Rolling Country 2015

Crystal Leww on 2k15 bro-country:

http://crystalleww.tumblr.com/post/135715784972/the-evolution-of-bro-country-in-2015

hiya! Here are my picks:

https://humanizingthevacuum.wordpress.com/2015/12/23/best-country-songs-of-2015/

http://www.savingcountrymusic.com/dave-cobbs-upcoming-the-southern-family-concept-album-includes-incredible-list-of-talent

Record producer Dave Cobb is sitting on top of the world at the moment after being involved in nearly every major upsurging project in country and roots music for the last two consecutive years, and without any sign of letting up anytime soon. From Chris Stapleton’s Traveller, to Jason Isbell’s Southeastern and Something More Than Free, to Sturgill Simpson’s Metamodern Sounds in Country Music and so many more, Dave Cobb’s name is glowing hot at the moment, and anything he touches deserves extra attention from listeners.

But it’s not just listeners who are taking notice of Dave Cobb’s talent. In April, he signed a deal with Elektra Records out of New York to launch and A&R-style partnership with the Warner Music imprint. The deal allows Cobb to sign artists and develop talent as part of his producing duties. One of the first artists Cobb worked with under the new arrangement was Anderson East.

But there’s something much interesting brewing that’s bigger than any one artist at the moment—an expansive concept record dealing with artists’ experiences growing up in the South. The project was first hinted at in April when the new Elektra deal was signed, and since then there’s been murmurings about Cobb’s concept record here and there, but now we’re finally beginning to piece together the details.

Called Southern Family, the album will involve contributions from:

• Morgane Stapleton (with Chris Stapleton) Holly Williams • Jamey Johnson • Miranda Lambert • Rich Robinson (The Black Crowes) • Zac Brown • Jason Isbell • Shooter Jennings • Brandy Clark • John Paul White (The Civil Wars) • Anderson East • Brent Cobb

Most of these artists have worked with Cobb before. He’s currently working on a record with Holly Williams that is expected in 2016. Brent Cobb is a songwriter who also happens to be a cousin of Dave. And there may be more names yet to be announced. The record was briefly touched on in a new interview with Cobb on NPR.

The album is partly inspired by the 1978 Civil War concept album White Mansions, which featured Waylon Jennings, Jessi Colter, guitar playing by Eric Clapton, and followed the story of four main characters as they narrated their perspective on the Civil War from a Southern’s perspective.

It will be released March 18th.

TRACK LIST:

southern-familyJohn Paul White – “Simple Song”
Jason Isbell – “God Is A Working Man”
Brent Cobb – “Down Home”
Miranda Lambert – “Sweet By and By”
Morgane Stapleton (with Chris Stapleton) – “You Are My Sunshine”
Zac Brown – “Grandma’s Garden”
Jamey Johnson – “Mama’s Table”
Anderson East – “Learning”
Holly Williams – “Settle Down”
Brandy Clark – “I Cried”
Shooter Jennings – “Can You Come Over?”
Rich Robinson – “The Way Home”

I'd rather hear about the experiences of a country fan growing up outside the South---in the backside of the semi-ex-Soviet Union, Beverly Hills, a mining colony on a moon of Saturn---but will try to keep an open mind. Hopefully Shooter will keep thangs lively with one of his Tea Party/Alex Jones-type scenarios.

Kacey Musgraves, Pagent Material: presents herself here as so down-to-earn and wholesome and normal and been-around-just-enough-to-have-uncommon-common-sense, that she only has two problems: one is that her previously noticeable unreliable ear for classic country-worthy cliches now leads her very far into friendly righteous triteness most suitable for bumper stickers, home schooling, 69 cent greeting cards, and Facebook; the other problem is that she "can't smile when I don't feel it inside," or words to that effect.
The first prob is chronic in the bad sense, even though she may still be okay with reefer, judging by one of the few tracks I like, "Die Fun" (also reasonably okay with most of the opener, "High Time," and certainly the penultimate "Fine"---ones where she trusts the melodies, more than Deep Thoughts, to look around and guide the listener, also her). It's so chronic that it creates a distracting context for the unlisted closer, "Are You Sure," a Willie Nelson rarity, rescued for this sufficiently poignant duet with the man himself. Fortunately there's a video going around, rescuing the track from this album.
Oh, yeah, and not smiling when she don't feel it could is at least potentially a major problem, very promising re song material, but unrealized here.
I know, I hope, that musical magicians such as Womack and Rimes may glimpse other potential here, presently unavailable to mere me, but meanwhile, much of it is almost unbearably painful to listen to---in this case, because of triteness, but that does make it country, in its own peculiar way.

"distracting context" because it underlines the degree of righteousness in the lyrics, distracts from the counselling (poignant)voice of experience.

I found Pagent Material unbearable too.

Still exploring a few year-end lists, but my favorite country albums of 2015, in no particular order:

Eric Church - Mr Misunderstood
Chris Stapleton - Traveller
Maren Morris - s/t EP
The Turnpike Troubadours - s/t
Kacey Musgraves - Pageant Material
Maddie & Tae - Start Here
Cam - Untamed

Honorable Mentions
Whitey Morgan & the 78s - Sonic Ranch
Ashley Monroe - The Blade
Shovels & Rope - Busted Jukebox, Vol 1
Emmylou Harris & Rodney Crowell - The Traveling Kind

Looking back over this year's RC, I was reminded that several of y'all turned me on to Tami Neilson, thanks. Her 2015 album, Don't Be Afraid (all original material from the Neilsons and friends, I think),seems somewhat Ronstadtian, with (somewhat) mixed results: blues-gospeloid belting I find distractingly generic, but when she eases back just a hair, we get some fine ballads (and occasional upper tempos): country-bluesy-soulful, sometimes w jazz potential and Latin turns (could imagine Freddy Fender doing a couple of these). Her Bandcamp is a little balky tonight, but well-worth the effort:
http://tamineilson.bandcamp.com/

I'm wrapping this thread up for the year. If I missed something or if a track comes available sometime in the future, bump here to let me know and I'll add.

Rolling Country 2015 Thread Spotify Playlist

Had to take a break before the rest of that, but speaking of St. Vincent, "Born Again Teen" is like her x Motown: ah, those youthful mood swings, maybe especially on acid. But/and the mirror sisters of Lucious eventually rock their way to higher ground, for another smoke break anyway: "It's all a manual that we've been writing, a future instructional guide / if we skipped ahead to our pre-fulfilled dreams, we'd be lost without our own advice." Ha, dood one.

Wrong thread, sorry! That was about Good Grief, new album by Lucius (not country, but not bad)