Zach Crowell – Page 2 – Country Universe

Single Review: Cole Swindell, “Middle of a Memory”

October 4, 2016 Kevin John Coyne 2

Dudebro’s sense of entitlement leaves him confusing blatant rejection with a missed opportunity.

2016 CMA Nominations

August 31, 2016 Kevin John Coyne 13

This year’s CMA Nominations have been announced, and there are some major changes afoot, including some surprising inclusions (Maren Morris!) and even more surprising omissions (Blake Shelton!) Here’s who will compete this fall at the

Single Review: Carrie Underwood, “Church Bells”

April 4, 2016 Kevin John Coyne 15

Miranda Lambert may have the reputation as the genre’s rebel girl, but I’d be a lot more nervous about crossing Carrie Underwood.

Single Review: Carrie Underwood, “Heartbeat”

December 11, 2015 Kevin John Coyne 18

“Heartbeat” has been stuck in my head for days, which isn’t surprising, really. It has a solid hook that Underwood delivers with charm and sincerity, two qualities that I always find abundant in her work.

It’s a beautiful song, too. Romantic, heartfelt, and chock full of the specific details that make a song with a well-tread theme sound fresh and interesting.

Single Review: Sam Hunt, “Break Up in a Small Town”

November 18, 2015 Kevin John Coyne 8

I just don’t get Sam Hunt.

Single Review: Sam Hunt, “House Party”

July 5, 2015 Kevin John Coyne 19

“House Party” Sam Hunt Written by Zach Crowell, Jerry Flowers, and Sam Hunt I realize that Sam Hunt’s country music career might be little more than a stepping stone to filling one of those spinning

Single Review: Dustin Lynch, “Hell of a Night”

March 25, 2015 Kevin John Coyne 9

“Hell of a Night” Dustin Lynch Written by Jaron Boyer, Zach Crowell, and Adam Sanders I’m starting to believe that the “bro-country” movement doesn’t even exist, and it’s really just an attempt to ascribe meaning

CMA Awards 2014: Staff Predictions and Picks

November 2, 2014 Kevin John Coyne 29

Despite the Grammys and even the ACM’s demonstrating more consistent taste over the past few years, the CMA’s remain the most significant industry awards that honor country music. This year’s slate of nominees gives the

2014 CMA Nominations

September 6, 2014 Kevin John Coyne 49

This year’s CMA nominees are the best in years, with multiple nominations for Miranda Lambert, Kacey Musgraves, and Brandy Clark. Country radio may still be shunning women, but their embrace by CMA voters suggests that

Single Review: Keith Urban, “Cop Car”

January 16, 2014 Kevin John Coyne 14

One hallmark of a great singer is the ability to suspend the listener’s disbelief.

The storyline of “Cop Car” is very far-fetched, one of those Nashville compositions that takes fantastical lengths to try and tell the story of a young couple falling in love. In this case, they’re doing so right after being arrested for trespassing, while in handcuffs in the back seat of a police car.