Single Reviews
Single Review: Sara Evans, “Anywhere”
Nothing like a good country music driving song, right? I could make a whole road trip playlist full of them. Ostensibly, Sara Evans upcoming single “Anywhere” is seeking a spot on my road trip playlist. It’s a bit off-putting, unfortunately, that the lyric plays more like a watered-down knockoff of Jo Dee Messina’s “Heads Carolina, Tails California.”
At the very least, the single earns points for a committed vocal performance on Evans’ part, as well as a cool banjo-rocker of a production, which could have made for a pleasant little slice of pop-country. But the song structure is totally not there.
Single Review: Martina McBride featuring Pat Monahan, “Marry Me”
Honestly, I was never a huge fan of this particular Train hit. The lyric has a few interesting lines, but I couldn’t help but find it a bit schmaltzy and heavy-handed. Plus it’s like he just met this girl in a cafe, and he’s already getting ready to propose marriage? I would probably have liked the song better without “If I ever get the nerve to say hello in this cafe.”
So it figures that Martina McBride reworks it into a duet with Train frontman Pat Monohan (after having joined Train for an episode of CMT Crossroads), and I can’t get over how cool they make it sound.
Retro Single Review: George Strait, “It Ain’t Cool to be Crazy About You”
1986 | Peak: #1
It’s rare that the melody of a song’s verses is just about as memorable and catchy as its chorus, but such is the case with George Strait’s “It Ain’t Cool to be Crazy About You.” Just hearing the first strains of the simple piano intro makes it almost impossible to get the tune out of your head once it’s there. What’s more, words like “suave” and “debonair” make it nearly irresistible to sing along with.
Is it lightweight radio fluff? Yes.
Single Review: Luke Bryan, “Drunk on You”
I love every second of this.
I’ve had a fondness for Luke Bryan ever since his video for “Country Man.” There’s something both endearingly sincere and not quite serious about him.
Single Review: Kellie Pickler, “100 Proof”
Here’s a kooky little love song. It lilts by so sweetly that you kind of miss the verse lyrics at first. After another listen, you realize that the night of marital bliss in the chorus apparently stems from that couple feeling smug compared to another, less successful couple from earlier that night. And the other couple are their friends! You’re cold, Kellie and Kyle.
