While Trace Adkins’ formulaic “You’re Gonna Miss This” was received well (likely partly due to his high-profile appearances on Celebrity Apprentice), his more unconventional ballads like the gospel-flavored “Muddy Water”, the thoughtful “Arlington” and the
In 2006, Emerson Drive hit the jackpot with “Moments,” a once-in-a-lifetime story song that stretched the boundaries of country radio in all the right directions. The band now resides with Valory Music Co., and their
That patriotism is such a powerful fixture in modern-day country music can largely be attributed to the events of 9-11. In the early stages of the decade, the format issued jingoistic missives (“Courtesy of the
Jason Aldean’s latest release is a limited assessment, depicting a young woman who’s a product of the countrier-than-thou generation. No artist in recent memory has bludgeoned the audience with so many country-to-the-core songs. Ironically, the
What a difference a voice makes. Mere weeks after its initial release, “Cowgirls Don’t Cry” has been re-released to incorporate Reba McEntire, who reprises her CMA show cameo with an added bonus of audibility (nice!).
As a singer, John Rich is a good songwriter. “Another You” is a decent song, and a great singer could hoodwink listeners into thinking it’s far better than it actually is. To be fair, if
This is not a country single. Not by any stretch of the imagination. It’s one of those pop songs with enough of a rock flavor to make it palatable to adult top 40 radio stations.
Lance Miller, a Nashville Star contestant in 2004, has won the favor of traditional fans with his plain-spoken songs and rich, rugged voice. His new release, “Bacon Frying” is a down-home heartbreaker about a lover’s
It stands to reason that a single that combines the talents of the reigning CMA Entertainer of the Year and Musician of the Year would be entertaining to listen to and musically interesting. But country
Swedish pop duo Roxette used to throw out picks to the audience during their concerts. Upon the picks, these words were emblazoned: “Don’t Bore Us! Get to the Chorus!” I couldn’t help but think of