Country Universe – A Country Music Blog

ACM Live Blog 2011

Sunday, April 3rd, 2011

Hello.

This is going to be a really important show, you guys.

WINNERS

Entertainer of the Year: Taylor Swift

Top Female Vocalist: Miranda Lambert

Top Male Vocalist: Brad Paisley

Album of the Year: Lady Antebellum, Need You Now

Song of the Year: “The House That Built Me”

Single of the Year: “The House That Built Me”

Top Vocal Duo: Sugarland

Top Vocal Group: Lady Antebellum

Top New Artist: The Band Perry

Top Till You Drop:

Vocal Event of the Year: Zac Brown Band & Alan Jackson, “As She’s Walking Away”

Music Video of the Year: Miranda Lambert, ”The House That Built Me”

- – -

10:02 Well, all right, that was fun enough. Kinda. Thanks for playing along, y’all, and have a good night!

9:58 A shocking upset! As shocking as, like, one of those chewy Sweet Tarts.

Entertainer of the Year: Taylor Swift

9:56 Hey, how about next year we get James Taylor to come back and sing with the Dixie Chicks again? Yes or yes?

9:52 They segue into “Sweet Baby James.” At least this pairing makes musical sense.

9:48 Leeann: Zac Brown and James Taylor, Carrie Underwood and Steven Tyler, Jennifer Nettles and Rihanna? Is CMT testing for upcoming Crossroads episodes?

9:45 Was having some trouble with the site for a few minutes there. Now we’re up to Zac Brown Band doing a very cool “Colder Weather” with James Taylor.

9:41 Amazing how only a year and a half ago the idea of Miranda winning one of the really competitive awards still seemed like a pipe dream.

Top Female Vocalist: Miranda Lambert

9:36 “Love Gets a Hold of You” or something. It sounds okay – almost in the same you’re-gonna-miss-me-boy! vein as “Turn on the Radio,” though. I think we’re all ready for some more mature Reba now. Take a lesson from Martina.

9:34 Reba’s out to sing something or other. I just saw today that “If I Were a Boy” got yanked as a single; this must be the new one?

9:27 Darius Rucker singing “Music from the Heart” with a choir of various ages and developmental disabilities. Very passionate, touching performance.

9:25 Chris Young’s trying out the hatless thing.

9:25 Oh, for real? At least he acknowledged he has too many now.

Top Male Vocalist: Brad Paisley

9:22 I don’t know how I’m still awake through all this. I shouldn’t be saying such things at 9:23.

9:17 Leeann: Martina is worming her way back into my heart again. I’m a soft touch.

9:17 …Who just tweeted, “Holy crap, I’m singing.” Perfect.

9:14 Awesome. It does. This reminds me of Jeannie C. Riley, the spunky honesty of it. And I like to fantasize that she got some inspiration for that opening “honestly, I think I need a drink” line from Drunken Martina.

9:13 Martina’s coming out with “Teenage Daughters.” I really hope this translates well to stage.

Top Vocal Duo: Sugarland

9:10 Kevin: Naomi Judd: The answer to the age-old question, “Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?”

9:09 Leeann: Ronnie Dunn sounds so much like Brooks & Dunn. Go figure.

9:07 He looks and sounds like musical Jesus. I mean that in a complimentary way!

9:03 Ronnie Dunn’s coming up with “Bleed Red.” Excited for that, kinda. I think C.M. Wilcox is right and that it’ll work well as an award show performance even if the single itself is a little sleepy (to some of us).

8:56 Leeann: Good. Have Kristian introduce Nettles/Rihanna to show how secure he is about being put on the sideline all the time. We’re convinced.

8:55 True fact: The banner at the top of this post will light up and spin all through this Rihanna-Jennifer Nettles performance. Watch closely!

8:53 She interjects a bit of some song I should probably recognize but don’t, and then “I’ll Fly Away.” And she sounds real good.

8:53 I bet there are some Christian folks out there from Miranda’s life who are like, “We did not say that!”

8:52 A Miranda performance is usually my favorite part of an awards night. But it’s “Heart Like Mine.”

8:44 Eh. Let’s not talk about that. Let’s talk about how awesome that live blog over at The 9513 is!

Top Vocal Group: Lady Antebellum

8:41 Or, as our pal Corey Parkman of Farce the Music just put it on Twitter, “I wonder what Sara Evans would sound like if she ever got over that sinus infection.”

8:38 The return of Sara Evans to the ACMs. Last performance I remember from her here was that severely pitch-challenged one of “Coalmine” the night she won Top Female years ago. She sounds better here, but still not up to many of her recorded performances.

8:35 I mean, seriously, y’all. “Need You Now” is the only reason Need You Now has sold like it has, and the album selling like it has is the only reason it’s getting this recognition. “Need You Now” won Song and Single of the Year at last year’s ACMs; couldn’t that have been enough?

8:31 IEIOF432IfffkDdk&*$#vdsadvfdjfpvfs >:(

Album of the Year: Lady Antebellum, Need You Now

8:28 Well, don’t think I was missing much. Such a shame – he truly would be one of the best male vocalists in the game if he had better taste.

8:25 We get a Blake Shelton performance. Don’t recognize the song.

Single of the Year: “The House That Built Me”

8:14 Jason Aldean doing the Colt Ford country-rap “Dirt Road Anthem” and it’s every bit as cool you would imagine. (That is, decidedly un-.)

8:09 Apparently their dad’s name is Steve Perry. I snickered harder than I should have.

Best New Artist: The Band Perry

8:07 Kevin: And my favorite of the 57 performances so far is…Taylor Swift. No one can ever accuse me of not having an open mind.

8:05 Kimberly Perry delivers the “well” in “If I Die Young” with way too much spunk. “Well! I’ve had just enough time. So if I do die – y’know, whatever!”

8:03 Whoops, apparently it’s a guitjo/ganjo. Whatever, it’s not like I’m a writer of music-related opinion articles or something!

8:00 Taylor Swift singing “Mean” and strumming the banjo, which is not how I’ve known anyone to play the banjo. Pretty cool scene, though – they’re in front of an old-timey house and the band’s all decked out in their Depression-era best.

7:55 Kevin: Not naming the songwriters for Song of the Year is an absolute disgrace.

[They announced it as "Miranda Lambert, 'The House That Built Me,'" though she's not the one who wrote it.]

Song of the Year: “The House That Built Me”

7:53 Finally, we get one: Song of the Year.

7:50 Eric Church doing “Smoke a Little Smoke,” the one single of his I really dig, with verve. BUT THERE STILL HASN’T BEEN A SINGLE AWARD.

7:45 Back from commercial, Keith Urban performing his newest hit, “Without You (Nicole Kidman)(Pt. 3)(Ballad Version).”

7:42 Leeann: Seriously? Still no award yet? What are we watching?

7:38 Dierks Bentley running laps around the arena to “Am I the Only One,” determined to make us like the unlikable.

7:36 Kevin: That’s what I wanted that song to sound like on the album.

7:35 I’ll say this: JNett still has the best stage charisma of any mainstream country star who isn’t Keith Urban.

7:32 Leeann: Half hour in and still no award yet at this…uh…awards show.

7:32 Sugarland’s here, Jennifer apparently with hair extensions, and they’re doing “Tonight.” Figured this would probably be the next single. Like Kevin, I’d like the recorded version if not for the head-cold-ish performance.

7:30 Well, that was fun. Good thing I gave up on the term “country music” meaning anything a few weeks ago!

7:27 Kevin: We’re officially down the rabbit hole.

7:27 They segue into “Walk This Way.”

7:26 Steven Tyler is really good at screaming awesomely and only ok at remembering the words to Carrie Underwood songs.

7:24 Two Soul Surfer ladies come out to introduce Carrie, who’s doing “Undo It.” WITH STEVEN TYLER! OK, I like this now.

7:20 Apparently Dr. Pepper’s current slogan is “There’s nothing like a Dr. Pepper.” Uhhhh.

7:17 Pleasant enough song (“Somewhere Else”), and he’s got that sweet Toby growl going.

7:16 Leeann: It’s nice to like Toby Keith music these days.

7:14 “ARE THEY READY?! DOES ZAC BROWN ENJOY THE FEEL OF HIS ASS IN THE SAND?!” Best Blake line of the night so far.

7:13 The celebrity cheap shots are coming hard and fast, though.

7:10 We are promised no Charlie Sheen or Lindsay Lohan jokes. God? Is that you?!?

7:07 Celine Dion’s here now, and she’s VERY VERY EXCITED! I honestly can’t think of a better Vegas gate-keepeer, though.

7:07 Kevin: Since when did Alabama become a trio? What a poorly cropped picture, lawsuit or not.

7:06 It would be great if, instead of writing songs about how great the classic acts were, today’s artists just figured out how to measure up.

7:04 Leeann: Good. We get this disappointing Paisley  song out of the way now.

7:04 “Old Alabama” now.

7:02 Cute-ish opening skit with Blake Shelton “rehearsing for his wedding night” by serenading a blond-wigged Reba with “Who Are You When I’m Not Looking.”

6:52 Leeann: John Rich is so much more tolerable when he’s with Big Kenny.

6:38 The JaneDear Girls just appeared onscreen. When are they un-appearing, I wonder?

6:33 Wynonna and Naomi Judd chilling with Suzanne Alexander now. Colorically speaking, Wynonna has become a human sunset.

6:31 Chris Young is now talking to Storme which means his voice is audible – yay!

6:26 On some red carpet somewhere, GAC’s Storme Warren just presented to Vocal Event award, inevitably, to “As She’s Walking Away.”

6:15 Dierks Bentley will be playing “Am I the Only One” tonight. Have fun, no one!

6:04 Super-jealous of The 9513′s sweet new live blog layout. Also: the smartness of their live-bloggers. Also: the fact that Brady and Brody Vercher are named thusly.

5:59 Red carpet time, woo!! I bet everybody’s totally wearing clothes this year.

[Dan from here on out, unless otherwise noted.]

5:21 I…….this post……AM BORN

Single Review: Chris Young, “Tomorrow”

Wednesday, March 30th, 2011

How to put it? I would listen to this man sing about IBS. I would listen to him sing a long-form denunciation of my value as a human being – possibly my mother’s and little sister’s, too. Young’s baritone is like the aural incarnation of warm fuzzies, and most everything it touches/fuzzes goes down easy – even those lame, creaky-hinged Music Row assembly songs scattered across his first two albums.

So, granted: This single was probably going to sound all sexy-cool no matter what. But we can all enjoy with a little less cognitive dissonance this time, because “Tomorrow” makes a serious play at substance. Young is finally a radio star, and he’s using his powers to inject some actual psychological complication back into the format.

Synopsis: Tomorrow, he’s leaving his lover for good. Tomorrow, he’s going to sew himself up and let the healing begin. The two want each other so bad, but their relationship is never as strong as their attraction to it. So tomorrow, he’s out. But tonight, he’s going to indulge like there’s no – heyyy, I see what you did there!

It’s probably as fresh of a twist as you could wring out of such a stale idiom, and the song’s premise is standby country. I love that there’s room for doubt as to whether this will really be the last time, too. Unlike “Voices” or even “The Man I Want to Be,” this song feels fully attuned to the complexities and ambiguities of the human experience. You trust it not to judge you for yours.

Where “Tomorrow” comes up short, as those predecessors also did, is in its chorus melody – which barely exists. The whole section is basically a boring two-note progression repeated over and over while lyrics are spewed out at double-time. It’s listenable because the production wills it to be (and, of course, because of Young’s fuzz factor), but imagine it performed acoustically and the song collapses. It’s the kind of tossed-off stuff you might expect from an especially dull Trace Adkins or Craig Morgan release, but here, it’s a dead weight pulling a potentially great single down from the heights of its theme and performance.

My fear is that we’re going to be hearing more and more of these tune-challenged songs as writers collectively sort out what mainstream country will sound like moving forward. Unhummable afflictions like “This” and “Crazy Town” and “Love Like Crazy” – heck, even the clumsy moments in otherwise-pleasant singles like “Mary Was the Marrying Kind” and “Amen” – give me the impression that we’ve lost touch with what made the classic songs work structurally, that maybe our basic sense of aesthetics needs sharpening.

But that’s a bit of a tangent. Here’s the point: Yes, Chris Young, I’m going to buy your new album, Neon, and yes, I will try to sing along to “Tomorrow” when it comes on in my car. And if you musically ask me to, I will delete this whole review and replace it with a cute YouTube video of your choosing. But until then, please go listen to some more Gretchen Peters and Alan Jackson (or, heck, Neil Sedaka and Carole King). And study up.

Grade: B+

Listen: Tomorrow

Buy:

Grammy Awards 2011: Staff Picks & Predictions

Saturday, February 12th, 2011

It’s hard to believe, but it’s that time of year again: the 2011 Grammy Awards air this Sunday at 8 p.m. Eastern. Country music has its hand in the Grammy pot via major nominations for Lady Antebellum, performances by Miranda Lambert, Lady A and Martina McBride, and appearances by Keith Urban, Zac Brown, Blake Shelton and Kris Kristofferson. We’ve picked and predicted the awards below – chime in with your own thoughts, and stop by on Sunday night for our live blog!

Album of the Year

Should Win

• Arcade Fire, The Suburbs - Dan
• Eminem, Recovery - Kevin, Tara
• Lady Antebellum, Need You Now
• Lady Gaga, The Fame Monster
• Katy Perry, Teenage Dream

Will Win

• Arcade Fire, The Suburbs
• Eminem, Recovery - Kevin, Dan, Tara
• Lady Antebellum, Need You Now
• Lady Gaga, The Fame Monster
• Katy Perry, Teenage Dream

Kevin: In a field of newer artists, Eminem is the established veteran that is overdue for this award. It helps that he also made the best album of his career, as well as of the five nominees.

Dan: I could actually see Lady A coming out on top, since they’ve moved a lot of units and are the least divisive act here. But Recovery was a big comeback, and NARAS likes to use this award as a lifetime achievement thing. I don’t like that tendency, though; I’d rather we just reward the best set. To me, that was Arcade Fire’s ambitious concept album.

Tara: I really respect The Suburbs and really dig Recovery. Both are deserving, but Eminem probably has the edge with NARAS for the reasons stated above. (PS – I’m still not over it. TEENAGE DREAM?)

Record of the Year

Should Win

• B.O.B featuring Bruno Mars, “Nothin’ On You”
• Eminem featuring Rihanna, “Love the Way You Lie”
• Cee Lo Green, “F*** You” - Dan, Tara
• Jay-Z featuring Alicia Keys, “Empire State of Mind” - Kevin
• Lady Antebellum, “Need You Now”

Will Win

• B.O.B featuring Bruno Mars, “Nothin’ On You”
• Eminem featuring Rihanna, “Love the Way You Lie”
• Cee Lo Green, “F*** You”
• Jay-Z featuring Alicia Keys, “Empire State of Mind”
• Lady Antebellum, “Need You Now” - Kevin, Dan, Tara

Kevin: Perhaps it’s an instinctual reaction as a native New Yorker, but I still get chills every time I hear “Empire State of Mind.” Jay-Z’s casual “Long live the World Trade” in the second verse perfectly captures how our city moved briskly forward after 9/11 like we always do, but we haven’t forgotten it.

No Urban or Hip-Hop record has ever won this award, so it pains me to predict that Lady Antebellum will triumph over four better records. I hope I’m wrong.

Dan: Cee Lo’s viral novelty hit was one of last year’s biggest delights. I could see this award going to any track but “Nothin’ On You,” but suspect voters will probably go with the least edgy track.

Tara: I could make an argument for four of the five songs here, but I can’t peel myself away from Green’s personality-packed throwback hit that practically begs you to love it. And do I. I agree with Dan and Kevin, though, that Lady A will take this.

Song of the Year

Should Win

• “Beg, Steal, or Borrow” – Ray LaMontagne
• “F*** You!” – Brody Brown, Cee Lo Green, Philip Lawrence & Bruno Mars
• “The House That Built Me” – Tom Douglas & Allen Shamblin - Kevin, Tara
• “Love the Way You Lie” – Alexander Grant, Skylar Grey & Marshall Mathers
• “Need You Now” – Dave Haywood, Josh Kear, Charles Kelley & Hillary Scott

Will Win

• “Beg, Steal, or Borrow” – Ray LaMontagne
• “F*** You!” – Brody Brown, Cee Lo Green, Philip Lawrence & Bruno Mars
• “The House That Built Me” – Tom Douglas & Allen Shamblin – Kevin, Tara
• “Love the Way You Lie” – Alexander Grant, Skylar Grey & Marshall Mathers
• “Need You Now” – Dave Haywood, Josh Kear, Charles Kelley & Hillary Scott

Kevin: I think the biggest hurdle for “The House That Built Me” was getting the nomination. It really stands out in this field. It used to be rare for the Song victor to not be nominated for Record, but it has happened three times in the last seven years, including last year.

Tara: I’d honestly be happy to see any of these songs win. I’ll back “The House That Built Me” and just take a guess that the voters will, too.

Best New Artist

Should Win

• Justin Bieber
• Drake
• Florence + the Machine
• Mumford & Sons - Dan, Kevin, Tara
• Esperanza Spalding

Will Win

• Justin Bieber
• Drake – Kevin, Dan, Tara
• Florence + the Machine
• Mumford & Sons
• Esperanza Spalding

Kevin: I dig Mumford & Sons the most, but Drake seems to be the guy to beat.

Dan: I think Mumford has the most potential going forward. They’re got a dark-horse shot at the win, too, though Drake does seem like the most logical choice. Bieber’s by far the biggest name right now, but NARAS didn’t give it to tween-fave forerunners Hanson or Jonas Brothers, so…

Tara: Ditto. Although I have an unexplainable inkling that the Bieber might nab the award.

Best Country Album

Should Win

• Dierks Bentley, Up on the Ridge – Kevin, Tara, Leeann
• Zac Brown Band, You Get What You Give
• Jamey Johnson, The Guitar Song - Dan
• Lady Antebellum, Need You Now
• Miranda Lambert, Revolution

Will Win

• Dierks Bentley, Up on the Ridge
• Zac Brown Band, You Get What You Give
• Jamey Johnson, The Guitar Song
• Lady Antebellum, Need You Now – Dan
• Miranda Lambert, Revolution - Kevin, Tara, Leeann

Kevin: I think Bentley made the best record, and perhaps the slew of collaborators will help raise its profile with voters. Usually the country album nominated for overall Album wins this award, but I’m thinking that Lambert’s recent awards streak will continue here.

Dan: I pick Johnson by a nose, but genuinely like every album here besides Need You Now. Hoping Kevin’s right about that one.

Leeann: Like Kevin said, Bentley deserves to win and I hope he does, but I think Lambert’s album may win due to accessibility and her reputation for artistic integrity.

Tara: Up on the Ridge and Revolution both hit my sweet spot: they straddle the line between reverent and relevant and make me genuinely excited about country music’s future. Bentley’s album is the better of the two (and the best of the bunch) – but I think Lambert’s will pick up the most votes.

Best Female Country Vocal Performance

Should Win

• Jewel, “Satisfied”
• Miranda Lambert, “The House That Built Me” - Dan, Kevin, Tara, Leeann
• LeAnn Rimes, “Swingin’”
• Carrie Underwood, “Temporary Home”
• Gretchen Wilson, “I’d Love to Be Your Last”

Will Win

• Jewel, “Satisfied”
• Miranda Lambert, “The House That Built Me” - Dan, Kevin, Tara, Leeann
• LeAnn Rimes, “Swingin’”
• Carrie Underwood, “Temporary Home”
• Gretchen Wilson, “I’d Love to Be Your Last”

Kevin: This is Lambert’s best shot at a Grammy. Underwood will threaten, as always, but I think the strength of this song makes it tough to beat.

Leeann: Lambert’s signature song is the strongest and likely most long-lasting of the bunch.

Tara: Lambert and Underwood turn in two of the most emotive, powerful performances of their careers, but “The House That Built Me” is undeniably the better song. Since Underwood’s Grammy streak seems to be up for now, I think the voters will side with Lambert.

Best Male Country Vocal Performance

Should Win

• Jamey Johnson, “Macon”
• Toby Keith, “Cryin’ For Me (Wayman’s Song)” - Kevin, Leeann
• David Nail, “Turning Home” - Dan
• Keith Urban, “‘Til Summer Comes Around”
• Chris Young, “Gettin’ You Home (The Black Dress Song)”  - Tara

Will Win

• Jamey Johnson, “Macon”
• Toby Keith, “Cryin’ For Me (Wayman’s Song)”
• David Nail, “Turning Home”
• Keith Urban, “‘Til Summer Comes Around” - Dan, Kevin, Tara, Leeann
• Chris Young, “Gettin’ You Home (The Black Dress Song)”

Kevin: I am not going to complain about Urban winning again for my favorite single from his last two albums. But Toby Keith is way overdue in this category, and he’s nominated for one of his best vocal performances to date.

Dan: Nail’s nuanced performance brought what could have been a very rote song to life. And his career could use the boost.

Leeann: I think the Grammy voters will reflexively give the award to Keith Urban, but Toby Keith’s song is the most poignant of the nominees.

Tara: Urban’s got his hold on this category, but I’m in Young’s corner. His slow-burning hit is as charming as it is sexy, which isn’t an easy thing to pull off. And that voice.

Best Duo/Group Country Vocal Performance

Should Win

• Zac Brown Band, “Free”
• Dailey & Vincent, “Elizabeth”
• Lady Antebellum, “Need You Now”
• Little Big Town, “Little White Church”- Tara
• The SteelDrivers, “Where Rainbows Never Die” - Kevin, Leeann

Will Win

• Zac Brown Band, “Free”
• Dailey & Vincent, “Elizabeth”
• Lady Antebellum, “Need You Now” - Kevin, Tara, Leeann
• Little Big Town, “Little White Church”
• The SteelDrivers, “Where Rainbows Never Die”

Kevin: I think it’s a race between Lady Antbellum and Zac Brown Band, with LA in the lead. But the SteelDrivers get the annual “song I discovered because it was nominated for a Grammy and fell in love with after hearing it” award from me.

Leeann: The SteelDriver’s song is my favorite with Little Big Town at a close second, but I suspect that Lady A won’t be shut out for such a hugely popular radio hit across the board.

Tara: Dear NARAS: since “Single Ladies” got screwed over for ROTY last year, please show Little Big Town some love for their crazy awesome countrified version. It’s just as good…maybe even better?

Best Country Collaboration with Vocals

Should Win

• “Bad Angel” — Dierks Bentley, Miranda Lambert & Jamey Johnson
• “Pride (In The Name Of Love)” — Dierks Bentley, Del McCoury & The Punch Brothers
• “As She’s Walking Away” — Zac Brown Band & Alan Jackson – Kevin, Tara, Leeann
• “Hillbilly Bone” — Blake Shelton & Trace Adkins
• “I Run To You” — Marty Stuart & Connie Smith

Will Win

• “Bad Angel” — Dierks Bentley, Miranda Lambert & Jamey Johnson
• “Pride (In The Name Of Love)” — Dierks Bentley, Del McCoury & The Punch Brothers
• “As She’s Walking Away” — Zac Brown Band & Alan Jackson – Kevin, Tara, Leeann
• “Hillbilly Bone” — Blake Shelton & Trace Adkins
• “I Run To You” — Marty Stuart & Connie Smith

Kevin: Best collaboration in a very long time. Love hearing an artist from my youth playing elder statesman so well.

Leeann: It’s difficult for me to imagine that “As She’s Walking Away” won’t be rewarded for both its popularity and the significance of the still active veteran, Alan Jackson, dispensing wisdom to the up-and-coming bright stars of country music in the Zac Brown Band.

Tara: I love the groove of “Bad Angel,” but its collaboration isn’t nearly as dynamic nor as fitting as that of “As She’s Walking Way.” I can’t imagine any “wise man” but Jackson pulling up a stool next to Brown in this song.

Best Country Instrumental Performance

Should Win

• Cherryholmes, “Tattoo of a Smudge”
• The Infamous Stringdusters, “Magic #9″
• Punch Brothers, “New Chance Blues” – Kevin, Leeann
• Darrell Scott, ‘Willow Creek”
• Marty Stuart, “Hummingbyrd”

Will Win

• Cherryholmes, “Tattoo of a Smudge”
• The Infamous Stringdusters, “Magic #9″
• Punch Brothers, “New Chance Blues” - Kevin, Leeann
• Darrell Scott, ‘Willow Creek”
• Marty Stuart, “Hummingbyrd”

Kevin: Punch Brothers are approaching Nickel Creek levels of awesomeness. Possibly exceeding them.

Leeann: Kevin’s right. Even as someone who isn’t typically fond of instrumentals, I dig those of the Punch Brothers.

Best Country Song

Should Win

• “The Breath You Take” — Casey Beathard, Dean Dillon & Jessie Jo Dillon
• “Free” — Zac Brown
• “The House That Built Me” — Tom Douglas & Allen Shamblin - Dan, Kevin, Tara, Leeann
• “I’d Love To Be Your Last” — Rivers Rutherford, Annie Tate & Sam Tate
• “If I Die Young” — Kimberly Perry
• “Need You Now” — Dave Haywood, Josh Kear, Charles Kelley & Hillary Scott

Will Win

• “The Breath You Take” — written by Casey Beathard, Dean Dillon & Jessie Jo Dillon
• “Free” — written by Zac Brown
• “The House That Built Me” — written by Tom Douglas & Allen Shamblin – Kevin, Tara, Leeann
• “I’d Love To Be Your Last” — written by Rivers Rutherford, Annie Tate & Sam Tate
• “If I Die Young” — written by Kimberly Perry
• “Need You Now” — written by Dave Haywood, Josh Kear, Charles Kelley & Hillary Scott

Kevin: My heart is owned by “If I Die Young”, but I think that “The House That Built Me” is objectively the best song.

Leeann: While The Band Perry’s song sounds the coolest, the writing for “The House That Built Me” is clear frontrunner for the best song of the year.  It deserves and likely will be recognized as such, especially since it was both very critically acclaimed and successful as a single.

Tara: No question “The House That Built Me” is the best written song of the group, and I think it’ll be recognized as such.

Best Bluegrass Album

Should Win

• Sam Bush, Circles Around Me
• Patty Loveless, Mountain Soul II
• The Del McCoury Band, Family Circle
• Peter Rowan Bluegrass Band, Legacy
• The SteelDrivers, Reckless – Kevin

Will Win

• Sam Bush, Circles Around Me
• Patty Loveless, Mountain Soul II
• The Del McCoury Band, Family Circle – Kevin
• Peter Rowan Bluegrass Band, Legacy
• The SteelDrivers, Reckless

Kevin: Kudos to Loveless for her nomination, but I like the SteelDrivers set more.

Best Americana Album

Should Win

• Rosanne Cash, The List
• Los Lobos, Tin Can Trust
• Willie Nelson, Country Music – Dan, Kevin
• Robert Plant, Band of Joy
• Mavis Staples, You Are Not Alone

Will Win

• Rosanne Cash, The List
• Los Lobos, Tin Can Trust
• Willie Nelson, Country Music
• Robert Plant, Band of Joy
• Mavis Staples, You Are Not Alone - Kevin

Kevin: So I think Staples is nominated for an awesome gospel album and Nelson for an awesome country album. This category is confusing.

Crunching the Numbers: January 2011

Thursday, January 27th, 2011

Feel that chill in the air?  It’s not just climate change, friends.  The music industry is suffering through historic lows in record sales, the worst since SoundScan started tallying them in 1991.

How are country artists faring?  Let’s take a look at cumulative sales for current albums. Sales are rounded to the nearest hundred.

Top Selling Current Country Albums

1. Taylor Swift, Fearless: 6,233,900
2. Taylor Swift, Taylor Swift: 4,955,000
3. Lady Antebellum, Need You Now: 3,138,700
4. Taylor Swift, Speak Now: 3,078,600
5. Zac Brown Band, The Foundation: 2,489,200
6. Carrie Underwood, Play On: 1,937,041
7. Lady Antebellum, Lady Antebellum: 1,835,800
8. Jason Aldean, Wide Open: 1,364,700
9. Miranda Lambert, Revolution: 1,149,000
10. Rascal Flatts, Greatest Hits Volume 1: 994,600
11. Sugarland, The Incredible Machine: 815,200
12. Jason Aldean, My Kinda Party:  766,300
13. Tim McGraw, Southern Voice: 749,200
14. George Strait, Twang: 670,200
15. Kenny Chesney, Hemingway’s Whiskey: 655,200
16. Zac Brown Band, You Get What You Give: 636,000
17. Rascal Flatts, Nothing Like This: 585,800
18. Luke Bryan, Doin’ My Thing: 509,200
19. Keith Urban, Get Closer: 508,200
20. Brooks & Dunn, #1′s…and Then Some: 479,700
21. Toby Keith, American Ride: 432,100
22. Chris Young, The Man I Want to Be: 408,000
23. Eric Church, Carolina: 380,600
24. Darius Rucker, Charleston, SC 1966: 376,700
25. The Band Perry, The Band Perry: 364,000
26. Josh Turner, Haywire: 361,800
27. Justin Moore, Justin Moore: 325,600
28. Easton Corbin, Easton Corbin: 314,000
29. Toby Keith, Bullets in the Gun: 279,400
30. Jamey Johnson, The Guitar Song: 256,300
31. Gary Allan, Get Off on the Pain: 238,000
32. Reba McEntire, All the Women I Am: 224,800
33. Jerron Niemann, Judge Jerron & The Hung Jury: 222,700
34. Billy Currington, Enjoy Yourself: 222,000
35. Tim McGraw, Number One Hits: 220,500
36. Dierks Bentley, Up on the Ridge: 204,900
37. Zac Brown Band, Pass the Jar: 202,100
38. Trace Adkins, Cowboy’s Back in Town: 194,200
39. Johnny Cash, American VI: Ain’t No Grave: 190,100
40. Brad Paisley, Hits Alive: 189,200
41. Alan Jackson, 34 Number Ones: 181,000
42. Blake Shelton, All About Tonight: 160,700
43. Little Big Town, The Reason Why: 158,300
44. Blake Shelton, Loaded: The Best of Blake Shelton : 142,300
45. Jaron and the Long Road to Love, Getting Dressed in the Dark: 119,700
46. Josh Thompson, Way Out Here: 107,000
47. Joe Nichols, Old Things New: 100,700
48. Brantley Gilbert, Halfway to Heaven: 81,400
49. Lee Brice, Love Like Crazy: 81,200
50. Steel Magnolia, Steel Magnolia: 41,000
51. Joey + Rory, Album Number Two: 34,100
52. Randy Houser, They Call Me Cadillac: 30,900

2010 CMA Awards: Staff Picks and Predictions

Monday, November 8th, 2010

Single Review: Chuck Wicks, “Hold That Thought”

Friday, June 4th, 2010

-Modern “Let’s Do It, Girl” Song Totem Pole

Gary Allan, “Nothing On but the Radio”

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James Otto, “Just Got Started Lovin’ You”

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Chris Young, “Gettin’ You Home”

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Josh Turner, “Your Man”

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Steel Magnolia, “Keep On Lovin’ You”

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(Quality drop-off)

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This Song

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Billy Currington, “Don’t”

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Pat Green, “Let Me“

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Grade: C+

Listen: Hold that Thought

Buy:

2010 ACM Nominations

Tuesday, March 2nd, 2010

You know the drill. For each of the categories, we’ll look at who’s broken in since last year, who’s been excused, and then make a totally judgy statement about what it all means.

Entertainer of the Year

• Kenny Chesney
• Toby Keith
• Brad Paisley
• George Strait
• Taylor Swift
• Carrie Underwood
• Keith Urban
• Zac Brown Band

Who’s In: Who isn’t?

Who’s Out: No one.

Snap Judgment: My best guess about the surprise expansion of this category is that ACM thinks the Oscars are onto something. They’re not. But while the Oscars risk having a Best Picture nomination lose some of its prestige, I don’t think the same quite holds true for ACM Entertainer, since an artist can already be nominated multiple times throughout a career anyway (and most are). So this could actually work, I guess. If nothing else, it’ll be interesting.

Top Male Vocalist of the Year

• Kenny Chesney
• Brad Paisley
• Darius Rucker
• George Strait
• Keith Urban

Who’s In: Darius Rucker

Who’s Out: Toby Keith

Snap Judgment: No surprises here; it’s the same pool the CMA picked this past fall.

Top Female Vocalist of the Year

• Miranda Lambert
• Reba McEntire
• Taylor Swift
• Carrie Underwood
• Lee Ann Womack

Who’s In: Reba McEntire

Who’s Out: Martina McBride

Snap Judgment: Martina shaft! Drama drama!

Top Vocal Group of the Year

• Lady Antebellum
• Little Big Town
• Randy Rogers Band
• Rascal Flatts
• Zac Brown Band

Who’s In: Zac Brown Band

Who’s Out: The Lost Trailers

Snap Judgment: I imagine Love And Theft’s and Gloriana’s managers will be spending the morning trying to figure out who the hell Randy Rogers Band is. Seriously, I don’t know how RRB keeps squeezing into this race. Not complaining, though!

Top Vocal Duo of the Year

• Brooks & Dunn
• Joey + Rory
• Montgomery Gentry
• Steel Magnolia
• Sugarland

Who’s In: Steel Magnolia

Who’s Out: Big & Rich

Snap Judgment: What’s this? Five duos who actually did something in the last year? Get outta here.

Top New Solo Vocalist of the Year

• Luke Bryan
• Jamey Johnson
• Chris Young

Who’s In: Chris Young, Luke Bryan (both re-entries from previous years)

Who’s Out: Jake Owen (won last year), James Otto

Snap Judgment: I’m just pretending this is the Top New Male category, since ACM’s annual changing around of award names and criteria can be kind of silly. This is going to be an interesting race to watch, especially since all three of these guys are nominated their second time here. It’s the last chance any of them will have to win it.

Top New Vocal Duo of the Year

• Bomshel
• Joey + Rory
• Steel Magnolia

Who’s In: This category was merged with New Vocal Group last year, so none of these duos (being duos) were there.

Snap Judgment: Seriously, doesn’t this whole “actually having semi-active vocal duos” thing kind of weird you out at this point? (P.S. Vote for Joey + Rory!)

Top New Vocal Group of the Year

• Eli Young Band
• Gloriana
• The Lost Trailers

Who’s In: Gloriana

Who’s Out: Zac Brown Band (won last year)

Snap Judgment: Love And Theft HQ must be a grim, grim place today.

Album of the Year

• Brad Paisley, American Saturday Night
• Lady Antebellum, Lady Antebellum
• Miranda Lambert, Revolution
• Carrie Underwood, Play On
• Zac Brown Band, The Foundation

Snap Judgment: Not a bad lineup, but the ACM’s lenience in the Album category never ceases to amaze. Lady Antebellum came out two full years ago.

Single Record of the Year

• Lady Antebellum, “Need You Now”
• Billy Currington, “People Are Crazy”
• David Nail, “Red Light”
• Zac Brown Band, “Toes”
• Miranda Lambert, “White Liar”

Snap Judgment: I’m used to scratching my head in this category. Whatever.

Song of the Year

• “Cowboy Casanova” – Mike Elizondo, Brett James & Carrie Underwood
• “Need You Now” – Dave Haywood, Josh Kear, Charles Kelley & Hillary Scott
• “People Are Crazy” – Bobby Braddock & Troy Jones
• “White Liar” – Natalie Hemby & Miranda Lambert
• “You Belong With Me” – Liz Rose & Taylor Swift

Snap Judgment: …It’s like, do people even pay attention to lyrics anymore?

Video of the Year

• Randy Houser, “Boots On”
• Lady Antebellum, “Need You Now”
• Brad Paisley, “Welcome to the Future”
• Miranda Lambert, “White Liar”
• Taylor Swift, “You Belong With Me”

Snap Judgment: Actually not a bad pool. The Lady A video is pretty boring, though.

Vocal Event of the Year

• Blake Shelton feat. Trace Adkins, “Hillbilly Bone”
• Brooks & Dunn feat. Billy Gibbons, “Honky Tonk Stomp”
• Carrie Underwood feat. Randy Travis, “I Told You So”
• Kenny Chesney with Dave Matthews, “I’m Alive”
• Jack Ingram with Patty Griffin, “Seeing Stars”

Snap Judgment: Eh.

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What are y’all’s thoughts?

Best Country Singles of 2009, Part 2: #20-#1

Wednesday, January 6th, 2010

We proceed.

#20

Taylor Swift, “You Belong with Me”

Teen-pop perfection, bursting with personality and unshakable hooks. – Dan Milliken

#19

Keith Urban, “‘Til Summer Comes Around”

There’s nothing quite as lonely as a carnival that has shut down, except for being alone at a carnival, surrounded by everyone but the love who has left you behind. – Kevin Coyne

#18

Lady Antebellum, “I Run to You”

Sheer passion and pulsing energy from start to finish. – Tara Seetharam (more…)

The 201 Greatest Singles of the Decade, Part 1: #201-#181

Sunday, December 13th, 2009

This was the decade that brought back the single.  Not that it ever fully went away, as radio still played the promotional ones and video outlets the filmed ones. But actual commercial singles had gone the way of the dodo, until the digital revolution suddenly made them practical again.  Why buy the whole album when you can just get the song that you want?

The devastation this has brought to record company bottom lines was probably unavoidable anyway, given the realities of post-Napster society. But technology has its perks. Now you can buy the songs on this list with a click of the mouse!

And what a list it is: 201 singles that run the gamut, from genuine hits that topped the charts to songs spun only by renegade DJs working the night shift. Here’s how we compiled it: four Country Universe writers ranked their personal favorite 100 singles, with an inverted point system applied (#1 on a list meant 100 points, while #100 on the list meant 1 point.) The songs were then ranked by number of total points, greatest to least. Ties were broken by the number of lists the song appeared on, then by highest individual ranking.

There was more consensus than usual for CU, and we all agreed on one thing: this list was a heck of a lot of fun to compile. We hope you enjoy it, too!

The 201 Greatest Singles of the Decade, Part 1: #201-#181

#201
“I Run To You”
Lady Antebellum
2009
Peak: #1

There’s a palpable intensity to this song that grips me every time I listen to it. Love isn’t always characterized by peacefulness, and the song’s pulsing production perfectly conveys the urgency, desperation and passion that often accompanies it. – Tara Seetharam (more…)

Review: Chris Young, “The Man I Want To Be”

Saturday, November 28th, 2009

One thing that mainstream country music still has in abundance is artists with great voices. Chris Young can easily be counted among such talent, but he is also firmly in the category of artists with quality voices saddled with inferior material.

Supported by a simple melody with a chorus that overreaches for memorability, “The Man I Want to Be” also stretches to work within the confines of a lyrical hook: “I want to be a (insert adjective or verb here) man” pervades the song and turns out to be more of a distraction than a clever turn of phrase.

As has been the case with most of Young’s previous singles, “The Man I Want to Be” deserves lots of credit for a stellar vocal performance, solid contemporary country production and for being a generally inoffensive composition. Likewise, much like his previous singles, Young’s newest single is all of those things to its detriment. Young’s powerful baritone is the type of voice that calls for strong material in order for the song to sound worthy of the singer. While “The Man I Want to Be” is passable as a song in general, the lyrical and melodic weaknesses are still impossible to overlook.

Written by Brett James & Tim Nichols

Grade: B-