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Album Review: Kip Moore – Up All Night

24 May

Newcomer Kip Moore is clearly catching on at radio, as seen by the recent chart-topping success of his single “Somethin’ ‘Bout a Truck.”  Though his debut album Up All Night at times wants for consistency and thematic variety, it remains a clear demonstration of budding talent.  Stylistically, the album leans toward a smooth, radio-friendly country-rock sound, but does so with more restraint and good taste than most, such that the rock elements do not overwhelm the songs themselves.  It’s a style Moore inhabits with ease, and it’s an apt fit for his rough, Springsteen-esque voice that shows a few shades of Billy Ray Cyrus.

Moore appears as a co-writer on every single one of the album’s cuts, sharing writing credits with the likes of everyone from Aimee Mayo to Blair Daly to Kiefer Thompson of Thompson Square (with whom Moore co-wrote two tracks on Thompson Square’s self-titled debut album).  With regard to lyrical material, one noteworthy gripe is that Moore tends to play the sexy card a tad too often.  The bulk of the album’s first half consists largely of one backwoods romance after another, as evident in kickoff tracks “Drive Me Crazy” and “Beer Money,” which are followed by the single “Somethin’ ‘Bout a Truck.”

To Moore’s credit, he does manage to tackle such themes with greater believability and with fewer clichés, and of course, not all songs of that ilk are bad - some here are actually quite good.  “Beer Money” is built around a big chorus with an accessible melody, and a production that is forceful without being overpowering.  Unremarkable title hook aside, “Drive Me Crazy” is laced with vivid imagery, while also showing itself not afraid to get a little steamy.  Though some tracks, “Somethin’ ‘Bout a Truck” in particular, trip over cliché fencing, Moore is still able to elevate the material to a degree thanks to the quality and character of his committed vocal performances.

When the songs are colored with shades of heartache and longing, it often pays significant dividends.  “Everything But You” immerses the listener in descriptions of deep blue ocean waters and starry night skies, with the narrator concluding that such have little meaning if he cannot enjoy them with his currently estranged lover by his side.  Such songs also give Moore room to show his chops as an interpretive singer as he imbues a subtle sense of urgency into his delivery of “Where You Are Tonight.”  Better yet, when the production is dialed back on “Hey Pretty Girl,” Moore effectively fills every sonic crevice with a nuanced half-whisper of a delivery.  Regrettably, Moore’s excellent, heartbreaking debut single “Mary Was the Marrying Kind” (which died at #45 on the charts) is omitted from the standard edition, but can be found on the deluxe edition (along with the bonus track “Motorcycle” and an acoustic version of “Somethin’ ‘Bout a Truck”).  The album closes on a solid note with “Faith When I Fall,” a simple, plaintive prayer for faith, hope, and strength from above.

It all adds up to a collection that is at least entertaining, if not always substantial. (This is still mainstream Nashville country music, after all)  Up All Night clearly positions Kip Moore as one of the more interesting and talented newcomers to hit country airwaves, and one who clearly has notable potential should more fully realized projects come in the future.

KIP’S SCORE:  7
(Scores are given on a scale of 1 to 10)

Buy:  Up All Night

 
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Posted by on May 24, 2012 in Album Reviews

 

Chris Young – “Neon”

15 May

Songwriters:  Shane McAnally, Joan Osborne, Trevor Rosen

At this point, it’s almost hard to believe that just a few short years ago, Chris Young was a cowboy-hatted Nashville Star alum struggling to get airplay with singles that were generally solid, but ‘too country’ for the market.  Fast forward to 2012, and “Gettin’ You Home (The Black Dress Song)” has long since gained him admittance into the instant add club, and he has become a reliable hitmaker who continues to make country radio a little more listenable one steel-laden hit single at a time.

Though his song material has at times failed him, the title track and current single from his album Neon finds that rich neotraditional country voice sounding better than ever.  Young tackles the song’s verses with appealing subtlety, and then pours himself full-on into the chorus with a quiet intensity, while backed with fiddle and steel that just sounds pure country delicious.

Complementing the beautiful production arrangement and Young’s committed vocal performance, songwriters Shane McAnally, Joan Osborne, and Trevor Rosen provide a solid set of lyrics to complete the trifecta.  The lyrics combine imagery of Wyoming skies and Santa Fe sunsets with a few clever turns of phrase here and there, all without compromising the natural ease of flow.  It all leads to a familiar everyman destination that has been the setting of many a classic country song – the honky-tonk.  All the while, little details in the chorus place the listener right in the midst of the scene, with “a little Johnny Lee” playing on the jukebox in the corner.

With a contemporary spin on a classic country theme, and a melody that wouldn’t sound out-of-place during the glory days of the nineties, “Neon” sounds worthy of neotrad stalwarts such as George Strait and Alan Jackson, with a dash of Clay Walker thrown in for good measure.  Thus, “Neon” turns out a most refreshing, invigorating slice of contemporary country music in all its rich, twangy glory, making it arguably Young’s finest single to date.  If country radio retains any amount of good taste, this single should follow its predecessors right up the charts.

CHRIS’S SCORE:  9
(Scores are given on a scale of 1 to 10)

 
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Posted by on May 15, 2012 in Single Reviews

 

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Gloriana – “(Kissed You) Good Night”

12 May

Songwriter:  Michael Paul Cox

Is it just me, or has Gloriana been peddling more or less the same giddy, youthful pop-country love songs for all three years they’ve been around?  Granted, there’s definitely something to be said for music that taps into a feel-good, escapism vein.  But only their 2009 debut single “Wild at Heart” came close to capturing the passion and joyful intensity that makes such efforts work, while the then-quartet, now-trio’s continual revisiting of the same theme tends to make them look like one-trick ponies.

“(Kissed You) Good Night” is about a guy dropping off a girl after a date, realizing upon getting back to his car that he should have kissed her good night, and then rushing back into the house to do so.

Once you’ve read the above description, you practically don’t have the listen to the song, as the song itself scarcely fleshes out the concept any further.  It’s as if they got an idea for a song, but were unable to bring it to life.  Nor were they able to impose that idea upon their listeners in any meaningful way, as the melody is weak, and the hook rings flat and forced.

How this song has sneaked up to become Gloriana’s first Top 20 hit since their debut single is beyond me.  But even if it tops the charts, there’s no way this is still going to hold up ten years from now.

GLORIANA’S SCORE:  4
(Scores are given on a scale of 1 to 10)

 
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Posted by on May 12, 2012 in Single Reviews

 

The Mavericks – “Born to Be Blue”

11 May

On one hand, this new Mavericks single sounds like a throwback to the group’s mid-nineties heyday.  It’s a testament to the Mavericks’ staying power, however, that “Born to Be Blue” still manages to sound fresher than just about anything else on the radio.

One of the most acclaimed country bands of the 1990′s, The Mavericks never became top-tier hitmakers at radio, with none of their singles reaching the Top 10 – not that that stopped them from selling gold and platinum or winning two straight CMA Vocal Group of the Year awards, mind you.  They recorded their last studio album together in 2003, with its lackluster commercial reception leading to the group’s subsequent disbandment, upon which Malo embarked on a solo career.  Early 2012 brought the news that the Mavericks had re-formed and signed with Valory Music, and if this first single is any indication, their upcoming new album is bound to be a good’n.

Raul Malo can still sing circles around most any other male vocalist - That much is clear from the first note.  His performance here exhibits the same power, clarity, and control that he has long been known for, enveloping the song’s swooping melody while conveying the pain of the lyric with ease.  Comparisons to Roy Orbison have practically become cliché at this point, but such clearly remain well warranted.

It’s every bit as satisfying that the band’s unshakable chemistry and infectious energy remains fully intact, as does the helping of Latin influence that the group has often experimented with.  The accordion-infused arrangement on this track may very well remind one of their excellent Flaco Jimenez-assisted 1996 single “All You Ever Do Is Bring Me Down” (the group’s highest-peaking chart hit at #13).

It all comes together to form a most enticing preview of an album that promises to rank among 2012′s finest.  Needless to say, it’s good to have them back.

THE MAVERICKS’ SCORE:  8
(Scores are given on a scale of 1 to 10)

HEAR IT 

 
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Posted by on May 11, 2012 in Single Reviews

 

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George Strait – “Drinkin’ Man”

07 May

Songwriters:  George Strait, Bubba Strait, Dean Dillon

Long story short:  This is George Strait’s best single in years, and if it doesn’t at least crack the Top 20, I will be very unhappy.

Country music has a long history of drinking songs, though such have become less common in the antiseptic country radio climate of today.  But when a country drinking song attempts to portray the destructive effects of alcohol addiction, it can be easy for it to come across as high-minded or superficially judgmental. (See Tim McGraw’s “Nothin’ to Die For”) Strait’s “Drinkin’ Man” avoids that problem entirely by giving voice to the affected man himself through vivid first-person narration that shows naked honesty and self-awareness.  The lyric starkly portrays the feelings of guilt the man suffers, the consequences his habit reaps on his family and relationships, and the inner struggle he faces as his earnest desire to kick the habit collides with his deeply ingrained dependency. (“I look into the mirror, bottle in my hand/ I’d like to pour it out, but I just don’t think I can”) Likewise, the refrain “That’s a hell of a lot to ask of a drinkin’ man” captures the truth that no one can fully understand a struggling alcoholic’s plight except the affected individual himself.  And it’s a Dean Dillon collaboration – Who’da guessed?

Over the course of his thirty year career, George Strait has pulled off the near-impossible task of remaining commercially relevant throughout decades of changing tastes and trends, yet doing so with remarkably few concessions in his sound and style.  In the tradition of Strait’s very best work, “Drinkin’ Man” combines a straightforward, detailed, lyric with a tasteful production to create something universal and timeless.

It would be a sad thing indeed if the mainstream country format had deteriorated to the point that a career-best effort from George Strait could be ignored.  But, regardless of whether it finds the audience it deserves, ”Drinkin’ Man” is a song that stands as a Jones-worthy classic, and a definite highlight in Strait’s long and storied career.

GEORGE’S SCORE:  10
(Scores are given on a scale of 1 to 10)

HEAR IT 

 
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Posted by on May 7, 2012 in Reviews, Single Reviews

 

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Blake Shelton – “Over”

07 May

Songwriters:  Paul Jenkins, David Elliot Johnson

Is Blake Shelton even trying anymore?

Seriously, is he?  Let’s think about this for a minute:  Not since “Who Are You When I’m Not Looking” has he had even one single that was memorable or at all good, and that was almost two years ago.  The result?  The CMA and ACM have both anointed Shelton the male standard-bearer for the country format.

I swear this song makes no effort to impose itself upon the listener at all.  It’s just there - there to fill up its little three-minute time slot at radio before yielding its place to a Diet Coke commercial.  Aside from the lifeless lyrics and pedestrian melody, one of the biggest reasons this single sinks like a stone is the way Shelton steps back during the chorus and lets a washout of thrashing Adult Contemporary rock guitars and strings drown him out in a swamp of noisy sonic nothingness.  It’s not even good pop music or rock music, and it doesn’t scan as any form of country music in even the vaguest sense.  It’s just one giant mess of bleh.

What does it say about our genre format that we expect so little of our top hitmakers?  It’s hard to hold out any measure of hope for the country genre’s future as long as its premiere male vocalist remains content to keep dishing out country radio’s most played elevator music.

BLAKE’S SCORE:  3
(Scores are given on a scale of 1 to 10)

HEAR IT 

 
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Posted by on May 7, 2012 in Reviews, Single Reviews

 

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Little Big Town – “Pontoon”

27 Apr

Songwriters:  Barry Dean, Natalie Hembry, Luke Laird

We can try to hide from it all we want, but the cycle is already well-established.  Each year, country stars throw a barrage of brainless summer songs at country radio to see if they stick, and as much as one might wish to deny it, this year’s crop is just now beginning to roll out.  The only questions that remains is to see how insufferable they will be this year.

Despite having released a string of excellent singles over the past two years, Little Big Town still hasn’t seen the Top 10 of the country hit parade since 2010′s “Little White Church.”  For them to return with a summer song that comes across as an obvious nod to radio, it smacks somewhat of desperation, and even feels a little bit like a cop-out – which is disappointing, particularly for an act that is usually much more consistently interesting

“Pontoon” is a lazy little summertime ditty that gets lazy in the wrong ways, particularly with regard to lazy songwriting.  The song has a bland and monotonous melody with no real hook to speak of, and has little to say except to reaffirm that pontoons do, in fact, exist.  The sitar-driven musical arrangement is interesting, and different from most of what we hear on country radio, but it is an ill fit for the relaxed mood that the song attempts to create.

Unfortunately, the song itself is just so shoddily constructed that it’s both unremarkable and instantly forgettable.  All we’re really left with is a cool, off-beat production in need of a song to call home.

LITTLE BIG TOWN’S SCORE:  4
(Scores are given on a scale of 1 to 10)

HEAR IT 

 
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Posted by on April 27, 2012 in Reviews, Single Reviews

 

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Jana Kramer – “Why Ya Wanna”

23 Apr

A single by an actress-turned-singer from One Tree Hill, whose physical appearance kind of seems to scream “model who sings,” and with that borderline hokey song title?  I almost didn’t even want to listen to it.  Actually, never mind “almost” – I didn’t want to listen to it.  I don’t know how long I hesitated before I finally decided to give this song a chance.  But I finally did.  And it turns out sometimes you really can’t judge a single by its cover.

At any rate, “Why Ya Wanna” turns out to be quite the pleasant surprise as, one by one, Kramer debunks each misgiving one could have about her abilities and talents as a country singer  Who knew this girl could actually sing?  Kramer turns in a fully competent, emotionally connected vocal performance.  And hark!  Is that a fiddle I hear?  Not only that, but fiddle and steel guitar that is being given enough of a spotlight to actually enhance the flavor of the song, as opposed to being rote, meaningless genre-pandering?  I wouldn’t have believed it if I hadn’t heard it.

Good as the record sounds, it’s the solid songwriting that really makes “Why Ya Wanna” tick.  Kramer takes on the voice of a woman who is struggling to get over her former lover in the wake of a breakup, only to backslide thanks to a chance encounter with her flame.  The lyric sums up the tangled mess of emotions that results, with bewilderment and frustration being foremost among them.  Kramer laments the little things her ex does that cause her feelings for him to resurge, such as wearing an “old T-shirt that I love,” and “moving in for a hug like you don’t know I’m coming unglued.”  She even wishes he were wearing sunglasses so she wouldn’t have to see his blue eyes, and wonders “Why can’t you be cold like any old good ex would do?”  The lyric hits home with verses that tell a story through easily accessible details, while tapping into tangible, relatable emotions.

As it turns out, Kramer effectively proves herself to be easy on the ears as well as the eyes, while delivering a thoughtful, creative take on the oft-covered country music theme of heartache and longing.  The fact that the single has gone Top 30 is an encouraging sign, because if Kramer’s future efforts deliver on the promise displayed by her debut single, this woman could shape up to be a most welcome presence on country airwaves.

JANA’S SCORE:  8
(Scores are given on a scale of 1 to 10)

 
2 Comments

Posted by on April 23, 2012 in Single Reviews

 

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Songs I Love: Rebecca Lynn Howard – “Forgive”

13 Apr

Released:  2002
Album:  Forgive (2002)
Chart Peak:  #12
Songwriters:  Rebecca Lynn Howard, Trey Bruce

You could fill up an entire book with the names of country music artists – particularly female artists – who enjoyed a brief period of commerical success, and who displayed remarkable talent and potential, only to fade away a short time later.  Rebecca Lynn Howard is one such artist.

This lone Top 20 chart entry remains Howard’s only significant hit to date, but it’s surely an unforgettable one.  Every time I listen to this song, I’m struck by how absolutely brilliant it is.  Country music is a genre ripe with cheating songs, and while the sound of this record is primarily pop-oriented, this is one of the best cheating songs I’ve ever heard.

Howard walks the listener through the narrator’s experience:  “In the time it would’a took to say/ ‘Honey, I’m home.  How was your day?’/ You dropped a bomb right where we live/ And just expect me to forgive.”

It’s clear that the guilty spouse in this scenario does not fully grasp the severity of his tryst.  Through stingingly honest lyrics, Howard hones in on some hard truths about infidelity, primarily that it shatters a bond of trust that is not easily mended.  The song forcefully conveys the narrator’s tangled emotional reaction.  It’s clear that she’s not ready to forgive on the spur of the moment – she’s still trying to make sense of her own feelings (“I don’t even know now who I am/ And it’s too soon for me to say ‘forgive.’”)  Not surprisingly, she tells him to “Get you some things, and get out/ Don’t call me for a day or two so I can sort this out.” 

Furthermore, I have to say:  Has there ever been a song with a line more brilliantly bitter and cutting than “That’s a mighty big word for such a small man”?

On paper alone, this song is the stuff of a classic.  Rebecca Lynn Howard’s performance brings the song fully to life.  She hits some big notes in the chorus, but not at the expense of effective lyrical interpretation.  Her voice rises and falls in the course of the song – a whisper one moment, a wail the next – but even the power notes are colored with deep emotional angst.  There’s definitely something to be said for a subtle, retrained interpretation, but in this particular case, Howard’s belted-out vocal treatment is fully appropriate, and far more effective than a quieter take would have been.  Such raw, searing emotional intensity is rarely heard on country radio these days.  It makes one wonder what the radio listening experience would be like if Howard’s commercial momentum had continued.

“Forgive” was the only single released from Howard’s album of the same title.  Howard released a pair of singles the following year, but both missed the Top 40.  After a #48 entry in 2005 with “No One’ll Ever Love Me,” from the unreleased album Alive and Well, all subsequent single releases failed to chart.  Eventually, Howard did release a follow-up album in 2008 called No Rules on the Sagauro Road label, though the album did not produce a chart hit.  She has yet to return with new music, but has continued writing songs.

Some might write off an artist like Rebecca Lynn Howard as a “one-hit wonder,” but to have even one song touch such large numbers of people is a rare and special occurance in itself.  She may have had only one hit, but she made it count.

 
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Posted by on April 13, 2012 in Songs I Love

 

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Kenny Chesney and Tim McGraw – “Feel Like a Rock Star”

09 Apr

Songwriters:  Chris Tompkins, Rodney Clawson

The music critic who negatively reviews a Kenny Chesney-Tim McGraw duet basically finds himself in a similar position as the film critics who have bashed the Twilight franchise.  You’re discussing something that’s primarily designed for mass consumption.  You can attempt to evaluate it by its actual artistic merits, but such remain secondary to its massive money-making power.

“Feel Like a Rock Star” is loud, over-the-top, unintelligent, loud, pointless, utterly forgettable, and yes… LOUD!

Is it too much too ask that these two superstar talents give us something to remember on some level other than it just being a duet between Kenny Chesney and Tim McGraw that was a huge hit, and that gave them something to perform together on their Brothers of the Sun tour?  Perhaps a song that is reasonably – God forbid – well written?  Or something that at least earns points for being fun and catchy?  Or that does anything more than just banging out the chords and watching the cash pile up?

In summary, couldn’t this musical collaboration have been treated as a form of actual art?

My expectations were modest.  But honestly… they could have tried way harder than this.

KENNY and TIM’S SCORE:  3
(Scores are given on a scale of 1 to 10)

 
8 Comments

Posted by on April 9, 2012 in Single Reviews

 

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