Country Universe

Single Review: Hunter Hayes, "Somebody's Heartbreak"

November 24, 2012 Kevin John Coyne 7

You know how some kids are all excited to go into battle, and then they join the army and find out what war’s really like?

100 Greatest Men: #31. Randy Travis

November 23, 2012 Kevin John Coyne 12

100 Greatest Men: The Complete List

He’s widely hailed as the leader of the new traditionalist movement of the mid-eighties, but his impressive sales numbers made him something the genre had never seen before: a traditionalist superstar.

100 Greatest Men: #32. A.P. Carter

November 23, 2012 Kevin John Coyne 4

100 Greatest Men: The Complete List

His legacy has often languished in the shadows of his more accomplished female relatives, but A.P. Carter’s contributions to the development of country music remain essential.

Album Review: Terri Clark, <i>Classic</i>

November 20, 2012 Ben Foster 9

A great covers record, no matter how sincere the artist’s intentions, must provide a satisfactory answer to one question: Why should we listen to this artist’s versions of these songs when the originals are still there for us to enjoy?

Single Reviews Round-Up: Katie Armiger, Brett Eldredge, Justin Moore, Kelly Clarkson ft. Vince Gill, Miss Willie Brown, & Jason Aldean ft. Luke Bryan and Eric Church

November 19, 2012 Tara Seetharam 25

Katie Armiger, “Better in a Black Dress”

Written by Katie Armiger and Blair Daly

An ode to being a chain-free, red wine-drinking hot mess could be tacky and unnecessarily snarky in lesser hands. In Armiger’s, it’s tasteful, swampy and empowering. Grade: B+

Single Review: Carrie Underwood, "Two Black Cadillacs"

November 18, 2012 Kevin John Coyne 35

Thankfully, this should be the last single this year from Carrie Underwood.

Retro Single Review: George Strait, "Ace in the Hole"

November 18, 2012 Kevin John Coyne 2

1989 | Peak: #1

A Western Swing spin on “The Gambler.”

Retro Single Review: Alan Jackson, "I'll Try"

November 18, 2012 Kevin John Coyne 4

1995 | Peak: #1

As promises of never-ending love go, this isn’t terribly optimistic.

Single Review: Dustin Lynch, "She Cranks My Tractor"

November 13, 2012 Ben Foster 8

Well… it has words that rhyme.

Single Review: Hayden Panetierre, "Telescope"

November 13, 2012 Ben Foster 15

I love how Hayden Panettiere’s “Juliette Barnes” character on ABC’s Nashville supposedly represents the “adolescent pop” side of country music… and yet somehow still manages to sound more country than half of what’s on country radio today.