Single Review
Miranda Lambert, “Over You”
Lambert’s string of questionable single choices continues with a ballad that reaches levels of boredom associated with far less interesting acts.
Single Review
Tim McGraw, “Better Than I Used to Be”
Tim McGraw previews his swan song for Curb Records with a reflective track that harkens back to his classic sound.
Feature
For the eighth year in a row, Country Universe counts down its favorite albums and singles. Check out this year’s list and those that came before it in our Year in Review archive.
2012 ACM Nominations
January 27, 2012
The nominations have been announced for the 2012 Academy of Country Music Awards.
Kenny Chesney leads with nine nominations. Jason Aldean, Lady Antebellum, and Brad Paisley follow.
Check out the entire list of nominees here.
Single Review: Zac Brown Band, “No Hurry”
January 26, 2012
Via Facebook’s “Share” feature, you have probably bumped into a satirical motivational poster by now with this text:
PROCRASTINATION: “Hard Work Often Pays Off After Time, But Laziness Always Pays Off Now.”
Recent Articles
Retro Single Review: Porter Wagoner & Dolly Parton, “Together Always”
January 25, 2012
1972 | #14
It’s another Porter and Dolly love song, and such do tend to be less memorable then their heartbreak songs and bickering-couple songs. The chorus of “Together Always” is rather blank lyrically, but it’s lifted to a higher level by Parton’s spirited performance. The lilting melody and light piano-driven arrangement lend a subtly infectious, joyful sound to the record.
Album Review: Kellie Pickler, 100 Proof
January 24, 2012
Kellie Pickler
100 Proof
From early on, it was announced that Pickler’s third album would more closely reflect the sound of the traditional country music that is closest to her heart, with Pickler claiming to have made the album “as country as I was allowed to make it.” The bouncy steel guitars chords of opening track “Where’s Tammy Wynette,” and opening lyrics “While I’m torn between killin’ him and lovin’ him/ He stays torn between neon lights and home” quickly announce that Pickler is not kidding.
Does that mean that the album is a retro effort? Not necessarily. Rather, Pickler and her producers Frank Liddell and Luke Wooten effectively craft a sound that gives a respectful nod to country music’s past while simultaneously making tasteful use of modern sounds. Thus, the album carries a strong traditionalist bent, but sounds vintage without sounding dated, demonstrating that it is indeed possible to create a fresh and modern contemporary country album while still maintaining a strong connection to the traditions of the past.
Single Review: Alan Jackson, “So You Don’t Have to Love Me Anymore”
January 23, 2012
I guess that the best way to remind us that Alan Jackson hasn’t put out a great song in a long time is for him to put out a great song.
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