Single Reviews – Page 64 – Country Universe

Single Review: Tyler Farr, "Hello Goodbye"

July 17, 2012 Kevin John Coyne 5

There’s an endearing story about Faith Hill early in her career. When she was recording “Piece of My Heart”, she expressed that she had never heard the Janis Joplin original. Listening to her cover, that’s quite clear.

Single Review: Her & Kings County, "Family Tree"

July 17, 2012 Kevin John Coyne 11

I don’t even know where to begin.

Banjos. Hand claps. Dogs with fleas. Fergie with a country accent.

Single Review: Brantley Gilbert, "Kick It In the Sticks"

July 15, 2012 Ben Foster 21

Brantley Gilbert originally released “Kick It In the Sticks” in 2010, and it failed to chart. But that was before the one-two punch of number-one hits “Country Must Be Country Wide” and “You Don’t Know Her Like I Do” reversed his fortunes at radio. In light of Gilbert’s newly heightened commercial profile, the single is being re-released for another go-round at radio.

Much has not changed. It was a terrible song in 2010, and it’s still a terrible song now.

Single Review: Rascal Flatts, "Come Wake Me Up"

July 12, 2012 Kevin John Coyne 5

“Come Wake Me Up” is the best composition that Rascal Flatts has tackled in a very long time, and the opening verse is a beautiful throwback to the sound of their best song to date, “I’m Movin’ On.”

Single Review: Pistol Annies, "Takin’ Pills"

July 9, 2012 Jonathan Keefe 11

A standout cut from the Pistol Annies’ terrific Hell on Heels album, “Takin’ Pills” served as a thesis statement for the project, introducing each individual member of the group by her reputation and her preferred vice and giving the group’s exploits a broad narrative arc.

Single Review: Big & Rich, "That's Why I Pray"

July 9, 2012 Kevin John Coyne 7

Scattershot social commentary, too wide in scope and too narrow in perspective.

Here’s how it works:

Single Review: Jerrod Niemann, "Shinin' on Me"

July 7, 2012 Kevin John Coyne 3

I’ve got an idea about how we can stop the bleeding.

Let’s make it mandatory for all new country singles to have arrangements like the ones on Jerrod Niemann records. While we’re at it, let’s keep Zac Brown Band on retainer, too.

Single Review: Don Williams featuring Alison Krauss, "I Just Come Here For the Music"

July 6, 2012 Ben Foster 2

A musical pairing that combines two of the most beautifully understated, comforting voices in country music. How could it not be good? Happily, songwriters John Ramey, Bobby Taylor, and Doug Gill turn out a fine piece of hillbilly poetry worthy of both talents.

Single Review: Lee Brice, “Hard to Love”

July 6, 2012 Kevin John Coyne 5

Hard to love, but easy enough to like.

Single Review: Carrie Underwood, "Blown Away"

July 5, 2012 Sam Gazdziak 49

Four albums into her career, Carrie Underwood’s career growth has been fairly stunning.

It’s hard to imagine that the talent-show winner who sang “Jesus Take the Wheel” would morph into a fully fledged pop superstar with speaker-rattling pop-rock songs like “Good Girl” and “Blown Away.”

While the evolution has been fascinating to watch, the problem is that someone who was thought of as the next female country superstar has effectively left country music behind and moved on to bigger things, and it’s a loss for the genre.