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Rascal Flatts – “Why”
It’s tempting to suggest overexposure to the Flatts’ own soulless brand of emo country as a possible reason “Why” the troubled character in this song (call it “How Do You Get That Lonely” redux) brought his life to an abrupt end. But that review has already been written countless times. At this point, the freshest [...]
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Jack Ingram with Patty Griffin – “Seeing Stars”
Songwriters: Jack Ingram and Chris Tompkins.
As Lennon and McCartney once famously said, sometimes all it takes is a little help from some friends. Such is the case for Texas singer/songwriter Jack Ingram on his latest single, “Seeing Stars.” Exactly which friend did he call upon for a little help on this number? The one and [...]Continue reading "Jack Ingram with Patty Griffin – “Seeing Stars”"
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Justin Moore – “Backwoods”
Songwriters: Justin Moore, Jeremy Stover and Jamie Paulin.
Justin Moore must be riding high after “Small Town USA” hit #1, so what a great time to capitalize on his growing name recognition and rising album sales! Or he could release “Backwoods,” one of the weakest songs on his debut album, as his third single.
Imagine you [...] -
Eric Church – “Hell On The Heart”
Songwriters: Eric Church, Deric Ruttan and Jeremy Spillman.
Once you get through the tongue-twisting opening lines of Eric Church’s latest single “Hell On The Heart,” the rest of the song can be boiled down to a string of romantic clichés pulled straight from its lyrics.
You see, there’s this girl who is “as pretty as a [...] -
Jimmy Wayne – “Sara Smile”
Songwriters: Daryl Hall & John Oates.
The 1970s and ’80s get unfairly maligned as across-the-board musical low points. It’s truth that the ’70s, being the decade that gave us both disco and “Afternoon Delight,” don’t have a lot of defense, while the 1980s music retrospectives that VH1 used to air (before it turned into a celebrity [...] -
Heartland – “Mustache”
In its own way, “Mustache” is every bit as touching as the surprise hit that put Heartland on the map back in 2006. “I Loved Her First” addressed the special bond between a man and his little girl (who remains such even into adulthood), becoming an instant classic for father-daughter wedding dances. “Mustache” is a [...]
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Darius Rucker – “History In The Making”
Songwriters: Darius Rucker, Frank Rogers and Clay Mills.
Darius Rucker’s music career has been one of dichotomies. Like his commercially successful but critically spotty stint as frontman of rock outfit Hootie & the Blowfish, Rucker’s foray into country has produced strong album sales and a handful of number one hits, but has also earned him reviews [...] -
Lee Greenwood – “Why Lie”
To the casual Lee Greenwood fan—that is, anyone who solely associates him with “God Bless the USA” and his 90s-tastic stars and stripes bomber jacket—the singer’s latest single may appear to be a quite a departure from Lee Greenwood the Patriotic Figurehead to Lee Greenwood the Country Crooner.
Sure, “God Bless the USA” is technically a [...] -
Fast Ryde – “Make It Rain”
Boasting a repertoire filled with titles like “That Thang,” “Ridin’ Dirty” and upcoming second single “Make it Rain,” James Harrison and Jody Stevens–the two men behind the new Republic Nashville duo Fast Ryde–seem to be betting their career aspirations on their ability to spin phrases from prominent hip hop songs into slick pop-country fare for [...]
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Jason Aldean – “The Truth”
Songwriters: Brett James and Ashley Monroe.
Jason Aldean definitely knows what his fans want and expect—country songs about country life and country living…as long as they don’t sound too, you know, country.
Sure, you can throw in a fiddle or a steel guitar, as long as those instruments don’t take away from the drums and electric [...]
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- Dan E.: Vance: You seem a little bitter.
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