.indulgecountry
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"You left a mark on my face // And brought a dozen red flags in a vase"
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Post by .indulgecountry on Apr 15, 2015 11:37:46 GMT -5
I'd have to vote for "Fine Tune" as Miranda's worst song. I find it utterly unlistenable. The only song on Four the Record I love more than "Fastest Girl in Town" is "Fine Tune." #unpopularopinion The vocal processing is so different and weird but I just LOVE it. <33
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bjer127
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Post by bjer127 on Apr 15, 2015 13:11:46 GMT -5
Fun thread, here goes my opinions
- Show Dog Toby Keith >>>> Dreamworks/Mercury Toby Keith. The songwriting is better, and his album tracks are mostly solid. Even though his single choices are questionable, I like him now WAY more than when he was in his peak (2003-2005). I actually think Shock N Yall is his worst album. Clancy's Tavern may be his best.
- I think the 90's were country's best decade. Maybe that's because that is decade I grew up in, and I hold lots of memories. But to me, counrty hit it's peak, got really popular again (TNN, award shows, city folk wearing cowboy hats lol). There were SO many good songs from that decade. And alot of the legends got popular again...George Jones, Waylon, Willie etc. Bring back the hat acts!!!
- Paul Overstreet may be one of the most underrated songwriters/vocalists in the past 25-30 years. His voice is so pure, and it seems he wrote alot of classic songs in late 80's and early 90's (hello Randy Travis).
- I hate the fact that Kip Moore is repeatedly saying his sophomore album is delayed because he's a perfectionist. We all know it's because his singles have no traction at radio. But I do enjoy his talents. At this point, I'd be ALL IN on another "Something Bout A Truck" just to get his album out there.
- I used to strongly dislike Keith Urban in my youth (thought it was too poppy, radio fluff). But I find myself liking him as I get older, and have gone back and discovered some of his album tracks. But I still can't stand most of his poppy singles from 2002-2006, radio just killed them (still do).
- Actually very much liked Steel Magnolia's only album (LOL). I thought it was different and the energy between Josh and Meghan was good. Additionally, I REALLY liked "Just By Being You" when it was released, probably because it was right around the time me and my wife got engaged, planning wedding etc.
- I used to be a Luke Bryan fan. Then Crash My Party happened. I don't know what it is, but it seems my dislike grows every time I see a new photo of him, or press release etc. I think it's just his whole "swagger", and the way he carries himself. Backwards hat, the hip lingo he tries to use. I REALLY wish he realized he was almost 37 years old, and put out some quality music. Because he surely has the talent.
- I find Hunter Hayes singing voice to be very annoying. But I do recognize his musical talents, he's definately a musical wizard. But I remember him singing "Invisible" on Ellen DeGeneres last year, and just thought OMG that was terrible.
- Ray Scott's alblum from last year was one of 2014's best. Along with Angeelena Pressley (who is almost forgotten when talking about the female surge in country music)
- Don Williams, at 70 some odd years of age, can sing better than most of Nashville's artists. Just saying.
- I strongly disliked EYB's 10,000 Towns album. To me, it was very bland, and miles below Life At Best. Their new EP is pretty terrible as well. Mike Eli wearing a fedora was a NO for me. I would like them better if they went back to Texas and started putting out good Red Dirt music again (which they probably will eventually). PS. I did enjoy Drunk Last Night though.
- I enjoy Scotty McCreery well enough, and I am looking forward to his more "classical" sounding album hopefully this year. But man, to me he is one of the most awkwardest people holding a microphone LOL . Me and the wife noticed it when he was on Idol. Just doesn't look natural at all. I think he would do better strumming a guitar while singing (a la George Strait).
- For some reason, Dustin Lynch reminds me of Will Lexington from the ABC show "Nashville". Kind of in looks, but mostly because I think he is putting out music that is NOT him, and he has so much more potential (Cowboys and Angels anyone??). His last album had some terrible songs, with almost laughable lyrics. But it did have some good songs as well (She Wants A Cowboy, Your Daddy's Boots, American Prayer).
- I really, really , really do not like how some male artists seem to be trying to mirror pop singers (Bruno Mars). I think this was mentioned in the Thomas Rhett thread. I know Lee Brice said Bruno Mars was an inspriation for him producing his last record (more in the throwback feel). But it just looks bad. Look, I enjoy Bruno as well, think he is super talented (and thoroughly enjoyed his Super Bowl performance), but to me these guys need to be themselves.
- Big Miranda fan, but also getting tired of all the award wins. To me, Platinum might be her best album, but they've botched single choices so far. And if I were voters, I'd show that for ACM consideration.
- DONT SHOOT ME, but I don't see all the love for Carrie Underwood. This board goes bonkers whenever she is mentioned in something. I know the format needs her, and she's a superstar, but to me her songs were mostly very poppy, with little to know country instrumentation/production at all. I like her more subdued songs (Mama's Song, Temporary Home etc), but cannot stand songs like Cowboy Casanova, Good Girl etc. And don't even get me started on "Blown Away", I know it was a semi-story song with a message, but OMG what a station changer for me. My point is, she seems to have an almost REBA -like following, but if you ask me, she is nowehere on Reba's level.
I'm done for now, im sure i have plenty more
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zebra71
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Post by zebra71 on Apr 15, 2015 14:11:28 GMT -5
Here are my opinions,
-I think Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard are the two greatest living country singers. -The 1970s was the best decade in country music. Waylon and Willie were riding high with their brand of outlaw country and everything they put out was great.
- 2010s Toby > 2000s. A lot of his heyday output was overrated and with recent albums like Bullets in the Gun and Clancy's Tavern having a focus more on the music than radio hits. Probably my favorite modern country singer.
-I feel like today's country radio is missing variety with most singers sounding the same.
-Blake's older songs like Austin and Goodbye Time are much better than anything he has put out the last five years.
-Hank Williams, Jr.'s best song by far is Tear in My Beer with his father.
-Alan and George are the only ones making good, quality music.
-All of Garth's music is bad except for The Dance and If Tomorrow Never Comes.
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vamp111
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Post by vamp111 on Apr 15, 2015 17:49:21 GMT -5
I'm not a fan of how some country singers have gone all "Hollywood" and how they are like Hollywood celebrities. I don't have a problem with them being friends with other celebrities, but not to the point where it seems like they are "one of them." I feel like it happens a lot with the country singers who are buddies with Ellen Degeneres(Luke Bryan, Tim McGraw) and others like Blake Shelton and even Miranda Lambert(She has people like Usher, Christina Aguilera, etc. campaigning for her). Then of course there is Taylor Swift, but she isn't country anymore, but even back when she was considered country, she was like that. Then of course Jason Aldean at the LA bar and cheating on his wife. Anybody else not a fan of this, or is it just me? How dare country singers be friends with such city folk! In all seriousness, this doesn't bother me. You have artists like Tim McGraw and Reba McEntire and Dolly Parton who are also actors and have other entertainment venues, and Blake Shelton is on the Voice, so he sits on a panel with people of different musical backgrounds. I dunno, but I think it really shouldn't be an issue that Miranda Lambert likes Beyonce as much as she does or that Luke Bryan hangs out with Ellen DeGeneres. Country is definitely a different animal, from the very nature that it's centered around Nashville and not Hollywood, but it seems shallow to infer that their worlds cannot collide at all. I guess that's why its an unpopular opinion, right? ;)
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Andy
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Post by Andy on Apr 16, 2015 18:16:58 GMT -5
-Other than to the extent they're both male country singers, Easton Corbin doesn't sound anything like George Strait, and it baffles me why people say that. I would never mistake the two in a million years.
-It's funny how we're all different when it comes to Miranda. For the record (see what I did there), I find "Fastest Girl in Town" to be horribly boring and uninteresting radio filler, but love "Fine Tune" and "All Kinds of Kinds."
-Bluegrass is awesome, and I love bluegrass almost as much as I do regular country. Are there any fellow bluegrass lovers on Pulse?
-A lot of alt-country and Americana music is basically what mainstream country would sound like in a perfect world if it was allowed to incorporate elements from other genres organically and artistically while still staying true to the heart of country music.
-This is not to say they're not country or don't make good music, but a lot of newer mainstream artists described as "traditional" like Kasey Musgraves, Brandy Clark, Easton Corbin, etc. don't strike me as traditional at all really, at least sonically. I don't mean that as a slight in any way, but just saying.
-Although he is an excellent interpretive vocalist, George Strait's voice strikes me as a little bland and nondescript. I've been really tough on Strait in this thread, but trust me when I say he's a big fan.
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sabre14
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Post by sabre14 on Apr 16, 2015 18:24:19 GMT -5
-Bluegrass is awesome, and I love bluegrass almost as much as I do regular country. Are there any fellow bluegrass lovers on Pulse? I enjoy Bluegrass very much. I used to be really into the genre about 10 years ago but lately I haven't kept up with much. My favorites are still The Greencards, The Grascals and Rhonda Vincent. :)
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Ten Pound Hammer
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Post by Ten Pound Hammer on Apr 16, 2015 23:30:45 GMT -5
* "Who I Am" by Jessica Andrews is one of the worst country songs of the 2000s. It's a manufactured piece of fluff by two men who think they know what a teenage girl thinks, and her vocal on it is about as credible as Don Williams singing "I'm Too Sexy". * James House is one of the most underrated 90s acts ever. "Little by Little" and "This Is Me Missing You" are superb, and even "Don't Quit Me Now" in the late 80s was a cut above. * "Bob That Head" would be a lot less reviled if Gary didn't screech out the title twice like that. * If Trout Fishing in America were on a major label instead of self-released, then they would've had at least a couple hits. Listen to this and tell me that it wouldn't have been a Top 10 hit around 1992. * The Reba/Kelly Clarkson version of "Because of You" has HORRIBLE production. Like, Michael Carter bad. * "The Shape I'm In" is by far the best Peach Pickers song. * Small Town Throwdown > Bottoms Up. * Aaron Tippin should have let "Ten Pound Hammer" be the second single off Tool Box. * "Then It's Love" is Don Williams' best song. * "If I Didn't Have You" by T2 has no redeeming qualities whatsoever. * I will never get tired of "Wagon Wheel". * I could go the rest of my life without hearing "God Bless the USA" again. * "Lips of an Angel" makes far more sense as a country song than a butt-rock post-grunge song. * The "Do what I want when I want" line in "Little Bit of Everything" is not in any way sexist.
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bboat11
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Post by bboat11 on Apr 17, 2015 1:40:28 GMT -5
* "If I Didn't Have You" by T2 has no redeeming qualities whatsoever. The first several times I heard this, my heart leapt because it sounded like Kellie Pickler! I didn't hear it frequently enough to remember that it wasn't some new song by her until it got to the chorus and I went, "Oh yeah, it's THIS song again..." But I would consider it reminding me of Kellie to be a redeeming quality :) Lol
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Ten Pound Hammer
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Post by Ten Pound Hammer on Apr 17, 2015 9:44:53 GMT -5
* "If I Didn't Have You" by T2 has no redeeming qualities whatsoever. The first several times I heard this, my heart leapt because it sounded like Kellie Pickler! I didn't hear it frequently enough to remember that it wasn't some new song by her until it got to the chorus and I went, "Oh yeah, it's THIS song again..." But I would consider it reminding me of Kellie to be a redeeming quality :) Lol The problem with that is I wasn't much of a Kellie fan, at least not when she was still pop-country. "Tough" seemed to be the point at which she finally started becoming a real "artist" to me, and not a manufactured piece of plastic. (And no, that's not a boob joke.)
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sabre14
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Post by sabre14 on Apr 17, 2015 11:27:32 GMT -5
The first several times I heard this, my heart leapt because it sounded like Kellie Pickler! I didn't hear it frequently enough to remember that it wasn't some new song by her until it got to the chorus and I went, "Oh yeah, it's THIS song again..." But I would consider it reminding me of Kellie to be a redeeming quality :) Lol The problem with that is I wasn't much of a Kellie fan, at least not when she was still pop-country. "Tough" seemed to be the point at which she finally started becoming a real "artist" to me, and not a manufactured piece of plastic. (And no, that's not a boob joke.) I didn't enjoy some of her singles over the first 4 years of her career as well, but "I Wonder" alone did not make me feel that way about her career. I do agree about her finding herself as an artist since "Tough."
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Uncle Lumpy
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Post by Uncle Lumpy on Apr 17, 2015 13:05:22 GMT -5
-Other than to the extent they're both male country singers, Easton Corbin doesn't sound anything like George Strait, and it baffles me why people say that. I would never mistake the two in a million years. Agreed , to a point. I hear a line or two here and there that's resembles Strait , but can't imagine ever completely confusing the two. --Bluegrass is awesome, and I love bluegrass almost as much as I do regular country. Are there any fellow bluegrass lovers on Pulse? I'm really picky about bluegrass & generally like newer artist (that have better voices than a lot of the Bluegrass legends). Rhonda Vincent , Larry Cordle , & The SteelDrivers , Steve Gulley & Lonesome River Band are all great. That being said , I can only listen in small spurts or I start missing Steel Guitars , Telecasters & drums. -This is not to say they're not country or don't make good music, but a lot of newer mainstream artists described as "traditional" like Kasey Musgraves, Brandy Clark, Easton Corbin, etc. don't strike me as traditional at all really, at least sonically. I don't mean that as a slight in any way, but just saying. I couldn't agree more. While all those artists have moments of a more traditional sound (especially Clark) , And I prefer them over most mainstream stuff today , I wouldn't qualify any of them as particularly traditional. I would add Josh Turner & Chris Young after their first few albums. -- -Although he is an excellent interpretive vocalist, George Strait's voice strikes me as a little bland and nondescript. I've been really tough on Strait in this thread, but trust me when I say he's a big fan. Total agreement here. I always cringe when I hear someone say "George Strait could sing the phone book". Strait is a capable vocalist , but wouldn't be near my top twenty vocalist. I'm a huge fan because for the most part , hes kept it country , but when I think of amazing male vocals I instantly think of guys like Ronnie Milsap , George Jones, Gene Watson , Joe Diffie & Travis Tritt.
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Kentucky25
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Post by Kentucky25 on Apr 17, 2015 19:49:45 GMT -5
- For some reason, Dustin Lynch reminds me of Will Lexington from the ABC show "Nashville". Kind of in looks, but mostly because I think he is putting out music that is NOT him, and he has so much more potential (Cowboys and Angels anyone??). His last album had some terrible songs, with almost laughable lyrics. But it did have some good songs as well (She Wants A Cowboy, Your Daddy's Boots, American Prayer). I agree with this a lot, they do resemble each other imo. I have been shocked at the quality songs he has on the show, "If It's Love", "What If I Was Willing?", and "I'm On It" feel like they could be hits on Country radio today. "I'm On It" has been my jam ever since it was released to iTunes.
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Andy
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Post by Andy on Apr 18, 2015 6:07:35 GMT -5
An extravagantly long post from me (apologies):
-While I regard Johnny Cash as a great artist, he's my least favorite Highwaymen and one of my least listened-to legends. I lurk on several all-genre music message boards, and whenever country music is brought up, there will almost always be multiple people who proclaim that Johnny Cash is the only worthwhile country artist. He's probably among my top twenty or so favorite artists, but I don't really understand this towering, god-like status he seems to have attained. I'm guessing it's because of the popularity of the all-genre American Recordings albums and the Walk to Line movie and soundtrack, which has resulted in him being the only country artist many non-fans have been exposed to.
-Speaking of Cash, III is the best American Recordings album, and "I Won't Back Down" and "Soltary Man" are two of the best opening tracks on any album I have ever heard.
-While Red Headed Stranger tells an amazing, immersive story and was highly innovative for its time, in terms of pure listening pleasure, it's probably only my fifth or sixth favorite Willie album.
-While I regard There's More Where That Came From as an excellent album, I've never been able to connect with it quite as much as most - I regard it as Womack's fourth best album after I Hope You Dance, Call Me Crazy, and The Way I'm Livin'.
-I love Waylon as much as anyone, and regard Honky Tonk Heroes as a masterpiece, but I think Billy Joe Shaver's original versions of almost all of the songs Waylon covered on that album are just as good.
-Other than a blip in the late '80s, Merle Haggard is the most consistently great country artist ever. Which as great as they are, can not be said for Waylon, Willie, Dolly, Loretta, Ray, Buck, Kris, George, Johnny, and pretty much any other legend I'm familiar with, all of whom went through some extended dry spells in which they released some mediocre albums. The only artists that even come close to being as consistent as Merle in my opinion are Dwight Yoakam, Patsy Cline and Hank Williams, all of whom have much smaller discographies. George Strait was extremely consistent as well, but was more consistently good than great in my opinion.
-Chris Knight is among the best country artists of the last fifteen years, and in a just world would be a superstar.
-Reba is one of my favorite vocalists and is responsible for numerous excellent singles and individual songs, but I don't enjoy listening to her albums all that often. Almost all of the ones that I've heard have some really weak material (especially her newer ones) or feature some, while not bad, really slow and/or overproduced adult contemporary-sounding ballads that aren't my cup of tea. All of this can be said for Martina McBride as well.
-I don't mind Nashville Sound-era music in moderation; I know it was controversial at the time but I'd easily take it over Urban Cowboy or bro-country, two other heavily-maligned movements.
-Moe Bandy is one of the most enjoyable "forgotten" artists in country music history.
-Lyle Lovett's debut and sophomore albums are as good as anybody's.
-Roger Miller's humorous songs are great, but his serious songs are better.
-Robert Earl Keen's '90s output is as good as anybody's.
-Tom T. Hall and the Louvin Brothers are sorely under-appreciated, and in terms of quality are right up with there Jones, Haggard, Cash, etc.
-As much as I love Dolly, Loretta, Kitty, Reba, Patsy, Tammy etc., Emmylou is my favorite female artist.
-While it's true that it's Keith Whitley "worst" regular album, I don't think L.A. to Miami is significantly worse than the lauded masterpieces Don't Close Your Eyes or I Wonder If You Think of Me.
-As much of a fan I am of Keith Whitley and Bob McDill, I've never really been able to get into "Don't Close Your Eyes" (the song) that much.
-Gary Allan is one of my all-time favorite artists, but I found Set You Free to be extremely bland and forgettable.
-Maybe it just hasn't clicked yet, but while I respect the heck out of Marty Robbins' immense talent and versatility, I don't really get a ton of pleasure out of listening to him. I'm guessing it's because I'm ultimately a honky-tonker at heart, and Marty's smooth crooning and Western songs are proving to be an acquired taste for me.
-The Guitar Song is one of my all-time favorite albums, but goes on a little too long - a few tracks like the pleasant but unnecessary "For the Good Times" cover could be safely excised with no drop in quality.
-Townes Van Zandt is one of the best songwriters ever, has recorded tons of brilliant songs and albums, and is one of my favorite artists, but a good deal of his stuff goes completely over my head. I don't mind some subtlety and ambiguity; in fact, songs that are challenging and require the listener to do some work are often my favorite, but it's possible to take it too far. I mean, I enjoy them greatly for their vocals, imagery, and melody, but I have no earthly clue what "Fare Thee Well, Miss Carousel" or "Mr. Gold And Mr. Mudd" are about.
-Okay, maybe I'm a little biased because it was my first exposure to classic Willie back in 2009 and I wasn't familiar with the originals at the time, but I think Naked Willie is a great introduction to his music and don't understand the harsh reviews it got.
-Daryle Singletary has a dynamite voice and could have been a superstar if he was born about ten years earlier and was paired up with more great original material on his albums.
-The Mavericks are the best mainstream country band of the last 30 or so years.
-Although it's generally not very deep or country, I think most of Kenny Chesney's music isn't bad for what it is: entertaining escapist music that's meant to go down easy. Kinda like the music equivalent of a well-done summer blockbuster movie you wouldn't necessarily call Best Picture material, but you had fun for two hours.
-As great as Metamodern Sounds is, I like High Top Mountain slightly better (not sure how unpopular this is, I'm assuming the opposite is the consensus).
-Billy Joe Shaver's Everybody's Brother is possibly the most underrated album ever, and Tramp On Your Street and Victory are two of the very best albums of the '90s.
-LeAnn Rimes' Spitifre was one of the best albums of 2013.
That's all for now, lol.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Apr 18, 2015 13:18:33 GMT -5
- I respect Willie Nelson a ton but in terms of legends, I'd put him last in terms of Cash, Waylon, Loretta, Kristofferson, Jones, Haggard etc... His songs just don't hit me as hard I guess
- The only mainstream country song that even comes close to earning a "Song Of The Year" recommendation so far THIS YEAR is Tim McGraw and Catherine Dunns "Diamond Rings and Old Barstools"
- I'd like to get excited for Jason Isbell's new album but I just can't get over what a prick the guy is.
- After listening to Dwight Yoakam's latest album, I can honestly say that the guy is vastly underrated and should have been a huge star
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dm2081
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Post by dm2081 on Apr 18, 2015 19:49:04 GMT -5
- The only mainstream country song that even comes close to earning a "Song Of The Year" recommendation so far THIS YEAR is Tim McGraw and Catherine Dunns "Diamond Rings and Old Barstools" Surprised that's the only one you'd recommend. I personally would easily add "One Hell Of An Amen" to the list. That songs just hits so hard for me. I know there's not a lot of lyrics in it, but I love the message of the song and think that it's pretty relateable to everybody. However, it would need to make the top 10 of airplay charts before it could receive any consideration. I think "Girl Crush" should and will be a lock for Song of the Year as well. Other songs of the top of my head that I think should at least receive some consideration are "Talladega", "Biscuits", "Say You Do", "What We Ain't Got" (this one peaked too low though, so I know it won't happen), "Wild Child", and "Homegrown".
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Apr 18, 2015 20:14:01 GMT -5
I would give my right arm for the Dixie Chicks to make a return.
I 100% believe even their worst material destroys 95% of the current crop of Country artists. Unlike most, they also actively worked to blend traditional and modern elements of the genre, and IMO they did better than any other 90's act.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Apr 18, 2015 20:14:14 GMT -5
- The only mainstream country song that even comes close to earning a "Song Of The Year" recommendation so far THIS YEAR is Tim McGraw and Catherine Dunns "Diamond Rings and Old Barstools" Surprised that's the only one you'd recommend. I personally would easily add "One Hell Of An Amen" to the list. That songs just hits so hard for me. I know there's not a lot of lyrics in it, but I love the message of the song and think that it's pretty relateable to everybody. However, it would need to make the top 10 of airplay charts before it could receive any consideration. I think "Girl Crush" should and will be a lock for Song of the Year as well. Other songs of the top of my head that I think should at least receive some consideration are "Talladega", "Biscuits", "Say You Do", "What We Ain't Got" (this one peaked too low though, so I know it won't happen), "Wild Child", and "Homegrown". I would add Brantley too (along with some others you mentioned) but I was just talking from a personal standpoint. Also I was going by songs strictly released THIS YEAR.
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tonyei31
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Post by tonyei31 on Apr 19, 2015 19:04:38 GMT -5
-Never understood the love for David Allen Coe and Willie Nelson (especially). Of the "Outlaw" artists I find these two to be very underwelming compared to all the others -Eddie Rabbitt and Van Stephenson (of Blackhawk) are two extremely gifted vocalists and very unique in the sound they convey. You will never see these two listed as "great" vocalists but they were and I believe they should be listed among the greats -Probably not unpopular but Nashville/label heads did a grave injustice of not picking up Clay Davidson when his label folded. He would have been a great one.
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Uncle Lumpy
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Post by Uncle Lumpy on Apr 20, 2015 8:42:56 GMT -5
Kind of taken back by the comments that Sam Hunts next single "House Party" is his most "country". Cause ya know.... when I think country music , the first thing that crosses my mind is "scratching".....
You won't find a bigger Dwight Yoakam fan than me. I actually wanted to BE Dwight Yoakam in my later teen years. That being said , other than a few selected tracks , I cant even remember the last Dwight album I've truly enjoyed. The new one is no exception. I bought three tracks , the rest sound like Dwight doing a half hearted tribute to the Rolling Stones. I prefer Dwight being Dwight.
Last nights award show was positively painful to sit through. And I really have to stop putting myself through that. That being said , I've almost turned trashing award shows into a sport.
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Ten Pound Hammer
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Post by Ten Pound Hammer on Apr 20, 2015 9:58:50 GMT -5
A few more:
* "That Ol' Wind" is Garth's best single, and "Why Ain't I Running" his most underappreciated.
* "Consider Me Gone" is one of Reba's best songs.
* The Dixie Chicks' cover of "Landslide" is a total snooze.
* So you know how I hate "Automatic", think it's overrated, etc.? Well, I don't have the same feelings toward "Over You", surprisingly. Maybe because I think "Over You" is more coherently written, and at least presents a more general theme that I can get behind.
* Eddy Raven is one of the most underrated 80's artists.
* It seriously bothers me that classic formats pretend that Randy Travis didn't release anything after Old 8×10, even when they're otherwise playing 90's material. Sure, I love most of his 80s material (except "I Won't Need You Anymore"), but I think there are some real treasures as late as This Is Me. (I've said before that "The Box" is my favorite song of his.)
* "Keep Your Hands to Yourself" could've crossed over to country given a chance. It's almost exactly the kind of thing the Kentucky Headhunters were doing two years later, and it wouldn't have been too far removed from some of the more rockin' tunes of the late 80s (e.g., Steve Earle).
* It has always bothered me how little involvement Kix Brooks had in Brooks & Dunn. They always felt to me like "Ronnie Dunn and that other guy". Zero chemistry onstage (even last night on the ACMs), and I'm certain that Kix isn't singing a single note on at least 1/4 of their singles. Hell, John Wesley Ryles probably contributed more to their albums than Kix did.
* Michael Peterson would've been huge had he come out about 5 years earlier.
* Maggie Rose's "I Ain't Your Mama" was a trainwreck. I still don't get what the song is trying to say, because the hook seems to contradict the rest of the song. Also she sounds painfully screechy on it.
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sabre14
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Post by sabre14 on Apr 20, 2015 11:34:34 GMT -5
* "Keep Your Hands to Yourself" could've crossed over to country given a chance. It's almost exactly the kind of thing the Kentucky Headhunters were doing two years later, and it wouldn't have been too far removed from some of the more rockin' tunes of the late 80s (e.g., Steve Earle). Sawyer Brown did release a version to country radio in 2006, but it did next to nothing.
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Deleted
Joined: January 1970
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Apr 20, 2015 12:22:11 GMT -5
Watching the ACM's reaffirmed my opinion that LBT is extremely talented, but that they do nothing for me personally.
I've enjoyed a few singles and I think they sound great together, but as artists, I just find them quite bland.
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jrb56
New Member
Joined: September 2012
Posts: 39
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Post by jrb56 on Apr 20, 2015 12:59:41 GMT -5
If you catch one of their tour shows I believe you would consider them anything but bland. They always seem a bit more reserved during their TV appearances concentrating on their sound more than performance.
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Markus Meyer
Platinum Member
Favorite Single of 2020 So Far: “betty” by Taylor Swift
Joined: August 2013
Posts: 1,625
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Post by Markus Meyer on Apr 25, 2015 2:27:37 GMT -5
* "Consider Me Gone" is one of Reba's best songs. Not gonna pretend to be an expert of Reba's discography, but I 100% agree with this. Tremendous song.
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Post by Daryl the Beryl on Apr 25, 2015 2:37:32 GMT -5
1. I generally like bro-country 2. I am not a fan of "Like a Wrecking Ball".
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Andy
2x Platinum Member
Joined: November 2013
Posts: 2,061
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Post by Andy on Apr 25, 2015 6:05:52 GMT -5
Count me in as a another fan of "Consider Me Gone." A perfect example of a catchy, radio-friendly pop-country single done right.
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bboat11
Moderator
Pulse's Resident Martina McBride Expert
Joined: February 2013
Posts: 27,251
Pronouns: He/Him/His
Staff
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Post by bboat11 on Apr 25, 2015 17:31:23 GMT -5
1) Many of you know that I absolutely LOVE Sara Evans (2nd favorite artist, just after Martina!). However, her only version of "Born To Fly" that is any good is the original. Both the acoustic version on her Always There Hallmark CD and the bluegrass version on Stronger are god-awful, in my opinion. They are usually instant skippers for me. Especially the acoustic version. Sara just sounds continuously flat, and tries to play with the melody too much, creating the most awkward transition into a second chorus I have ever heard.
2) I have always felt pretty curmudgeonly towards Luke Bryan, but I am actually starting to like him more with a lot of his singles lately... To the point where even "That's My Kind Of Night" is tolerable, and even borderline enjoyable...
3) I used to hate Kenny Chesney. But then I realized that the only reason I hated him was because you couldn't go anywhere without hearing about fifteen of his songs. And now I actually enjoy almost all of his music that I used to think was so overplayed!
4) I swear Reba just gets better and better with age... I bet that anything that woman releases in her 70's will be at least 100x better than anything she released in the '70s... And I know a lot of people like her earlier stuff. But in my opinion Reba's output from 1990-2015 is much more consistently stronger than her output from 1977-1989.
5) I am extremely critical of newer artists. I really need to be won over before I start to root for an artist. Like, I am only recently deciding that Eric Church is a good artist... After almost a decade in the business. That's how apprehensive I am towards new artists!
6) Miranda Lambert should have never won a single Female Vocalist of the Year trophy. Okay, maybe like one. But to have her be the one to break the record of CMA Female Vocalist trophies held by Martina and Reba?? Absolutely ludicrous. In my opinion, Martina and Reba would be able to make any Miranda song better, yet she wouldn't be able to sing like 80% of either of their outputs. Now, if Carrie had been the one to break that record, I would have no qualms about it whatsoever. The fact that Miranda continues to win Female Vocalist trophies over Carrie is pretty ludicrous too. Vocally, I think of Carrie as being in a very similar league with Martina and Reba. While Miranda has more of a Shania-like range with less catchy music.
7) As much as I just bashed Miranda in #6, I actually really like her and think she is a wonderful artist... She is just kind've like In-N-Out Burger for me. Everyone always raves about that place like it is the most delicious food they have ever eaten, while I think they make a decent burger with below average fries. I still enjoy eating there when I can, but honestly I find the hype to be quite silly and misplaced. It is the same with Miranda. She is very talented, and quite enjoyable to listen to. But there is nothing about her that seems to warrant the type of worship that a lot of people seem to feel towards her, in my opinion.
8) If Kelly Clarkson were to ever make a country album, I would be 100% behind her. That being said, stop offering her country awards until she actually does it...
9) Speaking of Female Vocalist trophies, Sara Evans has been one of the biggest victims of terrible timing that has ever lived. I like to think that back in 2005/2006, when she was riding on the success of her Real Fine Place album, she was right on the cusp of breaking into a higher level with her career than she had been previously. Martina was starting to lose star power, and basically no other '90s female posed any sort of threat whatsoever, Carrie/Taylor/Miranda were not really superstars yet...basically the door was wide open for Sara to get her turn at several top 10 hits and female vocalist trophies. It just felt like whatever she released after Real Fine Place was going to be absolutely huge. And that's when the divorce happened. When she should have been having consistent hits and female vocalist wins, she was basically on indefinite hiatus. She lost essentially 100% of her momentum, and when she finally did record a new album she was a female over 40 who was never really a superstar to begin with, so why would radio play her? I would like to think that she could still have quite a good run at radio left in her, but I am starting to think that she may never get the chance to have 3 top 10 hits in a row...
10) I was never a very big fan of "Girl in a Country Song," but I have decided I really like Maddie & Tae. How that happened, I have no idea!
11) Tim McGraw's "Southern Girl" is definitely in my top 5 favorite songs from 2013...
Okay, that's enough for now. I'm sure I'll think of more soon!
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Ten Pound Hammer
9x Platinum Member
Banned
I watched it all on my radio
Joined: August 2006
Posts: 9,595
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Post by Ten Pound Hammer on Apr 25, 2015 18:48:11 GMT -5
Another one:
One Piece at a Time > A Boy Named Sue
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Deleted
Joined: January 1970
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Apr 26, 2015 9:48:49 GMT -5
I've tried to like it but I've come to the conclusion that I just can't stand Western Swing
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carrieidol1
Diamond Member
Joined: August 2007
Posts: 12,571
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Post by carrieidol1 on Apr 26, 2015 9:56:55 GMT -5
6) Miranda Lambert should have never won a single Female Vocalist of the Year trophy. Okay, maybe like one. But to have her be the one to break the record of CMA Female Vocalist trophies held by Martina and Reba?? Absolutely ludicrous. In my opinion, Martina and Reba would be able to make any Miranda song better, yet she wouldn't be able to sing like 80% of either of their outputs. Now, if Carrie had been the one to break that record, I would have no qualms about it whatsoever. The fact that Miranda continues to win Female Vocalist trophies over Carrie is pretty ludicrous too. Vocally, I think of Carrie as being in a very similar league with Martina and Reba. While Miranda has more of a Shania-like range with less catchy music. While the award isn't all about vocals, I strongly believe it is/should be a huge part. For that reason, Miranda breaking records held by Martina and Reba is absolutely embarrassing. Miranda winning Female Vocalist six times at the ACMs is troubling, especially when supreme vocalists like Trisha Yearwood, Carrie Underwood, Faith Hill, and Martina McBride have half that, or less...
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