Country Universe

Single Review: Lady Antebellum, "Downtown"

February 10, 2013 Jonathan Keefe 13

Credit where credit is due: After a run of two full albums’ worth of singles that were each exponentially more tepid than the last, Lady Antebellum realized the urgent need for a course correction. “Downtown,” the lead single for the trio’s fourth album, may not be a return to the roots-rock sound of their promising debut, but it’s a definite, deliberate shift in style from the somnolent lite-AC pap that had become their signature. Lady A needed to do something different, and “Downtown” certainly is.

Grammy Awards 2013: Staff Picks and Predictions

February 8, 2013 Ben Foster 15

We’re only two days away from the annual event billed as Music’s Biggest Night – the 55th Grammy Awards. Among the live performances scheduled for the night, the country music genre will be represented by the likes of Dierks Bentley, Miranda Lambert, and Carrie Underwood. In addition, genre favorite Zac Brown is scheduled to participate in a star-studded tribute to the late Levon Helm along with Elton John, Mumford & Sons, Mavis Staples, and Brittany Howard of Alabama Shakes, while T. Bone Burnett will as musical director for the tribute performance.

We at Country Universe have busily pored over the list of this year’s nominees, and now we’re pleased to share our picks and predictions for the all-genre, country, and country-adjacent award categories. Do you agree? Do you disagree? Share your thoughts in the comments section, and tell us who you think will emerge victorious. Tune in for the live broadcast on Sunday, February 10 at 8:00 pm Eastern on CBS. We will be live blogging the show here at Country Universe, and we hope you will drop by and join in the fun.

Retro Single Review: George Strait, "Overnight Success"

February 5, 2013 Ben Foster 2

1989 | #1

Written by veteran songwriter Sanger D. “Whitey” Shafer (who had previously supplied Strait with hits such as “Does Forth Worth Ever Cross Your Mind” and “All My Ex’s Live In Texas”), “Overnight Success” was released in the fall of 1989 as fourth and final single from George Strait’s album Beyond the Blue Neon. It peaked at a respectable #8, breaking a streak of eleven number-one hits, but continuing Strait’s run of Top Ten hits that stretched back seven years.

Album Review: Randy Houser, <i>How Country Feels</i>

February 2, 2013 Ben Foster 11

Randy Houser
How Country Feels

Randy Houser impressed the critics with 2010’s They Call Me Cadillac, but country radio yawned, and neither of the album’s two singles cracked the Top 30. Houser’s Stoney Creek Records debut thus comes across as a mea culpa of sorts, as Houser shrugs his shoulders in defeat, and gets ready to do some good old-fashioned pandering.

Album Review: Sara Evans, <i>Playlist: The Very Best of Sara Evans</i>

January 29, 2013 Ben Foster 3

Sara Evans
Playlist: The Very Best of Sara Evans

While Sara Evans is reportedly in the studio hard at work on her forthcoming seventh studio album, Sony Legacy has released a new fourteen track retrospective of her sixteen-year career – the latest installment in the label’s Playlist series. Coming nearly five and a half years after Evans’ 2007 Greatest Hits package, Playlist: The Very Best of Sara Evans intersperses several of her biggest hits with a few less expected inclusions. While there is some great material to be heard, there are a few missed opportunities as well.

Single Review: Jake Owen, "Anywhere with You"

January 25, 2013 Ben Foster 14

If a song has nothing to say beyond what’s said in its title phrase, what’s the point of writing the song in the first place?

A Conversation with Amber Hayes

January 24, 2013 Ben Foster 3

Independent country artist Amber Hayes released her first EP C’mon in the summer of 2010, and has since been covering all media ground, building up a solid fan following without the support of a major label. She had already added “theater performer” to her resume back in 2008, when she was cast as Kathy in the Conway Twitty musical. The year 2012 brought about the release of her second EP Any Day Is a Good Day, as well as her screen debut in the film Cowgirls ‘n Angels. Amber Hayes recently spoke with Country Universe to discuss her accomplishments over the past year.

Signed Copy of Randy Houser’s How Country Feels Up for Grabs

January 22, 2013 Ben Foster 30

Contest closed. Congratulations to winner Seth Isley, whose favorite Randy Houser song is “Anything Goes.”

Randy Houser’s third album How Country Feels, featuring the hit title track, drops today. Country Universe is pleased to offer one autographed copy of this release to give away to one of our readers, courtesy of Girilla Marketing.

Single Review: Darius Rucker, "Wagon Wheel"

January 21, 2013 Dan Milliken 19

No matter that Old Crow Medicine Show’s original track isn’t even ten years old yet. Thanks to the proliferating powers of the modern age, “Wagon Wheel” has already become a chestnut – so much so that any new recording of it is bound to feel a little stale, even a long-overdue FM bid like this one.

iPod Check: Most Played Album Cuts

January 21, 2013 Kevin John Coyne 20

Country music has always been a singles genre, a fact that is clearly reflected on my iPod. Only three of my most thirty played country songs were never sent to radio. That doesn’t necessarily mean radio played them, of course.

My most played country song is Alan Jackson’s “So You Don’t Have to Love Me Anymore”, which didn’t crack the top twenty, and not far behind is Trisha Yearwood’s “Where are You Now”, which didn’t crack the top forty.

But looking at our most played album cuts is a great way to discover great music we might have missed, so it seems like a good choice for an iPod Check. Here are my country album cuts that I’ve played more than 5 times, separated by artist. Sort your list however you like. I’m getting my Amazon MP3 page loaded now so I can buy the great songs I’ve missed which surface in the comments.