The Official Country Music Thread Genre • Page 21

Yeah, I don't mind "Roses" too much either, other than the "edu-ma-cation" line.

I can understand him being buddies with the establishment guys because they run in the same circles. He's also friends with Luke Bryan who doesn't seem like a bad dude. His records just suck. Aldean and Shelton kind of just come across as huge jackasses though. Maybe they're the problem!

I need to check out Pistol Annies. Haven't actually listened to their albums.

The 1989 review might have been his worst. He just spewed all of this smug bullshit, like he was the only one whose opinion on the original had any validity. His hatred of Taylor Swift is almost comical at this point. It really bothers me when music writers take on this condescending "no one could possibly like this" tone. A lot of them do, too, whether they're doing something like that and just hating on an artist head on or making offhand jokes about artists in reviews about other bands.

 

Haha ugh that line is bad, for sure. I know a lot of people don't like "Different for Girls" too, in part because of the vaguely regressive lyrics but, I don't know, it doesn't strike me as intentionally wrongheaded or anything, just overly simplistic. But I enjoy it all in all, even though of three guest vocal tracks, "I'll Be the Moon" is def my favorite. The one with Trombone Shorty is pretty fun too.

Right, they're all just sort of part of that machine for better or worse. I can't say I've got anything against Luke Bryan as a person, but man does his music make my skin crawl/ears bleed. Totally agree about Aldean and Shelton though, both have always struck me as the epitome of the "bro-country" epithet. Whereas Bentley seems like he genuinely enjoys making music and puts his hear into it (usually), those two seem more than happy to just play the parts they've been assigned. Not to mention that spat a while back where they both basically accused fans of classic (read: actual) country music of being stuffy old boring fossils for not liking their shitty, derivative product. Ugh.

It's weird too because I distinctly remember him penning an article defending Taylor Swift against claims that her father bought her career for her. Maybe opinion has soured over time or whatever, since that one was probably published when she was still comfortably within the country genre. Not that it really matters, I guess. Then again, its looking more and more like hating Taylor Swift is in vogue again, but ultimately I could give a shit about her spats or beefs or whatever. I still like her music and I listen to records by people who've done far worse things than lie about approving a lyric about her so whatfuckingever, ha.

 

I like "Different for Girls" actually. I think he meant well with it. It's probably not a great song, in a politically correct world, but I understand what he was trying to say. Elle King elevates it for me. "Mardi Gras" is one of my favorites, though. That's the Steve Moakler co-write, and I think it's a pretty cleverly written song.

I have never listened to a full Aldean song, let alone a record. I've listened to some of Blake Shelton's stuff, and he's not usually that bad, but he's not usually very good either. Him being a sleazeball in real life is my biggest issue with him.

He kind of defended her in his recent article about the Kanye West phone call. Like, basically said it's stupid for people to say that Taylor is "done" or whatever because of this. (Which, duh.) But then he just started taking shots at Ryan Adams' version of 1989 again and I stopped reading.

I certainly don't give a shit if she lied about it or not. It's been pretty obvious for awhile that she's very calculated in her PR and image. I still like her records a lot. And ultimately, I don't think it matters if he called to get permission or not. That song he wrote is misogynist shit and that line is a cheap publicity stunt. I also doubt he called to ask if it was okay to put a fake naked version of her in his video for said song, which is even grosser.

 

I think he really just tries to be as contrarian as possible. When Swift was a media darling, he was tearing her down. When she slowly switched into pop and country media was turning on her, he started writing articles praising her. Then when 1989 hit it huge, he started turning on her again. His articles are all aimed at getting google traffic anyway and not actually of any substance.


This is my only comment on the Swift/West thing, but I think the video is fair game. He was inspired by the paining "Sleep" and was commenting on fame. At the same time he had 11 other people in that bed, including himself, his wife, politicians, friends, ex's, all who are extremely famous. Taylor is also one of the most famous people in the world, so naturally she would be included in the video even without the lyric/history between the two.

 

His Sturgill Simpson review was where I really got tired of his bullshit. I think he used the words "not country" like 20 times in that review.

I think Kanye West can "comment on fame" without doing something that abhorrently disgusting.

 

New Lori McKenna album is streaming on NPR. Produced by Dave Cobb. Easily one of the best albums I've heard so far this year.

 

Mine was when he made that video saying Shooter Jennings should be arrested because he believed the song Gunslinger was a message to him about how Shooter was going to kill him because its called Gunslinger and his name is Triggerman. After that I just checked the site to see if anyone released a new song or album info and would check it out elsewhere.

 

Thanks for posting this. I really enjoyed it. I'm not sure if it is best of the year quality yet, I'd need to listen to it a few more times.

 

EW is streaming the new Amanda Shires song. Its produced by Dave Cobb. Hear Amanda Shires striking new song 'Harmless'

 

Right, it's definitely coming from a well-intentioned place, I think. And it's certainly better than how women are treated/portrayed in a lot of his contemporaries' songs, ha. I still need to listen to Elle King's record sometime, I get the feeling I'd probably enjoy it.

Speaking of Bentley and his co-writers, I remember there being this whole fuss back when "Home" was released (the song co-written with Dan Wilson) where Jason Isbell accused Bentley of ripping off "In a Razor Town". I wasn't into Bentley at the time but after getting more into his work lately I can't say I really see too much of a similarity between the songs? At least not to the point where I'd start accusing someone of plagiarism. Then again, Isbell wasn't yet sober (I think?) so maybe that had something to do with his state of mind over it. I kinda wonder how he feels about it all nowadays.

Aldean is just unbearable, whereas to me, Shelton is usually just completely forgettable. I'd say the only decent-to-big name in mainstream country right now more beige than him is Cole Swindell, who is just the most vanilla motherfucker in the genre hah. Just like...no personality at all. It's crazy. But yeah, Shelton has always struck me as being a douche as a person, can't say I know too much about him though other than the drama between him and Miranda Lambert, and him idiotically accusing traditional country fans of being out of touch or boring or whatever.

Me neither. I'm honestly a little tired of Kanye consistently getting passes for the shit he pulls. The whole lyric was bad enough (and from the video it seems like he never really mentions that he'd be referring to her as "that bitch") so...eh. And that video is just painful. And I'm not even the biggest Swift fan (I really only dig Red and 1989) but, jesus. Whatever.

On an unrelated note, I finally picked up that Jamey Johnson album of Hank Cochran covers from a while back and thoroughly enjoy it.

 

New Turnpike Troubadours tune

 

That came from nowhere! Really digging it, they never seem to disappoint.

 

I got the first two Lee Ann Womack CDs for 50 cents each at Half Price Books. They're nice with some traditional sounding songs mixed with some inoffensive 90s production. Her voice is awesome though, sounds like a young Dolly Parton.

 

Been feeling Chris Knight and Gary Allan a lot lately.

Think I might like that last one even more than the Todd Snider recording of it. Maybe. ha

 

This is hands down my favorite Chris Knight song.

 

Enjoying all the Chris Knight love in here.

 

Yeah, that one's great. Love this performance of it from a tv appearance

 

New lydia loveless tune!



Edit: can't get it to embed properly, but anyways it's on npr and it's awesome.

 

Been waiting to hear this one. I saw her last summer and she played a few new songs including this one and it was one of the best songs she played that night.

 

The new BJ Barham album showed up in my inbox yesterday and it's some really nice stuff. The song "Unfortunate Kind" is just fucking devastating.

 

Easily one of the best songs he has written. Really looking forward to the album.

 

I think the acoustic storyteller style suits him well. I like American Aquarium a lot, but the solo album is definitely a different side of him, which is nice.

 

Hey @cshadows2887, you need to listen to this Lori McKenna album. I feel like it's what you wanted from the new Brandy Clark record.

 

I've never been blown away by any of the American aquarium albums but always enjoyed them for the most part. Hoping this is the one that I've been waiting for from him, agree the acoustic style suites him well though.