As 2008 edges closer to the holiday season new works of art from the world of country music are preparing to hit the streets in full swing. So in anticipation of a very competitive and dramatic holiday season for country music artists, and in response to many comments about several release dates, I have provided the release dates for some of the most anticipated albums starting in August and into September. I have also provided a list of albums not yet given release dates but are sure to make their marks when they make their debut. It is also worth mentioning that these dates are current, as of June 2008, so they are subject to change. I will try to keep up and make any necessary changes if required.
August:
What Am I Waiting For by Heidi Newfield (Curb Records), Aug. 5
That Lonesome Song by Jamey Johnson (Mercury Records), Aug. 5
C’Mon by Keith Anderson (Columbia Records), Aug. 5
Number One Songs by Merle Haggard (Curb Records), Aug. 5
Dawn Of A New Day by Crystal Shawanda (RCA), Aug. 19
Burn Your Playhouse Down by George Jones (Vanguard/Bandit), Aug. 19
Meet Glen Campbell by Glen Campbell (Capital Records), Aug. 19
Do You Believe Me Now by Jimmy Wayne (Valory Records), Aug. 26
Holler Back by The Lost Trailers (BNA), Aug. 26
September:
Sex & Gasoline by Rodney Crowell (Work Song/Yep Roc), Sept. 2
Notes To The Coroner by Chely Wright (Vanguard), Sept. 9
Sleepless Nights by Patty Loveless (Saguaro Road), Sept. 9
Carter’s Chord by Carter’s Chord (Show Dog Records Nashville), Sept. 16
Kristy Lee Cook by Kristy Lee Cook (Arista Records), Sept. 16
Joy To The World by Faith Hill (Warner Bros. Records), Sept. 16
Learn To Live by Darius Rucker (Capital Records), Sept. 23
Kellie Pickler by Kellie Pickler (BNA), Sept. 30
October:
Unmistakable by Jo Dee Massina (Curb), Oct. 14
Voice by Chris Young (RCA), Oct. 21
I Got Your Country Right Here by Gretchen WIlson (Columbia), Oct. 28
Undetermined:
Playby Brad Paisley (Arista Records)
Emily West by Emily West (Capital Records)
I Walk Alone by Lorrie Morgan (Stroudavarious)
The Future by Lonestar (Lonestar Records)
Carolinaby Eric Chirch (Capital Records)
Everything Comes And Goes by Michelle Branch (Warner Bros. Records)
The cast for the second season of CMT’s series Gone Country, presented and hosted by John Rich, has been announced including stars as diverse as a former *NSYNC member to a Canadian Heavy Metal artist. The list can be found here: http://www.cmt.com/shows/series/gone_country_2/series.jhtml
James Stroud, a well noted and established producer for such artists as Emerson Drive, Jimmy Wayne, and Toby Keith, has established a new record label called Stroudavarious Records. The label has already signed Lorrie Morgan, Willie Nelson, and Darryl Worley who are all currently working on new material to be released within the year. The label is also producing a star studded compilation project to benefit an Alabama town suffering from tornado damage. http://www.gactv.com/gac/nw_headlines/article/0,3034,GAC_26063_5905276_,00.html
Country Central welcomes a new #1 after Kenny Chesney reined supreme for two weeks. The site top 20 countdown has Montgomery Gentry on top with “Back When I Knew It All”. See the entire list here: http://www.angelfire.com/music4/mytop20/thisweek.html
Heidi Newfield, former front girl for trio Trick Pony, has posted three new tracks from her upcoming solo album on her myspace website for your previewing pleasure including her take of Martina McBride’s unreleased song from her recent album Waking Up Laughing, “Cry, Cry (’Till The Sun Shines)”. http://www.myspace.com/heidinewfield
For those who have seen my review of “All Summer Long” by Kid Rock you may want to also check out what The 9513 has to say. They take the song apart bit by bit in a fabuous take on the hot new summmer anthem. http://www.the9513.com/kid-rock-all-summer-long/
Keith Urban will re-issue his greatest hits colection and re-name it 19-kids after adding the special performance style track of “You Look Good In My Shirt” into the mix. For details on purchasing online and the re-release date visit Keith’s site at www.keithurban.net
Tim McGraw continues to push his 2007 well over a year later by releasing the title track, probably one of the most memorable on the project along side tracks like “Put Your Loving On Me”, “Train #10″ and “If You’re Reading This”. McGraw has hard a significantly difficult time scoring his usual top 5 hits lately and keeping pace with the likes of Kenny and George, so he shifts gears and takes a more uplifting approach in a lyric that has Tim stating he will let go of his problems and ease his own pain instead of holding on tight to his demons and his mistakes.
It’s no secret this song covers no new ground as far as writing. However there lies its only real flaw. The presentation and power behind it reflects its purpose nicely and brings back the sound and talent that has brought Tim to where he is. While he should probably consider releasing a batch of new material next time around, he has presented a worthy candidate for sn additional release from the album of the same name.
Former Nashville Star contestant Whitney Duncan has surprisingly been picked up by Warner Bros., the label that offered a contract to her season’s winner Angela Hacker and provided host Cowboy Troy and judge Blake Shelton to help with the decision process.
Although Duncan really failed to stand out through the competition, her high point was as a songwriter with her own work in “Skinny Dipping”. This new song was also co-written by her and has the same enjoyment and energy that her performance of original material on the low-grade reality show did. What also sparkles about it is that it takes a common idea from a song and shifts it into a totally original scheme. In the song, Whitney has offered her love to a man and only to be disappointed by how little he values her commitment. Thus we find her revealing his faults when it comes to a relationship and his unfortunate misunderstanding of how to be in love as well a Whitney’s regret for jumping into everything to fast.
Nashville star has failed to produce any real stars outside of Miranda Lambert. So it would be foolish to predict a successful run for Whitney. However, she may surprise. This song is catchy, well written, and simple enough to please the ear. She just may have a good shot if this song is given the opportunity.
Inspired by the outlaws of the old generation comes the sophomore album of one of the outlaws of the new generation. Ray Scott’s sophomore album comes from his own label Jethropolitan Records, having separated from Warner after the poor sales of his debut project. Coming into his second album listeners learns so much more about Ray as a person and as an artist than his first release. While this album contains many highly critical flaws, the overall concept of the project is respectable.
These days it’s hard to find a traditional singer who doesn’t try too hard to incorperate the popular sound of most of today’s overall music in an attempt to earn some easy recognition. Ray keeps it clean like the men he worships, Johnny, Merle, Waylon, the outlaws that refused to conform to the new age. The traditional twang of outlaw country and the attitude that supports it rings out in most of the album. Great examples are the opening track, “Hell Got Raised“, and his tribute to struggling musicians and dreamers like himself, “Crazy Like Me“. While they may not show his most creative side, songs like these make this album both entertaining and relative and help signify Ray’s outlaw brand of country twang.
The Trailer Choir are fresh off of Showdog Records boosted by popularity steaming from their connection to Toby Keith. So it is significant that these guys burst to the scene with a song and sound all there own that separates them from Toby and the other bands out there. They’ve got the image, as diverse as Trick Pony used to be, and the fan following, but do they have the sound.
This song, featured on the Beer For My Horses soundtrack, is a party song for the hillbilly, if you couldn’t tell. In an interesting fashion this trio manages to mix traditional country with some southern rock and a little bit of solid rock n’ roll to create one of the centuries more original country party songs, the kind of song that you would hear in the speakers of every truck you pass on the back roads of the farm country or on the i-pods of every tractor driver in America. With that in mind this is a decent effort for a first try. There still seems to be a little Toby influence mixed in there, but if they can polish that out a little bit this band may actually have a chance in this changing world of country music.
The new trailer for the highly anticipated CMT films release Beer For My Horseshas hit the streets. This summer Toby Keith makes his second film appearance in the movie named for his hit song, but has been described as not necessarily anywhere near the song itself. Only time will tell if Toby’s new movie, also staring singer/comedian Rodney Carrington, is as big of a hit as it is promising to be. Below is the trailer for the upcoming film. The album for the film will be released August 5th on Toby’s label Show Dog Records and will include Toby, Carrington, Carter’s Chord, Willie Nelson, and the new single “Off The Hillbilly Hook” by the Trailer Choir.
When you’re hot, you’re hot. Carrie Underwood has had everything up to this point that is needed to define an artist, attitude, stamina, beauty and grace, a great voice, exposure, and feeling behind every word of her endless #1 streak of hits. What she needed to complete her star powered perfection is a powerful, tear-jerking and sentimental song that is so strong yet so delicate it is borderline perfection. That is this song.
“Just A Dream” may seem like a strange song at first, but given a few listens and some attentiveness it is revealed that this very powerful balled tells the story of a woman who believes she is heading to her wedding with her lover who has been at war only to find she was actually going to his funeral. As you can imagine, the scene unravels for the character like a bad dream, to put it better a real nightmare. Carrie supports the lyrics with her most powerful vocal performance to date, not only showing that she is the entire package once and for all, but showing just how much pain, confusion and suffering is being felt by the woman in the song.
SO to put it simply Carrie Underwood has made a huge step into unquestionable country music superstardom with this one. No doubt she will have another very deserving #1 with this one.
Some big names are making waves as 2008 marches on into the second half of the year. Many surprises have been revealed that have made country music a very much more competitive and interesting race to the top spot and back into contention for longevity in today’s musical world. So I believe it is time to point out just who should be watched as 2008 continues on.
First off Keith Anderson should be watched very closely. How did this happen. Keith ran out of steam after “Every Time I Hear Your Name” became a radio hit. Now Keith is back with a powerful baled in “I Still Miss You” and the fun loving and energetic top class songwriter has found himself back in the top 10 after over a year of trying. This momentum has also stirred up the wait for his next album, which has been moved several times and is now expected in August or September. The video has also been making waves being put into contention in both GAC and CMT’s Top Twenty Countdowns. This interesting this is that “I Still Miss You” is far from Keith’s strongest push at the top, yet it has achieved so much more than expected with obviously little backing from his label. Impressive.
Toby Keith, despite his stereotype as a hard core honkey tonk party man, is at his best when he tackles a powerful ballad. For the first single from his upcoming project Toby returns to his prime with a single that stands out over much of what has been offered this year from the new and the experienced artists.
The idea of the song surrounds one single concept, a tear as a symbol of emotional release, only in this tune it isn’t Toby crying, it’s the girl that was once his lover and is now married. Toby’s character sees a tear drop down her cheek which reveals to him a release of countless emotions and realization in himself and in her. Toby begins to realize how much he neglected her and how she must have felt but held back, for many possible reason whether it be for love of him or lack thereof, and they both realize how much happier she is now and that she has finally fallen in love while Toby’s character is left alone and apparently moving on with a new sense of understanding.
What shines throughout the lyric is that although Toby’s character becomes weighed down by his own revelation as well as his former lover from just a single tear down her cheek, he stands strong and avoids crying himself. This makes the song interesting because it leaves it open for the listener to determine whether there is a sense of regret or a sense of acceptance shown as he contemplates that one showing of emotion that he never saw from her. Simple, yet slightly complicated…just the way I like it.
I regret to inform that the top 25 guitar songs of country music countdown will be discontinued. I have been researched another future countdown and rethinking the list. The list will be revamped and re-posted at a later date. I apologize greatly to anyone who may have been following the countdown and anyone who helped contribute. I do promise the countdown will be re-posted at a later date and I will guarantee that the three songs already revealed will be in the list, maybe not necessarily in their current positions.
Having switched to Capital Records the quartet of Little Big Town release their second single from their recent album A Place To Land. “Fine Line” is an impressive showing of the groups harmonic talents, with a performance reminiscent of the trademark style of the Eagles at times. However the song lacks the lyrical relevance to match.
“Fine Line” has Karen speaking through a woman who is being neglected by the man who supposedly loves her and puts her in the position of explaining the situation and the fine line between them as she contrasts her views of the situation with his. While the song holds and strong and enjoyable hook throughout its entirety, it lacks some climactic feel near the end that makes it almost repetitive and very redundant lyrically and vocally. So while this song is a decent reintroduction to help the band launch from their new label, it comes off as a little too much like a debut single in that it is a little held back where things should be stressed out a little more.
Phil has impressed me with many of his songs. They have been innovative, attractive, and impressively performed in a fashion that makes the hook stick. This is not one of those songs.
Phil’s latest album in itself is not his best work. The many downfalls of is newest album Prayer Of A Common Mancome out in this song through a boring and unattractive hook, poor production, and a mushy romantic feel that serves to add absolutely nothing new to Phil’s credit. The lyrics attempt to pull off a drawn out and already overdone concept of romance that has the singer doing anything for the one he loves. For a brand new artist to the scene this song would have been a decent second single to help support a debut album, but from an artist with the credit and experience of Phil Vassar this is a huge disappointment.
Lee Ann Womack graces country music with her voice once more as she makes her second attempt at a triumphant return to the airwaves. Womack has always been one to reminisce of the roots of country music through her powerful ballads and her consistent and beautiful sound. This new single is no different. It solidifies both Lee Ann’s traditional country and bluegrass roots while expressing a simple yet attractive message and mixing in a neo-traditional feel, all mixing flawlessly.
While Lee Ann’s performances can seem dreary and depressing at times, this song shows a new sense of bravery and strength that Lee Ann has held back for quite some time in her music as her character is called by a former lover, a sign that she has come to learn signifies that he is at a bar stoned with drinks and regretting whatever he did wrong. Lee Ann realizes how pathetic he must be and when given the option of giving him another chance out of pity or leaving him to drown himself in sorrow and liqueur she decides to leave him behind and ignore his last call. While Lee Ann has some catching up to do, she puts out a polished and well established song of personal hope and while it can seem like a boring song, Lee Ann pull off one of the best performances of her career.
Just to inform you all, this is how the blog spot works. Below will be a list of news updates along with links to the sites so you can check them out. This will hopefully allow me to stay in contact with more readers and other blogs as well as taking some of the pressure off of me. Enjoy!
Dolly Parton is named the #1 woman in country music by Country Universe to conclude their enjoyable and insightful 100 Greatest Woman Of Country Music countdown. Visit http://www.countryuniverse.net/ for the full list.
Sugarland have made a special announcement concerning their upcoming project Love On The Inside. For full details visit their website, www.sugarlandmusic.com
Keith Urban will be adding his re-recorded version of “You Look Good In My Shirt” to his Greatest Hits CD and will rename it 19 Kids. For more information visit his website, www.keithurban.net
Toby Keith, despite his stereotype as a hard core honkey tonk party man, is at his best when he tackles a powerful ballad. For the first single from his upcoming project Toby returns to his prime with a single that stands out over much of what has been offered this year from the new and the experienced artists.
