Lorrie Morgan
Sunday Selections: March 20, 2016
There are precious few artists more capable of bringing real depth to a straightforward pop song than Trisha Yearwood. Her performances of songs by the […]
Sunday Selections: February 14, 2016
The season of inexplicable artist PR continues. Last week, we had Chase Rice insisting that his aLBuM is going to be super deep and meaningful […]
Lorrie Morgan on Life, Music and Letting Go
It’s been over five years since Lorrie Morgan has released a new solo country album, but her fans’ wait comes to an end with the February 12 release of her new album Letting Go…Slow on Shanachie Entertainment. The twelve-track set features previously unheard material alongside covers of classic hits by Patsy Cline, Bobbie Gentry, Vern Gosdin, Larry Gatlin, Bob Dylan and Earl Thomas Conley. The award-winning recording artist recently took some time out of her busy schedule to discuss the new project with media via conference call.
The Best Singles of 1993, Part Two: #30-#21
Our Best Singles of 1993 list continues with a collection of #1 hits, breakthrough hits, and should’ve been hits. Kicking things off is the debut […]
Say What? – Keith Hill
UPDATE: Check out the impeccably researched work of Deb B, also known as Windmills, over at MJ’s Big Blog: Country Radio & The Anti-Female Female […]
Daily Top Five: Should’ve Been Hits
Today’s Daily Top Five is loosely inspired by reader PSUMucci. What are five singles that should’ve been hits? They could be songs that ended up […]
Country Universe’s Best Albums of 2013, Part One: #40-#21
For the second year, Country Universe is publishing a 40-deep list of the year’s best albums. Part One includes releases from talented newcomers, genre legends, and quite a few entries from the outskirts of country music. As usual, that’s where most of the cool stuff can be found.
Country Universe will close out our year with the conclusion of this list tomorrow. As always, share your thoughts and opinions in the comments!
#40
Ventucky
Dan Grimm
Individual rankings: #12 – Jonathan
The EP format doesn’t leave much margin for error, but with a knack for unconventional imagery and a style that blends vintage SoCal rock with authentic honky-tonk, Dan Grimm ensures that every track on his freewheeling, endlessly likable Ventucky is a standout. – Jonathan Keefe
Recommended Tracks: “Skeletor,” “300 Beers”
Country Universe’s Best Singles of 2013, Part One: #40-#21
For the second year in a row, our seven writers – Kevin Coyne, Leeann Ward, Dan Milliken, Tara Seetharam, Ben Foster, Jonathan Keefe, and Sam Gazdziak – individually listed our twenty favorite albums and singles of the year. It’s a diverse crop of singles, some of which dominated country radio, while others were primarily heard in the Americana, bluegrass, and alternative country worlds. Today, we present the first half of our singles list, with the conclusion to follow tomorrow. Share your favorites in the comments!
#40
“Someone Somewhere Tonight”
Kellie Pickler
Individual rankings: #16 – Ben; #19 – Tara
A sweeping power ballad anchored by an intimate chorus and Pickler’s pleading sincerity. – Tara Seetharam
Getting to Know Brandy Clark
As a general rule, you can scan the credits of any new country album and assume that if Brandy Clark is a writer on one of the songs, it’s the best song on the album. As Clark readies the release of 12 Stories, her debut album as an artist, it’s a great time for fans of that remarkable set to get caught up on Clark’s work to date.
Believe the hype. Clark really is as good as everyone is saying she is. Possibly even better, as these twenty tracks suggest. Scroll down to the bottom, and you can listen to snippets from all of them as you read along.