Today is the final day of eligibility for the Grammy awards. Albums and singles must have been released between October 1, 2007 and September 30, 2008 to be considered. Also, tracks from Vince Gill’s These Days are ineligible because he won the genre Album award last year.
With this year’s particularly underwhelming batch of CMA nominees, perhaps we can send NARAS voters our wish list. Maybe they’ll do a better job. Actually, they almost certainly will.
Here are a few nominations I’d like to see:
Best Traditional Folk Album: Kathy Mattea, Coal
I don’t know if this is the race they’ll submit the album in, but it’s a perfect fit. This is just the type of album that Grammy voters pick up on. I hope she gets the nod for a very worthy project.
Best Country Vocal Performance, Male: George Strait, “I Saw God Today”
I’d like to see the guy win a Grammy, and with Vince not in the running, this year’s as good as any.
Best Country Album: Trisha Yearwood, Heaven, Heartache & the Power of Love
Since they reintroduced this category, every Trisha Yearwood studio album has received a nomination. The title cut earned a nod last year. I’d like to see “This Is Me You’re Talking To” in the Best Country Vocal Performance, Female race as well.
Best Country Vocal Performance, Female: LeAnn Rimes, “What I Cannot Change”
Radio seems to have rejected this masterful performance, which is a shame. Grammy voters rediscovered Rimes two years ago. I hope they’ll keep her in mind again this year (and that her handlers have the good sense to submit this, and not “Good Friend and a Glass of Wine.”)
Record & Song of the Year: Sugarland, “Stay”
That’s right. Put it in the General categories this year. They usually include a country song in one of the two categories, if not both. This should be the one that makes the cut this year.
Album of the Year: Robert Plant & Alison Krauss, Raising Sand
I’m pretty sure this one’s a given, but I’m including it anyway. That way I can say I got something off my list!
What are some Grammy nominations that you’d like to see this year?
Not gonna lie: “Lonesome, On’ry and Mean” has never been one of my favorite Waylon hits. Call me what you will, but I’ve always thought the flat production employed in that studio recording just doesn’t quite give the song the momentum it needs to chug along successfully for the full three and-a-half minutes, which ultimately dulls the piece’s fairly interesting story .
That said, I dig it appreciably more in live settings that allow the electric guitars to blast out the song’s sweet country-rock licks at full power. And that’s the approach that seems to be at play in this new take on the Outlaw anthem, an exciting preview of Jennings’ upcoming collaboration with son Shooter and Shooter’s southern rock outfit, the .357′s. The album is titled Waylon Forever, and that moniker seems appropriate; if this steel-heavy track is any indication, the guests have done a pretty good job of updating the older material for future generations without detonating out the tradition with unnecessary electric trickery.
But for all the points the younger Jennings’ crew scores with their arrangement, the ultimate high of this rendition is the vocal, which finds the late older Jennings (who would have been around sixty-eight at the the time of this recording in 1995) ripping into the iconic number with a fiery conviction that only makes it all sound that much more bad-ass. If for some reason you’ve never heard “Lonesome, On’ry and Mean” before, consider this a rare and valuable opportunity to experience a country-rock song that is actually equal parts country and rock. If you’re a veteran, consider this a rare and valuable opportunity to hear a signature spell outcast by its own enigmatic wizard.
I’m in an even more upbeat mood than usual today, having just purchased a new car for the first time. I was twenty when I bought my first used car down in Tennessee. I got nearly nine good years out of the thing, adding 80,000 miles to the odometer along the way. It’s very cool to have new wheels, especially since my old getup was rattling so loud it sounded like I was dragging “Just Married” cans behind it.
So tonight seems the perfect night to ask about driving songs. I love a good road song. Some of my favorites include Lee Roy Parnell’s “On the Road”, and K.T. Oslin’s “Hey Bobby.” The former captures how hitting the road can help you let go of the past that’s holding you down. The latter is about taking your love interest for a ride in your new car, driving out to the country and getting busy. If that plotline sounds familiar, it’s because Brad Paisley’s “Mud on the Tires” was cribbed from it.
On her self-titled second album, she attempts to build on what must be an unexpectedly successful stay in Nashville. As a finalist on American Idol in 2006, she gained notable exposure, but the reality-show sweepstakes rarely produces significant long-term returns. After a pair of CMA nominations and sales of over 800,000 copies of her debut disc Small Town Girl, Pickler now faces a test. In a fickle marketplace where Carrie Underwood is the current queen of the country kingdom and Taylor Swift is its reigning princess, Pickler must discover her place. It’s not a matter of competition with the girl squad, but rather a need for her to establish an identity distinct from the other heroines of mainstream country music.
But although her second disc has some nice moments, its main problem is that Kellie Pickler the person sometimes struggles to translate into Kellie Pickler the singer. Some of the ten tracks here still don’t reveal her real identity, although it’s ever-present in every interview and media campaign that have played as much a part in her career as the actual music. Ironic, given that the supposed theme of the album is expressed in its title: Kellie Pickler. And the production, courtesy of Chris Lindsey, eschews clarity at certain junctures in favor of making big, bold statements. The prominence of drums and electric guitars is often used to hide the utter lack of music personality in the artist, but as we’ve learned in the last years, Pickler always has something to say. She’s not quite able to express that inescapable truth at key moments here due to the musical mix and a handful of innocuous tunes.
Back in early August, Kevin posed the following question to readers:
What features would you like to see more of at Country Universe? Are there things we could be doing better? How can we make this a better site?
The post netted a good number of responses, all of which were taken into serious account, and many of which ended up playing out shortly after. Country Universe has seen a lot of expansion over the two months since the time of that post; in addition to three additional writers (Blake, Lynn, and myself), we’ve tried out a number of new or previously infrequent features, including, though not necessarily limited to:
Now that your memory is jogged, consider this post an opportunity to comment on your current feelings about the site. If you think we’re delivering too much of one thing, need to deliver more of another thing, should do something differently, should do something new entirely, what-have-you, we want to hear it. You can even be positive! (Wow!)
The only stipulation is to stay classy with your remarks. Any and all constructive criticism is 100% encouraged and desirable here; just realize that we work hard on everything you see and do have (some) feelings. But this site is ultimately about serving country music fans (namely, you), and what you tell us has a lot of bearing on what we do. So if you’ve got a concern, don’t hold back!
P.S. Before anyone mentions it, a handful of Favorite Songs by Favorite Artists entries are on the way!
With country music in a constant state of flux, Alan Jackson stands as the format’s standard bearer for no-frills, no-fuss country music, devoid of all the trappings of both dated production styles and newfangled studio procedures. He straddles the line between tradition and contemporary stylings with greater ease than most any current commercial recording artist in the genre.
On Drive, Jackson proves himself a worthy spokesman of the very values that country music espouses at almost every turn. His straightforward takes on life and love are heartfelt without devolving into the emotionally maudlin tones that have permeated through Nashville in recent times. Jackson also provides a certain humor that speaks to the commonfolk, but never filters his material to pander to the audience.
Every once in a while, I stumble upon a list that I instantly know should be adapted for country music. Earlier today, I followed a link to Ten Albums to Hear Before You Die. It’s an interesting list. They picked the right Billy Joel (The Stranger), U2 (The Joshua Tree) and Beach Boys (Pet Sounds) albums. I disagree with their choices for the Beatles (Rubber Soul and Revolver are better than The White Album) and Madonna (True Blue isn’t in the same league as Like a Prayer and Music.)
There’s not a country album in the bunch (and only one rap album, for that matter.) Country has historically been a singles genre, and when you exclude greatest hits albums, you find out quickly how difficult this list is to create. How do you get a full picture of country music’s history with only ten albums? Perhaps you can’t, but I’m taking my best shot. Please add your own take in the comments. I’ll post a list of reader’s choices tomorrow, so be sure to share your reasons for your choices!
Ten Country Albums to Hear Before You Die
Marty Robbins, Gunfighter Ballads and Trail Songs
1959
He’s one of the most versatile singers in music history, but Marty Robbins is most closely associated with the western spirit that is captured on this landmark concept album. Any album that features both “El Paso” and “Big Iron” is already essential listening, but Robbins fleshes out the set with fascinating story songs, some traditional and others from then-contemporary songwriters, including Robbins himself.
Johnny Cash, At Folsom Prison
1968
The essence of Johnny Cash, distilled into one fiery live performance in front of a riveted audience. Too often, the empathy of Cash’s prison albums are overlooked. By performing there at all, he affirmed the humanity of every captive prisoner he played for. The stunning “Greystone Chapel” says it all.
The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Will the Circle Be Unbroken
1972
The historical significance of this album cannot be overstated. Originally released as a 3-LP set, nearly every still-living country music pioneer of the time is present on this project, including Roy Acuff and Mother Maybelle Carter. The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band brought legends together to perform traditional and signature songs, resulting in a jam session for the ages. As good as the music is, the studio dialogue matches it, with exchanges ranging from the precious to the hilarious.
Waylon Jennings, Honky Tonk Heroes
1973
The definitive Outlaws album is not The Outlaws. It’s Jennings’ Honky Tonk Heroes. Comprised almost entirely of songs written by a very young Billy Joe Shaver, this album established the middle ground between classic honky-tonk and rock music that is still a major force in country music today.
Willie Nelson, Stardust
1978
Few artists can boast as many classic albums as Willie Nelson. While nearly all of his major albums from the seventies are essential listening, it is Stardust that made him a superstar. By taking on the great American songbook, Nelson proved just how universal music can be, country music included.
Mark Wills’ album, Familiar Stranger, his first on the newly-formed Tenacity Records, is scheduled for release on October 28. His first single, “The Things We Forget,” finds him reminiscing about the rural life and its slower, simpler pleasures.
Although a majority of Wills’ success occurred in the ’90s, he’s freshened up his sound to run with the radio-friendly artists. His voice is a little more comfortable with the verses, with just a hint of twang as he pangs for the simpler times of the past. He stretches just a little far in the chorus, but a more laidback arrangement would have suited his vocal style better. Yet, the song itself embraces the country way without pushing the easy, emotional buttons that most songs of a similar subject, even without much of a unique take on the matter.
Recently, a commenter confessed his affection for Lorrie Morgan’s cover of the Tammy Wynette classic, “Another Lonely Song.” I share that affection, and it got me thinking about Morgan’s music as a whole. She’s not mentioned much when the women of the nineties are discussed, and it’s a shame. She’s such a stylist, and can handle a pop melody as effortlessly as a country torch ballad.
One of her strongest albums is 1996′s Greater Need. Tonight, I’m recommending the title track. It’s a confessional ballad that has her confronting the fact that she’s needing the man she’s in love with a lot more than he needs her: “It seems like I want you around me a little more than you want to be. So I guess I’m the one with the greater need.” By the chorus, she’s making the stark realization that this isn’t exclusive to the current relationship, since “it always seems to be that I’m the one with the greater need.”
If you check out the album, pay close attention to the masterful “I Just Might Be” and the biting “Good as I Was to You.”
What’s your recommendation tonight? Got another gem from another underrated artist?
One of the most criminally overlooked staples of country music in the last decade, Gary Allan continues the course of his album Living Hard with the release of its third single, “She’s So California.”
No one would expect that Allan could reach the emotional depths of Tough All Over, his heartbreaking collection from 2005, but Living Hard made compromises that were not so evident on the last album. The uptempo numbers were a welcome relief from the raw, despairing tone of Tough All Over, but “She’s So California” is little more than album filler designed to fit comfortably between the other country radio standards of today.
Allan’s gravelly vocal will always elevate even the most inane material, and thankfully he’s recorded very little of it since his debut in 1996. But the passion and precision on his best tracks isn’t apparent here. The production is modest enough, but it’s a bit sterile. And Allan, as artistically aware as most any country artist, can’t quite capture the desire necessary to carry this song above Nashville’s assembly line of cookie-cutter country songs. It’s quite listenable, Allan’s singing is terrific once again, but “She’s So California” is a throwaway song from a true talent.
Today is the final day of eligibility for the Grammy awards. Albums and singles must have been released between October 1, 2007 and September 30, 2008 to be considered. Also, tracks from Vince Gill’s These Days are ineligible because he won the genre Album award last year.
Marty Robbins, Gunfighter Ballads and Trail Songs
Johnny Cash, At Folsom Prison
The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Will the Circle Be Unbroken
Waylon Jennings, Honky Tonk Heroes
Willie Nelson, Stardust
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