Archive for November, 2007
Sunday, November 11th, 2007
It’s not the embarrassing disaster that “Dirty Girl” was, but it’s not quite a return to form, either. She’s already done this before with “I Wanna Do it All”, only now it’s a list of things she won’t do in her next life, rather than what she wants to do in this one. There’s even a Mardi Gras reference again. She’s better at being Gretchen Wilson than Gretchen Wilson is, so by that standard, she turns in a good performance. Where the witty and insightful Terri Clark of days gone by has run off to is anybody’s guess.
Grade: B-
Listen: In My Next Life
Sunday, November 11th, 2007
Travis Tritt channels his inner Joe Cocker, and with satisfying results. He doesn’t use his lower register nearly enough, so it’s so wonderful to hear him doing so here. The song builds with intensity without sounding overblown. It’s always good to hear Tritt, and when he has a song worthy of his gifts, it’s even better.
Grade: B+
Listen: Something Stronger Than Me
Buy: Something Stronger Than Me
Sunday, November 11th, 2007
Tracy Lawrence was one of the very best singles artists of the early and middle nineties, rattling off one top five hit after another, each one of them catchy and memorable enough at the time. Lawrence returned to the top with “Find Out Who Your Friends Are”, and is looking to continue the streak with “‘Til I Was a Daddy Too.” True to form, he’s got himself a great song. It doesn’t reach its full potential, however, because of anemic production and a surprisingly weak vocal performance. Lawrence shouldn’t be singing a piano ballad in the first place, but even a strange backdrop for his vocals can’t explain away the mediocre singing. His voice sounds shot.
Grade: B
Listen: ‘Til I Was a Daddy Too
Buy: ‘Til I Was a Daddy Too
Sunday, November 11th, 2007
So many country singles sound exactly the same in terms of production, particularly with new acts, that it’s a bit jarring hearing the guitar player not do what you expect him to do, or hearing a lead vocalist that doesn’t overpower the guys backing him up, but sings with them instead. “Falling into You” doesn’t pack the emotional punch of their first single, “Last Train Running”, but it establishes that they can sing a love song just as effectively as one with a larger message. These guys are good.
Grade: B+
Listen: Falling into You
Buy: Falling into You
Wednesday, November 7th, 2007
Winners:
- Entertainer – Kenny Chesney
- Male Vocalist – Brad Paisley
- Female Vocalist – Carrie Underwood
- Vocal Duo – Sugarland
- Vocal Group – Rascal Flatts
- Horizon – Taylor Swift
- Album – George Strait, It Just Comes Natural
- Single – “Before He Cheats” – Carrie Underwood
- Song – “Give it Away” – Bill Anderson, Buddy Cannon & Jamey Johnson
- Music Video – “Online” – Brad Paisley
- Musician – Jerry Douglas (Dobro)
- Musical Event – “Find Out Who Your Friends Are” – Tracy Lawrence, Kenny Chesney & Tim McGraw
Final thoughts:
No big winners tonight, in terms of numbers. Carrie Underwood, Brad Paisley and Kenny Chesney each won two. Best performances: Sugarland, Alison Krauss & Union Station, Miranda Lambert, Keith Urban and…dare I say it? Kellie Pickler!
Making me feel too old? Taylor Swift. Who’d think that country music would make me feel old at the tender age of 28?
We should go back to one host, or two, and not the slapdash “let’s promote our TV shows” way it was done this year. If you have to pick an ABC star, have Kimberly Williams co-host with a country artist. Or, do the obvious and just bring back Vince!
Thanks to all of you who posted in the comments and hung out with me tonight. You’ve shattered my site traffic record! It’s starting to feel like a real community here at Country Universe!
_____
10:56 He’s giving a wonderful speech, very humble and appreciative.
10:55 Entertainer: Kenny Chesney. Three wins, ties him for second place with Alabama on the all-time wins list in this category. Garth Brooks remains top dog with four.
10:54 Home stretch, and not a moment too soon. I’m just about out of wit!
10:50 Well, alright. That just happened. Next?
10:46 Holy crap. Jamie Foxx is wiping the floor with Gary LeVox. That’s right. Wanda the Ugly Girl is out-singing you.
10:45 Did she just call Ray Charles one of the greatest country singers of all-time?
10:38 Male Vocalist: Brad Paisley. Now Willie Nelson’s all alone as the guy with the most nominations without a win in this category.
10:37 “What the hell am I doing here?” Ha! I was thinking the same thing!
10:36 Okay, Kimberly and LeAnn can co-host next year.
10:34 Give her the props she’s due, though. Pickler’s giving a beautiful performance. Brought herself to tears. Wow.
10:33 On a dull night, one of the only new acts with a real personality is singing a downer song. Unleash your inner Mindy McCready, Pickler!
10:31 “Check her for ticks and you’re dead, tour.” Ha! Let me add that Kimberly standing in front of that orange CMA award silhouette, she looks like a gaudy Virgin Mary statue come to life. Coming soon to a Queens lawn near you.
10:27 Reba’s presenting Entertainer later. Good pick, but it won’t match the emotional punch of her presenting in to Shania in 1999, when Ms. Twain was the first woman to win since Reba herself back in 1986.
10:23 Another great album I haven’t had a chance to review yet. Josh Turner’s the real deal. If he wins Male Vocalist, he better sing, “VIC-tree!”
10:22 Am I the only person who thought when she mentioned “country music is soul music”, that we were about to hear Jamie Foxx, rather than Josh Turner?
(more…)
Tuesday, November 6th, 2007
Here are my predictions and personal picks for the 2006 CMA Awards, which airs live on ABC at 8 Eastern/7 Central on Wednesday, Nov. 7. Feel free to disagree in the comments, and don’t forget to chime in on our “My Favorite CMA Moment” contest before the show begins!
Country Universe will be live-blogging the show tomorrow night. See ya then!
2007 CMA Awards: Predictions & Personal Picks
Entertainer
- Kenny Chesney
- Brad Paisley
- Rascal Flatts
- George Strait
- Keith Urban
Prediction: Kenny Chesney. I wouldn’t call him a slam dunk, but Chesney’s huge ticket sales and continued success at radio and retail, coupled with the CMA being reluctant to honor Rascal Flatts outside of the Vocal Group category, make me think he’ll win his third trophy in four years here. I wouldn’t count out George Strait, given his strength across the ballot, but he hasn’t won since 1990, not even when he came back to win big in at the 1996-1998 awards in other major categories.
Personal Pick: Keith Urban. I think Paisley deserves it for his improvement on the road and domination of radio, but Urban’s fantastic album and electrifying stage presence would get him my vote.
Male Vocalist
- Kenny Chesney
- Brad Paisley
- George Strait
- Josh Turner
- Keith Urban
Prediction: Brad Paisley. Once again, he’s the top nominee, and this is the place that voters are most likely to honor him. He won the ACM trophy earlier this year, and this is his seventh nomination, so he’s long overdue. His biggest threat? My guess would be George Strait, who ties him in nominations and has won five times before, most recently in 1998.
Personal Pick: Josh Turner. I have a lot of affection for Strait and for Urban, but with eight wins between them, I’m hoping that Turner gets this. He’s simply the best singer among the three who have yet to win this award.
(more…)
Sunday, November 4th, 2007
Carrie Underwood
Carnival Ride
Carrie Underwood’s been spending a lot of her time lately rebutting her detractors, or as she calls them, “the haters.” Let me go on the record and say, I’m not a hater.
That’s hardly news to regular readers. As I’ve said many times before, I think Underwood is the most technically gifted female vocalist to come along since Trisha Yearwood back in 1991. Throughout the course of Carnival Ride, Underwood confirms my belief, turning in some vocal performances that are as fresh and creative as they are extraordinary. The most exciting part of listening to this record is hearing what Underwood will do with her voice. Rather than just going for sheer power, she often adjusts her volume for effect. On the goosebumps-inducing “I Know You Won’t”, she stretches out the notes in a way that adds an intense desperation to a fairly pedestrian lyric.
(more…)
on 
on 
on 
on 
