Rolling Country 2015

Striking Matches, Nothing But The Silence: songwriting duo, contributors to Nashville, and even though they're sonically easier to take for a whole album than Gunnar/Sam and Scarlett/Claire probably would be, still a bit too thin and earnest for my taste, especially when the words are too, and need stronger/less ingenue vox to put 'em over the top---and that's despite the bass and drums, always stepping up, never showboating (ditto electric rhythm guitar, given the chance). Still, it all works out sometimes---the in-too-deep, wanna go deeper "Make A Liar Out of Me" is my fave, and def. hoping for several cogent covers.

i saw them opening for ashley monroe about two years ago; they are polished and talented and crazy enthusiastic and yes thin and earnest but it wouldn't surprise me if they got rascal flatts big

that Church record sounds pretty good!

can't figure out
1) what that NYMag headline means
2) if it's a good headline
3) if I should read yet another piece on the cultural politics of genres (THINKING NO)

my office likes the Church record, nice

too many acoustic numbers on the Church, but, boy, he can sing

can't figure out
1) what that NYMag headline means
2) if it's a good headline
3) if I should read yet another piece on the cultural politics of genres (THINKING NO)

I read the piece, and as near as I can figure, Eric Church "gets" rock 'n' roll culture because he released his new album on vinyl.

It's not a bad article when it concentrates on the music, but I'm struck over and over again by how surprised writers are when country uses rock as if it never has.

If you don't pretend the thing you're writing about is wild and unprecedented, you've got no pitch.

(Of course, there's also a strong possibility the writer is too young to have any concept of history.)

Don't want to read that, even though he didn't write the headline, but let me guess: he's struck by title track, EC whining about being persecuted in high school for liking Elvis Costello and omg ***Jeff Tweedy***

Also: EC knows about black people, black music!

Edd interviews Kinky, likes new album, guess I'll check it out:
http://www.nashvillescene.com/nashvillecream/archives/2015/11/10/kinky-friedman-the-second-cream-interview

eric church truly gets rock 'n' roll culture in that he realizes it's mostly a tryhard image-driven act

not like country

Bob Dylan's Shadows In The Night tracks a worn but sometimes surprisingly poised, limber, white-bluesy growl---in effect like the later Sinatra's shrewd conservation and investment of remaining resources (look for the 1980s cable concert from Wolf Trap, for inst) through the moonlight, with acoustic bass and steel guitar navigating, Cap'n D always at the wheel. The romantic ritualism could just seem like the "elaborate sentimentality" tag that young Nik Cohn applied in passing, but this is the sound of conviction, beyond excuses for getting wasted: the opener, "I'm a Fool To Want You" is spooked realization--this time is like the first time, and now he can't shake the chil. Dittono matter how many times those "Autumn Leaves" have drifted by, and how mellow the sadness they can bring, he dreads the the sign of their coming once more(oops, spoiler, but I never noticed the dramatic climax written in before, maybe because I never listened to the end before, so give the grizzled tones more points for that).
And love songs can be like work songs here---another old-school country association---nevertheless, somehow he gets into a drift that gradually spins him around, in his spacey, autumn leafy way---"I go away for the weekend, and leave my keys in the door"---which leads to a happier realization, "I've always been your clown"---happier because, hey "Why try to change me now." He enjoys the quest, the cruise, the growlin' prowl in the blue moonlight (and shadows, yes)! So the second half reflects this, at least 'til "That Lucky Ol' Sun" flips the light on: more work ahead, but he sounds ready for it, even if complaining and jealous of the Sun (can't get too happy, or it wouldn't be country).

Nice

Are those reviews in print?

As we move into December, I'd like to drop a quick note to encourage any readers / lurkers / ilxors to post their favorite as-yet-unmentioned pop country and bluegrass tracks from this year to the thread so that I can hoover them into the ongoing spotify playlist. Last chance for any accessible stragglers that may not already be in the lexicon.

Traveller, by Chris Stapleton just got nominated for album of the year by the Grammys. Maybe I will give it another listen and see if it can finally win me over.

Was listening to Eric Church' latest this weekend. Some good tunes there, but yes, don't get that "Jeff Tweedy" line

chris stapleton's album is the sort that doesn't need to be any good to be appreciated by the grammy people

the cam album!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

http://www.ew.com/article/2015/12/07/cam-untamed-stream-listen?hootPostID=6371636dbc30f05d3c88251e2c6b96fb

i like the ep quite a lot.

Oh sweet, thanks for the stream! Yeah, EP got me.
xxpost thanks niels, but I missed the boat on covering Dylan's Great American Songbook album; didn't think he could pull it off (o me of little faith, once again).
This playlist is uncredited, but I highly suspect it's the work of Rolling Country alum and longtime Rhapsody blogger Chuck Eddy, who probably created that venerable ILM country-disco thread. This isn't country-*disco* only, and while the intro cites all kinds of worthy precedents, the tracks listed and linked here are at least relatively recent, some current(haven't had time to check functionality of all so far, but I'm sure forks will hook us up if nec., thanks again forks)
http://www.rhapsody.com/blog/post/country-gets-its-groove-on

Cam album is really great. Dixie Chicks-esque with a lot of swagger. Production team of Jeff Bhasker (most famously cowrote most of Kanye's 808s) and Tyler Johnson (anyone familiar with him?) did a great job--the whole album bounces with life and rhythm. Tracks like "Want It All" seem destined for the Billboard charts...if there's any justice in this world.

Favorite track is "Half Broke Heart," which has a cowrite from the seemingly untouchable Luke Laird.

Leaving aside outsiders like Kacey Musgraves, the most promising debut from a female country artist since Kerosene?

"half broke heart" quietly overtook "burning house" as my favourite on the ep in recent months, the chorus works so well

always quite odd hearing an album when so much of it is familiar but yeah, very strong release

x-post re Tyler Johnson, co-producer

A Grammy nominee two years in a row in the “Album of The Year” category, Johnson’s credits include Taylor Swift’s Red and Ed Sheeran’s X. He moved to Los Angeles from Steamboat Springs, CO to pursue his passion for music,

http://pulserecordings.com/news/tyler-johnson-signs-publishing-deal-with-pulse-creative-nation/

Johnson left for school in Los Angeles in 2004 to study philosophy and political science, but that passion for music never left him. After graduating, he started working as an assistant for Grammy-winning producer Jeff Bhasker, who has worked with the likes of Beyonce, Taylor Swift, The Rolling Stones, Bruno Mars, P!NK, Kanye West, Rihanna and Jay Z.

#About four years ago, Johnson met Cam in Los Angeles, and the two began working together, selling their songs.

http://www.steamboattoday.com/news/2013/dec/19/rising-country-music-star-backed-steamboat-locals/

Struck by the thoughtful, sometimes wry or rueful turns and shading in with the high spirits and sheer vitality; production supports and mirrors her balancing act as young voice of experience, coming out of at least one bad relationship, as she's acknowledged. Could be risky, starting off with a post-breakup album, but no enigmatic personal references etc (although that can work too, with the right production---really like the way Torres' undertow is countered and polished by the Portishead dude etc., though wouldn't work without just the right songs, ditto Cam).
Struck by "Runaway Train"'s bit about after after she's transformed herself into an effectiveinstrument of revenge, maybe she'll feel human again (and the way she sings it---never over the top sounds on top of flamboyant lyrics, like somebody else might do it).

Interesting to see the Taylor Swift connections. A sign of things to come?

Undecided on order, but my top 4 country albums of the year right now are Stapleton, Eric Church, Cam, and Musgraves.

Catching up, I seem to be higher on Church than ILM. Being There is an all-time personal favorite of mine, so the nod to "Misunderstood" charmed from the outset. The transition of "Round Here Buzz" > "Kill A Word" is the best moment of the album; those are melodies that few could carry so effectively today. The former is the same small town country song that's been written a thousand times, but there are very sweet, affecting personal touchpoints that make it work for me. The bite of the latter is more original, but then there's still that sweetness to his delivery. Tough to say if it tops Chief, but it's close. Shame that it kind of got lost in Stapleton's coming out party. Mr. Misunderstood works better than Traveller for me as a front-to-back album, as Traveller seems to get bogged down in 5 and 6-minute tracks in its closing run.

xxp, since you asked nicely:
Country Gets Its Groove On Spotify Playlist

happy to see Ashley Monroe get a grammy nom for best country album

Cam's "Hungover on Heartbreak" has been stuck in my head for two days. Love: the way the guitar switches from finger picking to strumming when the drums kick in; the phrasing of "I get sick when you mention her name"; the warmness of the synth that the second verse is built on; how rhythmic the thing is--has such a great feel of life and momentum, as does the whole album.

That Nashville Sound has their AOTY list up, and as usual, there's lots of stuff I need to explore. Totally slept on that Will Hoge release.

http://thatnashvillesound.blogspot.com/2015/12/that-nashville-sounds-top-40-albums-of.html

1. Chris Stapleton - Traveller
2. Will Hoge - Small Town Dreams
3. Courtney Patton - So This Is Life
4. Pat Green- Home
5. Randy Rogers and Wade Bowen - Hold My Beer Vol. 1
6 Whitey Morgan and the 78's - Sonic Ranch
7. Ashley Monroe- The Blade
8. Logan Brill – Shuteye
9. Statesboro Revue - Jukehouse Revival
10.Eric Church – Mr. Misunderstood
11. Cody Jinks - Adobe Sessions
12. Chris Roberts- Way Out West
13. Daryle Singletary – There’s Still A Little Country Left
14. Jason Isbell – Something More Than Free
15. Lindi Ortega- Faded Gloryville
16. Haley Whitters- Black Sheep
17. George Strait – Cold Beer Conversations
18. Don Henley – Cass County
19. Mavericks – Mono
20. SteelDrivers - The Muscle Shoals Recordings
21. Ray Wylie Hubbard - The Ruffians Misfortune
22. John Anderson - Gold Mine
23. Kacey Musgraves - Pageant Material
24. Elenowen - Pulling Back the Veil
25. Emily Hearn – Hourglass
26. Jamie Lin Wilson - Holidays & Wedding Rings
27. Aaron Watson - The Underdog
28. Alan Jackson – Angels and Alcohol
29. Darrell Scott - 10 - Songs of Ben Bullington
30. Levi Lowrey - My Crazy Head
31. T. Graham Brown - Forever Changed
32. Wade Hayes - Go Live Your Life
33. Maddie and Tae- Start Here
34. Carrie Underwood - Storyteller
35. Corb Lund – Things That Can’t Be Undone
36. Reba McEntire - Love Somebody
37. Stoney LaRue – Us Time
38. Zac Brown Band - Jekyll and Hyde
39. Dwight Yoakam - Second Hand Heart
40. Special mention- Emily West- All For You

Listening to the Stapleton again. Eh, some cuts are ok, but others are too 70s bar band southern rock for me.

the cam album doesn't disappoint, i think the strongest cuts were on the EP but "country ain't never been pretty" and "mayday" are quite something

Production team of Jeff Bhasker (most famously cowrote most of Kanye's 808s)

you can really tell it's bhasker bc of the drum tone. it's really cloudy but insistent. (he produced taylor's "holy ground" and that vibe is kinda there in "hungover on heartache")

my list of best/worst country singles of the year: http://narrowcast.blogspot.com/2015/12/the-20-best-country-radio-hits-of-2015.html

my list of best/worst country singles of the year: http://narrowcast.blogspot.com/2015/12/the-20-best-country-radio-hits-of-2015.html

― Shkreli, Martin & Wu (some dude), Friday, December 11, 2015 6:57 PM (2 hours ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

I had heard that Brother's Osborne track a couple times on the radio with no word on who it was or the song's name. Gotta say thanks for filling in the blanks it is truly great. Interesting that its Jay Joyce, it is the song I wish Eric Church was releasing right now.

Great list, I love the two Thomas Rhett songs, Burning House, House Party, Buy Me a Boat, Smoke Break & Lose My Mind (would love a Brett Eldredge/K Michelle song as an aside). I love/hate Fly.

Completely agree that Take Your Time is the worst song of the year, its the only song I instantly change the station for right now. Its a shame he insists on doing the talking/singing thing, he has an interesting signing voice, I would like to hear it more. Also, I would be interested to hear why you don't like Kick the Dust Up, I keep hearing negative things about it but I don't understand why, its a great party track, reminds me of Something 'Bout A Truck. Great for awkward country wedding dances.

"Kick The Dust Up" probably isn't that bad, i just tend to hate almost anything Luke Bryan does

I can't explain it but I hate Kick the Dust Up with a passion, but I enjoy Strip It Down. Cody Jinks is good too. But the new Eric Church is the best album I've heard in awhile. I love that he finally has a record that I don't skip certain songs. Looking forward to hearing the Cam full length. That Dibs song keeps getting stuck in my head in the worse way.

Also looking forward to what william michael morgan releases after hearing I met a girl. Lyrically the song isn't much to talk about much the way he sings it and the melody is nice.

i'm on board with your top 3 hip hop singles al

"stay a little longer" has become my favorite country single this year by far since i first heard it

Break Up In A Small Town is my favorite song in a while. The country station here plays an acoustic version that I like more than the regular one. His talking thing reminds me of the Billy Bragg/Johnny Marr version of Walk Away Renee.

I'm listening to the original version now and it's a lot crappier, actually. To bad...

Iris DeMent, The Trackless Woods: Good name for it, because, though quicky engaged, I did have to learn to follow the way she (and alert friends) follow Anna Akhmatova's bitter, insatiable quests, all around and right through the zero (kind of like Elena Ferrante's charismatic outlier in the heart of the old neighborhood, Lina/Lila Cerullo). But damn if DeMent, confirmed Southern Californinan as her old boss Merle Haggard, doesn't find and release the rolling country soul of these uncompromised lines---who knew? Of course the lines also find a release for the vocal and piano melodies of an artist who became seldom seen, at least in part because she's become seldom satisfied with her own lyrics. Release and def points of departure, somewhere under the forest canopy, but with sufficient glints, and sometimes right in the heart. Often enough, and we fans at least get the rousing sound, a bracing dose of old patent medicine DeMentia.

god i would buy a country album based on lila cerullo in a heartbeat

The CD's worth getting for the printed lyrics (also if you're getting tired of backing up back-ups of your back-ups of your back-ups). Not all of 'em come through the singing, not initially, although the way those bits gradually emerge can be quite an experience---and some of it, enough, I guess, I got right off. The combination of sensibilities isn't like Lina/Lila times her great friend and rival for life, Elena/Lenu Greco, because DeMent's persona is something else (but come to think of it, Anna A. can seem like both the Ferrante frenemies at once, scornful and dismissive and anxious and romantic, arguing, fighting with herself to toughen up for the next fool to come passing along, someday, beyond mere possibility)

Not to say that there might not be a lot more to Akhmatova than the way she (so far) comes across to me, based on this selection of translated poems, and the way they sound here.

http://www.slate.com/articles/arts/the_music_club/features/2015/music_club_2015/country_radio_s_focus_on_bro_country_has_sidelined_more_than_just_women.html

From Slate's critics discussion for 2015, critc Jewly Hight weighs in on bro country, tomatoes, and more --

country singers like Thomas Rhett and Brett Eldredge had already gone into suave, soul-pop loverman mode on their latest albums. Just this week I saw Eldredge play up his smooth crooning chops at a Sinatra-styled industry soirée. I’ve also been noticing an uptick in country slow jams, from Eric Church’s “Like a Wrecking Ball,” a track from The Outsiders that wasn’t released as a single until this year, to Luke Bryan’s “Strip It Down” and Carrie Underwood’s “Heartbeat.”

Part of what’s going on, I think, is an expansion into more uptown or intentionally adult-sounding modes of expression, perhaps even some implicit pushback against the perception that contemporary country seduction is boorish and juvenile. There’s certainly a classist layer to those readings, as Carl noted earlier this year. It’s also worth considering how these musical moves are re-enacting the cycle by which country ups its sonic progressiveness through borrowing from soul and R&B traditions, a fraught history of racial-musical exchange that Charles Hughes masterfully unpacks in this year’s Country Soul: Making Music and Making Race in the American South.

more from jewly hight:

the rise of the country-music super producer

I haven't been able to like Kelsea Ballerini like lots of peers -- she sounds false to me. I love "Crash and Burn" and haven't gotten tired of Dierks Bentley's "Say You Do."

sad.