bboat11
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Post by bboat11 on Apr 29, 2015 17:46:40 GMT -5
The title is pretty self-explanatory. This can be a thread where you can admit the flaws that you see in artists who you otherwise love and support.
Remember, this is not a place to bash artists. If you don't like an artist, don't talk about them. It is merely a chance to discuss concerns you might have with your favorite artists, and offer constructive criticism among other fans. I'll start with some of my favorite artists.
Martina McBride: Her voice is almost flawless... But yet she insists on scooping towards high notes rather than just hitting them! It is becoming more and more apparent with age too, as the high notes get slightly harder for her. Sometimes I find it very distracting.
Sara Evans: For me, she has always had such strong albums. But her albums ever since her comeback have been way too short. Albums of 14+ songs are becoming way more popular, while hers have been more like 10-11 (or 9 and a remix, as with Stronger...) Also, she takes way too long between albums.
George Strait: I love almost everything he has ever released. Especially his ballads. But I absolutely loathe his stripped down acoustic but slightly jazzy ballads where he tries to sound like Frank Sinatra (I'm looking at you "Need I Say More," "My Life's Been Grand," "You're Something Special To Me," and "We Must Be Loving Right"...) It seems like every decade or so a new one comes along. Fortunately they are pretty much never released as singles!
Reba McEntire: My only gripe with Reba is that she has had so much plastic surgery through the years that now she looks kind've like a clown when she sings. Her voice is still absolutely flawless. But sometimes watching her sing completely ruins the enjoyment of listening to her sing.
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Kat5Kind
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Post by Kat5Kind on Apr 29, 2015 18:41:50 GMT -5
Hunter: My gripe is that he spent too much time focusing on other countries instead of getting back on track. Thank God that's over.
Carrie: insists on releasing belters. I want something in a Don't Forget To Remember Me style. Just because you CAN belt out notes on every song doesn't mean you should.
Thomas: Those dance moves... Just no. Is it even really dancing?!
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Deleted
Joined: January 1970
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Post by Deleted on Apr 29, 2015 19:00:02 GMT -5
Steve Earle: The guy is one of the best songwriters ever, however I hate that he is so political. I prefer that politics and music don't mix
Tyler Farr: His new album is surprisingly alright, but good Lord that cover.....
Jason Aldean & Eric Church: Both come across as arrogant pricks, but I like their music (well ok, maybe not so much Aldean anymore...)
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carrieidol1
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Post by carrieidol1 on Apr 29, 2015 19:10:05 GMT -5
Reba McEntire: My only gripe with Reba is that she has had so much plastic surgery through the years that now she looks kind've like a clown when she sings. Her voice is still absolutely flawless. But sometimes watching her sing completely ruins the enjoyment of listening to her sing. I don't know about the plastic surgery bit, I honestly didn't know she had any. But yeah, she's hard to watch sometimes. Otherwise, she's great! Can someone confirm the plastic surgery claim? She doesn't look to me like she has had any, but I could be completely wrong! |
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Apr 29, 2015 19:59:31 GMT -5
Reba McEntire: My only gripe with Reba is that she has had so much plastic surgery through the years that now she looks kind've like a clown when she sings. Her voice is still absolutely flawless. But sometimes watching her sing completely ruins the enjoyment of listening to her sing. I don't know about the plastic surgery bit, I honestly didn't know she had any. But yeah, she's hard to watch sometimes. Otherwise, she's great! Can someone confirm the plastic surgery claim? She doesn't look to me like she has had any, but I could be completely wrong! Wouldn't be surprised with a facelift or botox, but I never thought she did anything drastic. On her new album cover she doesn't look plastic. Definitely not down the Dolly Parton route. I love the both of them so that was no slam against Dolly. |
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Apr 29, 2015 20:29:34 GMT -5
Carrie Underwood: Bar my none my favorite female voice in Country music, but my biggest gripe with her is probably that her song choices for her albums are extremely inconsistent, and thus she ends up with stellar songs, (Wine After Whiskey), next to tacky material way below her level of talent (Nobody Ever Told You). Her output rarely matches her talent, and I hope she can remedy that down the line.
Rascal Flatts: I've defended them quite a bit over the course of their career, but they are also extremely inconsistent when it comes to singles and albums.
Their single choices have to be among some of the worst decisions ever, and I absolutely believe those choices are a huge part of the reason their momentum has died so much over the last several years.
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zebra71
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Post by zebra71 on Apr 29, 2015 20:37:00 GMT -5
Toby Keith has released way too many drinking songs lately. Red Solo Cup was funny whereas Drunk Americans was downright awful. Needs to release better songs like Somewhere Else and Bullets in the Gun.
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Andy
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Post by Andy on Apr 29, 2015 20:49:57 GMT -5
Trace Adkins, Tim McGraw, Brooks & Dunn, Reba McEntire, Josh Turner: You can be great when you choose the right songs. Do so.
Trisha Yearwood, Lee Ann Womack, Alison Krauss, Jamey Johnson, a bunch of others I'm forgetting and I'll later edit in: Make music more often.
Travis Tritt, Patty Loveless, Loretta Lynn: Come back.
George Strait: Almost all your songs are above-average, which is remarkable and I commend you for your consistency. But on the flip side, there very few songs of yours that I would consider genuinely great. Alan Jackson, for example, has released more clunkers than you, but way more songs that are transcendent. There really isn't an album of yours I would describe as masterful, and outside of "Amarillo by Morning" and a few others, very few songs I would put in the same league as the best of Haggard, Jones, Cash, Hank, etc. Take more chances. Love's Gonna Make It Alright is easily one of my favorite albums of yours, because you recorded three songs that were edgy, challenging and different: "A Showman's Life", "Poison", and "Drinkin' Man". I ask that you continue in this direction, especially now that country radio appears to be done with you.
Gary Allan: Your newer stuff is alright, but please recapture the magic you had from Smoke Rings in the Dark through Tough All Over. You can be as good as anybody.
George Jones: You're easily one of my all-time favorites, but I wish you were a stronger album artist. Most of your albums are one or two amazing singles surrounded by a bunch of pleasant but forgettable filler.
Tom T. Hall, Steve Earle, Ernest Tubb, Bruce Robison, Townes Van Zandt, Guy Clark, Chris Knight, Billy Joe Shaver, Kris Kristofferson, John Prine, Robert Earl Keen, Jerry Jeff Walker, Todd Snider, Joe Ely: This reads like a list of most of my favorite artists. I love your guy's music and songwriting, although I can admit none of you are good conventional singers. As I said in the unpopular opinions thread, I don't care about technical ability at all beyond a certain basic point, so I don't mind, but I can understand how some people might.
Mary Chapin Carpenter, Lyle Lovett, Lucinda Williams, Ryan Bingham: I freakin' love your music, but you albums are often too long. Rarely does an album need to approach, or heaven forbid, exceed an hour in length. Less is more.
Willie Nelson: I love your prolificness, but slow down a bit. I can't keep up with all your releases!
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bboat11
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Pulse's Resident Martina McBride Expert
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Post by bboat11 on Apr 30, 2015 3:44:23 GMT -5
Reba McEntire: My only gripe with Reba is that she has had so much plastic surgery through the years that now she looks kind've like a clown when she sings. Her voice is still absolutely flawless. But sometimes watching her sing completely ruins the enjoyment of listening to her sing. I don't know about the plastic surgery bit, I honestly didn't know she had any. But yeah, she's hard to watch sometimes. Otherwise, she's great! Can someone confirm the plastic surgery claim? She doesn't look to me like she has had any, but I could be completely wrong! Yeah, I guess it might be a little bit of a hasty judgment to assume she has had plastic surgery. I apologize if it is inaccurate. Maybe she has always been kind've an awkward singer; I am not super familiar with some of her earlier live videos. But I sure am curious now! One thing I know for sure is she looks DAMN good for 60... I guess it is highly possible that the only thing she is guilty of is dying her hair red in recent years! But then again, who knows if she even has to do that :) If one of us ever gets to meet her, we should ask her! Lol. Also, I have one more to add for Sara Evans. She has such a wonderful stage presence, is absolutely hilarious, and usually sings even better than her recordings... But the girl really needs to figure out what to do with her hands when she sings!! I mean, it's great when she's holding the mic stand, or pointing at the audience, or clapping or something, but as soon as she stops doing either of those things her arms just strike the oddest poses. Martina does a similar thing where she seems to always raise her right arm in the air, squeeze her eyes shut, and duck her head down to the right side when she is reaching for difficult notes, which bugs me sometimes, but overall her movements are very natural and basically never awkward. |
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.indulgecountry
Diamond Member
Best Country Poster 2011, 2017, & 2018
"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 30, 2015 15:57:58 GMT -5
Also, I have one more to add for Sara Evans. She has such a wonderful stage presence, is absolutely hilarious, and usually sings even better than her recordings... But the girl really needs to figure out what to do with her hands when she sings!! I mean, it's great when she's holding the mic stand, or pointing at the audience, or clapping or something, but as soon as she stops doing either of those things her arms just strike the oddest poses. Martina does a similar thing where she seems to always raise her right arm in the air, squeeze her eyes shut, and duck her head down to the right side when she is reaching for difficult notes, which bugs me sometimes, but overall her movements are very natural and basically never awkward. Oh, I love Sara's hand movements when she's performing. The way she kind of twirls her hand around to match the vocals coming out of her mouth is something I really enjoy, especially when she goes for high notes and she kind of tilts her head back and her hand kind of goes to work like she's summoning the high notes like a snake charmer or something. I love her hand gestures.  Like here around 1:05, 1:48, 1:54-end: |
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Kentucky25
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Post by Kentucky25 on Apr 30, 2015 18:20:22 GMT -5
Jason Aldean - single choices.
Aldean/Eric Church - I don't know that they are jerks so much as they play up an image. Church wants to be a "renegade" or whatever...and "Outsider". While Aldean projects like he expects all his awards and such. I still love both of their music, just tend to ignore the other aspects.
Garth - the DRAMA! He is an entertainer through and through, it just gets to be a bit too much for me.
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dub
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I'm a doctor now so I want to get back into rankdowns again
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Post by dub on May 1, 2015 23:37:44 GMT -5
Agreed 100% re: Garth. GhostTunes, announcing the tour one city at a time, and - I'm not sure but I suspect he was behind this - Caitlyn Smith's original demo for Tacoma was basically smitten from the internet when he recorded it, which is a shame (though now there's a video of her singing it live on YouTube).
Shania Twain is easily my favorite, but I wish she would actually deliver this album she's been "writing" for the past 10+ years. Same with Faith Hill.
I have become increasingly disenchanted with Martina McBride's choices for songs on her last few albums. I didn't love Eleven of Waking Up Laughing. I did really enjoy Everlasting, though.
I think there are a lot of artists that aren't bad singers but have fallen too far into their schticks. Eric Church as the outlaw, Kenny Chesney as the pirate/beach whatever, Luke Bryan as the "bro," etc.
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