bboat Reviews Modern Country Radio

[nuggie99]

May 25, 2023 2:42:10 GMT -5 🌺CountryLineDancer said:

F I would rather see Hate Me from Track45 over this song, if I had to pick a similar group. 

I found this amusing because the Daves Highway song that I was aware of is called "Hate That You Hate Me" I like that one a little better than this.  First Rodeo is a little poppy for my tastes, but fiddle/steel make up for it.

[zaclord 🌈]

May 25, 2023 1:55:14 GMT -5 bboat11 said:

"First Rodeo" - Daves Highway

I'm not sure if Pulse even knew this song or this group existed until it/they randomly charted this week, lmao. Or at least I had never heard of them before! What a random occasion this is! Aside from my initial shock that a group that makes me think of a random guy named Dave is actually led by a girl, this was a pretty good discovery! For starters, this is instrumentally our countriest song in this series to date, with VERY prominent fiddle and steel scattered throughout. I think I heard a couple instances of piano plinking around in the background too, which would be our first piano to show up in this series as well, so I gave it a point for that, although I'm not 100% sure.

And yet, despite the touches of classic country instrumentation, this song doesn't quite sell me on its identity enough to call it undeniably country. The arrangement is very quirky. I think it reminds me of a SHeDAISY song, where there is plenty of country flair, and yet still has a poppy edge that would make my grandfather mutter under his breath and leave the room. I like it though! It's very catchy, and the fiddle and steel are integrated perfectly in just the right places.

Thematically, this song probably caters to a slightly younger crowd than some of the others we have heard. I mean, it even explicitly says "We're too young to love responsibly" in the first verse, lol. It features two lovers who are constantly sending each other mixed messages, falling in and out of love, causing so much drama in each other's lives yet always coming back to each other in the end. It's giving me teenage first-love vibes, kinda like something early Taylor Swift might have sung.

So, my first thought is that the quirky arrangement and the youthful theme might put off some people. And also, the production sounds a little bit cheap compared to the average radio single. But I'm fine with it all, and definitely think there is a catchy song here that has some hit potential! Although I'm not sure how much faith I have in it having too big of a chart run, considering I have no idea what kind of label support Daves Highway has. But I'll give it a solid B+!

---

castleoblivion26   taylor is terrified   🌺CountryLineDancer   g8erboi   nuggie99   .indulgecountry   carriefan15

You would be one of those teachers who doesn't round up an 89.75 to an A

Tag me plz!

[castleoblivion26]

"First Rodeo" is okay but at the same time I do not think I'd ever revisit this.

[bboat11]

"Burn It Down" - Parker McCollum

81 BPM

So I'm giving Parker a B, with the caveat that this is easily the song that is most likely to grow on me the most out of the ones I have heard so far! I mean, from my first listen to my 3rd/4th, this already grew from like a 7.7/10 to an 8.8/10. Unfortunately, where this song is weak is what jumps out at the listener first. For example, the weird decision to compress Parker's vocals for the first two entire verses. At first impression, that goes on for so long that it's like "Is this really how the whole song is going to be??!" (I suppose I should have knocked off a production point for that, but my main mindset for the production category is "does it sound dated or cheap", and this definitely does not! I figure any weird gripes like that might be accommodated by the flex score or my first impression score.) Anyway, this song is also a little bit weak in the narrative department, in that it really doesn't tell much of a story. It just throws some metaphors at the listener to give us the impression of a relationship ending, without giving any concrete details. That being said, I really like some of the metaphors! Like, I think "Goodbye, strung out on the lawn. The line between us was drawn" is a really effective opening line! We get the impression of a fight that took place publicly in the front yard as she threw her things in the car and left him for good, as well as a sense of how it impacted our narrator, but ultimately a lot of the interpretation is left up to the listener in how those lines are going to relate to them.

The chorus melody is really engaging, and I love it more the more I hear it! I didn't fully get into it at first, because the song is super over-produced and it just feels like there is too much going on to fully appreciate the melody at first, but once it sank in, it hooked me harder and harder! I can already see myself belting this out in the car while I'm driving down the road this summer.

So yeah, this gets a B because of the production and instrumentation choices that are holding it back. But I enjoyed the imagery in the lyrics, and I enjoy how the melody sinks in and hooks you harder with each listen. Parker is one of the most consistent new male vocalists in my opinion, and I am glad to see him achieving consistent success. "Handle On You" would have been in my A-list, no question, but "Burn It Down" is not a bad followup! I mostly wish it had more country instruments, as Parker seems to be better about keeping it country than some other modern artists.

---

castleoblivion26   taylor is terrified   🌺CountryLineDancer   g8erboi   nuggie99   .indulgecountry   carriefan15   zaclord 🌈

[bboat11]

With that, I have officially caught up with every new song that charted last week on country radio! Perfect timing for the new chart to come out tomorrow I can't wait to see what makes an appearance next!!! Can anything make the A-list??! (It won't be Jason Aldean's new one, I promise ;) )

For now though, I promised CLD I would try to review the new Canadian songs too as long as he tells me what they are each week, and there are two new songs on Canadian country radio this week. So plan on those being the next two reviews! (Including our first female artist!)

[bboat11]

"Chasing Tornadoes" - MacKenzie Porter

81 BPM

The first new Canadian charter this week is MacKenzie Porter, who also has the honor of being the first solo female artist to be reviewed for this series! (The lead vocalist of Daves Highway was also a lady of course, but they would be classified as a group.)

"Chasing Tornadoes" tells the tale of a narrator who loves to live life on the edge. In situations where most people would run and protect themselves, she rushes right in and embraces the thrill of it all. A chaotic lover is implied in the lyrics, but this isn't a relationship song as much as it is a celebration of a thrill-seeking lifestyle.

I do like a lot of the imagery and metaphor work in the lyrics. The act of chasing tornadoes is a perfect way to invoke the idea of seeking out thrills that most people would shy away from. MacKenzie sounds pretty good too. My primary complaint about this song would be the production. This doesn't sound prematurely dated or anything, but it does sound incredibly cluttered and over-produced. I gave MacKenzie credit for steel, fiddle, and banjo in this song, but the only one I am confident about is steel guitar. You can hear it very clearly in the middle of the last chorus, after she says, "I must have a thing for twisters." Everything else is just so cluttered that I really can't be sure. Although to me it sounds like banjo and fiddle are being played together at the 0:26 mark and then again at the 1:20 mark, when the verses are wrapping up. There is also a high-pitched strummed string instrument of some kind that could be mandolin, but I'm not fully convinced... Maybe a bouzouki? Either way, banjo/mandolin share a point on my criteria, so once I gave it credit for banjo it didn't really matter, lol.

Anyway, because of the overbearing production, the melody doesn't quite sink in as quickly as it might have with a better arrangement, so my opinion of this one has improved from about a 7/10 to an 8.5/10 over the course of a dozen or so listens the last couple days! I like it, but I think a low B is more than fair.

---

"Tomorrow Today" - Tony Stevens

80 BPM

I get pretty strong Chris Janson vibes from our next Canadian song! "Tomorrow Today" is I believe Tony Stevens' first chart appearance, so this is exciting for him! This song tells the story of a man who starts falling for a woman, and for the first time he is feeling the urge to settle down and giving up his bachelorhood freedoms to start a life with somebody! He talks about trading in his boat for jewelry, trading his nights going out and drinking whiskey for nights staying in and drinking wine with her, etc. All the expected country stereotypes that could go along with this theme are here. It's not at all a creative song.

But where this song earns most of its points for me is the chorus melody (not to mention the epic steel guitar solo near the end!). It's a very engaging, sing-along friendly melody, which may help it to be a successful hit up in Canada (and is also what gives me the most Chris Janson vibes)! Or it may sputter and flop because Tony is an unknown name. I guess time will tell. But for me this is overall very average, although certainly not bad. A low B- feels just about right.

---

castleoblivion26   taylor is terrified   🌺CountryLineDancer   g8erboi   nuggie99   .indulgecountry   carriefan15   zaclord 🌈

[🌺CountryLineDancer]

I do agree that Chasing Tornadoes is a little over produced and sounds a little messy. But the main problem for me is that the chorus melody. It just does not click with me, as much as I wanted to like it. Pickup >>>>>. Still excited for more music from her, as she's been teasing that more to come. In terms of the chart performance, I can see it doing fairly well, if not #1 (it's been a while since a Canadian artist got #1 on the chart...). 

Tomorrow Today is just another fine male song, the same impression I have towards Nate Barnes or Teddy Robb in the US, (if you all remember who they are). The chorus melody is catchy, and to me, the vocal reminds me of Jojo Mason, another Canadian act. In terms of the chart performance, I cannot expect much, as it has not gained much adds yet, and considering that he is with Willing Record, which is a smaller label, the highest it could go is early 30s, which was the case with another act from Willing (The Prairie States). 

[bboat11]

"But I Got A Beer In My Hand" - Luke Bryan

104 BPM

So I have discovered that "But I Got A Beer In My Hand" also debuted on the Canadian charts this week! Normally the overlap between the American and Canadian charts would make it unnecessary for me to review a song like this when it enters the Canadian charts, but seeing as this series is just beginning and this song had already entered the American charts before I was doing this...I figured I may as well go ahead and use its Canadian debut as the catalyst to make this happen!

Ugh, Luke Bryan is just sooooooooo stale nowadays though. This song puts us in the shoes of a narrator who should be sad after a breakup.....but he isn't because he has a beer in his hand. That's it. That's the song It could make for a whimsical and fun idea for a country song, if it wasn't done in such a stereotypical and bland fashion. Luke has about as much creative energy as a cold cow pie these days. While I do find bits and pieces of the melody to be engaging, there are other parts that are just unnecessarily repetitive. And on top of it all, Luke decided to spice himself up with about 50 different layers of vocal processing that get thicker and thicker as the song progresses! Ironically, I think this is the most engaged he has sounded on a vocal in a LONG time...but it's hard to give him too much of the credit for that considering that his voice is so processed that this recording may as well have been made by a computer. He could have made a bid to escape the D-range if he had tried to incorporate a country element or two, but since he didn't even try, he honestly deserves to get a D for laziness.

It may very well end up being a hit, and I won't begrudge it that opportunity. But this will very likely bring his career one step closer to irrelevancy. A nearly-50-year-old man can only get away with these kinds of vapid topics for so long. Why does anyone need this when Morgan Wallen could probably do the same theme with 500% of the sales and acclaim?

---

castleoblivion26   taylor is terrified   🌺CountryLineDancer   g8erboi   nuggie99   .indulgecountry   carriefan15   zaclord 🌈

[.indulgecountry]

Luke Bryan is such an embarrassment.

OTOH, glad to see you reviewing "Chasing Tornadoes." I've been loving MacKenzie Porter more and more. This new song is great and I also really came around to enjoy "Pickup" after awhile and "Coming Soon to a Bar Near You" was instant LOVE for me. She also held her own against Lauren Alaina when she subbed out for her on the Dustin Lynch duet that became a mega smash a few years back. She's one to watch.

[bboat11]

"Try That In A Small Town" - Jason Aldean

73 BPM

Alright, I couldn't put it off any longer... Jason Aldean's new song, "Try That In A Small Town," was the hot shot debut of the week, debuting just outside of the top 20 on the Billboard Airplay chart... This song celebrates small town pride, promotes small-town values, and contrasts them with all the immoral actions that take place in the big bad city.

Ugh. Here's the thing about this song. There is legit a solid, genuine message to be found here about the problems of big cities! Rising crime rates are a bad thing. Literally EVERYBODY would agree that old ladies getting car-jacked is a bad thing, convenience stores being robbed is a bad thing, etc. Nobody wants their child growing up around that.

So what is the problem? The fact that this song takes a bunch of genuine issues and then equates them to stomping on a flag. It takes a bunch of issues and draws a false equivalency between them and the fact that cities "might" try taking your guns away someday. Emphasis on "might". The song literally ADMITS that it is not even happening, by way of the fact that it phrases it like "Got a gun that my granddad gave me, they say one day they're gonna round up." You know who "they" is? Conservative fear-mongers who value the life of their gun over the life of their neighbor's kid. Sure, the rhetoric is out there among extremists, but in reality, NOBODY is genuinely trying to take your guns away at this point in time, nor have they ever been anywhere close to doing so.

So in the end, what could be a powerful song that tackles real world issues loses 100% of its credibility simply because the mouthpiece who is delivering the song tried to conflate genuine issues with a political agenda that is either not at all based in reality (in the case of the gun thing) or not at all equivalent to the real issues (in the case of the disrespect shown to the flag). Like, you wanna tell me that my grandma being beaten up on the street is equivalent to people choosing not to stand up for the national anthem? Kindly f**k aaaaaalllllll the way off with that.

And that's just the problematic stuff that is said straight-out! I haven't even gotten to the problematic implications that are left intentionally vague... Like, the entire hook of the song. Mr. Aldean, what are you threatening to do? Are you advocating for violence to be taken against people? Immediately after criticizing big cities for their senseless crime and violence? Also, do you know what small towns have historically done to people that "cause trouble"? Needless to say they have a prolific (and relatively recent) history of doing everything from ostracizing (at best) all the way to LYNCHING (at worst) people who they deem to be against the status quo. Anyone ever heard of a "sundown town"? THAT is not just "good ol' boys taking care of their own" in the romantic sense that is portrayed in this song...that is the glorification of domestic terrorism.

And the problem with Jason Aldean's interpretation of this song is that, because he conflated the anti-violence rhetoric of this song with political agendas that are entirely unrelated, the listener is left with no reason whatsoever to believe that he has any reason to sing this song other than to divide people. People who immediately seek to spread division in a message that otherwise didn't even need to be about politics are why this country is so divided right now. Jason Aldean is one of those people.

We should ask him what he thinks small towns should do to lechers and adulterers... Now THAT would make for an interesting song!

---

castleoblivion26   taylor is terrified   🌺CountryLineDancer   g8erboi   nuggie99   .indulgecountry   carriefan15   zaclord 🌈

[taylor is terrified]

Even a 45% is generous. 🤷🏻‍♀️ Worst thing I’ve listened to in a hot minute. He can go straight to hell for all I care.

[.indulgecountry]

Truly one of the most embarrassingly awful country songs I've heard in years. The lyrics alone are abhorrent but that MELODY. Good lord they didn't even fucking try. His lazy half-baked vocals and a mediocre production job topping it off make this one of the biggest steamy piles of musical dreck imaginable.

[carriefan15]

Ok catching up!

Try That In A Small Town- Better than I expected but the lyrics are still terrible. C-

But I Got A Beer In My Hand- the epitome of a non-memorable summer single. And on top of that, it’s just not good 😬 D

Tomorrow Today- It’s ok. Very basic and generic though…nothing original about it. C+

Chasing Tornadoes- love the lyrics. Reminds me a lot of SHeDAISY and Maddie & Tae. Just not crazy about her voice on this song…not many levels. It does make me curious to hear more from her though. B-

Burn It Down- Love the beginning then gets a little boring about halfway through. It would sound good enough on radio though. B+

First Rodeo- The Chicks meets Taylor Swift. And then something about the chorus reminds me of Carrie lol very catchy. Hopefully it gets some airplay on radio! A

Somebody Else’s Whiskey- I like that it wasn’t your typical tear in ny beer breakup song..a nice twist! Very 90s country sounding too! A-

98 Braves- Clever lyrics but overall just a little too basic with the overall sound of the song. I’ve yet to find a song by Wallen that blows me away..burn I’ve also only really listened to what’s been played on radio. B-

Truck Bed- I do like this one a lot but it definitely doesn’t sound very country lol more like alternative rock mixed with some harder rock from the 2000s? Idk but I like it! I guess his voice and the lyrics make it country enough and I def wouldn’t change the station if it came on. A-

Bad Day To Be A Cold Beer- I definitely hear the Drink In My Hand comparisons…if anything, just a slightly slowed down and more mellow version lol it’s ok. Obviously nothing groundbreaking. B-

Thinkin’ Bout Me- I like this more than everything else I’ve heard from Wallen. But it’s still just not a stand out for me. For some reason it reminds me of Burnin It Down by Jason Aldean..the music not the lyrics. B

[bboat11]

"Watermelon Moonshine" - Lainey Wilson

70 BPM

Well, I'm not making any friends with this grade!! *Runs and hides* Anyone who knows me and my overall taste in music may have seen Lainey Wilson chart this week and assumed (or even hoped) that "Watermelon Moonshine" might end up being our first modern song to be added to the A-list! Unfortunately, as you can now see, such hopes are about to be dashed...

This song is just kind of unremarkable... For starters, it is literally a carbon-copy of Deana Carter's "Strawberry Wine", from the themes of nostalgia for young love intersecting with the passage of time, all the way to the central figure associated with the relationship being a unique fruity alcoholic beverage. I don't have a problem with that inherently! I definitely do not think less of it for being so similar to "Strawberry Wine" (except for docking it a couple of creativity points). The only problem is that the things that DIDN'T get copied are the engaging melody and the timeless arrangement.

This whole arrangement is just very flat. As you can see from my ranks, there are no unique country instruments to be found here. The song basically has the same strummed acoustic guitar interspersed with electric slide guitars for the entire song from start to finish, with no breathing room for anything else to happen. Which is a real shame, because this whole song could have been elevated significantly with some steel guitar riffs, background piano, etc. (One of the most important aspects of "Strawberry Wine" is actually its background piano giving a pulse to the verses, whether you've ever even noticed it or not!) Some of the best country arrangements have instruments that take turns being featured behind the singer. Like, if you listen to most of George Strait's hits, the piano might be playing riffs behind George's vocals in the 1st verse, followed by the fiddle in the 2nd verse, followed by an electric guitar in the 3rd verse, etc. Most listeners probably don't specifically even notice that happening, but what it does do is psychologically give the listener a feeling like something is happening, and that the song is progressing in some way. THAT is the crucial element that is missing in "Watermelon Moonshine" for me to be fully in love with it.

That being said, I love Lainey Wilson! Her overall vibe, her overall sound, her overall personality and character and image. It is just all so fresh! I am 100% here for this song being a smash hit, so that she can continue her progression into being the next big "It Girl" in country music! She deserves to be a star!

---

castleoblivion26   taylor is terrified   🌺CountryLineDancer   g8erboi   nuggie99   .indulgecountry   carriefan15   zaclord 🌈

[bboat11]

"Love You Again" - Chase Matthew

66 BPM

I had never heard of Chase Matthew before, but he debuted on the chart this week, for what I am guessing to be the first time in his career! "Love You Again" is a song about his desire to spend a passionate evening with his lover! It's one of those "I know we have plans to go out, but you look so damn good I'd rather just stay home and have you to myself" songs, which is definitely not a new theme for country music, but is still a strong trope for a song. As far as the writing is concerned, it does an adequate job. It's nothing special, but it's definitely not bad either. Just pretty average.

Actually, that is my assessment of the entire song! The songwriting is average, the arrangement is average, the vocals are average, the production is pretty cluttered and nothing about it stands out (aka pretty average for modern country radio)... I do enjoy the chorus melody slightly more than average, but that's about all that could possibly make this song a standout. Since modern country radio sometimes is inexplicably kind to new male artists who have no discernible personality whatsoever, this just might be a hit! But I also won't be surprised if it gets lost in the shuffle. While I do like the melody, Chase Matthew is going to have to do a lot better if he has any hopes of standing out and sticking around.

---

castleoblivion26   taylor is terrified   🌺CountryLineDancer   g8erboi   nuggie99   .indulgecountry   carriefan15   zaclord 🌈

[bboat11]

"Life Goes On" - Ed Sheeran ft. Luke Combs

77 BPM

Our final new song to debut on the Airplay chart last week was Ed Sheeran's new feature with Luke Combs! "Life Goes On" is an emotional ballad about relationships that have ended. I'm not sure if Ed and Luke are each singing about the first-person perspective of the end of two different relationships, or if they are just taking turns singing about the end of a relationship in general. But either way, the lyrics portray an emotional and well-written vision of heartache, loss, longing, and all the other emotions that come from the loss of love. It's very similar thematically to "For My Broken Heart" by Reba, where the narrator is in a world of pain, but then eventually realizes that life is going to continue no matter how badly they are hurting right now. The writing of the line "easy come, hard go, then life goes on" is particularly effective as a chorus-closer, imo, as it succinctly describes the ease of falling in love, the pain of losing love, and then the progression of time that is being promised to the listeners.

Writing aside, what a strong song this is!!! This type of song is right in Ed's wheelhouse, and some may find it uninspired for its sonic similarities to "Thinking Out Loud" (even though the theme is completely opposite), but boy am I a sucker for this type of sound from him. He absolutely nails the vocal on this song, and while I think that Luke's inclusion was unnecessary, he still turns in one of his best vocals here as well. I can feel every emotion that both of them are trying to portray. I imagine this is only going to chart from curiosity spins, but I thoroughly enjoyed this, and would definitely be all-in for a successful chart run! It only made it to an 89%, so not quite the A-range, but definitely one of the closest songs we have seen so far!

As far as instruments are concerned, this is almost a country song through-and-through, with lots of acoustic guitar as the primary instrument. The extra credit points come from piano, as well as violin. I don't think I have had to do that in this series yet, but basically rather than being like "ThAt WaS a ViOlIn NoT a FiDdLe" every time I am giving points out and an orchestra shows up, I will just give one point instead of two for the fiddle category. This song also has a prominent instrument that is used similarly to a steel, but I'm pretty sure it's just an electric guitar being used with a slide effect. It is overall a sparse arrangement, but I feel like it is one of the countriest sounds I have rated yet for this series, and fits the vibe of the song very well!

---

castleoblivion26   taylor is terrified   🌺CountryLineDancer   g8erboi   nuggie99   .indulgecountry   carriefan15   zaclord 🌈

[bboat11]

"Broke" - Dean Brody

72 BPM

Dean Brody had the only new entry on the Canadian chart this week, with "Broke". This song is a classic celebration of the working-class, blue-collar values, working hard to support your family, etc. It is not at all a new theme for country music, and really doesn't bring anything new to the table, hence the 2 for creativity!

I do think that Dean turns in a solid vocal here, and the little touches of dobro are nice throughout. However, where I struggle with this song is that it doesn't just celebrate the value of hard work....it also goes out of its way to throw in political commentary and pit people against each other. The hook, "We got a name 'round here for things that don't work: broke." is marginally clever, so I can forgive it for taking a cheap shot at those who are unable to work. But there is literally a line about an old fool who blows all his money on booze, and at the end of the month he ends up with half of the narrator's check Because that's TOTALLY how social programs work! While a small percentage of your tax dollars may go to social programs like Unemployment, it is nowhere near as simple as they like to make it sound in Conservative La La Land. Like, you can't get Unemployment if you voluntarily quit your job, and the whole time you are on unemployment you have to prove that you are actively applying for jobs if you want to keep receiving benefits. There are a LOT of people who don't qualify, and therefore get rejected. It's not like the hard workers are working to support every lazy asshole who would rather drink than work. Of course the system is not perfect, and some figure out how to cheat it. But that doesn't change the fact that the primary purpose of many programs is helping make life a little bit easier for those who have suffered a temporary setback, and that is a crowd that always gets lumped in with the lazy assholes when people who watch too much Tucker Carlson start bitching about having to help people. I know that Dean is just using hyperbole about the "half my check" thing, but like, the whole thing just reeks of pandering. And while I have nothing against conservative values in general, it's the fact that this song can't just celebrate the working class without throwing someone else under the bus that makes this whole message feel a lot less classy than it otherwise may have been intended to be.

Melodically this is very average, without a lot to make it memorable or worth revisiting. Combined with the flawed premise, and I'd say a low C feels about right.

---

castleoblivion26   taylor is terrified   🌺CountryLineDancer   g8erboi   nuggie99   .indulgecountry   carriefan15   zaclord 🌈

[bboat11]

"IF YOU GO DOWN (I'M GOIN' DOWN TOO)" - Kelsea Ballerini

144 BPM

Kelsea Ballerini's current hit has been on the charts for quite a few weeks now, but the song just re-entered the Canadian charts this week, giving me an excuse to review it!!!! And I am SO glad that it did, because not only is this our first song to make the exclusive A-list, but it is also our first song to incorporate so many country elements that it easily surpassed 100%, qualifying for an A+!

What even needs to be said about this song? It tells the story of two best friends who have been together for so long that they are basically intertwined. They have shared everything, right down to their deepest, darkest secrets, and they have always had each other's backs. As wholesome as that sounds, the song also throws in a humorous spin in that they are SO loyal to each other that they would even go so far as to help them cover it up if, say, one of them was ever to kill their husband, for example. Hypothetically, of course But the whole thing just comes across as really lighthearted and fun rather than mean-spirited, leading to an interpretation of friendship that feels fresh and creative!

Melodically, this is INSANELY catchy, with a melody that doesn't even have to try to get stuck in my head. It just does. And not only is the melody stellar, but it is also supported by what is basically a perfect arrangement to get this whole message across. Dobros and fiddles and mandolins abound! Kelsea sounds like she is having a great time as well. Controversial drag queen CMT Awards performance aside, literally the ONLY complaint that I could even possibly imagine someone having about this song is that it might come across as slightly too campy for their tastes. Which is definitely valid, and is always a risk that gets taken when a melody-heavy song like this comes out. But for me, it hits all the right notes! Easy A+ smash, from an artist who is very much currently enjoying her creative peak! Can't wait to see where Kelsea's career goes from here!

---

castleoblivion26   taylor is terrified   🌺CountryLineDancer   g8erboi   nuggie99   .indulgecountry   carriefan15   zaclord 🌈

[carriefan15]

Watermelon Moonshine- I def like this more than any of her other singles. And I for sure hear the Strawberry Wine comparisons. The beginning of summer just doesn’t seem like the best time to release it. Like maybe spring going into summer or fall going into winter. Very interested to see how it does on radio! B

Love You Again- Nothing special about this one. But it seems like it would sound good on radio so it’s got that going for it. C

Life Goes On- Decent but ahh it sounds way too much like Thinking Out Loud. And hmm are we supposed to assume they’re singing to each other in this song? If so that makes the song 100x better 😂😂 we need a gay anthem on country radio. B-

Broke- This sounds like a Montgomery Gentry song from the early-mid 2000s. I don’t think it’ll do much on radio but it’s decent enough….not too sure how I feel about it yet lol B-

If You Go Down (I’m Goin’ Down Too)- Ok why is radio ignoring this one????? It’s so good and it would sound so good on radio. I’d say I hope it takes off but I don’t have much hope sadly. Good song though! A-

[🌺CountryLineDancer]

I usually enjoy Dean Brody, but whatever he’s been doing for his new era after Boys album is not working for me. Where’d Learned How To Do That and You Got The Wrong Guy was pretty average, and Broke is actually one of the worst from him imo, mainly due to the awful melody. I’m sure it’ll be at least a top 10 hit for him as always, but I just want him to go back to release jams like Canadian Summer.

[bboat11]

"Different 'Round Here" - Riley Green ft. Luke Combs

71 BPM

Sorry to disappear for a few days! It has been a busy week for me! Now I am playing catchup a bit. "Different 'Round Here" deserves a review because it entered the Mediabase chart last week. This newest song from Riley Green celebrates the values and the things that make small town life so great, all under the somewhat quirky hook of "we do things a little different 'round here"...as if things like working hard, supporting the military, having parents that love their children, etc. is somehow "different" from the way that most people live their lives...

That's right, it's another one of THOSE songs, that provides a laundry list of obvious universal positive values and tries to give them exclusively to small towns, as if they simply do not exist anywhere else. At least it's not as bad as "Try That In A Small Town", although it does still have a mention of standing up for the flag, and how if we don't like it they don't care, which feels completely out of place and serves no purpose whatsoever except as an unnecessary political jab. Of course the main problem with that is the assumption that standing for a flag means you love your country and not doing so means you hate your country, which is just such a gross oversimplification that it has no merit whatsoever. This song's weakest points are the lack of creativity and the unnecessary attempts at sowing division.

Where this song excels, however, is in its arrangement!! Riley Green continues to have an ear for music that sounds countrier than average, Luke Combs was a great choice for duet partner, and the whole arrangement is just very well done! The steel guitar solo is especially a highlight! So this does well enough to at least get a passing grade. Even if it is bland and uninspired and borderline offensive, at least it sounds relatively good! I could totally tune the lyrics out and mindlessly enjoy this on a backroad this summer. Honestly, context matters sometimes when grading a song, and this might slide up to the C-range on a summer backroad!

---

castleoblivion26   taylor is terrified   🌺CountryLineDancer   g8erboi   nuggie99   .indulgecountry   carriefan15   zaclord 🌈

[bboat11]

"See You Next Summer" - Brian Kelley

61 BPM

"See You Next Summer" debuted on Mediabase and Billboard last week, so now it's time for Brian Kelley to get his first review from me. And wow, imagine my surprise to see this be the second song to get added to my A-list! "See You Next Summer" is a touching tribute to a fleeting romance. The narrator met someone in a Gulf town over the summer, and expresses a desire to pursue their connection further despite the summer coming to an end. The song is both wistful and open-ended, to where you feel hopeful that they are going to end up together in the end, but you never quite find out for sure.

The way Brian gets you rooting for this relationship automatically guarantees this a fairly high score thanks to strong vocals, strong storytelling, and all-around strong first impressions of the song. But on top of all that, this song has by far the coolest dobro intro I have reviewed so far, paired masterfully with mandolin, and then a healthy dose of steel guitar and piano in the background as well. And they are not constantly present either. This song has different vibes depending on which part of the song it is, with the different instruments making appearances at different times to help give each section of the song a slightly varied emotional flavor. The end result is a song that feels thought-out and inspired.

I saw comparisons to both Joe Nichols and Easton Corbin in the single thread, and honestly I can hear both of them. Easton especially in the beginning, and then Joe as the song goes on. But regardless of who he sounds most like, to be compared to EITHER of them is a HUGE compliment for a guy who is mostly just known for being the background singer in a duo who more or less caused the entire bro-country movement... The melody is sneaky-catchy, and Brian sounds great. I will definitely be rooting for this one to make the same impact that Tyler's songs have been!

---

castleoblivion26   taylor is terrified   🌺CountryLineDancer   g8erboi   nuggie99   .indulgecountry   carriefan15   zaclord 🌈

[schnetzka]

I would love to be tagged in these reviews bboat11

[bboat11]

"On The Boat Again" - Jake Owen

Sorry I fell slightly behind again! We're wrapping up the school year this week, which means I have been insanely busy between graduation stuff last week (My students chose me to be the teacher who spoke!!! Aaaah!!!!) and then grading finals slash helping everyone who needs a last-minute push this week. But tomorrow is finally the last day!!! I'm about to have a lot more time to stay caught up on this!

The next review is Jake Owen's latest, "On The Boat Again", which....just....uuuuugh. My primary thought is WHY. I know Cole Swindell just struck a huge home run with a rehash of Jo Dee's "Heads Carolina", so I get why this might have made financial sense. But to me this just SCREAMS "cheap cash grab". If you haven't heard the song yet and you're wondering what I'm talking about, this is literally a note-for-note remake of Willie Nelson's "On The Road Again", at least in the chorus....except for "road" is obviously replaced with "boat", and in a stroke of sheer artistic brilliance, he sings about drinking with his friends instead of making music with them. And just like that, Modern Country Radio Smash Mode is ACTIVATED!!!! Just in time for summertime, too!

Jake is usually a pretty strong vocalist, even when his song choices are questionable, but this is among the least engaged I have ever heard him sound. The whole vocal vibe is so boring, as is the production job, and frankly the entire premise. I gave it a pretty good melody score, because let's face it, "On The Road Again" has a great melody and is a classic for a reason. But outside of that, this one just gives me nothing to love and nothing to come back to.

Lord, please, if this trend of modern artists remaking classic songs in a lens that panders to modern radio tropes is to be continued, please at least let the next one be something slightly creative... A D+ it is for this one!

---

castleoblivion26   taylor is terrified   🌺CountryLineDancer   g8erboi   nuggie99   .indulgecountry   carriefan15   zaclord 🌈   schnetzka

[bboat11]

Oh, you may have noticed I added a BPM (beats per minute) section at the bottom of my graphic! I decided that would be a fun thing to track as well! Then at any given time I will know what is the fastest song on radio, slowest song, be able to calculate the average speed of the entire chart, etc.!

[bboat11]

"Save Me" - Jelly Roll ft. Lainey Wilson

Jelly Roll and Lainey Wilson both have dual entries on the Airplay chart right now in the wake of Jelly Roll's album drop a couple weeks ago! "Save Me" debuted on the charts, despite Jelly's own "Need a Favor" climbing strong right now, and Lainey's "Watermelon Moonshine" making its own splashy debut-followed-by-a-20-position-jump-in-week-2! And then here's this one climbing from unsolicited airplay! Yep, we're definitely looking at two rising stars in the future of the country genre right now

And overall, this is really solid!! The songwriting is superb. Jelly Roll puts himself in the shoes of a narrator who is battling demons. They are more or less unspecified, so this will easily resonate with all kinds of people, whether they have just gone through a tragic event or if they are battling depression or other mental health issues. But there are hints of drinking and smoking and otherwise relying on vices to be able to tolerate life and his own shortcomings. The resounding plea of "I'm a lost cause. Don't waste your time on me." is poignant and, for me, easily the most memorable moment of this song. But it all contrasts beautifully with the title, "Save Me". "Save me" is not uttered anywhere in the chorus, in fact it only shows up once in the opening line of the song. But titling the entire song after the idea of wanting to be saved gives the entire thing a slightly uplifting angle that you don't necessarily get just from listening to the chorus. The narrator is screaming and crying about how unworthy he is of anyone's love, and yet deep down, what he truly needs is somebody to love him, support him, understand him, forgive him so he can forgive himself, and help him out of his self-destructive patterns. Deep down, that is honestly what we ALL need.

There are aspects of the performance that people may or may not connect to. Jelly's voice can get a little rough in the chorus. It's by no means a "beautiful" performance. But it IS an emotional one, which some will say fits this song better than a perfect vocal would have. Now, as much as I love Lainey Wilson, I'm not 100% sure what she adds to this song. Like if she is supposed to be adding to the narrator's message, or is she a separate broken person, or is she responding to it as the understanding lover? Idk. But as great as she sounds, my initial impression is that she's only here because her career is on fire right now. But I certainly don't mind!

This isn't one that I will revisit frequently on my own, but I would certainly root for it if it ever gets a real radio push! It's a solid B, and would probably make my top 40 in a 2023 year-end rankdown.

---

castleoblivion26   taylor is terrified   🌺CountryLineDancer   g8erboi   nuggie99   .indulgecountry   carriefan15   zaclord 🌈   schnetzka

[.indulgecountry]

bboat11 this is actually a case similar to what we've been seeing lately with Morgan Wallen and Luke Combs but this is actually already at country radio as his next single, even though "Need a Favor" is obviously still the focal point seeing as it's top 10. 🤠

[bboat11]

Jun 17, 2023 9:48:46 GMT -5 .indulgecountry said:

bboat11 this is actually a case similar to what we've been seeing lately with Morgan Wallen and Luke Combs but this is actually already at country radio as his next single, even though "Need a Favor" is obviously still the focal point seeing as it's top 10. 🤠

Wow, I just assumed it was unsolicited due to the album drop. it's so weird how much country radio seems to have changed in the last like 3-ish months! Sure, the biggest superstars have historically been able to have an unsolicited climb alongside an actual hit single, like George Strait and Kenny Chesney did several times in the early '00s, but even then it was rare for the unsolicited one to be anything more than a top 40 peaker or so. For Morgan AND Luke to have multiple songs take off and become top-level contenders at nearly the same time is already pretty unprecedented. Then throw in Bailey Zimmerman and Lainey Wilson. And now Jelly Roll, who only has 2 singles to his name and is already charting the 3rd before the 2nd one is done?! And I'm assuming none of his airplay is unsolicited, since the label already announced a push for this as the next single. Which tells me radio is suddenly open to allowing solicited pushes for multiple singles at the same time. Given that Jelly Roll isn't nearly to the level of Morgan or Luke yet, it'll be fascinating to see whether this takes off now, or it if floats around until "Need a Favor" is done. I truly have no idea what to expect, considering how unprecedented everything seems to be right now...

[bboat11]

"Out Of That Truck" - Carrie Underwood

My review of this song is a long-awaited moment for some of you, I'm sure! After a couple months of streaming popularity, Carrie Underwood's fantastic "Out Of That Truck" FINALLY got announced as a single and began climbing the airplay charts last week! And accordingly, we have our second A+ rating of this series!

OOTT sets the scene of the aftermath of a breakup, using her ex-lover's truck as the central image for all the memories of their relationship. In a sense, this song feels like a perfect prequel to Tim McGraw's "7500 OBO", Montgomery Gentry's "Speed", Dylan Scott's "New Truck", etc., where the overall premise is the men saying "we broke up and now this truck has too many memories, so I need to get rid of it". Carrie's version is from the female perspective, and she is essentially recalling all the memories and alluding to the fact that her ex is going to have trouble disassociating the memories of her from the truck itself. Any of those male songs could easily follow.

So the premise is interesting in the way it kinda turns a popular trope on its head, and it is also well-written. I really like some of the images, such as her "Silverado silhouette" that her lover is going to miss seeing. And on top of that, the song itself just sounds fantastic! The melody is immediate, and Carrie's vocal is a perfect A+! I also hear some steel guitar buried in the background, and I think a teensy bit of mandolin? The major weakness is the production, as this is definitely a bit too overproduced to have the sort of universal acclaim that would make my grandparents happy, although that is definitely not unfamiliar territory for Carrie's career.

This is such a great move for Carrie to make! As much as I love "Burn", "She Don't Know", and some other songs that have been thrown around as potential singles, I think this was 100% the right move for this moment. I would love to seem them go back and give "Burn" the 4th single spot, but I guess we'll see!

**Side note, one of my biggest takeaways from this song as a straight man is, wtf why is this girl so destructive?! Leaving a strawberry wine stain inside, getting nail polish on the tailgate, scratching the drivers side because you didn't look around properly when you tried to drive it?! Like, GOOD f**kinG RIDDANCE!!! Of course accidents happen, and I wouldn't be mad about any one of those things individually...but the fact there is a laundry list of all the physical ways she assaulted this truck just leaves me with the impression that the narrator is one of those people who just doesn't have much consideration for the way that their actions affect other people. I could never be with someone like her, lmao. Nevertheless, I love the song! I just think it's hilarious how if I was in this situation, I'd be like "don't let the door hit you on the way out!" and happy that she won't be around to destroy my NEW truck with her carelessness 😂😂

---

castleoblivion26   taylor is terrified   🌺CountryLineDancer   g8erboi   nuggie99   .indulgecountry   carriefan15   zaclord 🌈   schnetzka

[.indulgecountry]

Jun 19, 2023 1:52:47 GMT -5 bboat11 said:

**Side note, one of my biggest takeaways from this song as a straight man is, wtf why is this girl so destructive?! Leaving a strawberry wine stain inside, getting nail polish on the tailgate, scratching the drivers side because you didn't look around properly when you tried to drive it?! Like, GOOD f**kinG RIDDANCE!!! Of course accidents happen, and I wouldn't be mad about any one of those things individually...but the fact there is a laundry list of all the physical ways she assaulted this truck just leaves me with the impression that the narrator is one of those people who just doesn't have much consideration for the way that their actions affect other people. I could never be with someone like her, lmao. Nevertheless, I love the song! I just think it's hilarious how if I was in this situation, I'd be like "don't let the door hit you on the way out!" and happy that she won't be around to destroy my NEW truck with her carelessness 😂😂

Considering this is the same woman who took a Louisville slugger to both headlights and slashed a hole in all 4 tires, I'd say a wine stain and some nail polish are minor issues. 🤣