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.)

iCF Single Reviews #4 (Week of September 28, 2008)

I’m hoping that I can get this done tonight.  I wanted to do another round of single reviews, since I haven’t done one in about two months or so.  There’s a good amount of newer material waiting for me to get my opinionization on with (not a word, but I like the way it sounds), so here it goes.  I’m using the Radio & Records website chart for this week, and I will take a listen to every song to its entirety (if I can stand it), and give it a fair review.  Fortunately (or unfortunately) I have heard most of these songs already, since the XM Radio service in the car is gone (yes, I’m crying the blues – it is horrible without our baby) and I am now listening to normal commercial country radio.  Good thing for me is that I usually listen to the alternative/independent rock station here more, so I don’t have to deal with some of the problems that plague today’s country radio.  I’ll review as far long as I can get before I have to take off.  Time for critical iCF to return (my last recommendations fired me up!)…

01. “Don’t Think I Don’t Think About It” – Darius Rucker:

- Wow, did not think this song would reach number one!  I already reviewed it in my last post, and my opinion has changed slightly.  It’s still a good song and the music is still pleasant.  I’m OK with the vocals… a bit overdone with the “don’t thank I don’t thank about it” part.  Gets kinda old, but I’m happy for Mr. Rucker.  I have yet to really check out his new album but from the clips I’ve listened to, it’s good-sounding music.  3.5 out of 5 stars. Buy here!

02. “Everybody Wants to Go to Heaven” – Kenny Chesney:

- Already another hit?  Let me just say: George Strait does it much better (aside from the weird Jamaican accent thing he does at the end of his version…just bizarre).  I personally think it’s a disgrace that in years from now, Kenny Chesney will be considered a “legend” in country music history.  Thanks radio!  (I admit, I like a little of his music, but radio plays the heck out of whatever he releases, no matter what quality it is, so that’s not really saying much).  We’re in the Hurricane Kenny era, and our beaches are not safe.  2.0 out of 5 stars.

03. “She Never Cried In Front of Me” – Toby Keith:

- This is a different sound for Toby, and it’s not bad.  Not my favorite from him, but it’s a lot better than some of his other material that grew tiresome for me.  The production is heavy on the drums and electric guitar in the chorus, and with the strings, but whatever.  I like variety and I’m not really gonna complain here.  3.0 out of 5 stars.

04. “All Summer Long” – Kid Rock:

- Man, talk about overplayed… even on XM Radio, this song was cranked out on about every music station I listened to and I could not escape it.  I gotta give it credit: it’s a good song and very catchy, but all those listens, had me lunging for the next number to play anything but this.  Still, I’d rather hear this tune than hear the mother of overplayed songs – and the one that he took the music from – Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Sweet Home Alabama” (don’t get started with that song…ahh).  3.0 out of 5 stars.

05. “Do You Believe Me Now?” – Jimmy Wayne:

- I also already reviewed this one and I was stoked and happy that it reached number one some weeks ago.  Now, Jimmy just needs to release his duet with Patty Loveless, “No Good for Me” (I’ve got no clip, unfortunately), and I’ll be in heaven.  4.5 out of 5 stars. Buy here!

06. “Just a Dream” – Carrie Underwood:

- The poppy piano intro music is a great way to start off this ballad, and it sounds beautiful with the voice to go with it.  She does tend to overdo it at times in the chorus, though, but it is distinguishable in her catalog.  The lyrics are just as good as the vocals, and this is probably one of her best singles so far.  I may not be a “fan” of her’s, but I support her.  4.0 out of 5 stars. Buy here!

Recommendation XXVIII: Brooks & Dunn (double-shot)

Oh yes, time for another dose of double-shot. This one was tough, tough, TOUGH, to decide for, but eventually, I made my decision.  But, let me get to that in the third paragraph.  Since I like to take some time before my recommendations to give you a slight update on myself, here it goes: some serious news was broken to me some days back – I would not be able to return to college for my fall semester this year (or possibly, ever again).  With the economy these days and the job market, it’s a tough world to make it in, and it hit my family hard.  Thank God I still have a roof over my head.

I was kinda expecting it as a possibility (even last summer, I was a bit iffy on if I’d return last year), so I was not too taken back.  I’m a positive guy, and I believe God makes everything happen for a reason, whether or not you can see it at the moment, even if it looks bad.  In a way, I’m kinda relieved because it gives me more time to relax and take my mind off school stuff, but the thing that bothers me most is not being able to spend time with my very good friends back there, so it’ll take a while to adjust to not see them for some time.  I’m hoping I can return in the Spring semester in 2009, so I’m doing O.K.  That’s one reason I’m working so much right now.  Anyway, onto the double-shot feature…

My twenty-eighth recommendation is: Brooks & Dunn’s “Don’t Look Back Now” from their 1999 Tight Rope album AND “Caroline” from their 2003 Red Dirt Road album.  I chose to do a double-shot with them because of the obviousness that they’re a duo.  Also, because while they’re considered a duo, their songs usually switch off with either, Kix Brooks, or Ronnie Dunn, singing lead vocal, and rarely these days, do they sing together in a studio-recorded song (except in concert).  I really wish they’d switch off lead vocals in their songs, like Montgomery Gentry does, and pushed their radio singles that way (though Kix and Ronnie’s music, IMO, is miles better).  Brooks & Dunn rarely fail to impress me with their work.  I’ve been a fan of their’s since the ’90s when I was a young kid, and I can remember hearing their music along with many great memories.  Though, they have moved quite a bit from their more honky-tonk traditional country sound from then, they continue to prove how they’ve still got a lot to offer after all these years (but I have to comment, the fiddle has been lacking in their records after 2000- what’s up with that?).  I don’t own all their albums: I own the first Greatest Hits album and about everything else after that (I own seven of their CDs).  The cuts chosen for this recommendation confirmed to be one of my hardest choices, but I think these two songs are perfect for it.

Recommendation XXVII: Dan Colehour

Whew, today has been a long day: waking up, working, eating, walking, napping, driving, tennis-playing, eating, music listening, and web surfing. I’ve got a full schedule set for the rest of the whole year: three jobs and I’m already feeling exhausted (I’m currently training for one job, and will start my third job next week).  Right now, it’s a bit late, and while I do have to get to work tomorrow (or, should I say, later this morning since it’s like 1:30am here lol), I felt like writing a new entry right now. Today, I finally received a CD I’ve been wanting for quite a while…

My twenty-seventh recommendation is: Dan Colehour’s “Father’s Son” from his 2007 Straight to the Highway album.  You’re probably like “who’s that?!?“.  He’s probably the only artist I’ve reviewed so far that you haven’t heard of, yet.  Dan is an artist I only know of through one of the album’s special guest vocalists, Ms. Lee Ann Womack (I know, I mention her all the time, get over it.  And I also notice how I call these artists’ by their first names, but whatever lol).   Back when this album was released almost a year ago, I saw that Lee Ann contributed her background vocals to the project but I didn’t know for what songs, so I took a listen to the clips, and liked what I heard.  I could never really find out which song/s she was on, but it didn’t really matter then, because the music was really catchy and worthy of purchasing alone – this Dan Colehour‘s voice was amazingly good.  I figured eventually I’d buy the CD when I had more money, and that time finally came to be this month (though, I don’t really have much money at the moment.  I used a Best Buy gift card my aunt gave me from Christmas that I had forgotten about – it had some credit left on it).  I received the album today and finally got to hear the whole thing.  I’ve been trying to find out more about Dan, and the names, Bruce Springsteen and Chris Knight, kept popping up, when compared to Dan’s style.  I just looked up Chris Knight (I didn’t know who he was, I’m embarrassed to admit) and their voices/styles are similar, and that’s good.  “Father’s Son” is one of the songs on the album that hooked me immediately, as well as the song, “Leaving Meridian” (a heartbreak steel-guitar drenched slow shuffle about leaving a Texan town because of the memories it has).

iCF Single Reviews #2 (Week of June 22, 2008)

Looking at my blog, I decided that what I really need to do if I want to ensure its survival and interest, I need to post a lot more (obviously lol), and I think it is necessary to expand into other things/ideas because just doing recommendations is not enough (even though it is this blog’s specialty, I am quite aware that my monthly blog posts isn’t adequate enough to keep my readers staying around, because as a fellow blog reader, I am the same way – I need constant and consistent postings!).  So, I’m going to try to do other things on this site, but the recommendations will still, be first and foremost, the most important feature of the site and I’ll try to do them more frequently!

One feature I started some months ago was reviewing current “country” radio singles.  I noticed that I usually only review songs I like or artists I like and don’t really review ones I don’t.  I’m all for optimism but reality is, they are a lot of songs that are pure crap and need to be justifiably criticized for it lol (Rascal Flatts come to mind?).  Anyway, I’m going to review the Top 17 songs of the week based on the Radio & Records‘ website chart.  My opinions will vary and I will definitely be as honest as possible.  I will not post links to the review singles because chances are you most likely have already heard the songs and plus, I’m lazy to look them all up lol.  FYI: you should know I don’t listen to mainstream country radio a lot (well, now I am a lil bit more because I have my stereo in my room and didn’t have an iPod for a while. Otherwise, I listen to XM Radio in the car or iTunes when I’m at school), so I may not be as sick of these overplayed songs as you are, so we shall see. Here we go… (this will be a longggg post!)

01.  “Better As a Memory” – Kenny Chesney

- Surprise, surprise.  Look who’s #1 again.  The song is OK, but not worthy of #1,  The lyrics are mediocre and the vocals just the same.  I admit it’s nice that it’s not overproduced, but all in all, I don’t see what people see in him these days.  2 out of 5 stars.

02.  “Last Name” – Carrie Underwood

- Usually I don’t care for Miss Underwood’s singles because radio KILLS them with overplay (even though they’re good, country or not), but with this song, I just can’t get enough of it.  It’s catchy and fun to sing along with (I sing “I don’t know even know her last name” instead lol but it doesn’t quite make as much sense but whatever).  Musically, it reminds me of Shania’s “Honey I’m Home” with the rocking guitar, drums, and the fiddle.  This was a great choice for a summer song.  I think she is really talented and I’m liking her more, though I still think she is way overplayed.  5 out of 5 stars. Buy here!

03.  “Home” – Blake Shelton

- Blake has lately been hit-and-miss with me over the last few years.  I’m just not into him as much.  I really don’t like this song even though his vocals are nice.  Sometimes doing remakes/covers is annoying because you keep comparing it with the original or another version.  I just don’t like it.  1 out of 5 stars.

04.  “I’m Still a Guy” – Brad Paisley

- Here’s a guy who’s music I must recommend sometime in the future.  I love that he helps make traditional/real country popular with his songs and that he does it while being so cool.  This single, one of his other gimmicky haha songs is really clever, once again displaying his immense talent as a songwriter, and his ode to traditional country.  His novelty songs do get annoying though sometimes.  I should love this song, but I don’t.  I like it but for some reason, the extremely unnecessary, but short, whole baby/cradle-music thing that’s goes on the song is like chalkboard-scratching to my ears.  I think it kinda messes up the song to be honest lol (just like when children sing in songs, for example: like in  “Ain’t Nothin’ Like” on his Mud on the Tires album.  Good song until the kids get involved).  I just don’t like that.  4 out of 5 stars. Buy here!

05.  “Every Day” – Rascal Flatts

- Crap.  Annoying crap like always.  Seriously, though.  The music, though it isn’t country at all, is not too bad and the vocals are OK (but get pretty whiny several times, as expected from Gary LeVox).  This boy band continues their Murder Row Massacre once again with this song, so of course, radio can’t get enough of it.  One somewhat positive thing about it: MUCH better than their next single, “Bob That Head” (yes, I said bob that head… a title which makes you think, and considering the double entendre and who’s singing it to you, makes you just want to barf).  1.5 out of 5 stars.