Artists to Watch in 2008 (Part 3 of 5): Buzzworthy

We’re halfway home, kids! So far this week we’ve looked at mostly familiar faces–a handful of veterans trying to maneuver their way through the obstacles of the industry and make an impact in ‘08. But today is when things start to get exciting. Over the next three days I’ll be introducing you to a number of artists you may have never heard of–or that you most certainly haven’t heard enough of.

That’s the case with today’s crop of country newcomers. These are the artists the industry is buzzing about; they’ve crossed the threshold of the “unknowns” with singles and/or albums in 2007 or prior, and are now vying for a seat at the table.

With the exception of one, all of the artists here are women–a fact that speaks soundly to both the genre’s need for new female blood and the difficulty that females face when trying establishing themselves–(two of these artists have recently lost their record deals).

On with the show…

Jewel (Valory Music Co.).
Buzzfactor:…this might actually work.
Taylor Swift should be Jewel’s favorite person right about now; new imprint Valory is riding the tidal wave of momentum built by its parent Big Machine’s massive 2007, and I’m not sure we’d see this artist/label pairing if the key components to Scott Borchetta’s long-term business plan were Jack Ingram and Trisha Yearwood. One of the most interesting things about this project is that as the Jewel team was shopping it around town, lots of folks thought the album was too country. Now if that’s not a revealing statement on the current psyche of the Nashville establishment, I don’t know what is. Even so, early reports point to producer John Rich absolutely nailing the sound needed to make this reverse-crossover attempt convincing–what we’ve heard so far manages to stick to Jewel’s folk-leaning style while incorporating certain country tenants, like the obligatory steel guitar. And despite Jewel’s recent commercial failure (Goodbye Alice In Wonderland has barely sold Gold), would you really want to be the person betting against her ability to deliver great songs? Rich was right on target with his recent statement that, “[Jewel] is probably one of the greatest American singer-songwriters we have had.” The big question is whether or not her “country” songwriting will be too smart for the audience.

Ashley Gearing (Curb Records).
Buzzfactor:…she floored us with her 12 year old voice.
We first heard from Gearing back in 2003 when she was only 12 and launched, with moderate success, to “Can You Hear Me When I Talk To You.” But that little girl is all grown up, and with the novelty factor “Out The Window” (that’s the title of her new single), Curb is ready to pitch her as a serious (and seriously viable) country music contender. Gearing is an embracing vocalist with solid vocal character. But here’s the problem: there is only room for so many artists at radio and retail, and if an artist is going to go the traditional route (as opposed to a more grassroots, indie-based approach to selling records), she has to be able to provide something that doesn’t already exist in the marketplace. And that makes the pitch for Gearing difficult, because we already have Taylor Swift. Swift is nowhere near the vocalist that Gearing is, but she connects with listeners through her songwriting, and so as much as I like Gearing I’m not really sure where this project goes from here. I have to wonder if Curb’s timing is right.

Ashton Shepherd (MCA).
Buzzfactor:…she’s a traditional-leaning singer-songwriting with an engaging story.
Ashton Shepherd’s voice is as country as you’ll ever find (just listen to the way she drawls out the name Keith Whitley in “I Ain’t Dead Yet), and she is without a doubt the must buzzworthy artist emerging in 2008. And for good reason–this young lady is what our genre is (supposed to be) all about. A real musician singing real, simple, honest country songs. Shepherd’s debut single “Taking Off This Pain” is already taking off, and based on what I’ve heard from her March 4th album Sounds So Good, I have every reason to believe that Shepherd’s best is still upcoming. Whereas the timing of the Gearing re-launch (see above) is questionable, MCA and Shepherd are positioned perfectly to fill the shoes left by the now apparent departure of Gretchen Wilson; Shepherd instantly takes over the role of the format’s preeminent neo-traditionalist, and let’s be honest with ourselves about something–we’re going to soon see that Shepherd is the far superior vocalist and songwriter. If there is any justice in the world, we’ll be hearing from this Alabama native for a long time to come.

Carter’s Chord (ShowDog Nashville).
Buzzfactor:…we really miss the Dixie Chicks.
Carter’s Chord has the advantage of being the only trio of young, attractive, musically-talented females with an upcoming project due in 2008, and the group’s extensive radio tour has successfully piqued interest in their debut single, “Young Love,” which is already spinning in select markets despite it’s official add date of February 14th. So does that spell sure-fire success? Not quite. ShowDog has yet to successfully break a new artist, and I’m not sure CC’s music quite lives up to the early hype surrounding it.

Mica Roberts (ShowDog Nashville).
Buzzfactor:…former Toby Keith background singer.
A supreme vocalist, there is absolutely no question about whether or not Roberts has the chops to compete on the big stage. What I think there is a question about, however, is how well her cosmopolitan look and style well mesh with the tastes of the country audience. Roberts’ voice and vocal presentation reminds me of Faith in late 90s and early 2000s, and that’s problematic. Not only was Hill’s artistic shift to a more pop-oriented sound less successful than anticipated, she didn’t begin her career so smooth and shiny–to the contrary, a look at her early work reveals a considerably more country attitude and sound, and I’m not sure it’s smart to try and bypass that stage. Country fans are loyal but demanding, and they want to know (or at least believe) that you are rooted in a country background. Roberts will need to convince us that she’s genuine, and being from Oklahoma (this seems to be the main pitch for her Country identity so far) isn’t enough. And by the way, ShowDog has yet to successfully break a new artist.

Ashley Monroe (No Label).
Buzzfactor:…on again–off again–on again.
For a twenty-one year old, singer-songwriter Ashley Monroe has had a tumultuous career so far. Her debut album, on Columbia was originally scheduled for release on June 26, 2006, but was re-slotted for March 13, 2007. After singles “Satsified” and “I Don’t Want To” faltered, and a digital release of the album failed to sell significantly, the album was again postponed, this time with a date of “Fall 2007″. I am now able to confirm that as of December 2007, Monroe and Columbia have officially parted ways, putting the retail future of Satisfied in serious question. Monroe has been one of the industry’s most buzzworthy artists over the past couple of years; her quasi-traditional voice and exquisite interpretive abilities have been compared to Lee Ann Womack, and I have little doubt that she will re-emerge in the not too distant future.

Joanna Cotten (No Label).
Buzzfactor:…a local legend in Nashville for her incredible live performances.
Like Monroe, Joanna Cotten severed ties with her label, Warner Bros., at the end of 2007. In a June 07 review of Cotten’s debut single “The Prize”, I lauded the soulful vocalist for being the best singer to come onto the scene since Jennifer Nettles–and despite that single’s failure to catch at radio, it’s a statement I stand by. Check out Cotten’s impeccable performance of “Keep My Faith” on her MySpace page, or her video of “Miracle in Lee County,” which is available on Rhapsody–the woman is a unique talent as a vocalist, as a songwriter, and as a performer. So what’s the problem? There a few. Cotten’s self-described “Funkabilly” sound is completely unlike what we’re used to hearing, especially from a female-artist contingent that mostly stays well within expected boundaries. In contemporary country music we have a tendency to gravitate towards two extremes of the female image–either the rowdy party girl (see Gretchen and Miranda), or the young vixen (see Carrie and Taylor). I’m not sure anyone–radio, records, or fans–knows what to do with a confident and effusive woman who is singing about something other than how much she loves her man. And that’s a shame, because artists like this only come along every so often.

Chuck Wicks (RCA Nashville).
Buzzfactor:…was a TV star…for two weeks.
If there is one thing that gets country record execs salivating, it’s a stylish young male with a sweet voice, a charming personality, and a national distribution mechanism which can help push out-of-format sales. That was the plan with Chuck Wicks, former star of one of Fox Netowork’s most recent hatchet-jobs, Nashville, a semi-reality show that managed to last a whopping two episodes. So a bit of the buzz surrounding Wicks has died–fortunately for his camp, debut single “Stealing Cinderella” is performing splendidly, working its way into the Top 20 (and still going). It was one of the top performing debuts of 2007, and it certainly sets Wicks up to be an impact player in 2008. I’ve got to be honest, though–I’m not sure how this works as a product without the show, because it seems like Wicks does not provide something that isn’t already on the market. Further, ‘07 brought us a strong batch of male newcomers–Lee Brice and Luke Bryan among them–who are generally more engaging artists.

Jessica Simpson (Columbia Nashville).
Buzzfactor:…we’re not really sure.
“I aspire to be like Patsy Cline. Willie actually turned me on to her because he used to be one of her background singers,” said Jessica Simpson in an interview with Bazaar. Yes, that’s right–Ms. “would you check my undercarriage” herself is set to record and release a country album in 2008. According to Billboard, “I am a country girl,” Simpson said. “I grew up in Texas, and country music was what I listened to. I always wanted to make a country album, but I wanted to wait until the time was right.” Until the time was right? Like, maybe, for example, a time when your most recent pop single peaked at #110? A time, perhaps, when the most relevant thing about your career is that you’re slotted to star as Cheetara in the 2010 live-action Thundercats movie? A time, in other words, like right now? Jessica, baby, have you listened to your own music? No, really. Stop for a second. Plug in your headphones. Click over to iTunes and download your latest album, A Public Affair (trust me, it needs the sales boost). Recognize anything? Your music is a cross between bubblegum funk and psychedelic-dance-pop. When I listen to your music I feel like I should playing with kittens, eating cotton candy, and running through a field of daisies. How do you plan to go from that to even the poppiest of pop country? How in the world are you going to get from Point A to Point B? This may be the Worst. Idea. Ever.


In Part 4, I’ll be introducing you to every new face you need to know for 2008. In the series’ final installment on Friday, it’s the best of the best–my Critic’s Picks.