Maddie & Tae - "Start Here"

[Deleted]

Maddie & Tae's debut album Start Here can now be streamed via NPR! Just click the link below.

NPR First Listen



August 28

Maddie & Tae
"Start Here"
(Dot Records)

Track List:

01 "Waitin' On A Plane" (Taylor Dye, Madison Marlow, Danny Myrick)

02 "Girl In A Country Song" (Taylor Dye, Madison Marlow, Aaron Scherz)

03 "Smoke" (Taylor Dye, Madison Marlow, Aaron Scherz, Brad Tursi)

04 "Shut Up and Fish" (Taylor Dye, Madison Marlow, Aaron Scherz, Pete Sallis)

05 "Fly" (Taylor Dye, Madison Marlow, Tiffany Vartanyan)

06 "Sierra" (Taylor Dye, Madison Marlow, Aaron Scherz)

07 "Your Side Of Town" (Taylor Dye, Madison Marlow, Blair Daly, Heather Morgan)

08 "Right Here, Right Now" (Taylor Dye, Madison Marlow, Matthew McGinn)

09 "No Place Like You" (Taylor Dye, Madison Marlow, Jon Nite, Jimmy Robbins)

10 "After The Storm Blows Through" (Taylor Dye, Madison Marlow, Aaron Scherz, Trent Willmon)

11 "Downside of Growing Up" (Taylor Dye, Madison Marlow, Brent Anderson, Frank Rogers)

[sabre14]

Great album. I like their EP very much but the best tracks were on the full album. Even though I loved every song, "After The Storm Blows Through" and "Downside Of Growing Up" were the best songs on this album, no doubt. I would love for one of those to be a single, especially the latter. No surprise those two tracks were helped penned by Trent Willmon, Brent Anderson and Frank Rogers.

"Shut Up And Fish" is a really fun song that had more punch in the studio version than I was expecting and "Sierra" has really grown on me -- I think one of those could very well be the next single. There's no doubt these girls are talented and can write great songs, both lyrically and instrumentally.

The future of the genre might look bleak considering the change sonically on mainstream country radio recently but there's been plenty of talented "country" artists lately attempting to break through with major labels like Maddie & Tae, Mickey Guyton, Mo Pitney, Brothers Osborne, Jon Pardi and William Michael Morgan.

[Deleted]

I thought it was a fantastic album. My only complaint is that it feels rather short since it's only 11 tracks and we've had the 4 from the EP for nearly a year and the preview of Smoke last year. I will most definitely be buying this next week.

[Deleted]

This album far exceeded my expectations. I mean good lord, every "country" artist uses the evolution claim when in reality, all their music does is copy Pop/EDM/Rap influences and copy it as "country". Maddie and Tae are a perfect example of how you can truly evolve Country music. The songwriting is solid, the vocals are solid, the songs are sung with some freaking emotion, and by god....there's Country instrumentation! Holy crap! Between this and Kip Moore's, I think we have two of the best mainstream albums this year.

[Deleted]

I will be waiting to buy a physical copy of this :)

They are outstanding songwriters and the fact that they use my favorite instruments is just icing on the cake.

[carriekins]

I had the same reaction to this CD that I had to about 4 other CDs in recent years (Riser, Up on the Ridge, Same Trailer Different Park, and Pageant Material, in case you're curious)... YES. This sounds SO GOOD. OMG. COUNTRY INSTRUMENTS. I can't even. (Okay, yes, I knew what to expect going in, having heard much of the CD live, but still.)

I'm really happy with this debut. I need to listen to it again to offer my thoughts on singles and my rankings of the songs, but gosh, what a treat. Can't wait to pick up a copy next week. And to see a full M&T show in October! :)

[sabre14]

I listened to this album twice last night before bed and I've listened to it a couple more times already this afternoon. I knew I would like this album but it exceeded my expectations. I echo those who love all the country instrumentation and that it's great that some artists know what fiddles, banjos, dobros, mandolins and steel guitars still are.

My rankings: :)

1. "Downside Of Growing Up"
2. "After The Storm Blows Through"
3. "Shut Up And Fish"
4. "Fly"
5. "Waitin' On A Plane"
6. "Girl In A Country Song"
7. "Right Here Right Now"
8. "Sierra"
9. "No Place Like You"
10. "Smoke"
11. "Your Side Of Town"

Love the top 9 and really like the bottom 2.

[Deleted]

Aug 20, 2015 14:58:54 GMT -5 sabre14 said:

I listened to this album twice last night before bed and I've listened to it a couple more times already this afternoon. I knew I would like this album but it exceeded my expectations. I echo those who love all the country instrumentation and that it's great that some artists know what fiddles, banjos, dobros, mandolins and steel guitars still are.

My rankings: :)

1. "Downside Of Growing Up"
2. "After The Storm Blows Through"
3. "Shut Up And Fish"
4. "Fly"
5. "Waitin' On A Plane"
6. "Girl In A Country Song"
7. "Right Here Right Now"
8. "Sierra"
9. "No Place Like You"
10. "Smoke"
11. "Your Side Of Town"

Love the top 9 and really like the bottom 2.

Considering that GIACS was your No.1 on the Pulse weekly chart for awhile, and it's only No.6 here really says something.

[sabre14]

Aug 20, 2015 15:11:49 GMT -5 zack97 said:

Aug 20, 2015 14:58:54 GMT -5 sabre14 said:

I listened to this album twice last night before bed and I've listened to it a couple more times already this afternoon. I knew I would like this album but it exceeded my expectations. I echo those who love all the country instrumentation and that it's great that some artists know what fiddles, banjos, dobros, mandolins and steel guitars still are.

My rankings: :)

1. "Downside Of Growing Up"
2. "After The Storm Blows Through"
3. "Shut Up And Fish"
4. "Fly"
5. "Waitin' On A Plane"
6. "Girl In A Country Song"
7. "Right Here Right Now"
8. "Sierra"
9. "No Place Like You"
10. "Smoke"
11. "Your Side Of Town"

Love the top 9 and really like the bottom 2.

Considering that GIACS was your No.1 on the Pulse weekly chart for awhile, and it's only No.6 here really says something.

It was a song that had terrific timing and needed to be released when it was. It's worn on me a bit but I still enjoy it very much. There's really not much difference between songs 3 on down though.

[The Brazilian Guy 🇧🇷]

Really liking this... I'm finishing the last song and I have to say this is probably in my Top3 of the year so far (behind Kacey's "Pageant Material" and Ashley Monroe's "The Blade").

[carriekins]

I'm listening to it again and gosh, it's going to be harder than I thought to rank these - I literally love every song on this album. I remember reading comments about "Your Side of Town" when the EP came out and I feel like that song works so much better in the context of the full album than it did on the EP.

My early standouts are "Smoke," "Sierra," (I just love, love, love the sassiness of this one so much), "Downside of Growing Up," and "Waiting on a Plane." That said, I am totally loving the studio versions of "Shut Up and Fish" and "Right Here, Right Now" as well. I think they have plenty of radio-friendly songs on this album - certainly uptempos like SUAF, Sierra, and RHRN would work. "Smoke" is just gorgeous, too, and I'd love to see that as a single.

I knew I'd love this going in, but I think they exceeded my expectations.

[M&TSwiftie]

5/5
This album I can listen to without skipping to the next track it's better than I thought it would be the lyrics production it's all very good!
My fav tracks
Waiting on a plane
Right here right now
GIACS
FLY
Shut and up fish
And the rest
My pick for the next single
Right here right now, your side of town, sierra, or after the storm blows( if only radio plays it ;) )
I think this album is going to do slightly well

[zjames]

Love
01 "Waiting On A Plane"
02 "Girl In A Country Song" 
03 "Smoke"
04 "Shut Up And Fish"
05 "Fly"
06 "Sierra"
07 "Your Side Of Town"
09 "No Place Like You"
10 "After The Storm Blows Through"
11 "Downside Of Growing Up"

Like
08 "Right Here Right Now"

“People forget how great country music is, and we haven’t. It’s nice knowing we’re putting the banjo, the fiddle, the steel and the mandolin back out front. Country music is what we love." - Maddie Marlow

Wow, I was expecting something pretty good. I wasn't expecting a nearly perfect album. This album is such a breath of fresh air. They're not chasing any trends; every song feels so authentic and sincere (Maddie & Tae co-wrote every track). "Shut Up And Fish" and "After The Storm Blows Through" are two of my favorite songs of the year. "Downside Of Growing Up", "Waiting On A Plane" and "Sierra" are other standouts.
 
Start Here is in my personal Best Country Album of 2015 discussion. I'm gonna be blasting this album for a long time. 4.75/5.00

Single Predictions
03 "Shut Up And Fish"
04 "Right Here Right Now"

[Deleted]

Just as a heads up, Target has 2 bonus tracks:
1. Waiting On A Plane
2. Girl In A Country Song
3. Smoke
4. Shut Up and Fish
5. Fly
6. Sierra
7. Your Side Of Town
8. Right Here, Right Now
9. No Place Like You
10. After The Storm Blows Through
11. Downside of Growing Up
12. After The Storm Blows Through (Acoustic Version)
13. Downside of Growing Up (Acoustic Version)

[Deleted]

Even though I am holding and waiting for a physical copy I am most curious of what jhomes87 thinks.

[wonderstruck]

My rankings:

1. "Smoke"
2. "Shut Up And Fish"
3. "Right Here Right Now"
4. "No Place Like You"
5. "Fly"
6. "Downside Of Growing Up"
7. "After The Storm Blows Through"
8. "Waitin' On A Plane"
9. "Sierra"
10. "Girl In A Country Song"
11. "Your Side Of Town"

[sabre14]

I literally cannot stop listening to "Shut Up And Fish" and "Downside Of Growing Up".

I can't wait to get a physical copy of this on the 28th. The amount of great albums in 2015 is unreal.

[zebra71]

This is a great album. So far I like the first two singles. I'm going to buy this when it comes out on the 28th. Maddie and Tae are the best new duo out there in modern country.

[Deleted]

Aug 21, 2015 19:24:18 GMT -5 sabre14 said:

I literally cannot stop listening to "Shut Up And Fish" and "Downside Of Growing Up".

I can't wait to get a physical copy of this on the 28th. The amount of great albums in 2015 is unreal.

Shut Up And Fish might be my favorite song on the record. I think it would be a great followup for "Fly" since many artists are likely gearing up for slower tempo songs since Fall is around the corner.

[mus1cr0w]

WOW! Color me impressed with this. Very solid debut - and with country instruments no less!

Overall, the harmonies are spectacular.

My ranking:

LOVE LOVE LOVE:

1. Smoke - perfection. SMASH as a single with some crossover potential, in typical BMLG fashion.
2. Girl In A Country Song - will always be remembered as the song that started a genre shift.
3. Shut Up And Fish - Fun, sassy, Shania-esque. This will SMASH if released as a single.

LOVE:

4. Sierra - funny, unique, another single SMASH
5. Downside of Growing Up - superb writing and delivery. Potential single.
6. After the Storm Blows Through - best harmonies on the record. Stunning. Might be too slow for radio but you never know!

LIKE:
7. Waitin On A Plane - catchy, easy to listen to but I feel the production is a little timid compared to the lyric.
8. Fly - meh. Poor lyrical craft but the melody almost makes up for it - almost.
9. No Place Like You - easy to listen to but conveys no feeling for me.

WHY DID THESE MAKE THE RECORD?

10. Right Here Right Now - Yawn. SO bland. SO done. Lyrics feel uninspired. I can't help but think they had better songs.
11. Your Side Of Town - bad rehash of Miranda Lambert production with the over done boy-bashing theme. I think it made the record simply because it is fast.

Single predictions:

Girl - #1
Fly - #9
Shut Up And Fish - #1
Sierra - #1 or Right Here Right Now - #20
Smoke #1
Down Side Of Growing Up #5


MR

[sbp17]

Such a great record. Has a great 90s feel while still sounding current.

[Deleted]

Very interesting interview with Maddie and Tae in the Country Weekly. There's lots of interesting background on the girls and such, but this part really intrigued me:

Q: You recorded the song (Girl In A Country Song), along with the rest of the album, with Dann Huff. He's worked with Michael Jackson before. What was it like to record with him?

Tae: We made him a little bit more country, and he pulled the rock out of us. I'm glad he let us be ourselves. A lot of times, people tell you who they want you to be, and you've got to go with it. But with us, it was like, "No, we know who we are. We're not straying from that". (A good example was) "Shut Up and Fish". We told the players, "Ok, guys go as country as you want with this song!" And you could tell they were all like, "Umm, are you sure?"

Maddie: What's coming out of Nashville right now is not super-country. It's not our definition of country, with pedal steel and fiddle. So we were like, "Just think as country as you possibly can".

Tae: Like, "Put your '90s brain on, Ok?"



Warms to my heart to know that there are artists who actually do care about the integrity of the genre :)

[Deleted]

That's sickening to know that country music musicians are reluctant to play legitimate country music.

These girls are 19, the new kids in town, and they are trying to make it in corporate Nashville. Good for them for sticking to their hearts. May they be role models for many who are older and "wiser" working around them.

[carriekins]

I love them more and more every time I read something like this.

[wonderstruck]

“So I think, when choosing songs, it just mattered what it meant to us and if we thought our fans would relate to it,” she adds. “Obviously you can’t think about, ‘Oh, this one might not go up the charts as fast, or even reach No. 1.’ But to us, that’s not the point. The point is that we reach our fans, and we let them know that we are engaged, and we just want to give them our message.”
theboot.com/maddie-and-tae-start-here-interview-2015

[wonderstruck]

Maddie & Tae Boldly Fill Country’s Post-Taylor Void With ‘Start Here’: Album Review
www.billboard.com/articles/review/6671263/maddie-tae-start-here-album-review

4/5.

[onebuffalo]

High praise:

www.billboard.com/articles/columns/country/6677620/maddie-tae-debut-praised-lee-ann-womack-scott-borchetta-dann-huff

[wonderstruck]

[Deleted]

Aug 21, 2015 18:50:13 GMT -5 raylatch98 said:

Even though I am holding and waiting for a physical copy I am most curious of what jhomes87 thinks.

Haven't listened yet. Honestly, I've been so busy lately that it might take me a little while to get to any new music. I did pick up Kip Moore's album but that's been it lately. Lots and lots of albums are on "my list".

I'm definitely excited to check this one out (the previews sound great) but yeah, I've just been super busy.

[Deleted]

#shamelesspromotion

My review of this album here