Country Universe – A Country Music Blog

Single Review: Kellie Pickler, “Best Days of Your Life”

Saturday, November 15th, 2008

Swedish pop duo Roxette used to throw out picks to the audience during their concerts.   Upon the picks,  these words were emblazoned: “Don’t Bore Us! Get to the Chorus!”

I couldn’t help but think of those words when listening to the new Kellie Pickler single.   The chorus is so strong that it kicks off the song, and each and every time it’s sung, it’s easy to think that you’re listening to a classic in the making.   We’re talking “This Kiss”-level catchiness.

But oh, how it all falls apart in the verses.  Pickler sounds strained, there’s no discernable melody and the lyrics are no more memorable than the music backing them up.  I wouldn’t be shocked if this ends up Pickler’s biggest hit to date, just because call-out research will play the insatiable hook, but that’s really all this single is: a great hook in search of a song to call home.

Written by Kellie Pickler and Taylor Swift

Grade: B-

Listen: Best Days of Your Life

Buy: Best Days of Your Life

CMA Awards Review

Thursday, November 13th, 2008

Last night, the CMA stamped its approval on the leading contemporary country stars of today.  Congratulations to Kevin for commandeering the most popular live blog in Country Universe history.  Here is a series of highlights (according to me) from an otherwise staid ceremony:

Best performance: “More Like Her,” Miranda Lambert; “Just a Dream,” Carrie Underwood.  With understated brilliance, Lambert shifted gears by offering her Texas twang on the stripped-down ballad, while Underwood hit all the glory notes on her dramatic tearjerker with style and grace. Often pitted as rivals and polar opposites, the two proved that country music holds plenty of room for these two prodigious talents. Although Underwood ended Lambert’s faint hopes of claiming the Female Vocalist prize, bet on Lambert winning her fair share of CMAs in the near future.

Sound off: Repeatedly an issue, the Sommet Center’s sound system had problems again this year.  Also, Nashville is a town of songwriters, but L.A. is a town of scriptwriters, and some intelligent, humorous ones would be welcome at next year’s ceremony.

Nashville’s full of musicians, too: Let’s tip our hats to first-time CMA award winner, Musician of the Year, Mac McAnally.

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2008 CMA Awards Live Blog

Wednesday, November 12th, 2008

2008 CMA Winners

Entertainer: Kenny Chesney

Male Vocalist: Brad Paisley

Female Vocalist: Carrie Underwood

Album: George Strait, Troubadour

Vocal Duo: Sugarland

New Artist: Lady Antebellum

Vocal Group: Rascal Flatts

Song: Jennifer Nettles, “Stay”

Single: George Strait, “I Saw God Today”

Music Video: Brad Paisley feat. Andy Griffith, “Waiting on a Woman”

Musical Event: Robert Plant & Alison Krauss, “Gone Gone Gone”

Musician: Mac McAnally

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Predict the Winners:

Kevin – 8

Leeann – 7

Blake – 7

Dan – 7

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Live Blog:

11:03 Thanks again for another great night.  See ya at the Grammys!

11:02ish To Blake and Dan:  A Song For You.

11:02 Blake: Down with our dictator!

11:02 Dan: Kevin sucks.

10:57 If I was a petty man, I’d be gloating about out-predicting all of my co-writers at Country Universe.  Wait a minute.   I am a petty man.   I won! Yes! I won!  This country universe is mine.   Y’all just live in it.  Suckers.  (Except for you Leeann.  You didn’t get all up in my grill, talking smack before the throwdown.  You’re cool.)

10:56 ENTERTAINER – Kenny Chesney

10:54 Standing O for Shania.  Good God, she’s beautiful.   Welcome home.

10:50 So the only artist I see live who charges Eagles prices is Madonna, and I have to say that if she just stood there and growled, I’d feel ripped off.  Come on, guys.  Slap on some heels.  Throw in some synchronized dancing.  Jump some rope.  Rub up against something.   You’re supposed to be legends.

10:49 Dan: Once again, a washed up rock act gives us one of the better performances of the night. I like the Eagles, but that’s sad.

10:48 You know it’s bad when you’re hoping that Shania’s the surprise guest because you want to see some real country stars.

10:46 Paisley’s right about that.  The Eagles have a lot more to do with country music today than most seventies country stars.

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Country Universe Staff: 2008 CMA Predictions

Wednesday, November 12th, 2008

This afternoon, the Country Universe staff is following up last night’s personal picks with our actual predictions about who will win tonight. Check back tonight at show time to join the live blog and mock us for our defective divinations. Less

than four hours until showtime!

Entertainer

• Kenny Chesney- Kevin, Leeann, Blake
• Brad Paisley – Dan
• George Strait
• Sugarland
• Keith Urban

Kevin: BMG has to throw their weight behind either Chesney or Paisley. My hunch is they’ll back Chesney for Entertainer and Paisley for Male Vocalist.
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Leeann: It’s been Chesney all this time and not much has changed to make me think it won’t be Kenny again this year.
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Blake: Chesney remained steady on the concert trail and earned three #1 singles in the past year. This would be his fourth win, tying Garth Brooks for the most ever in the Entertainer lineup.
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Dan: It seems somewhat foolish to bet against a Chesney repeat, but I just have a nagging feeling that the favor will be thrown in Paisley’s direction this year by voters looking to honor someone new.
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Country Universe Staff: 2008 CMA Personal Picks

Tuesday, November 11th, 2008

As we gear up for tomorrow night’s CMA Awards Show, the staff of Country Universe share our personal picks in all categories.   Check back tomorrow for our predictions in each category.  Our third annual Live Blog will commence at the beginning of the show.

Entertainer

• Kenny Chesney- Blake
• Brad Paisley – Leeann, Lynn
• George Strait
• Sugarland – Kevin, Dan
• Keith Urban

Kevin: The only act in the running this year who has shown artistic, commercial and live performance growth is Sugarland, and they’ve grown by leaps and bounds.  In a race with four other acts who have long since settled into their styles, they’re the only ones who are still charting new territory.

Leeann: While Paisley may not use explosions or other fancy tricks to entertain his crowds, much like Vince Gill, he keeps them mesmerized with his comedy, graphic creations, incredible guitar prowess and a catalog of engaging songs – in other words, natural talent.

Blake: Kenny Chesney is the most significant touring act in country music and a genre-crossing ambassador for both fans and fly-by-night followers.

Dan: They can’t claim Chesney’s utter domination of the road, but Sugarland have been consistent sellers in a time where the very idea of selling well feels antiquated. They’re probably the best mainstream ambassadors for the genre right now, too, with musical output that challenges commercial conventions (see “Stay”), at least sort of acknowledges country music’s traditions (again, see “Stay”), and draws creatively from other genres (see the Beyoncé duet, the high-profile covers of Dream Academy and Matt Nathanson, the mish-mashy new album).

Male Vocalist

• Kenny Chesney
• Alan Jackson – Leeann
• Brad Paisley - Blake
• George Strait – Kevin, Dan, Lynn
• Keith Urban

Leeann: With Paisley as my close second choice, Jackson has the clear, smooth voice that ultimately gets my vote.  Like the man, his voice is simple but it is able to expertly capture each emotion that is needed for each song that he sings.  Moreover, every note that he sings comes with incredible ease.

Blake: His attempts at humor miss the mark occasionally, and his vocal range compares little to the great voices of the genre, but Paisley, with his tremendous guitar playing and stellar songwriting executes well enough to win a second consecutive Male Vocalist honor.

Dan: They all kind of put me to sleep this year, but George did it with the strongest set of songs. Paisley will probably repeat, but I say “Strait ’08.”

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Lynn: This is a tough category for me this year. I’m a fan of Alan Jackson, Brad Paisley and George Strait, but none of them really impressed me with their musical output. I’m going with Strait for keeping it country.

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Kevin: All of these men have been repeatedly honored by the CMA.  Collectively, they have 54 awards and 240 nominations to date.  It’s been a decade since Strait took this one home, and he’s put out better music this year than both Jackson and Urban, the only other vocalists here that are in his league.

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Female Vocalist

• Alison Krauss
• Miranda Lambert – Kevin, Leeann, Blake (tie), Dan, Lynn
• Martina McBride
• Taylor Swift
• Carrie Underwood – Blake (tie)

Blake: Underwood’s powerful pipes and positive contribution to the image of the genre deserve props.  Likewise to Lambert’s intelligent songwriting, fearless stage attitude and feisty vocal firepower.

Dan: We’re all pretty big fans of Crazy Ex-Girlfriend here, so…yeah.

Lynn: Except for Swift, vocally this category is a toss-up, and could be decided solely on personal preference. However, if one considers the strength of material as well, this award goes to Miranda Lambert, hands down.

Kevin: Alison Krauss and Carrie Underwood are both worthy of the honor, but Miranda Lambert deserves it the most. She made the best music.

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Leeann: Miranda has proven that she can sing a rocker with the necessary grit and energy to appropriate drive her up-tempo songs, but she has also demonstrated a lesser known ability to be able to sing with vulnerability and sensitivity when called upon to do so.  Out of the female singers on this list, Lambert has the most interesting voice.

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CMA Flashback: Horizon Award (New Artist)

Sunday, November 9th, 2008

For a look back at the other major categories, visit our CMA Awards page.

2010

• Luke Bryan
• Easton Corbin
• Jerrod Neimann
• Chris Young
• Zac Brown Band

Usually there isn’t this much turnover in this race unless most of last year’s nominees are ineligible.  This year, only one of the four eligible nominees from last year – Zac Brown Band – earns a nomination.  With their massive success and their multiple nominations, they’ve got an excellent shot at winning. Then again, Easton Corbin is elsewhere on the ballot, too. It could be a horse race.
2009

• Randy Houser
• Jamey Johnson
• Jake Owen
• Darius Rucker
  
• Zac Brown Band

Thirteen years after winning the Best New Artist Grammy as part of Hootie & The Blowfish, Darius Rucker won the country music equivalent, adding an exclamation point to the most successful pop-to-country crossover in a generation.

2008

• Jason Aldean
• Rodney Atkins
  
• Lady Antebellum
• James Otto
  
• Kellie Pickler

The industry favorites Lady Antebellum became the fourth band in history to win this award, following Rascal Flatts, Dixie Chicks and Sawyer Brown.

2007

• Jason Aldean
• Rodney Atkins
  
• Little Big Town
• Kellie Pickler
• Taylor Swift

In the year since winning the Horizon Award, Swift has solidified her position as the genre’s most successful rising star.  While her debut album hasn’t reached the sales heights of the first discs by previous winners Carire Underwood and Gretchen Wilson, Swift is still one of the genre’s only significant sellers.

2006

• Miranda Lambert
• Little Big Town
• Sugarland
• Josh Turner
• Carrie Underwood

I had a sneaking suspicion that Josh Turner was going to take this home, but as I’ve said before, Carrie’s got the best pipes since Trisha Yearwood. That she’ was acknowledged for that at such an early stage of her career is pretty amazing. Somehow I think the thrill of winning Horizon was short-lived, as winning Female Vocalist the same night left that memory in the dust.

2005

• Dierks Bentley
• Big & Rich
• Miranda Lambert
• Julie Roberts
• Sugarland

Four of these five were nominees again the following year, and all in categories besides just Horizon, though Lambert got another shot at that as well. I think Big & Rich and Sugarland are making the most interesting music, and they’re moving more units than Bentley, though he’s no slouch himself. The CMA showed good judgment this year.

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Discussion: Vote for Your CMA Picks

Tuesday, November 4th, 2008

Seems appropriate for Election Day.  Vote for your favorites and share your thoughts in the comments.  Be sure to click “more” so you can see all of the categories.

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Kellie Pickler, Kellie Pickler

Monday, September 29th, 2008

Kellie Pickler
Kellie Pickler

Kellie Pickler is at an important crossroads.

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.

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Kellie Pickler, “Don’t You Know You’re Beautiful”

Saturday, May 24th, 2008

Pickler debuted this single on last week’s ACM awards to a great response, and no wonder. She was saddled with quite a bit of disposable material on her debut album, but “Don’t You Know You’re Beautiful” adds substance to the sincerity she already possesses in spades. When I first heard this, it reminded me of “This One’s For the Girls”, and it is similar to that Martina McBride hit.

But McBride only sounded believable when she was talking to the older women in her song, while Pickler is most convincing when addressing the young girls who can’t afford designer jeans and who don’t want to go all the way in the back of that truck. I realize that teenage girls are a viable part of the country market right now, and I give credit to Pickler for addressing them without pandering to them. My initial skepticism of Pickler has faded. This is a promising preview of her sophomore album.

Grade: A-

Listen: Don’t You Know You’re Beautiful

Buy: Don’t You Know You’re Beautiful

Kellie Pickler, “Things That Never Cross a Man’s Mind”

Thursday, August 16th, 2007

You know what? I enjoyed listening to this a lot. I smiled, I laughed a few times. It reminded me of Pickler when she was at her most endearing on Idol. Her personality shines through and the song itself is quite clever.

Listen, if Mindy McCready isn’t going to get her act together and reclaim her quirky little niche in country music, Kellie Pickler might as well fill in for her!

Grade: A-

Listen: Things That Never Cross a Man’s Mind

Buy: Things That Never Cross a Man’s Mind