ACM’s “Artist of the Decade”: George Strait Review (Aired 05.27.09)

Rumors of my death are not clear, nor are they true.  I’ve been wanting to post but kept putting it off and did not have the time to execute it.  This review was a good way to get something in, without it being a recommendation.  I’m hoping this does not take too much time to write lol (but hopefully, still be long), so here goes!

Yeah my review is a bit postponed… it’s about a week and a half later and people probably don’t care about it anymore.  I ended up watching the tribute show the next evening after it aired because my eyes were glued to the Nuggets vs. Lakers game that night (my team lost, of course lol)…but anyway, I’ve been looking forward to this tribute show ever since I heard about it months ago.  The taping for this show took place the night after the ACM Awards in April.  George Strait is THE man and my favorite artist of all time, and it’s so cool to see this (sometimes) fine lineup of artists honoring him by performing his songs from throughout his career.  Overall, I immensely enjoyed and wish CBS would air re-runs so more people could see it.

Sugarland opening the show with their version of “Adalida”.  I usually don’t care for Jennifer Nettles’s voice, but it worked really well here and you could tell she and the guy were passionate about it.  Though the lyrics are more suited for a male, it didn’t matter.  Love that Cajun feel!  YouTube performance video link.

Toby Keith followed with “Unwound”.  It had noticeably a slightly updated production but still kept the same basic sound, and Toby did an excellent job.  I haven’t heard his voice sound this good and spirited in years!  You don’t hear this song too often (unless you play it on iTunes), so it was a treat to hear it on here.  YouTube performance video link.

One of my personal favorites, Brooks & Dunn were next.  They chose, well Ronnie Dunn chose, for them to sing “The Cowboy Rides Away”.  This is a fine example of how well traditional country, a theme of cowboys, and B&D go together.  It even got Kix Brooks to sing along, in more than just harmony, equally on the chorus.  I really loved that, and Ronnie sang the hell out of the song.  YouTube performance video link.

The following performance was unique.  First, because the song choice is one of my least favorite Strait songs ever, and a song I don’t ever really listen to: “It Ain’t Cool to Be Crazy About You”.  The production on the original song, IMO, is so so boring and poppy, but with the second surprise, that being a duet of the song with Miranda Lambert and Blake Shelton, it was given new life and a more than tolerable listen.  They did a sweet job and it was nice to watch (Blake was also really funny in his opening words in regards to his Pure Country ode).  YouTube performance video link.

In a change to a non-Strait part of the evening, in a nod to past Decade Artist honorees, they added them into the show, with Keith Urban performing a medley of Marty Robbins’s hits ["Singing the Blues", "El Paso", "A White Sport Coat (And a Pink Carnation)"].  I admit that Urban’s voice sounded good, but I still don’t buy him as a country singer, so the covers, to me, felt awkward and took too long.  He did better than three other people though, so I’ll consider it “OK”.  YouTube performance video link.

44th Academy of “Country Music” Awards Reaction

No, I am not dead and yes, I am a horrific monster for being so neglectful to this blog.  I feel so bad for posting nothing new since middle February.  I’ve been pretty busy and overwhelmed with work, dealing with student loan crap, I took a birthday trip, and I procrastinated too too long.  I don’t have much time to make posts these days, but I figured tonight was feeling good and I wanted to voice my opinion on some new things.  First off, the ACMs that took place on Sunday night – what a travesty to watch! These things get worse every year, seriously.  Even as an optimistic person, I don’t see a lot of real hope for the future of (mainstream) country music…

(I know, symbolism can only go so far, but I edited the above pic this way because, once again, the awards were all about the money – thus the ugly green color lol. I also used the “shoplifter” font because every time I watch these things, I feel like something big has been stolen from me, and from country music. The exclamation point kinda symbolizes how the intended audience for this show has young people written all over it!)

To begin, I did watch most the show on Sunday night (I switched back n forth between the awards, and one of my new favorite TV shows, Celebrity Apprentice – which I gotta say, as much as I love Clint Black and his music, I really didn’t like him that much in this last episode, and I am shocked that he wasn’t fired, as he should have been…but I still enjoy his music hehe).  I didn’t watch all of the Awards (thank God), but will comment on what I remember…even almost a week later. Here are reaction blogs from CU, 9513, and CC.

So, anyway, Brooks & Dunn semi-opened the show with their hit, and one of my favorites, “Play Something Country” (which caught me by surprise because that was their single like two years ago?), which was soon interrupted by Taylor Swift, Sugarland, AND Rascal Flatts (and Carrie Underwood joined too) who all sang small segments of their hit songs, which cut back n forth between the artists, and ended with a sing-a-long to B&D’s song.  Now, cutting forward to Taylor later in the show: she gave an over-the-top/I’m trying-too-hard performance of one of her new songs with a piano and David Copperfield, which began with “magic” and ended with an exaggerated head-into-arms gesture, which was supposed to be acting I’m guessing?  Wow, tragic.  There’s about a million more sells from teenage girls who were touched by how emotional it was (and btw, “Album of the Year”? WTF?).  Sugarland sang some song, and like I’ve said many times before, I’m not a fan of their’s, so I skipped forward…just don’t like that accent.  I didn’t even listen to the Rascals. Yuck.  No more screeching, please.  Carrie performed “I Told You So” in a huge staged-sized red dress and did one of the best vocal performances of the night.  I may not care for the song, but she did really good.  She seems to perform live best with the slower tunes. (oh, and congrats to her Entertainer win, though I do wish Strait won it, for selfish reasons :p).

Reba McEntire is hosting again and that’s great.  I love her and there’s a sense of comfort with her.  She did well with hosting duties, like always, and she became one of my favorite performers of the evening with her new single, “Strange”.  That song reminds me somewhat of “I’m Gonna Take That Mountain” , just with some rock sounds.  Can’t wait to hear the studio version.

Kenny Chesney and “Out Last Night”.  Hmm…decent, but still boring.  Would have been cool to see him with Mac McAnally, instead.  One thing I gotta say: I’m glad he didn’t win anything! (I’m a meanie, I know, that’s for sure, but I mean it.)

Check This Out: “Red Light” – David Nail

I usually don’t do single “single” reviews (meaning a current radio song featured in its own individual entry), but I felt inspired to do one tonight. When I was on iTunes about a week ago, I was glancing through the new country releases. None of them really stood out to me a whole lot, so I figured I’d listen to one of the new ones that I had never heard of. Once I pressed play to this new song, I was quickly drawn to how catchy it was, and what a good find it turned out to be.  Later on, I downloaded it from Amazon (gottsa have the MP3!) and I am happy with my decision.

“Red Light”, the current (third) single from newcomer, David Nail, is a fine example of what good mainstream, contemporary poppy country can be.  Some may disagree and be quick to write him off as just another pretty boy trying to make it in country by singing slick material, but I don’t think he is.  I’m not sure what his other material sounds like, so I will not be quick to label him as anything yet, but he has potential and this single is really cool (Nail, please, don’t make look bad lol.  Don’t become a Rascal Flatts, etc.-wannabe… although this acoustic performance video of a different song, “Here In Misery (Missouri)” shows otherwise – he does have talent.).

It says something I have never heard in a song (well, there are different variants of it, of course, but I can’t think of one like this, at the moment): it’s about the moment when his girl told him it’s all over when they’re stopped at a red light in the sunshine, and how it hit him hard, and unexpectedly, because it was not the typical setting or environment for such a blow (there is a time and place, c’mon).  Just imagine a seemingly normal, nice Sunday out on a cruise with your companion and then all of a sudden, getting blown away with that kinda news – there’s a huge visual contrast between what’s going on outside in the car and inside your heart when you get that news.  Like a car crash that physically didn’t happen but you’re feeling it internally, anyway.

I think the song captures that moment and feelings really well, and Nail’s vocals are sincere and invoke that heartbroken, world-crashing-down mood this type of song needs.  The production accompanies his voice and the lyrics like it should (Frank Liddell, Miranda Lambert’s producer, might have produced it, it looks like).  I really do feel bad for him, and if a song can make me feel like that, it’s good.  I can somewhat relate to that sinking feeling, but won’t get into that.

I definitely am interested to see what else he puts out, and hope this song serves as a platform for a quality-heavy career.

Buy on Amazon.com / Buy on iTunes.  (lyrics below)

Recommendation XXXXIV: Wynonna Judd (double-shot)

Awesome awesome.  Life’s not too shabby for me.  My work hours have increased (much to one of ex-co-worker’s dismay – stealing is bad – remember that, but I do still feel sorry for him) and I am also planning my trip to California, which I will embark on in less than half a week, and in addition, I receive my tax refund in a few days.  With regards to my possible soon return to college life, for anybody who cares, I just need to find a co-signer to help me with a student loan from the bank to pay off my balance, and then I am set to go back in the fall (I, of course, will have to deal with paying off the loan and interest after graduation, so I am not excited about that).  Tonight, I’m supposed to clean up my messy room and organize my papers and letters to look decent and civilized (so I won’t have to jump obstacles and get through the mazes any longer).  Sad to admit some old habits don’t die hard.

My forty-fourth recommendation is/are: Wynonna Judd’s “I Can Only Imagine” from her 2005 Her Story: Scenes from a Lifetime album AND “Are the Good Times Really Over?” from her 2009 Sing: Chapter 1 album.  Yes, TWO covers/remakes from the powerful and feisty red-head Wynonna Judd.  How exciting.  My love for Wynonna began, I think, with one of her first solo singles, “No One Else On Earth”.  I think I grew up more with solo Wynonna more than with The Judds… though I do know, bluegrass-tinged, “Why Not Me?”, is my favorite Judds song, and “No One…” is my favorite Wy song.  Over the years, it’s been cool to see Wynonna as a genre-chameleon who can sing just about anything, and these two songs I’m going to highlight show that.  It wasn’t that hard for me to choose which ones, because these, in my mind, were instant classics to me once I heard them. Wy made them her own.  (Btw, anybody see her on NBC’s Kath & Kim earlier this month?  That was funny how they basically made the episode about her, and how the mother and daughter were crazy fans of her’s. Molly Shannon is hilarious.)

Recall This Hit?: “Cover You In Kisses”

I apologize profusely for the huge delay in posting.  I attribute it to busyness and laziness (but mostly the latter haha).  I thought I would take this opportunity to start up a new feature series named “Recall This Hit?” about past hit radio singles that radio doesn’t seem to play anymore and seems like most people have forgotten about.  These are songs that I enjoy and think should be discussed and brought to forefront once again (they are ready and waiting to do battle.  Stubborn fighters they are. Yes.)  Well, this gives me the convenience of not using past radio singles in future iCF Music recommendations and provides me access to talk about almost anything I want to with less restrictions :p.  So here goes…

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The first tune for the “Recall This Hit?” series is John Michael Montgomery’s “Cover You In Kisses” from his 1998 Leave a Mark album. This one has seriously been forgotten, it seems by everybody and that is disappointing.  Every now and then, (if I remember correctly) I hear it on XM Radio, which is a very pleasant surprise.  Beside from the fact that he mentions “Denver” in the first line of the song (where I reside currently, and where it snowed last night as well), I just cannot get enough of this song.  Maybe it’s the steel guitar-drenched production that really calls me in?  This is truly one of the greatest tunes of the ’90s era.  It’s not total traditional country – it’s got a slight pop feel to it, but it’s still undeniably pure country with a contemporary update, and goes real well with Montgomery’s calm twangy vocals.  The lyrics have a warm message of intense love for his girl, and how much he misses her when she’s not around.  Just an all-round winner. If you don’t like the production, then you must just be evil lol.  Btw, I just found a video clip of a fan performing a cover of the song, and their vocal performance is impressive (actually, I just looked at more of his videos and he has done a lot.  His name is Tyler Barham – He’s got a better voice than most of today’s country singers!).

Recommendation XXXXIII: Danielle Peck

Today was an interesting day: I slept in ’til 11am (didn’t work today), ate lunch, headed to the park to take a run (I don’t get to run too often because of the cold weather and my freakin’ asthma lol), and when I got back, had to deal with a stalled car – the engine’s battery had gone out. That was my fault because stupid me left the car’s fan running on battery power while I was sitting in there for too long and it cost me. I was stuck there for about an hour, going around asking people for help like a loser and ask if they had jumper cables (I’m sure some did, but they were either scared or just mean haha). Anyway, a trio of strangers assisted me, with no problem at all, and kindness in their hearts. I think God wanted to prove two things to me today: there are still good people in this world, and don’t be an idiot and leave the battery running when it’s not necessary (and to buy jumper cables!).

My forty-third recommendation is: Danielle Peck’s “A Woman Does Too” from her 2006 Danielle Peck album.  I would still consider Danielle to be one of my favorite newer female singers in Nashville.  Her stunningly smoking beauty aside, she’s really talented and rather equipped with a distinctive and lovely voice with fine songwriting skills.  I first heard Danielle Peck’s debut single, “I Don’t”, and took to it quickly (how could you not like a song that says “The difference is: Jesus loves you… I don’t.” ?).  And sure, after I researched her myspace and saw her gorgeous pictures, I did like her more, however I was even more so impressed with her music and with one website that listed her two influences: Patty Loveless and Trisha Yearwood.  I ended up pre-ordering her debut CD through MusiCountry, which offered an autographed album cover that I couldn’t resist.  After that, with singles, “Findin’ a Good Man”, and the similar, “Bad for You”, I knew I really liked her (I’m not really into “Isn’t That Everything?”, but it is catchy, I will admit).  I also like how the first two singles I mentioned in the last sentence are pretty country, but definitely contemporary/mainstream (the choruses are traditional-country/honky-tonk-like sounding, but the beats and the rest of it are pretty pop and rock-sided, somewhat like Shania Twain’s “Any Man of Mine” is).

Recommendation XXXXII: Dwight Yoakam & k.d. lang

Recommendations are back!  And back to the music the readers really wanna talk about: country music.  I haven’t done one of these in like a month, so I need to get back into the groove of things again.  I am really excited for what’s to come in ‘09: Obama’s becoming president on Tuesday, I’m going to turn the big two-one in March, and life just seems good, despite the economic problems here in the household.  God has been more than good to us, and while I miss college immensely, I will get by, and hopefully can return in the fall.  I will visit my friends again in March, so I’m stoked.  Now, on to the music.

My forty-second recommendation is: Dwight Yoakam & k.d. lang’s “Sin City” from Dwight’s 1989 Just Lookin’ for a Hit album.  I’ve really been into duets and duos lately, and this one is no exception.  I didn’t find out about this collaboration until about summer 2008 and I was blown away by it’s beauty.  I never thought that Dwight Yoakam and k.d. lang would record and sing together and it’s just so special, especially on a traditional country song, a cover/remake of the Gram Parsons song.  Even though this duet is on a mostly “hits” album, I don’t believe it was ever released as a radio single, but man, it was an instant hit in my ears.  I know I’ve recommended k.d. previously, but I have yet to recommend Dwight, so I knew it was time.

Dwight is one of the coolest artists I know and I love his hard-core invocation of Buck Owens, and D.Y. has proven he’s still at the top of his game today.  I’d say my favorite track from him would either be “Turn It On, Turn It Up, Turn Me Loose”, “Guitars, Cadillacs”, or “Fast As You”.  My mom just loves his “Blame the Vain” (I do too).  He’s an impressive actor and I loved to hate his evil character in Panic Room.  The last song I bought from him was “Close Up the Honky Tonks”, but it’s totally clear to me now that I need more Yoakam in my collection!

Top 20 Fav Non-Country Radio Singles of 2008

Since this is iCF Music (a stress on the “Music” part), I always intended to not just make it about country stuff, but my other musical likes (and also, to separate myself from anything labeled “country” that wasn’t country, that I might have liked lol).  It took me a while to decide for these radio tracks.  I tried looking up online to see if they were mostly played 2008 songs, and I believe that they are.  I know 2008 was 13 days ago, but whatever.

I know some songs and some artists on my list are not liked by some (radio overkill? just a bad song? so many varying reasons… lol), but during 2008, they were a big part of my life and made me happy.  I believe they are all mostly fast, uptempo songs because I tended to like those for my running and exercising purposes.  The list has radio singles from pop, alternative rock, mainstream rock, R&B, and dance.  Remember, none of these are country, so I’m sure some of my viewers won’t be interested in them lol, but I wanted to post them regardless.  Click on the song title to hear a clip, and the artist name to read more about them.

Top 20 Favorite Non-Country Music Radio Singles of 2008:

• 20. “Let It Die” – Foo Fighters:
  • This one I grew to like while working at my sandwich shop job, because I turned the radio on the alternative rock station, and I thought it was cool how the song builds up the the climax, starting  with a simple constant guitar pick, and eventually, explodes into a powerful electric-guitar heavy sound and with grittier vocals.  You’re right there with him, the whole time, and wait in anticipation for the tempo to get bigger.

• 19. “Won’t Go Home Without You” – Maroon 5:
  • I’ve always liked the distinctness of front man, Adam Levine’s, high-pitched vocals from other groups, and this song is no different.  I wasn’t too fond about it at first, but when my family picked me up from college in the summer, my sister played the heck outta this one on XM, and I grew to like it a lot.  It reminds me of our trip to San Diego afterward.  I just read online tonight that the guitar undertone in the song is based on The Police’s “Every Breath You Take”.  Cool.

• 18. “It’s Not My Time” – 3 Doors Down:
  • This single is very much their style and sound and proves 3DD is still at the top of their game.  Brad Arnold’s voice cuts clear across this and while it’s definitely not their best single, it’s still better than lots of songs.  Remember Arnold is the one who Tracy Lawrence had a duet with, featured in my recommendation?

• 17. “Don’t Stop” – Innerpartysystem:
  • Said to be inspired partly by Anna Nicole Smith and the whole celebrity culture of greediness and such, with the media attention and everything.  It’s sung from a first-person point of view from one of those kinda people: “I am the closest thing to God.  So worship me and never stop…“.  We, the public, keep feeding these people on with our obsession with their lives, and it is crazy.  What turned me on to the song, originally, was the music: very techno-ish.  Contains the “F” word haha, but makes the point of the song stick across better.

• 16. “Love Is Gone” (Radio Edit Remix) – Chris Willis & David Guetta:
  • Another one that I like mainly because of the music.  The vocals are okay, but the single is very catchy.  Makes you wanna get up and dance (techno-club-style).   A great track for running along with.  Apparently, it was huge in Europe, which is not a surprise.  Only complaint is that this is one of those singles that has a like a million remixes and stuff, so that gets to be too much.

• 15. “Hot N Cold” – Katy Perry:
  • Hahaha, oh man.  I would not even admit to liking this, even to my friends, but it’s very appealing to the ears and you can’t get it out of your head (I’m sure nay-sayers might agree too lol).  I didn’t care for her previous single, but “Hot” is so much better.  I know bi-polar folk like the one described here and believe me, you don’t wanna deal with it.  I think Katy Perry is weird and I refuse to watch her videos or performances, though I really enjoy this one, unfortunately.

• 14. “Don’t Trust Me” – 3OH!3:
  • These two guys hail from Denver, CO, just like me (their name comes from our city’s area code).  I originally didn’t like this song because I thought the line: “Shush girl, shut your lips, do the Helen Keller, and talk with your hips” was so stupid (and it still is, but a catchy lyric).  This blend of hip-hop and rock is not for the conservative type, for sure.  My favorite line would have to be “X’s on the back of your hands, Wash them in the bathroom to drink like the bands“, because it is brilliantly written.  I’m not saying I encourage underage drinking – I just think it’s clever songwriting.

The 9513 – Vote to be the Best Music Blog of 2008

Since I’m a fairly big reader of, and huge supporter of The 9513, I must promote the incredible blog to get more votes, for its nomination at the 2008 Weblog Awards.  I’m sure most readers of my blog already know about it, or whatever, but it doesn’t hurt.  Other blogs are getting the word out too, so I guess I’m jumping on the bandwagon…but only because I care haha.  You got until Tuesday, January 13th, 2009 to get your vote in.  Click here to vote, or the picture, for the link. Do it for country music (and yeah, I do realize I kinda morphed the “person” into the tv 9513 image, and it’s bad editing, but whatever.  It’s kinda funny, anyway).

iCF Single Reviews #6 (Week of December 11, 2009)

Wow wow wow.  I’m so neglectful of this blog sometimes lol.  I actually had started writing this post like the day after Christmas, but I never finished it and just kept it as a draft until now (I also erased some comments I made that wouldn’t make sense today lol – I just left the pic of Toby there).  Anyway, I’m here to review some singles I have yet to have voiced my opinion on, so far.  This is based off of the current R & R chart rankings.

10. “Down the Road” – Kenny Chesney & Mac MacAnally:

- Can’t believe I’m saying this, but this song isn’t too bad.  I like the acoustic and simplicity it has and I’m glad Kenny experimented on something kinda different here and introduced us to MacAnally.  Not an incredible song or anything, but gotta give this Jimmy Buffett-wannabe some credit (and credit for ditching the puka necklace – that was getting so old, man).  2.0 out of 5 stars.

12. “Sweet Thing” – Keith Urban:

- I kinda reviewed this in my CMA Awards reaction post, and it was actually favorable.  Urban did a solidly gripping performance of his new single and it stood out.  I would not consider it country at all, but damn, is it catchy.  I think some of the verses’ sound are reminiscent of Rascal Flatts’s (horrific) remake of  “Life Is a Highway”, but Urban is miles better than them (but just as pop, IMO) and the comparison with those songs only lies there.  This single’s chorus, as mentioned in other online reviews, is similar to Urban’s other songs, like “Better Life” and “Somebody Like You”, however it is still pretty fresh.  Surprisingly, I like the “do do do do do“s, and I think a lot of my likeness for the song began with the CMA performance, in which I first heard the song debuted.  Not country at all, but I like it, and bought the Mp3 on Amazon.com (well, I used my Pepsi free points to get it, so I don’t feel so guilty supporting him lol).  4.0 out of 5 stars. Buy here!

13. “God Love Her” – Toby Keith:

- This is actually my first time hearing this (btw, that is a nice pic of Toby above), and I don’t think it’s great or horrible – kind of in the middle.  Definitely a more mainstream-rock/poppier sounding Toby, with a similar feel of “Whiskey Girl”.  It’s catchy, though a little overproduced.  I wouldn’t call myself a Toby fan anymore, by no means (I think that shipped sailed several years ago – he just got annoying).  Nothing special here.  2.0 out of 5 stars.

14. “Cowgirls Don’t Cry” – Brooks & Dunn with Reba McEntire:

- Like I’ve said before: I’m lovin’ that B&D brought back the fiddle to their music! It’s been absent way too long.  This song is classic Brooks & Dunn, like their old stuff in the ’90s and I love it.  Bringing on Reba made it even better (though, I think this new recording sounds too “live” and it was edited in somewhat oddly).  I would comment more, but I’m considering another post on them in the future, so I don’t wanna repeat myself.  Cool music video too! 4.5 out of 5 stars. Buy here!

16. “River of Love” – George Strait:

- Don’t want to say much about this huge disappointment of a single (and a song), especially since Strait is my #1, because it’s just a bad choice of a song to record.  Nice steel guitar but not even the King could get me to like this.  Now, I really see how radio stations will play just about anything from certain people, regardless of the quality, even from some of my favorites.  This is a shipwreck, in my eyes, but of course it will be a top 5.  1.5 out of 5 stars.