Kevin John Coyne

Single Review: Shania Twain, “Today is Your Day”

June 17, 2011 Kevin John Coyne 22

Shania Twain returns with her first single in six years, and it’s kind of a beautiful mess.

Kind of beautiful because it’s the most nakedly sincere she’s been on record, especially as a vocalist.

Kind of a mess because it sounds like a fan-made pop remix of a damn good country song.

Single Review: Alan Jackson, “Long Way to Go”

June 9, 2011 Kevin John Coyne 2

I love the sound of the record, the clean and crisp production, and the overall nineties country-ness of it.

More than twenty years in, Alan Jackson’s sounding as great as ever, delivering a vocal that’s all charm, personality and general tunefulness.

Single Review: George Strait, “Here For a Good Time”

June 9, 2011 Kevin John Coyne 9

The title screams country party anthem. Thank heavens for Dale Evans, it isn’t one.

The 30 Day Song Challenge: Day 27

June 5, 2011 Kevin John Coyne 24

Today’s category is…

A Song That Expresses Your World View (Or Somethin’ Like That.)

Here are the staff picks:

Kevin Coyne: “Something Worth Leaving Behind” – Lee Ann Womack

Live your life for yourself, your life dies with you. Live it for others, it lives on long after you’re gone.

Single Review: Dolly Parton, “Together You and I”

June 2, 2011 Kevin John Coyne 5

When Dolly Parton writes a song, chances are it’s going to be a great one. Only Merle Haggard and Willie Nelson rival her in that regard.

“Together You and I” is no exception to the rule. It’s a beautiful love song, with imagery that’s sweet without being sappy. She sings it wonderfully, with those little trills that have caused more goosebumps in the past forty years than a million cool breezes on warm summer nights.

Single Review: LeAnn Rimes, “Give”

June 2, 2011 Kevin John Coyne 13

God Bless LeAnn Rimes.

She already put her own spin on the serenity prayer with her underrated gem “What I Cannot Change.” Now she’s giving Gandhi a run for his money.

The 30 Day Song Challenge: Day 23

June 1, 2011 Kevin John Coyne 22

Today’s category is…

An Oldie But Goodie.

Here are the staff picks:

Kevin Coyne: “Tell It to the Rain” – The 4 Seasons

You can tell it’s the mid-sixties because they’re dabbling a bit with production gimmicks. I think it’s their coolest sounding record, one of their best compositions, and Frankie Valli at the peak of his vocal prowess.

5 Five-Second Single Reviews: Laura Alaina, Rodney Atkins, Sara Evans, Joe Nichols, Kellie Pickler

May 30, 2011 Kevin John Coyne 17

Lauren Alaina, “Like My Mother Does” (Listen)

Written by Nathan Chapman, Liz Rose and Nicole Williams

Not bad, but not nearly enough to acquit her from those pending desecration charges.

Grade: B-

The 30 Day Song Challenge: Day 19

May 28, 2011 Kevin John Coyne 34

Today’s category is…

A Song You Hate by an Artist You Love.

Here are the staff picks:

Kevin Coyne: “Honk if You Honky Tonk” – George Strait

Not even Trace Adkins would cut this.

Oh, who am I kidding? Of course he would.

But it should be beneath the stature of a legend like George Strait. His talent helped him pull of “Write This Down” and “Don’t Make Me Come Over There and Love You”, but there was no saving this one.

The 30 Day Song Challenge: Day 16

May 24, 2011 Kevin John Coyne 22

Today’s category is…

Your Guiltiest Guilty Pleasure.

Here are the staff picks:

Kevin Coyne: “Sashimi” – Keyboard Cathy

Look, here’s the thing. It started out as a joke. I was laughing at it. I swear. Then I started singing it to myself more often than I care to admit…until now.