🌺CountryLineDancer
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Post by 🌺CountryLineDancer on Mar 12, 2023 2:06:20 GMT -5
I Wish You Would've Been A Cowboy has a very interesting hook. The overall melody has room for improvement, but the decent vocal, as well as interesting lyrics pushed the song higher up on the list. I was going through the playlist alphabetically, and it was holding #1 spot until Vandoliers came out as the third last song. Even though I lost that song early in this game, mainly and understandably due to the vocal, its strong energy and production grabbed my attention immediately. Adeem may have deserved #1 spot in terms of the song quality, but Vandoliers was more memorable one to me after all. Also, I have been liking their song Waiting on a Train that I randomly discovered last year.
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ethanhunt
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Post by ethanhunt on Mar 12, 2023 7:03:48 GMT -5
I Wish You Would've Been a Cowboy was legit my favorite song of 2021 hahahaha
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recordyear
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Post by recordyear on Mar 12, 2023 10:15:07 GMT -5
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recordyear
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Post by recordyear on Mar 12, 2023 10:20:47 GMT -5
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recordyear
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Post by recordyear on Mar 12, 2023 10:24:24 GMT -5
One of the faster tracks on American Heartbreak, Heavy Eyes showcases Zach Bryan's lyrical prowess and youthful innocence without losing the intimacy and relatability that makes him famous. This is also the song that I go back from that album the most, along with Tishomingo.
The higher ranks and lower ranks come mostly from expected participants. As a result, it is divisive but not that divisive in the grand scheme of things.
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recordyear
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Post by recordyear on Mar 12, 2023 10:27:44 GMT -5
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recordyear
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Post by recordyear on Mar 12, 2023 10:38:45 GMT -5
Well. This rankdown is CANCELLED!!!
But for real from some of my rankings of certain songs in rankdowns, you might know I am a sucker of grand epic songs. While the parent album is mainly about his reconciliation with god, I believe Heart You've Been Tendin' is the grand statement of his career and his outlook on life. He has always followed his heart, and his fans will always see him in his truest form, accompanied by the most dramatic guitar and strings in the Jubilee version. It's actually my favorite country song of 2022. I'll give condolence to myself then. Suck that it only leaves top 10 twice and one time is after submissions are closed.
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recordyear
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Post by recordyear on Mar 12, 2023 10:40:56 GMT -5
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recordyear
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Post by recordyear on Mar 12, 2023 10:46:32 GMT -5
The next few reveals feature songs that gradually climb up throughout submission.
Michaela Anne sings in Chasing Days about the experience of moving around since she was a child. Although she learned a lot, she still longed for a life where she would no longer travel around and live a stable life. I like the upbeat melody with good dreamy vibe, and it reminds me of the similar riff in chorus of Clean Getaway (Caroline Spence).
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singingrulebritannia
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Post by singingrulebritannia on Mar 12, 2023 10:48:09 GMT -5
I have more bottom 10s than top 10s right now
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recordyear
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Post by recordyear on Mar 12, 2023 10:51:17 GMT -5
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recordyear
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Post by recordyear on Mar 12, 2023 10:59:36 GMT -5
Both #1s of .indulgecountry and bboat11 eliminated just before top 10? Sound familiar... The new country release rankdown series have featured a Kimberly Kelly song that had a top 5 finish, a cover of a Billy Joe Shaver song that almost ended up in top 10, so I thought it would be interesting to present a song that did both at once (and gave rise to the album title of Kimberly Kelly's album). Outlaw country songs were never only a privilege of male country artists. Here she flips the famous song of Billy Joe Shaver by singing the story in third person. The modernized arrangement strengthens the song, and the voice message at the end of the song is sweet. Condolences to .indulgecountry and bboat11 for losing your #1.
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recordyear
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Post by recordyear on Mar 12, 2023 11:03:03 GMT -5
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recordyear
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Post by recordyear on Mar 12, 2023 11:15:13 GMT -5
IMO Gemini Moon is a better song in the pop-sounding Americana music genre in recent years. The transitions between major and minor chords are smooth, and there is also a strong dark echoey instrumental ending, and even connects to the next song of the album a bit. In short, nice production and melody.
So many #6 ranks make me feel a bit unsafe, oh well. Did I mention this miss the top 10 by one point, and #9 and #10 are tied in points? That's how competitive this rankdown is.
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recordyear
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Post by recordyear on Mar 12, 2023 11:16:30 GMT -5
Top 10 Ashley McBryde, Pillbox Patti - The Girl In The Picture Bri Bagwell - Table Manners Cole Chaney - Coalshooter Gabe Lee - Kinda Man Kaitlin Butts - it won't always be this way Orville Peck - All I Can Say Sturgill Simpson - You Can Have the Crown The Wilder Blue - Shadows and Moonlight Turnpike Troubadours - Good Lord Lorrie William Clark Green - Give a Damn
Any surprises? Any sneaks?
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.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 Mar 12, 2023 12:58:28 GMT -5
"Black Rose" missing top 10 is a criminal travesty. Easily the best song in this RD imo. Kimberly's album is a masterpiece.
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🌺CountryLineDancer
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Post by 🌺CountryLineDancer on Mar 12, 2023 15:02:12 GMT -5
Along with Oklahoma Smokeshow, Heavy Eyes is definitely on the stronger side of Zach’s outputs, mostly due to their instrumental production. His vocal remains weak, but I tend to enjoy these fast-paced productions, so it was a solid listen.
I was spinning some Tyler’s music recently, but it’s usually hit or miss. Overall, Country Squire album was stronger, title track being my fav from him. I don’t have to be annoyed at him for not releasing Jersey Giant, now that Elle’s version is out, which is one of the highlights of the album.
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bboat11
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Post by bboat11 on Mar 12, 2023 15:25:56 GMT -5
As much as I hate Zach Bryan, I was pleasantly surprised by "Heavy Eyes"! The arrangement was very strong! This would be a great song if given to someone who could sing As someone with a more mainstream-centered taste, it probably shouldn't be a surprise that I would gravitate towards a song like "Black Rose" for my #1. Kimberly Kelly has really been impressing me so far! She's got a great voice, and a great ear for strong neo-trad arrangements, and the melody to this chorus was instantly catchy. Great discovery!
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bboat11
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Post by bboat11 on Mar 12, 2023 15:26:40 GMT -5
I have more bottom 10s than top 10s right now It's because your taste for which songs to tank is weird and makes no sense
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singingrulebritannia
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Post by singingrulebritannia on Mar 12, 2023 16:42:03 GMT -5
I have more bottom 10s than top 10s right now It's because your taste for which songs to tank is weird and makes no sense When there aren't any songs I dislike on a list, the more intimate or unconventional tracks tend to win my boosts over the broad/poppy stuff. This preference usually still works out well for me, except when it comes to RYM and the stronger country RDs like this but I'm numb to that at this point 🤷 Helps that it almost always comes out in my favor once we reach the winner anyway
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Post by tim on Mar 12, 2023 23:13:07 GMT -5
Any surprises? Any sneaks? Over half of my top 10 songs made it there of which I'm not entirely surprised by (although I'm still a bit salty about how dirty y'all did "Double Double"). The only surprise I can find really would be "Coalshooter", so I'll wager that is one of the first songs to exit. And while "You Can Have the Crown" may not be a favorite of mine from his catalog, I'm thrilled to see Sturgill make the top 10. Not sure how things will go from here on out, but my guess for the top 5 would be: Ashley McBryde, Pillbox Patti - The Girl In The Picture Gabe Lee - Kinda Man Kaitlin Butts - it won't always be this way The Wilder Blue - Shadows and Moonlight Turnpike Troubadours - Good Lord Lorrie
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recordyear
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Post by recordyear on Mar 13, 2023 10:11:13 GMT -5
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recordyear
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Post by recordyear on Mar 13, 2023 10:19:16 GMT -5
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recordyear
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Post by recordyear on Mar 13, 2023 10:25:45 GMT -5
I have two versions of this cynical bluegrass jam from Sturgill to choose, and I decided to use the Cowboy Arms Sessions version as I think the instruments are a little tighter (probably due to experience), and the rewrite of last three lines of second verse: He got out of a record deal, got a stable source of income from music, and found a good rhyme of "Bronco". Pretty iconic tbh
It deserves top 10 because it is the first song revealed so far that has no bottom 10 ranks.
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recordyear
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Post by recordyear on Mar 13, 2023 10:29:02 GMT -5
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recordyear
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Post by recordyear on Mar 13, 2023 10:33:14 GMT -5
Flipping the case of Heart You've Been Tendin' and you have the case of Table Manners, where it was in the top 10 for only two movements (not counting the initial "movement"), but one of them being after the end of submission. The wife in this song became a smoker after watching her husband become a poor smoker, and then they provoked each other while she states her regrets of staying together. The rocking music sounds like early Miranda Lambert at her best, and the harmony has the witty taste of Pistol Annies. Condolences to zack97 for losing his #1.
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recordyear
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Post by recordyear on Mar 13, 2023 10:37:28 GMT -5
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recordyear
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Post by recordyear on Mar 13, 2023 10:41:09 GMT -5
Give a Damn is yet another song that steadily climbs up during submission and barely sneaks in the top 10. Yet another gritty vocal singing the entangling story of breaking up, which feels like the core of recent hit country songs. Fortunately, WCG's writing tends to be introspective with memorable scene setting, and the music itself has a propelling riff, particularly at the ending. Though I would say this song should have a better female vocal harmony. Poor zack97 loses his #2 after losing his #1.
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recordyear
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Post by recordyear on Mar 13, 2023 10:49:26 GMT -5
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recordyear
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Post by recordyear on Mar 13, 2023 11:01:38 GMT -5
The only surprise I can find really would be "Coalshooter", so I'll wager that is one of the first songs to exit. Well, about that... This song tells a story of Cole’s grandad replacing his father as a coal shooter despite the risks. The metaphor of “the tunnel” meaning the escape of the current life is smoothly incorporated in the chorus. I am really surprised at this being a major top 10 contender because it is long and the music can be boring to some. Dude was also 20 years old only when the song and the parent album was released in 2021 (even though having old vocals at young age in indie country is not that surprising anymore, but still). Safe to say he is going places.
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