Country Universe

Review: Andy Griggs, “Tattoo Rose”

July 28, 2007 Kevin John Coyne 2

Building an entire song around trying to get a girl to show you her tattoo? It wasn’t a great conceit for a song when Gibson/Miller Band did it more than a decade ago, and it

Review: Ty Herndon, “Mighty Mighty Love”

July 28, 2007 Kevin John Coyne 0

He was one of the better B-list singers of the mid-nineties, so it’s no surprise that Herndon gives a passionate performance here. The song itself, however, is so filled with cliches and lines heard a

Yesterday’s Songs: July 20, 1991

July 24, 2007 Kevin John Coyne 8

No wonder I got into country music in 1991. What an awesome collection of songs. I could actually enjoy country radio if this is what was in the rotation! Sorry this is four days late,

EW names “Fifty Greatest Love Songs, #50-#26

July 23, 2007 Kevin John Coyne 2

#30: Shania Twain, “You’re Still the One” Sappy, perhaps, but also irresistible, as proven by wedding DJs worldwide. As the perfectly processed Nashville-pop chorus points out, Shania’s still the one that brides love, the only

Trisha Yearwood, “Heaven, Heartache & The Power of Love”

July 17, 2007 Kevin John Coyne 15

Trisha Yearwood, “Heaven, Heartache & The Power of Love” You know how I’m always saying that Carrie Underwood is the most gifted female vocalist in country music since Trisha Yearwood? This is why I say

Gary Allan, “Watching Airplanes”

July 17, 2007 Kevin John Coyne 19

Gary Allan, “Watching Airplanes” Surprisingly boring and uneventful. I wouldn’t expect his new stuff to match the emotional intensity of Tough All Over, but he’s just phoning it in here. That said, Gary Allan phoning

Jake Owen, “Something About a Woman”

July 17, 2007 Kevin John Coyne 6

Jake Owen, “Something About a Woman” A good opening verse leads to a chorus that confesses, “There’s something about a woman, some kind of sweet little something that I may never understand.” Which reveals that

Brent’s Back! & Other Great Happenings in the World of Country Music Blogging

July 14, 2007 Kevin John Coyne 8

How happy I was today to click on one of my favorite bookmarks, and find a shiny new post! Yes, friends, Brent Hecht has returned from a too-long sabbatical, and Liberal Country Fan is back

Jo Dee Messina, “Biker Chick”

July 10, 2007 Kevin John Coyne 5

Jo Dee Messina, “Biker Chick” I couldn’t shake the feeling that I’d heard all of this before. Then suddenly, it came back to me. “Cool Rider.” Grade: C Listen: Biker Chick Buy: Biker Chick

Toby Keith, Big Dog Daddy

July 8, 2007 Kevin John Coyne 9

Toby Keith Big Dog Daddy Toby Keith is the best male singer that consistently receives airplay on country radio. It’s really that simple. Sometimes, people only give you credit for being a great singer if