Few mainstream music publications are as inclusive of country music as Blender, an upstart music magazine that is refreshingly lacking in reverence but always demonstrates a wide sc I Want To Get Back With My Ex Girlfriend For Eternity ope of knowledge about country music. Feature stories that include country music have been covered here before, when the ‘zine named The 500 Greatest Songs Since You Were Born and The Wussiest Songs & Artists of All-Time.
Here are some more recent Blender features that either included or emphasized country music:
- Everyone from David Allan Coe to Mindy McCready are mentioned in Country Music’s Greatest Badasses.
- Todd Snider (#14) and Dixie Chicks (#23) are included in The 50 Greatest CDs of 2006.
- “You Got Away With It (A Tale of Two Fraternity Brothers)” (#80) , “The Long Way Around” (#81), “Get Drunk and Be Somebody” (#82) and “Men and Mascara” (#98) are named among The 100 Best Songs of 2006.
- Garth Brooks’ In the Life of Chris Gaines is mentioned among The Most Disastrous Albums of All Time.
- Lee Greenwood (#9) among the 50 Worst Artists in Music History.
- “Achy Breaky Heart” (#2) and “Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue (The Angry American)” (#22) are cited among The 50 Worst Songs Ever!
- The latest albums from Patty Griffin and Lucinda Williams are reviewed.
Blender also had a cover story about Miranda Lambert in March, complete with a heart attack-inducing photo spread. Interesting publication that gives country its due.
I realize that was a little ambiguous: March 2006.
They also did a major story about Carlene Carter and her recent “lost years.” It was fantastic.
I read Blender – it is okay although I don’t think they give some of country’s subgenres a fair shake . They are okay on alt-country, pop country, bluegrass and country-rock, but fairly clueless when it comes to more traditional forms such as honky-tonk. Al lot of their lists are of the “smart-ass” variety. I’m not wild about Lee Greenwood, but he’s a better performer (and singer) than Faith Hill could ever dream of being. Similarly, “Acky-Breaky Heart” was an annoying song but it wouldn’t be on my list of 100 worst country songs, let alone an all-genres list.
If the Eagles and their progeny are country (which I will deny to my dying breath) , then Blender gives country it’s due. If country is Lefty Frizzell and his followers then Blender does a pretty poor job of it