar? "Rain" is the song for you.
The magnum opus of this record though is the title track, acknowledging mistakes he's made in the past and using it as motivation to be a better man.
'Cause people like me have to live in hell to see if heaven is worth it Take the worst of unanswered questions and try to find purpose But if forgiveness never comes, I'll understand But if I die I'm gonna die with me knowin' Who I was ain't who I am
This album has some catchy tunes. This album is dark at times. This album is real. We read BS stories all the time about mainstream country artists and how an album is "deeply personal". The ears don't lie though. You can tell Dalton Domino is the real deal.
He's a rising name in Texas and I'm sure this album will kick start that even more and lead to him headlining more regional tours. If there was any justice in the country music world, he would spread much further than that. This is a rich tapestry of songwriting and music and overall a fantastic album. There are bright things in this man's future.
Worth a listen: Hell yes!
Album highlights: "July" "Corners" "Rain" "More Than You"
Album lowlights: None
I've had this one marinating on my playlist until I had a solid opinion about it. The takeaway. This is the most legitimate country sounding album by a mainstream artist so far in 2016 and it's not even close. Still at times the Nashville machine makes its presence known so it's far from perfect.
The album leads off with "Out of Style" which I was hoping would be more about how he is different, but just states how country doesn't go out of style. A bit cliché at times, but not a bad start.
Next is "Cowboy Hat" one of the better cuts on here with plenty of steel and fiddle. It's basically a song about how his lady looks good in nothing but the cowboy hat. If this song were done by FGL or the likes, it'd be full of clichés and probably a girl they met while crunking at the club, but with Pardi it works. The implication I get, it is a wife or intimate girlfriend that he is singing too not a one night stand. I could see this one being a single. Great infectious rhythm and lyrics that even some mainstream fans could enjoy.
Following that is the lead single "Head Over Boots" which isn't anything great, but again has traditional country arrangements and decent (if cliché) lyrics at times. Would fit in with most 90's country songs and great to see it as a single.
Next is "Night Shift" which is a perfectly fine drinking song with some good fiddle play throughout.
After this the album starts to get off the rails a bit. "Can't Turn You Down" isn't a bad song per se and does feature actual country instrumentation again, but the "phone call turns into a what’s up, what’s up" makes me cringe every time.
"Dirt On My Boots" is one of the worst songs on the album, but still has some decent fiddle play. It starts off with a EDM vibe though and is full of clichés. Oh Rhett Akins was one of the writers. Makes perfect sense now. I'm assuming this is something the label made him throw on and he does the best he can with it. Still a skip.
After that auditory assault though is a pleasant heartbreak ballad and hands down best song on the album, "She Ain't In It". This sounds like something Alan Jackson or George Strait would have pulled off back in the day. He's trying to move on after a breakup and is back to normal as long as she's not a part of whatever he's doing. This has song of the year potential especially among mainstream songs if it's released as a single.
After that uptick though it's back to some questionable songs. "All Time High" is cliché to the nth degree with some lyrics sounding very forced. Still has lots of fiddle though. Even the lesser cuts, Pardi still stamps with strong instrumentation at times.
"Heartache On The Dance Floor"'s intro makes me want to hit the skip button which I do occasionally. Starts out with a horrible drum loop/EDM rhythm but then features steel guitar and fiddle later on. Very strange song that may be better cutting the intro.
"Paycheck" is a rockier hard working, hard drinking song. It's not the best, but it's fine and perfectly at home being an album track.
"Lucky Tonight" features some more fiddle and steel guitar work, but I can't get past the lyrics on it usually. Again though it's a step above the other dreck in the mainstream due to instrumentation again.
The album finishes with the title track. "California Sunrise" is one of the stronger (and longer) songs on the album. By this point, I think I've hammered home enough how much Pardi appreciates traditional arrangement. More steel guitar and fiddle drive this song.
I was initially torn what to think of this album and I don't think I can really make a complete judgement until we see the singles that pop off of it. It's clear what Jon Pardi wants to be. He features steel guitar and fiddle prominently in every song with minimal electronic music and sings without needing autotuning to correct every note. Still I'm leery at how much pull the label will have over a young and un-established (as of yet) artist.
He also co-wrote 8 of the 12 tracks which is a highly encouraging sign even if his lyrics border on cliche at times. Just as good is one of the songs he didn't write ("She Ain't In It") is the highlight of the album showing he has a good appreciation of what makes a good song. He's young and I can see his writing improve once he has more experience.
Also encouraging is how hard he apparently pushed for "Head Over Boots" to be the lead single. It's sad when releasing an actual country song is bold, but that's what this was. It did well too which is a great sign.
If "She Ain't In It", "Cowboy Hat" and/or "California Sunrise" get released as singles, this album will have even more impact especially since the first 2 have #1 potential. If the label pushes for "Dirt On My Boots" or "Heartache On The Dancefloor" not so much.
I am torn on a grade for this. If this were released by an artist on Thirty Tigers, I'm thinking maybe a 6 or so. The fact is though that it was released on a major label. Just like we'll see in the Olympics, I think the much higher degree of difficulty is enough to bump this up. This is hands down the best mainstream release of the year and most likely the year. Jon Pardi may not be perfect, but if country radio is going to be saved, it's going to be a bunch of guys like him that do it and this is a huge step in the right direction.
2016 has been a horrible year in music. Between losing legends in all fields and lots of mainstream dreck including artists like Dierks Bentley who used to be reliable, there hasn't been much to celebrate so far. This album is a step in the right direction.
I've been looking forward to this one for a long time and my appetite was only whetted more as a few songs slowly trickled out over the past few weeks. There's not a bad song on this album and it's the type of album that will probably only grow on me the more spins it gets.
Luke Bell is a traditional country artist through and through. Songwriting teams on mainstream hits and artist with no soul in their voice or ones that require auto tuning turn me off. The biggest problem I have with modern music (including most rock) is the production. It's all digitized with electronic instruments, autotune and compressed so much it just sounds like a wall of noise. It's refreshing to hear this. I read somewhere this album was recorded in analog and the authenticity shows. There are dynamics and all the instruments and Luke's voice all shine through.
There's a lot of variety on this. There are your typical heartbreak and cowboy songs. There's some bluegrassy harmonica. There's some easy going stuff that reminds me of 50's and 60's rock and roll as well as classic country.
The album starts out with "Sometimes" a great old timey heartache song. This is the first song I heard on here and it sucked me in instantly. Also a very cool video (embedded at the end of the post). Next up is a bluegrassy harmonica song, "All Blue". Again a very classic country sound.
The next song, "Where You Been" is one of the standouts on here for me. Reminds me a little of some 60's rock song, but still solid country. It's a mid-tempo song about drinking that is very welcoming to the ear. The production shines on this. It's very pleasing to the ears with subtle steel guitar and fiddle throughout and great vocals.
"Hold On" is a nice swing tune that again takes me back to all the great music from the 50's and 60's and features some good work on the steel guitar. "Loretta" follows with a song about drifting away slowly from a woman. The instrumentation is fantastic on this. Understated piano, steel guitar and fiddle meld together beautifully to create a warm pleasing sound to accompany the vocals.
I mentioned variety earlier and "Workin' Man Dreams" is a great example. Lots of fiddle in a more upbeat song. Also yodeling. When is the last time you've heard yodeling? It's usually not my favorite, but as everything else on here, it works.
"Glory and the Grace" is a yet another classic country cowboy song with vocals similar to "Everywhere" listing classic western images and a great honky tonk piano. "Bullfighter" is a spitfire song that reminds me a lot of something Johnny Cash would've recorded in his heyday. I have a feeling this one is going to grow on me even more after a few weeks in regular rotation.
"Ragtime Blues" unsurprisingly is a ragtime swing song with some great honky tonk piano. It touches on the roughneck lifestyle, but this narrator doesn't regret it at all. He enjoys it and doesn't let the bad times detract.
The album finishes off with another one of my favorites "The Great Pretender". Maybe it's the name of the song leading me in this direction, but this reminds me of some 50's rock ballads although very countrified lyrics. It's about a man who loves them and leaves them, but in the last verse the tables are turned and a girl plays the role of great pretender.
Front to back this album is fantastic. I've been listening on repeat since the streaming became available and now that I have my own copy it will be on constant rotation in my car for as long as the wife allows. Luke Bell is the real deal. This is album of the year material here and I think this could be huge in the realm of real country music.
Usually the more I'm looking forward to something, the more it disappoints if it doesn't live up to it. This album exceeded my already high expectations. It's pretty much perfect. Do yourself a favor and listen as soon as possible.
I'm not one to speak about being pious, but maybe Maren should have attended her church more. If Hank is giving the sermon about this album, it's one about fire and brimstone end of the world stuff.
I can't say I'm all that surprised as the more surprising thing these days would be a country artist actually releasing an album of country music, but the hopes for this album from some were very high after hearing her lead single "My Church". Turns out it was just another bait and switch to release pop music on country radio.
While I love "My Church" the name drops were a little contrived and the production a little too slick at times. It's a very good song, but there were enough red flags to give me pause at to what the rest of the album would sound like.
"My Church" is the only remotely country song on this entire album. This is an out and out pop album and the scary thing about it is it is a pretty good pop album. That scares me even more than the dreck Thomas Rhett is releasing as a single. It's easy enough to laugh it off because it is crap regardless of the genre released in, but there are some catchy pop songs on this album. I predict "80's Mercedes" will be a huge hit. It's very catchy. It's better than Katy Perry for sure.
The name drops and product placement make some of the songs sound like an advertisement, but beyond that there are catchy songs played by real musicians. Beyond "80's Mercedes", "I Wish I Was" is a soulful Bonnie Raitt sounding cut. Maren has a great voice and the only thing holding back this album is the production which is still lighter than most pop. If this were a pop album, I'd applaud it.
But it's not. We are being told this is country music. Pop fans have it easy. They can turn on pop or country stations now and listen to their favorite music. Cries of "If you don't like it, don't listen to it" are hollow. They get both worlds. Country fans now have none at least on mainstream radio. I guarantee if pop stations started sneaking in George Strait songs, they would complain just as loudly as I do when pop music comes on a country station.
As a pop album this is probably a solid 6/10, but as a country album it's 1/10 and that's begrudgingly because I can't give something that contains "My Church" a 0.
