Country Universe – A Country Music Blog

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.

Premium Label

Sunday, September 12th, 2010

September has a lot of album releases that I’m really enjoying or looking forward to. In fact, it’s the most lucrative month for music for my taste in quite some time.

Last Tuesday (September 7), Rounder Records released The SteelDrivers’ second album, Reckless (which is pretty spectacular, by the way) and this week, they will be releasing Robert Plant’s follow up to his 2007 collaborative album with Alison Krauss, also on Rounder. From the streaming preview that can be heard on NPR’s website until release day, the album is a wonderfully rootsy project helmed by Plant and Buddy Miller and includes guitar work from Darrell Scott. October will also finally see the release of Joe Diffie’s bluegrass album on the label.

When one learns that an album will be released through Rounder Records (which has recently been sold to Concord Music Group), it’s pretty much automatically expected that the project will be quality. Whether it’s The SteelDrivers, Robert Plant, Joe Diffie, John Mellancamp, Alison Krauss or Willie Nelson, it’s reasonable to assume certain aspects of a Rounder release, including that the album may even stray from a typical artist release to be more rootsy in approach, as is the case with the recent Willie Nelson and John Mellancamp albums, along with the upcoming Diffie project. More often than not, I can count on Rounder Records to please my musical sensibilities, even with unexpected artists, since I never expected that Robert Plant would be recording some of my favorite roots music.

As much as I love and count on Rounder Records to produce great music, my absolute favorite record company is Sugar Hill Records (owned by Vanguard Records). Incidentally, Joey+Rory will be releasing their anticipated second album through Sugar Hill on Tuesday (September 14). Additionally, Marty Stuart’s recent release, the excellent Ghost Train, was released through them as well. Other artist who have been associated with Sugar Hill include, but are not limited to: Nickel Creek, Ricky Skaggs, Guy Clark, Dolly Parton, Darrell Scott, Kasey Chambers and Shane Nicholson, The Duhks, Sarah Jarosz, and the list goes on. As with Rounder Records, many artists seem to release albums with Sugar Hill as a deviation from the music for which they are most popularly associated, as is the case with Dolly Parton, Ricky Skaggs, and even Rodney Crowell, who released his venerable The Houston Kid on the label.

Right now, it seems that my favorite record labels aren’t in the business of releasing music that we hear on mainstream country radio, though Joey+Rory are attempting to crack through. While I don’t have the inside knowledge to say that it doesn’t exist, we don’t hear about the red tape and politics that is ever present with major companies like, lets say, the infamous Curb Records, which has produced some rather publicly disgruntled artists, most notably Tim McGraw and the two Living Hank Williamses.

But when I was a kid, MCA Records was the label that seemed like the powerhouse record company for country music to me. Some of my favorite artists were on that label, including Trisha Yearwood, George Strait, Reba McEntire and, of course, Vince Gill. I admired the country roster of Arista as well, which included Alan Jackson, Diamond Rio, Radney Foster, and Blackhawk.

Along with reminding you about some good releases that have recently been released and will soon be available, this is the very long and self-indulgent way of getting to the question of:

What is the record label that you most admire and can count on to release your favorite music?

Top-Selling Country Albums of 2009

Monday, January 4th, 2010

Here are the top selling country albums of the calendar year 2009.  The number in parentheses is the album’s rank on the overall list encompassing all genres. The totals are rounded to the nearest thousand:

1. Taylor Swift, Fearless (1) – 3,157,000
2. Zac Brown Band, Foundation (15) – 1,243,000
3. Carrie Underwood, Play On (19) – 1,150,000
4. Rascal Flatts, Unstoppable (21) – 1,123,000
5. Lady Antebellum, Lady Antebellum (24) – 948,000
6. Jason Aldean, Wide Open (27) – 940,000
7. Darius Rucker, Learn to Live (31) – 849,000
8. Taylor Swift, Taylor Swift (36) – 766,000
9. Keith Urban, Defying Gravity (38) – 715,000
10. Sugarland, Love On the Inside (41) – 678,000
11. Kenny Chesney, Greatest Hits II (54) – 547,000
12. Tim McGraw, Southern Voice (55) – 547,000
13. George Strait, Twang (62) – 499,000
14. Brad Paisley, American Saturday Night (69) – 462,000
15. Jamey Johnson, That Lonesome Song (71) – 460,000
16. Carrie Underwood, Carnival Ride (74) – 457,000
17. Taylor Swift, The Holiday Collection (79) – 425,000
18. Reba McEntire, Keep On Loving You (93) – 389,000
19. Rascal Flatts, Greatest Hits Volume 1 (104) – 359,000
20. Miranda Lambert, Revolution (112) – 334,000
21. Alan Jackson, Good Time (124) – 311,000
22. Billy Currington, Little Bit of Everything (125) – 310,000
23. Robert Plant & Alison Krauss, Raising Sand (126) – 305,000
24. Dierks Bentley, Feel That Fire (129) – 298,000
25. Toby Keith, American Ride (137) – 288,000
26. Sugarland, Gold and Green (149) – 255,000
27. Carrie Underwood, Some Hearts (158) – 248,000
28. Sugarland, Live on the Inside (168) – 232,000
29. Sugarland, Enjoy the Ride (180) – 225,000
30. Kellie Pickler, Kellie Pickler (190) – 218,000
31. Various Artists, Now Country Vol. 2 (192) – 214,000
32. Kenny Chesney, Lucky Old Sun (193) – 219,000

The 100 Greatest Albums of the Decade, Part 8: #30-#21

Tuesday, December 8th, 2009

The 100 Greatest Albums of the Decade, Part 8

#30
Trisha Yearwood, Heaven, Heartache, and the Power of Love

The latest album from Trisha Yearwood  was one of her best yet, with a surprisingly loose sound and quite a few more uptempo tracks than is the norm for this queen of the ballads.  The best moments came from the pens of female songwriters, most notably the poignant “Dreaming Fields” penned by Matraca Berg. – Kevin Coyne

Recommended Tracks: “This Is Me You’re Talking To”, “Dreaming Fields”, “Sing You Back to Me”

#29
Pam Tillis,  Rhinestoned

On Rhinestoned, Pam Tillis demonstrates that she need not limit herself to covering her father’s songs in order to make a stellar traditional leaning album in her own right. The album, co-produced by Tillis, is consistent with accessible melodies, gentle, classic arrangements and impressively nuanced performances. While this is Tillis’ best album of the decade, it’s also possibly the best of her substantive career. – Leeann Ward

Recommended Tracks: “Something Burning Out”, Band in the Window”, “Life Has Sure Changed Us Around” (with John Anderson)

#28
Patty Loveless, Dreamin’ My Dreams

The reigning Miss Country Covers has proven almost ad nauseam that she can re-render a standard with the best of them. But the might of Patty Loveless’ talent emerges more fully in her musically diverse contemporary albums, which allow her powerful voice to flex its complete range of colors and nuances. Those sets also exercise more of her taste, giving opportunity for song selections which, at their sharpest, present an inspiring vision of how country music can evolve without losing its core identity. Dreamin’ My Dreams is an achievement on both fronts, arguably one of the brightest moments in a very distinguished career. – Dan Milliken

Recommended Tracks: “Keep Your Distance”, “When Being Who You Are Is Not Enough”, “Nobody Here By That Name”

#27
Peter Cooper, Mission Door

Peter Cooper’s Mission Door is an album built around the most country of instrumentation, centered around Lloyd Green on steel guitar. Full of insightful glimpses of troubled lives, it might be considered a throwback, but on the strength of its writing and sound it never seems to try to exist in the past. – William Ward

Recommended Tracks: “All the Way to Heaven”, “715 (For Hank Aaron)”, “Sheboygan”

#26
Robert Plant and Alison Krauss, Raising Sand

Alison Krauss and Led Zeppelin’s front man, Robert Plant, are surely an unlikely duo. It turns out, however, that they managed to make one of the most intriguing duets projects of the decade. With vocal styles that are on opposite ends of the spectrum, they find a way to meld together to create an easy harmony that causes the listener to forget their vocal dissimilarities. Moreover, T Bone Burnett’s slow burning productions perfectly compliment this diverse set of songs to make it a legitimately cohesive record. – LW

Recommended Tracks: “Sister Rosetta Goes Before Us”, “Please Read the Letter”, “Through the Morning, Through the Night”

#25
Todd Snider, East Nashville Skyline

One of music’s most poetic songwriters lays bare his fears, demons and revelations, throwing in the requisite dry wit and some loosey-goosey social commentary for good measure. Snider has rarely sounded countrier, and he’s never sounded better. – DM

Recommended Tracks: “Alcohol And Pills”, “The Ballad Of the Kingsmen”, “Sunshine”

#24
Randy Travis, Worship & Faith

Randy Travis has dedicated most of this decade to his spiritual side. Of all of his gospel albums, this collection is the most traditional both in arrangements and content, which covers several beloved hymns, gospel and praise and worship songs. Travis sings these meaningful compositions with a depth of sincerity that truly makes partaking of this rootsy project a spiritual experience. – LW

Recommended Tracks: “He’s My Rock, My Sword, My Shield”, “Just A Closer Walk with Thee” (with John Anderson), “Sweet By and By”

#23
Sugarland, Love On the Inside (Deluxe Fan Edition)

More so than any act since the Dixie Chicks, Sugarland can fuse mainstream country with roots instrumentation in such imaginative ways that even pop audiences will lap it up.  This is the best commercial country album from the tail end of the decade, powered by the Nettles/Bush songwriting chops and the awe-inspiring vocals of Miss Nettles. – KC

Recommended Tracks: “We Run”, “Keep You”, “Very Last Country Song”

#22
Keith Urban, Be Here

Urban is an exceptional vocalist, songwriter and guitar player, but what separates him from his contemporaries is the raw, explosive emotion he throws into his performances. Be Here finds him channeling this passion more vigorously than ever and in new, more revealing ways – like the wrenching confession, “Tonight I Wanna Cry.” Urban bypasses the role of interpreter on this album and simply inhabits the material; he’s as complex a person to be able to sing realistically, yet poignantly, of both life’s highest mountaintops and deepest valleys. Even further, Be Here is as accessible as it is personal, a quality that is perhaps what has made Urban one of the most accomplished recording artists in mainstream country music. – Tara Seetharam

Recommended Tracks: “Days Go By”, “Tonight I Wanna Cry”, “Live To Love Another Day”

#21
Neko Case & Her Boyfriends, Furnace Room Lullaby

Neko Case’s Furnace Room Lullaby is familiar with its use of reverb and Case’s overflowing voice. What may not be familiar for some is how much Case, who has moved more towards alternative influences with recent albums, draws from country influences on her sophomore album. – WW

Recommended Tracks: “Set Out Running”, “Porchlight”, “South Tacoma Way”

- – -

• 100 Greatest Albums of the Decade, Part 1: #100-#91
• 100 Greatest Albums of the Decade, Part 2: #90-#81
• 100 Greatest Albums of the Decade, Part 3: #80-#71
• 100 Greatest Albums of the Decade, Part 4: #70-#61
• 100 Greatest Albums of the Decade, Part 5: #60-51
• 100 Greatest Albums of the Decade, Part 6: #50-#41
• 100 Greatest Albums of the Decade, Part 7: #40-#31
• 100 Greatest Albums of the Decade, Part 9: #20-#11
• 100 Greatest Albums of the Decade, Conclusion: #10-#1

Double Your Pleasure, Double Your Fun: The Dailey & Vincent Interview

Monday, March 2nd, 2009

If anything, Jamie Dailey and Darrin Vincent are double trouble. In a good way, of course. The pair recently swept the SPBGMA Bluegrass Music Awards, a near-replica of their performance at last fall’s International Bluegrass Music Association Awards, where they claimed seven trophies. On March 31, they’ll release the followup to last year’s critically-acclaimed debut disc, aptly-titled Dailey & Vincent. The duo called from Nashville’s downtown YMCA to discuss their new album and touring plans for 2009 (and beyond). Sponsorships welcomed.

Brothers from Different Mothers is your second album together. Were there any shifts in approach or attitude this time around?

DV: We wanted to make the recording quality better.  We’re trying to give the best performances we can give. We capture what’s in our hearts and capture the CD in a different light, to make it something that the audience will purchase and play over and over again.

“Head Hung Down” is a fascinating starting point—a man stuck in the rain trying to catch the train home to his beloved. The perfect introduction to a bluegrass album, don’t you think?

DV: Yeah. (laughs) Why we chose the song is, we recorded the whole record, but we didn’t have an upbeat barnburner to start the album. We were kind of stuck in the studio and we talked to Robert Gaitley and he actually had a song he thought would work that he’d written. He sent us over an mp3 of the song and I wrote down the lyrics, and within about an hour we’d laid out the arrangement. It’s amazing what technology we have these days.

JD: Darrin’s just great about sequencing the record. We want to record the best possible songs for the album, but he knows how to make it all fit.

(more…)

The 51st Annual Grammy Awards: The Big Four (Staff Favorites)

Saturday, February 7th, 2009

• “Chasing Pavements,” Adele
• “Viva La Vida,” Coldplay  (Blake, Lynn)
• “Bleeding Love,” Leona Lewis
• “Paper Planes,” M.I.A.  (Dan, Kevin)
• “Please Read The Letter,” Robert Plant & Alison Krauss

Blake: Coldplay’s anthemic rock ballad just feels like the most important record of the year.  A pure atmospheric wonder, “Viva” is a string-laden symphony that ponders the fear of power, paranoia and eternal purgatory. Here, Chris Martin sings about being king, one with a self-doubting streak. For four intensely brilliant (but confusing) minutes,  he wears the crown well.

Dan: I think these are all pretty exemplary records – even “Bleeding Love” is a cut above a lot of radio pop, and it’s easily the weakest thing here. I’m really tempted to pick Adele’s big inner-conflict number; it has a classic quality to it, and her performance is phenomenal. But I have to give my support to M.I.A.’s weirdly brilliant satire of immigrant stereotypes – there’s just nothing else like it out there.

Kevin: M.I.A. turned in the most wildly entertaining and intellectually challenging hit this year.

Lynn: I’m definitely not a huge Coldplay fan (I believe the operative word I used in the past was b.o.r.i.n.g.), but even I found “Viva La Vida” nearly irresistible this year.

(more…)

The 51st Annual Grammy Awards: The Big Four (Staff Predictions)

Saturday, February 7th, 2009

Dan: I wouldn’t be at all surprised to see “Viva La Vida” triumph, but something tells me the older voters will squeak Plant & Krauss to a win here. Coldplay took this award home for “Clocks” when theirs was the tamest song in the category, but now P&K have that distinction.

Kevin: I have serious trouble betting against a Grammy favorite and an overdue legend.  I think that Plant and Krauss will sweep all of their categories.

Lynn: I will be shocked if “Viva La Vida” does not win this category. I haven’t encountered such a universally loved/admired song in a long time.

(more…)

The 51st Annual Grammy Awards: Keeping It Country (Staff Favorites)

Friday, February 6th, 2009

The second article in our Grammy Awards series, our personal favorites in the country categories at this year’s ceremony.

Best Country Album

• Jamey Johnson, That Lonesome Song
• Patty Loveless, Sleepless Nights  (Blake, Leeann)
• George Strait, Troubadour
• Randy Travis, Around the Bend
• Trisha Yearwood, Heaven, Heartache and the Power of Love  (Dan, Kevin, Lynn)
  

Blake: Strait’s collection is a mixed bag of middlebrow art with the occasional glimpse at his right-as-rain Texas style. Excepting Troubadour, these discs are highwater marks for the genre. Johnson and Loveless finished one-two on my 2008 list, but I’ll root for Loveless to win a long-awaited solo Grammy.

Dan: I actually think Johnson made the best album, but Yearwood’s is my second-favorite, and she’s long overdue.

Kevin: It’s a strong field overall, but Yearwood’s album is the most cohesive. She’s the greatest female album artist since Emmylou Harris, yet she’s never won an album award. It’s time.

Leeann: My choice is Patty Loveless’ album, though Trisha Yearwood’s is a very close second. While Loveless’ is an album of covers, it’s the one I find myself putting in without skipping a track more than Yearwood’s. I really would be happy for either choice, however.

Lynn: Loveless put together my favorite album as a whole, but Yearwood is long overdue and her wonderful album was shamefully ignored. I hope she wins.

(more…)

The 51st Annual Grammy Awards: Keeping It Country (Staff Predictions)

Friday, February 6th, 2009

In a nod towards diversity, the General Field nominees for the 51st annual Grammy Awards include a shepherd’s pie of musical genres, with Brit soul ingenues (Adele, Duffy) against American pop trios (Jonas Bros., Lady A), Brit pop bands (Coldplay, Radiohead) against American rappers (Ne-Yo, Lil’ Wayne), all with a Brit rock legend (Robert Plant) lording over them. While it’s hard to argue the breadth of recent nominees in these categories, their depth is always up for discussion (see: Herbie Hancock, 2008 Album of the Year; Ray Charles, 2005 Record of the Year).

The country field is filled with critical faves. George Strait enjoys the strongest across-the-board success in his estimable career, newcomer Jamey Johnson is lauded for his neo-outlaw soul, and Randy Travis, Patty Loveless and Trisha Yearwood continue Grammy’s trend of nominating veterans alongside newer artists.

The staff of Country Universe have chosen their personal favorites and predictions for this year’s Grammy ceremony. First up on the docket: our predictions in the country categories.

Best Country Album

• Jamey Johnson, That Lonesome Song (Blake, Leeann, Lynn)
• Patty Loveless, Sleepless Nights
• George Strait, Troubadour  (Dan, Kevin)
• Randy Travis, Around the Bend
• Trisha Yearwood, Heaven, Heartache and the Power of Love

Blake: Is Jamey Johnson the savior of modern-day country music? I think by placing his name next to four of the format’s legends, the Grammy voters have already voiced their opinion on the matter. The vociferous critical support surrounding this release suggests that Johnson will surpass the veterans in this race.

Dan: I was totally thinking Johnson until just this morning, but I’m having last-minute doubts about his widespread support – he’s still very new to lots of voters, and I’m not confident that his hype will be sufficient to summon confidence from everyone voting in this category. So I’m siding with Kevin’s prediction on Strait.

Kevin: The only proven vote-getter here is Randy Travis, but I’m doubtful that he’ll be able to triumph with Johnson and Loveless garnering so many of the traditionalist’s votes. Grammy loves its women, which could give Yearwood and Loveless an advantage, but I’m not sure there’s a clear favorite between them. I’m going to go out on a limb and predict George Strait. He’s long overdue for a Grammy, and he has the most commercially successful album of the five. With three of the album’s songs represented in other categories (“Troubadour”, “I Saw God Today, “House of Cash”), this might be his year.

Leeann: I really think Johnson will grab this one. The critics love him and he’s had the most hype in the last year.

Lynn: I agree this will be a tough one for Grammy voters. Yearwood and Loveless both have the sheer talent Grammy voters appreciate and they produced quality albums. However, I think the voters’ penchant and love for multi-talented newcomers with musical integrity will give Johnson his first Grammy.

(more…)

Leeann Ward’s Top Singles of 2008

Saturday, December 27th, 2008

Here are my favorite singles of 2008. As Dan has done, I lifted the entries that I had already written from our collective list for this article.

#20: Robert Plant & Alison Krauss, “Please Read The Letter”
The album from which this song comes seems like an unlikely collaboration. It, however, somehow works as one of the best albums of the decade and any song from it would make my top twenty singles list this year.

#19: Hank Williams III, “Six Pack of Beer”

Hank Williams III is known for relishing a rebel persona and this attitude is often reflected in his music. More often than not, his songs contain observations wrapped in harsh lyrics that cause me to wince, but his production and voice, which are both more comparable to Hank Sr. than Hank III’s father, still draws me to his music, nonetheless. This song, however, is simply pure ear candy. There’s nothing in it that makes me feel like I have to turn it down in mixed company as is the case with so many other Hank III songs. It’s nice sometimes.

#18: Jason Michael Carroll, “I Can Sleep When I’m Dead”

I’m not much of a Jason Michael Carroll fan, but there’s just something about this song that is infectious. The rapid and frenzied production matches its premise, “I can sleep when I’m dead.”

#17: Gary Allan, “Learning How To Bend”

As Dan has pointed out, these aren’t words that most men would say without feeling extremely awkward. The intriguing thing about Gary Allan is that he can get away with it without anyone unfairly questioning his masculinity. He sings this song with fine vocal execution and hits those falsetto notes with incredible ease.

#16: Carrie Underwood, “Just A Dream”

While I could live with a more understated melody that sounded less like it was written by Diane Warren, I can’t help recognize that Underwood’s performance is just right for this intense song. I can only imagine that it aptly captures both the hazy confusion and blunt pain that accompanies the sudden loss of a significant other. I know it’s how I would feel.

(more…)