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Single Review: Jason Aldean, “Dirt Road Anthem”

April 11, 2011 Kevin John Coyne 92

Few songs have come along that serve such a valid sociological purpose as “Dirt Road Anthem.”

With this single, Jason Aldean pulls back the curtain on the mysterious ways of rural southern society. How fearless of Aldean to allow outsiders this rare glimpse into the social mores and recreational activities of southern youth.

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Toxic People

April 8, 2011 Kevin John Coyne 13

This post, originally written on September 19, 2005, seems to have disappeared from the Country Universe archives when we switched over to self-hosting. I’m reposting it today for the sake of posterity.

I’m starting to wonder if the people I like and can get along with all fall into one category and the people I can’t stand to be around or have a conversation with fall into another. The categories?
1 – You believe that you have a moral obligation to other people, and live your life accordingly.
2 – You look out for yourself primarily, and what you feel is best for you informs any obligation you feel to other people.

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Single Review: Emmylou Harris, “The Road”

April 7, 2011 Kevin John Coyne 9

The story of Emmylou Harris is well established, the stuff of legend at this point.

She could’ve been Gram Parsons’ harmony singer for the rest of her career and been happy, but she ended up carrying on his legacy instead, becoming a Hall of Famer with the most consistently excellent catalog in country music history.

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ACM Live Blog 2011

April 3, 2011 Dan Milliken 90

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

Top Still-Deciding Vocalist:

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”

Couple of the Year:

(^ Not to be confused with) 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”

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ACM Picks & Predictions

April 2, 2011 Kevin John Coyne 22

And some amount of us will be live-blogging the show tomorrow at 8 pm/7 central. Join!

Entertainer of the Year

Picks

  • Jason Aldean
  • Toby Keith
  • Miranda Lambert – Dan
  • Brad Paisley – Leeann, Tara
  • Taylor Swift – Kevin
  • Keith Urban

Predictions

  • Jason Aldean
  • Toby Keith
  • Miranda Lambert
  • Brad Paisley
  • Taylor Swift – Dan, Kevin, Leeann, Tara
  • Keith Urban
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Single Review: Chris Young, “Tomorrow”

March 30, 2011 Dan Milliken 18

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 inherent value as a human being – possibly my mother’s and little sister’s, too. Chris 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 Young’s first two albums.

So, granted: This single was probably going to sound all sexy-cool no matter what. Happily, though, 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 now, and he’s using his powers to inject some actual psychological complication back into the format.

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