bboat Reviews Modern Country Radio

[.indulgecountry]

This one I'm a bit shocked by. I think this is quite possibly the best song he's put out in his career thus far period and everything about it for me is spot-on perfection. I absolutely looooove the melody and think the lyrics hit hard, his vocal has the right amount of connection to the material, and I love the use of the dobro to create that distant longing effect that the song conveys. Sam Hunt has a total home run on his hands with this one.

[🌺CountryLineDancer]

Lol, thought this would be an easy A range song, if not A+. Got ranked the same as Broke by Dean Brody is quite surprising, as that song is an easy F for me. 

[bboat11]

Aug 2, 2023 19:41:06 GMT -5 .indulgecountry said:

This one I'm a bit shocked by. I think this is quite possibly the best song he's put out in his career thus far period and everything about it for me is spot-on perfection. I absolutely looooove the melody and think the lyrics hit hard, his vocal has the right amount of connection to the material, and I love the use of the dobro to create that distant longing effect that the song conveys. Sam Hunt has a total home run on his hands with this one.

Yep, I love the dobro, and the lyrics are solid! But I guess I just don't feel the passion in his vocals that you do. To me his delivery makes the melody feel kinda monotonous, and he 100% sounds like a robot with all the unnecessary processing on his vocals. But oh well, C is still very much in my "like it enough to listen to without complaining, even if I don't intentionally seek it out" range, haha.

Aug 2, 2023 19:43:59 GMT -5 🌺CountryLineDancer said:

Lol, thought this would be an easy A range song, if not A+. Got ranked the same as Broke by Dean Brody is quite surprising, as that song is an easy F for me. 

Lol I guess I must like "Broke" a little more than you do To me it's not great, but still listenable.

For me, I think Sam was at his best on Montevallo, and probably nothing else he does will ever come close to the overall level of innovation and creativity that he displayed on that record. Everything since then has been just lacking the initial "wow" factor that defined his early years.

[bboat11]

"Something Real" - Dierks Bentley

Dierks Bentley's new single finally charted this week as well, and this is easily another one for the A-list!! This feels like the return of "I Hold On" Dierks to me, which is a WELCOME change imo! Even if that isn't your favorite song, as I know it had its detractors, there is still no denying that Riser as an album was one of the high points of Dierks' career. I'd even argue that it was the peak of his career tbh, in terms of innovative quality, critical acclaim, and chart success coming together in the rare perfect magical combination that only ever comes along for some artists. So to hear a song that reminds me so effortlessly of that era is making me feel pretty great!

"Something Real" is by no means treading new ground conceptually. This song tells about a narrator who is unhappy with a lot of the feelings of superficiality and disingenuity that plague our day-to-day life; especially when you are a celebrity like this narrator just happens to be. He wants music with real emotions, love with real commitment, etc. While this song may feel autobiographical for Dierks in many ways, since he sings about things like feeling sad in a crowd, having to hold back his emotions so he can appeal to an arena crowd, and other stuff along those lines, this song still has a heavily relatable vibe to it. This song will appeal to broad audiences conceptually, so I predict it will be a hit.

But where this most feels like a member of the Riser era is in the arrangement! This has a very dark and mysterious vibe to it, while also being uptempo, which is why it reminds me of "I Hold On". It is a very unique style, and I love it! The background also has banjo all over it, as well as loud kick-ass electric guitars that are fearlessly leading the charge. I also think there is a liiiiittle bit of steel guitar in the background, but I couldn't quite be sure. Still, overall I love this arrangement, and I love this type of sound from Dierks! This is my favorite from him in at least 5-6 years!

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

[bboat11]

"Marry That Girl" - Easton Corbin

While I am using the Billboard charts as my primary reference point for this series, I am also keeping my eye on Mediabase to make sure I don't miss any songs that chart there. Typically there are not any huge differences between the two charts in terms of when a song debuts, so it doesn't matter a whole lot. However, Easton Corbin managed to debut on Mediabase this week, despite already being on the Billboard charts for nearly 20 weeks Of course in the future situations like this won't really matter, because I would have already reviewed it when it debuted on Billboard, but since I don't quite have that much history with this series yet, here we are!

Just based on snippets I had heard previously, I had it in my head that this song was boring as hell. However, now that I have actually listened to the whole thing, this is actually quite good!!! The premise is really simple; our narrator meets a lady at a bar, who is pouring shots because her cousin turned 21. She asks him to dance, and the next thing they know everybody else has left and it is down to just them. From that night forward, he just KNOWS he is going to marry her. His friends and mother both caution him to slow down, but he is confident that he has found the woman he wants to spend his life with. It is a simple and sweet song People will find it highly relatable, in the sense that everyone wants to feel the thrill of falling in love and the security of knowing that you have found someone you'd like to spend your life with.

And the arrangement to this one is beautiful! It starts simple, with electric guitars that remind me a bit of other love songs from the last few years like "Die A Happy Man". As things progress, more and more instruments come in until there is a steel guitar, and even a fiddle!! Easton's vocals are in top form as well. So while Easton has given us a handful of better songs throughout his career, this one is at least a fine enough effort to earn a solid B+ grade! The sweet simplicity, as well as the neo-trad throwback sound, makes a really great contrast to some of the more popular songs on the charts right now.

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

[bboat11]

Now I am officially caught up with the American charts!! (At least until the new Billboard Airplay one gets published tomorrow, lol). Now I've got like a dozen Canadian releases I need to catch up on too ;) 🌺CountryLineDancer

[bboat11]

"Something's Gonna Kill Me" - Corey Kent

This is the only song to debut on Billboard today, so by getting it out of the way now I will officially have the entire week to get caught up on the Canadian releases that I have missed!

"Something's Gonna Kill Me" is a rather positive and uplifting song, despite what the title might lead you to expect. This song celebrates all of the things that make life worth living! Corey's main point is that if something's going to kill him, it may as well be the things that he enjoys doing. In the case of our narrator, it might be riding his motorcycle fast, devoting his life to music, engaging in drinking and smoking, etc. The point is, everyone is going to die anyway, so you are essentially wasting your life if you choose to be cautious and avoid taking risks, or abstaining from the things that you enjoy most.

Ultimately the only thing holding this song back for me is the lack of country instrumentation. The melody is very engaging, and actually works well for Corey's vocals (which I have not always been a fan of). That doesn't mean the arrangement is bad by any means! It has some cool guitar work. But some country instruments would have probably given this enough extra credit to put it on the A list. So yeah, I enjoy this one, and will be rooting for its success!

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

[bboat11]

"On The Water" - James Barker Band ft. Dalton Dover

The first song that I missed from Canada a few weeks ago was the James Barker Band's new one featuring Dalton Dover. I have given this one several chances now, and it just hasn't quite clicked with me. I do like both of these artists more often than not. Especially with Dalton's own "Giving Up On That" being one of the best newer male singles of the year imo! "On The Water", however, is just not all that remarkable.

For starters, the premise is incredibly simple. The lyrics have nothing cool or special to offer; it is literally just a standard tune about being fed up with working so hard and being ready for a day relaxing on the water. Replete with all the expected tropes of drinking beer, floating, having a pretty little lady that you can't wait to see in her new pink two-piece, etc. Which, there's nothing wrong with a simple song! I'm just saying there is nothing lyrically or topically to make this stand out. Melodically, just when I start to get into it, the stupid minor key that comes from nowhere in the second half of the chorus completely takes me out of it. I mean, the entire song already is kinda in a minor key, so to have an extra flat thrown in there just makes it sound like oddly double-minor or something like that, lmao. On top of it all, the tempo is set so slowly that you can't really use it as much of a party song, which is weird because that would be its only real target crowd. And finally, while there is a little dobro buried DEEP in the mix, there really isn't much else helping this to sound country. However, in the positive category, the vocal performances are pretty solid all around!

But yeah, overall I don't hate this, but it's not one I will be seeking out much. It's gotta be a D+, with potential to have been in the C range with a better arrangement!

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

[bboat11]

"Heartbreaker" - Jess Moskaluke

Jess Moskaluke is our next Canadian artist to chart. Significant improvement from "On The Water"!! I knew from the moment I heard the steel guitar that kicks off the whole song that I was going to love this.

"Heartbreaker" presents a central conflict in which our narrator meets a potential partner who she wants to start a relationship with, but he has been hurt before so he is hesitant to jump into anything. The title of "Heartbreaker" conjures up the image of somebody who has potential to break hearts, which is a power that the narrator definitely holds in this song. But she wants to reassure him that she is not like that. She is not one to play games and try to hurt him for fun; she genuinely wants to seek out a loving relationship and get to know him better!

It is a sweet message, and it is honestly a little refreshing to hear this coming from a woman reassuring a hesitant man. I feel like that is a gender reversal from how this theme usually plays out. This song also has a nice tempo, and a really catchy melody. This is definitely one of my favorites from Jess Moskaluke on the first few listens! I'm not familiar with all of her music by any means, but of the ones that I do know, she usually takes some time to grow on me. So it's nice to have one I can get behind immediately! I will definitely be rooting for this one! This is officially the first Canadian entry to the A list.

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

[bboat11]

🌺CountryLineDancer's up in here liking posts right as I am working on my next review ;)

[bboat11]

"All I Need Is You" - Chris Janson

Chris Janson may not be a Canadian artist, but "All I Need Is You" showed up in my to-do list thanks to it debuting on the Canadian charts about a month ago. What a breath of fresh air this song is! This is the type of country that we need more of on the radio, in my opinion. The light, breezy, catchy, neo-traditional arrangement is sooooo reminiscent of the greats that I grew up with like George Strait and Alan Jackson. Granted, this would be a more fluffy effort from either of them, but it still sounds damn good. Especially this time of year!

The message is upbeat and happily romantic as well. It centers on the idea that no matter what our narrator may want in life, the only thing he truly NEEDS to be happy is the love of his partner. It is a simple message, but well-received. Unfortunately, the songwriting is weakened a bit by the fact that the things he wants are all stereotypical country tropes (a new boat, a new truck, a winning lotto ticket, a buck on the wall, his kid's sports team to win, Waylon to be on the radio again, etc. He got pretty much ALL the tropes!) It is absolutely not a bad song for being tropey! I'm just saying that the tropey songwriting is something that weakens it, as is almost always the case with laundry list songs.

However, the catchy melody and the summery arrangement work together to make this a fun, engaging listen. Also, Chris is an excellent vocalist when he finds songs like this. After 43 reviews, this is officially the 10th song to find its way to the A list!

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

[bboat11]

"23" - Chayce Beckham

Okay, I actually expected this to be pretty bad based on the clips of it in 🌺CountryLineDancer's weekly YouTube videos. (That is the only place I have heard this until now, lol.) To me, the chorus is grating af on its own, from Chayce's gravelly delivery to the oddly minor-sounding melody.

After listening to the entire song, however, this one greatly exceeded my expectations! Where it draws most of its strength is in the writing. This is a perfect example of a well-written song. It tells a story that is emotional and compelling, inviting the listener to feel the experiences of the narrator rather than just telling how it was. The story that is told is one of a young adult struggling to find his footing in life as he navigates his teens and early 20s. The various characters that are mentioned throughout help the story to feel extra realistic and help you to understand why the narrator is the way that he is. Ultimately he is at the stage where he is realizing he can't keep up a lifestyle of heavy drinking and burning the candle at both ends, and his transition from 23 to 24 might be where he calms down a bit and seeks some stability in life, and tries to make his mother proud of him.

I think this song is intensely relatable! And not even in a drinking and partying sort of way. (I have always been an introverted goody-two-shoes, lmao.) But I have always said that you experience SO MUCH life between the ages of like 21 and 24. The difference between a 24 year old and a 21 year old is so wildly unfathomable. The difference between a 25 year old and a 35 year old is nowhere near as pronounced. To me, this song captures the instability and unrest that comes from that time in our lives.

I also love the arrangement. The acoustic guitars are a nice consistent grounding touch, but there is also a hint of dobro. But something else that I am a sucker for is prominent baritone guitars, and this song has AWESOME features for that instrument in the chorus.

The whole vibe of this song is very singer/songwriter, kinda along the lines of the mainstream-indie crowd (Zac Bryan and the likes)... But Chayce is a MUCH better vocalist, lmao. He has just the right vocal touch to pull this whole thing together without it sounding too obscure and out-there.

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

[🌺CountryLineDancer]

Catching up here (I was reading the review here and there, but I was camping for the long-weekend, so had no time to post).

On The Water is also a D range song to me, and it is one of my least fav outputs I have ever heard from JBB. The minor key arrangement is just so annoying and out-of-place, considering that the lyrics are meant to be a party song (Granted I tend to be harsh on minor key songs, this is one of a few minor key songs by JBB, and they failed it so badly). I dont really expect creative lyrics from JBB, but at least they were good at giving us some catchy melodies. It is climbing up the chart in a good pace tho, so I can see this becoming a decent hit for them. Also unfortunate that they had to waste a collab with Dalton Dover, who is a strong vocalist, with this dud. 

I agree that Heartbreaker has a nice writing, but the chorus melody was not the strongest, compared with Jess's other songs (such as Knock Off or Leave Each Other Alone). It could grow on me for sure, but it would be a B- song to me for now. The arrangement kind of reminds me of her other single Country Girls. I was expecting and hoping that Not What You Think (this song is worth checking, too!) to be the next single, as that one has more fun vibes and also had a music video. Regardless, I think this is also going to be a decent hit for Jess, probably top 15. 

[bboat11]

"Can't Have Mine (Find You a Girl)" - Dylan Scott

Got a couple more American songs that debuted on Canadian radio within the last couple weeks that I am going to go ahead and knock out. The first one is Dylan Scott's latest. "Can't Have Mine (Find You A Girl)" is a song that is exactly like what the title makes it seem like. Lol that may or may not be a surprise considering that it is a rather quirky title!

Basically, the narrator is explaining to the listener that they need to find a "perfect" girl to help them feel more complete. But then he tongue-in-cheek suggests that his own girl is off-limits All in all, it feels like a rather original theme. But it definitely loses several points because the description of a "perfect" girl is just so....trite? Idk, there's nothing inherently wrong with her. It's just that the "perfect" girl is one who leaves men speechless (cliche), loves Jesus (but not just normal love. She has to be front row in the choir, hands in the air, putting her devotion on display), yet ALSO still loves to party and get wild out on the town (LMAO good luck having it both ways!). And not to mention, she loves her daddy, and also wants to have children... Which, don't get me wrong, there is something to be said for family values! I personally think this "perfect" girl sounds pretty great (minus the unrealistic expectation for being a secretly-wild partier, lmao). But, it also creates a very specific image of what a "normal" relationship should look like, and this description of a relationship will not at all be relatable to many listeners. Not just for the heteronormativity of it, but also because this song pretty much describes a unicorn who has the right habits without any real personality. And what about the women who may love Jesus but don't want children? Is there something wrong with them? Or what if a girl grew up without a daddy because he passed away, or even was a POS who abandoned her? I sincerely do not think Dylan is suggesting that there is! I'm just saying that the song paints an extremely narrow picture that will leave a lot of women feeling left out. Which is a trademark of lazy songwriting, imo.

On top of that, Dylan is a pretty limited vocalist to my ears, and in fact I have started to find several things about his vocal deliveries that I consider to be quite grating the more I have listened to him. "Can't Have Mine" is a song that doesn't really have any growth. It is a rather static production from beginning to end, and Dylan is not a vocalist who can elevate it to something special. The result is an extremely average song. Hence the extremely average grade.

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

[bboat11]

"God Gave Me A Girl" - Russell Dickerson

Lmao okay, it is actually almost painful for me that "Find You A Girl" and "God Gave Me A Girl" debuted at the same time in Canada... These are practically the same song! With the exception of Dylan's being told through a rare second-person narration, and Russell's having a better melody and being sung by a better vocalist. (But seriously, both songs talk about finding a perfect girl, and are even basically the same tempo....)

"God Gave Me A Girl" tells about a man who has pretty much given up on love. He was jaded and tired of getting hurt, so he had sworn it off for good....only for God to choose that moment to bring the perfect lady into his life. His friends laughed at him for being whipped (as the bros tend to do), until they all met her and instantly fell in love with how perfect she is as well! Again, a bit of a unicorn situation... But at least this time the song is about how the girl makes the narrator feel rather than making it about her arbitrary characteristics the way that Dylan's does.

As I mentioned above, I do like the melody to this one a little better, as well as Russell's vocals. So this one is still in the C-range, but good enough to warrant more of a C+.

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

[bboat11]

"Love (The Sweater Song)" - Owen Riegling

Our next Canadian release belongs to Owen Riegling! This is my first exposure to him. 🌺CountryLineDancer , is this his first ever charting song, or has he had some hits before?

"Love (The Sweater Song)" is pretty cute! This song focuses on the wonderful feelings of falling in love, and how confusing yet wonderful it can be at the same time. And of course the inside joke of the whole thing is that he hasn't seen his favorite hoodie in three years, because once you're in love she's going to want to steal all your sweaters It's a cute concept (and pretty true, tbh). This is a little bit quirky, but it has all the makings of being a cult classic. Its fans will REALLY connect to it, because of its definitive personality that they can latch onto.

Unfortunately, I see this rubbing people the wrong way as well. That is why I only gave it a 3 in the "Mass Appeal" category. Kinda like Tim McGraw's "Last Dollar (Fly Away)", I think this is catchy as hell, but that catchiness might inherently turn some people off because of its inherent cheese factor. ("Last Dollar" is totally more catchy-cheesy, lmao. I'm just giving the closest example that I can think of to that phenomenon off the top of my head.)

So I think this is cute! It is right on the cusp of B/B+, just baaaaaarely edging up to the B+. I'll be interested in hearing more from Owen Riegling. He's got a good artisic personality in this song.

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

[🌺CountryLineDancer]

I had also never heard of Owen Riegling before this song. I actually had this song in my New Country Release YouTube video, and did not even know that it was sang by a Canadian singer, until I saw this song getting a bunch of adds lol. Looks like he was signed to Universal this June, so I'm certain that this is his first appearance on the chart. 

This song is growing on me a lot, interesting arrangement and catchy melody. I also agree that the sweater concept is unique, and differentiating this song itself against any other similar love songs with similar lyrics. Not sure how big of a hit this would be, but at least a decent support is expected from the label. 

[bboat11]

"Breakup Song" - Lemon Cash

I don't know anything about Lemon Cash, but "Breakup Song" is a great introduction to them! This song is catchy as hell! I mean, it very likely will not be everyone's cup of tea. It reminds me a lot of Old Dominion, although with possibly a slightly more country focus to the arrangement. The dobro, for example, is a major highlight of this one from beginning to end. Groove-wise, it reminds me of "Snapback", especially with the strumming guitar sound at 1:05. Although it sounds a LOT less polarizing than "Snapback"! Idk, it's like this reminds me of Old Dominion while also being better than nearly everything I have ever heard from them...

Topically, this song deals with the aftermath of a breakup. It sounds like the relationship was going well for awhile, with them complementing each other like the sunshine and the clear sky. When they went down, it was unexpected. So now the narrator is left with a car he has to use by himself, playlists that remind him of the way things used to be, and a bunch of old memories that he has no idea what to do with, while his partner got their freedom and seems to be enjoying it.

It is definitely nothing to write home about in the songwriting department, but I think this melody is a winner! I hope this can be a hit!

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

[bboat11]

"Jealous Of Myself" - Tenille Arts ft. LeAnn Rimes

"Jealous Of Myself" is another song that has been charting on American country radio since before I started this series, but ended up on my to-do list after it debuted in Canada a couple weeks ago. It has been bouncing around in the bottom 5 of the American chart for its entire run, struggling to gain any ground whatsoever, and unfortunately it looks like it is turning into an even bigger flop in Canada! (Debuted for one week, and then immediately fell off...) The performance in the USA isn't all that surprising considering that Tenille Arts is a Canadian star who doesn't have very much momentum in America yet, but this flopping in Canada is a bit of an unfortunate shock!

While it is shocking and unfortunate, I definitely would never claim that I didn't understand this flopping. This song is just....not a very good choice at all for radio! Seriously, who approved this?! I love it, and think it is great, but it has "album track" written aaaaaallll over it.

Now that that's out of the way, here is what I love about this song! For starters, the songwriting is a major strength. The way it describes the narrator's jealousy is pretty straightforward in theory, but where this song shines is the twist! That girl who makes the former lover so happy is HER, and the person she is jealous of is herself -- only in the past! She wishes that she could still be living the life that she used to live, when she was the one enjoying all the wonderful things about her former lover. So while there are implications that he man has since moved on to someone new, the narrator's jealousy is directed towards the past version of herself rather than the one he moved on to after her, which is refreshing. It's a very clever writing perspective that subverts expectations juuuuust enough.

On top of that, LeAnn Rimes sounds fantastic! Her inclusion was definitely not necessary, but how could you ever complain about her presence when she still sounds so damn good Tenille sounds pretty good here as well. She builds this song up masterfully with the help of LeAnn, allowing the song to have a shape to it and a nice climax.

So yeah, horrible single choice, but a great song. I give it an A due to my own enjoyment, but definitely may not be that high for some due to its lack of hit potential.

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

[.indulgecountry]

Didn't have much use for the solo version, but LeAnn's involvement VASTLY improved its quality and enjoyment for me. Tenille's voice just doesn't do much of anything for me emotionally, which is basically the opposite of LeAnn's where she emotes incredibly well thru her voice. The lyrical twist on the song is definitely clever, but yeah, the moment I heard this I knew this would be D.O.A. at country radio. What a total head-scratcher of a single choice. I get that her first two U.S. releases were on the fluffier side so maybe they thought trying something deeper would switch up her fortunes, but this song is just not interesting or lively enough for radio in any way.

[🌺CountryLineDancer]

Same with Owen Riegling, I also did not know anything about Lemon Cash, and this is their debut single. I actually really loving the melody of this song, such a catchy bop. A little surprised to see the full score to their vocal, as I did not consider their vocal to be the strength here, I mean it is not bad, but it is just basic. The songwriting is also pretty basic, but again, the melody is just so good. For me, this song sounds something that Restless Road would release. Chart wise, it is distributed by Sakamoto Agency, so may not become as big of a hit, maybe somewhere on the 30s.

Jealous Of Myself has a strong melody and lyrics, while I still would not consider this to be her strongest ballad song (Run Out Of You is way ahead imo). Her vocal performance was amazing when she played this at the concert, too. It is interesting to see this flopping even in Canada, and the same thing is actually happening to Lindsay Ell and Tenille Townes, who are also flopping with their recent single. Not a good sign. 

[countryfan43]

I actually liked the Tenille only version the best. It deserved to get her a number one it really felt thoughtful and well sung.

[bboat11]

"I'm Not Pretty" - Megan Moroney

Megan Moroney has notched her second charting single on the country airplay chart this week, as "I'm Not Pretty" seems to be off to an exciting start so far. This song is a confident, empowered song, sung from the perspective of Megan Moroney in a way that feels quite believably autobiographical in a lot of ways. She has mentioned in interviews that her ex-boyfriend's new girlfriend accidentally liked one of her Instagram photos once. One of her Spring Break bikini ones, of course. Which could only have been done by accident (haven't we all had that worry while scrolling through someone's social media?? Lol that would be so embarrassing!). So anyway, she decided to write a song about it!

Of course there is a whole Mean Girls aspect to the song too, with the assertion that the new girlfriend is also spreading trashy rumors about Megan due to her own insecurities. She saw how pretty she was, which caused her to feel insecure and like she needed to tear Megan down to make herself feel more confident. And the song turns that insecurity on its head by being sarcastic about it, like "keep on telling yourself I'm not pretty."

Ultimately I think it is a clever songwriting angle, albeit it admittedly can come across as a little shallow. For that reason I imagine it being a little bit of a polarizing sell to radio. On top of that, Megan's voice continues to be a pretty rough sticking point for me. Like, if Kelsea Ballerini sang this it would probably be cute, but coming from Megan Moroney it just sounds kinda lazy and disengaged to me. I mean, I totally feel that she emotionally connects with it, she just has a very lazy-sounding singing style, lol. I also think that the melody is rather clunky in the chorus, but a large part of that is her delivery making it sound that way.

So I like the concept, but the execution leaves a little bit to be desired. I'll still be rooting for her, but this is more of a B-, elevated barely up to a B by the tiny bit of steel guitar and mandolin buried deeeeep in the background. Probably somewhere around 50-60 in my year-end rankdown list.

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

[bboat11]

"Dance With You" - Brett Young

This is a winning effort for Brett Young, imo! "Dance With You" is really a conceptually simple song, with Brett as the narrator talking to his special person telling them that he wants to dance with them. Similar to the concept of John Michael Montgomery's mega-hit "Life's A Dance", "dancing" is of course a metaphor for all the things that may happen in life, happy or sad, and the fact that regardless of what happens in life he would like to face it with them by his side.

Despite this having the exact same cookie-cutter mid-tempo strummed beat as something that would have gotten Ed Sheeran into trouble with the Marvin Gaye Estate, "Die A Happy Man", and even Brett's own hits like "In Case You Didn't Know", the arrangement actually manages to surprise me with some nice steel guitar flourishes and even an instance or two of fiddle! Where I normally find Brett Young's music to be boring and samey as hell, and this one doesn't do THAT much to set itself apart from the pack, there is just something about this one that is going to have me rooting for it! Something about the melody and the delivery just feels like a hit to me.

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

[bboat11]

"The Painter" - Cody Johnson

"The Painter" is the only new song to enter the chart this week ("Something Real" did make a return as well though), starting its run with an impressive #33 debut! This song tells the story of a man who saw the world in black and white, until he fell in love with someone who helped him to notice just how extraordinary life could be! She brought colors to his life, and opened his eyes to the magic of the little things....George-Strait-"Baby-Blue"-style!

This song has been bugging me and bugging me ever since I first heard it, because it reminds me soooooo much of something else, and I just couldn't quite put my finger on it.... But ultimately I figured it out! Tim McGraw's "Die By My Own Hand". Now y'all might think I'm crazy for that. Does anyone who follows this thread even know that one, lmao? It's the random closing track from the Emotional Traffic album. By all means one of his most forgotten albums, lol. Literally nobody is talking about that song. But ever since I heard "The Painter", "Die By My Own Hand" has been stuck in my head! The overall chorus structure is basically identical... Slight phrasing differences, but overall the same chord progression and basic melodic idea.

The main problem with that, of course, is that Cody's song is boring as hell compared to Tim's!!! The only thing Cody's does better is the production, as Tim's is an overproduced mess. But even then, the steel guitar in "Die By My Own Hand" is >>>>>>. Tim's has a natural flow to the melody, while Cody's feels very rigid by comparison. Tim also sings the absolute FIRE out of that song, while Cody feels rather withdrawn and checked out in this delivery. (He technically sounds good, but I feel no emotional connection from him to this lyric, sadly.)

Even though I am dragging this song to hell and back, I do still enjoy it! Like, the overall arrangement is beautiful, with all the fiddle and steel! I just think the whole thing comes across as boring-but-at-least-it-sounds-good. And Cody is capable of so much better than that.

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

[bboat11]

"The Road That Raised You Up" - Jason Blaine

Jason Blaine debuted a new song in Canada a few weeks ago, with "The Road That Raised You Up". This is your standard song about wanting to get to know your partner better by getting to experience their hometown, their family, see where they learned to drive, where they went to church, etc. This song brings absolutely nothing new to that common trope, but at least it is relatable. But what it does bring to the table is a memorable and catchy melody, and a pleasant arrangement! It is definitely a generic production job, in a way that is rather distinctive to modern Canadian Country music, but for this song it actually really works. I honestly don't have a whole lot else to say about this one, other than the catchiness is where it gets almost 100% of its appeal...which is just enough to get it a B! This chorus has been stuck in my head for days, just from watching 🌺CountryLineDancer's weekly chart videos!

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

[🌺CountryLineDancer]

The Road That Raised You Up may not be the most memorable song, but it is significant in that it is Jason Blaine's first charting song since 2018. It is almost like Joe Nichols coming back to the US radio with Good Day For Living, because Jason was also a successful figure in the late 2000s to early 2010s in Canada. Jason went into a bluegrass/Americana style for a few years (including a song End Of The Rain that was included in the 2021 YE CAD RD), but The Road That Raised You Up sounds almost like what he used to release back when he was making some hits. It keeps getting decent adds, so could manage to make it to the 30s, which would be his first achievement since 2017. 

[bboat11]

"Cab In A Solo" - Scotty McCreery

Alright, I've got some catching up to do! Scotty McCreery's new song saw an excellent debut a couple weeks ago, and it is VERY well deserved! "Cab In A Solo" is a double-pun, with the two nouns in the title each having two separate meanings. (The fact that he is drinking cabernet out of a Solo cup, while he is solo in the cab of his truck.) Which sounds cheesy as hell on paper, but he actually makes it work with a believable and deliciously country premise. He and his lady are having a rough patch, and he buys her favorite expensive wine before driving to her house to try to make up. Unfortunately, when he gets there, he catches her right in the middle of her romantic evening with someone else. So he just pulls off somewhere and polishes off the wine on his own.

The theme alone is country as hell in a way that most modern musicians frequently miss the mark on. This is a song that could have believably come from the '90s or early '00s. However, it's not just the theme that hearkens back to then! Sonically, this is such a throwback jam as well. The fiddle is still noticeably lacking, which is a shame. But the steel guitar, as well as the baritone guitars, help this to feel like the sort of honky-tonk-flavored breakup song that could have come from Terri Clark, George Strait, Alan Jackson, or any number of their peers.

There is still something about Scotty that is just not quite as immediate for me as George Strait, causing me to usually consider even his more neo-traditional efforts to be more in the B-range. I think it's that he just overall has less of a personality when he sings. But this is the closest he has come to something Strait-worthy, imo, and just manages to sneak into the A+ range!

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

[bboat11]

"Rich Men North Of Richmond" - Oliver Anthony Music

It sure is interesting that I am starting this series just in time for the country genre to start having "viral" moments in the mainstream market in a way that has never been seen before. First it was Jason Aldean, then it was Oliver Anthony. And now it's even happened yet again to Zach Bryan/Kacey Musgraves just in the last few days!

Oliver's case is especially impressive though, considering that he is literally just some self-proclaimed hillbilly in the woods who had almost zero following prior to going viral. Cue "Rich Men North of Richmond". This song absolutely BLEW UP, seemingly out of nowhere! The magic of this song is how many people find it to be relatable. It is the latest embodiment of the quintessential "government is bad, taxation is theft, all my money is being taken by lazy people who refuse to work for anything on their own" crowd. It captures a historically-widespread sentiment, and puts music behind it. And it is damn relatable because the person delivering the message is one of us! And yet here I am, giving it a D-.

Ultimately, my biggest problem with this song is that it is just not in line with my sonic preferences. Which certainly doesn't need to be factored into anyone else's opinions of the song! But it absolutely matters when I am the one doing the grading. Oliver's voice sounds like nails on a chalkboard to my ears. He sounds like he lives deep in the woods, and can't enunciate worth a darn. Ultimately the flawed vocals help him to be more "relatable" to people because of all the emotion in his performance. Which is great when you can relate to the performance! But I am far from the target demographic. I am a science teacher, considering pursuing an administrative certification, living on the other side of the country with my two undergraduate degrees and my master's degree. Growing up in a house where both parents had masters degrees and retirement accounts and benefits from their employers, volunteered on the PTA and the library board, etc. While I am far from being one of the one-percenters and politicians, my life is as foreign to Oliver as his is to me. Which is okay! I'm just saying that I cannot relate to this song in the slightest, nor does the performance give me anything to root for.

I will say, I LOVED when the Republican Party tried to claim this song as being some sort of anthem for them, and Oliver was like "Gurls this is about you", lmao!! That being said, the wellfare complaints in particular do feel veeeeery right-wing fear-mongering, blame-the-poor-for-your-problems rhetoric, so I can see why it would appeal more to a conservative audience.

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

[.indulgecountry]

Not sure if I'd place this above "Damn Strait," but this is at the very least probably his 2nd-best single to date. Everything about this from the clever hook to the delicious neo-traditional production choices to Scotty's solid vocal performance is just A-worthy indeed.