Joanna Cotten - “The Prize”

I think the song itself may not be that memorable because the one place it’s lacking is the hook itself, what falls a bit flat.

I just disagree on the production aspect.

Vocally, however, who even comes close? Danielle Peck? No…Taylor Swift? She a great writer, but vocally lackluster…Megan Mullins?
No one even comes close.

Brody…what did I say about listners being fickle! ;-)

It is just plain impossible to know what people will decide they like and what they don’t like. I’ve heard some of the most amazing songs…song that I can’t even fathom writing because they were just plain incredible beyond comprehension…and they flopped when–and if–they ever made it to the public.

People have different tastes. But when it comes to the quality of the writing and singing here, I just don’t see how there can be much debate.

“Julie Roberts”
You’ve gotta be kidding me…

How can I say that on the basis of one single…
Ashley Monroe, I’ll take yor point on that (the reason I said “one of”), although I think as good as Monroe might be, her voice, at this point, isn’t very emotive.

When you look at all those other artists mentioned, however, there is nothing at all that makes any of them stand out (other than the fact that Julie Roberts sounds like she’s coughing up a hairball when she sings). Taylor is a really, realy good writer, but lacks technical prowess and a singer. Danielle Peck, Megan Mullins, they sound almost exactly the same, sing almost exactly the same kinds of songs, and fit directly in the cookie-cutter mold that the Nashville industry has established.

And it only takes one release to tell the difference, becasue it’s as plain as the difference between a banjo and a mandolin. Now, if you asked some people they probably couldn’t tell you the difference…

Worth noting: at this year’s ACMs, Cotten was showcased to a group of top radio consultants and PDs. Regarding that, the 5/14 edition of country aircheck calls her an “amazing discovery.”

I’m a big Cook fan, actually, and I like English, too…but I don’t think it’s fair to either Cotten or the Cook/English types to cross-compare, because with Cook and English we’re looking at indie artists who aren’t even making a push at radio.

And I think artists like that have a different kind of mindset from the start of their projects, because there is, simply, more freedom in almost every respect.

But because the scope of the music is more specialized, the potential upside, in terms of sales, radio, overall stardom, is limited.

Point being that while Cook gets to, for the most part, do what she wants, Cotten has a hell of a lot of people she’s got to please, because there’s a hell of a lot of money riding on the outcome of her project.

And that’s why you see these safe, cookie-cutter acts, and that’s one of the things that makes this release (The Prize) so interesting to me. Here you’ve got a major label stepping out and taking a chance on someone that doesn’t fit the mold, someone who hasn’t been shaped and reshaped musically.

And that’s just not something that major labels do unless the artist has something that is really, really special and that they (the label) think is going to speak to a wide audience.

Hey Chloe!
Thanks for the comment. I love Taylor Swift’s album. I think it’s one of the handfull of really strong mainstream releases this year. My comment about her vocals was just that–about her vocals. I would not say that being the most gifted vocalist means you’re a great artist, and that not being the greatest vocalist means you aren’t a great artist. Know what I mean?

Ah, I could have sworn I fixed that! Thanks for the heads-up, Chris!

When I heard this song, I didn’t hear country. You couldn’t hear part of the words from how she sang them. I listened to maybe 30 seconds and had to turn it off. Just annoying when you have no clue what they are saying with an accent like that.

I think in the beginning Julie Roberts was marketed wrong with the photography and advertisement. It was right after Faith Hill’s “Breathe” album and they tried to mimmick that look. I’ve seen her in concert a couple of times and she has that soulful South Carolina voice that you don’t often hear in country music. Like someone mentioned earlier, she is a hit with those sad lonesome tunes like “Wake Up Older” and a few others. The label just really didn’t push her hard enough in my opinion.

Danielle Peck, another good singing voice, but after seeing her live a couple of times (part of a concert series), I didn’t care for her. Maybe it was how she presented herself or something. I do like “I Don’t” but her other songs are so-so to me.

Taylor Swift knows how to write songs for someone in her age group. However, if you are 30 years old those songs take you back to high school years not something you are living now. It will be neat to see what she will write about after high school life and ages. Remember Leann Rimes?

Suprised no one mentioned Angela Hacker, who I honestly cannot stand her voice. It is like an old smoker squealing. Someone might as well put nails against a chalkboard. Thank goodness radio has not played her in our neighborhood.

Jennifer Nettles - I agree with Baron on the glossy production. She has a great voice without the “OoOooOO” and “awwwwws” that are annoying as heck. I would love hear her sing something that would sound like it came from back in the day.

Back to the singer that the original entry is about - she is just not country and is more Adult Contemporary/Pop in my opinion. I wouldn’t hear that song on radio.

The reason Nashville is known for its inability to move forward is because of the comments here. Taylor Swift? Danielle Peck? Angela Hacker? Julie Roberts? Comparative critique in this case means you are not listening. You can’t compare one promo song with fully completed album and imaging. And if you base ANY criticism based on 30 seconds of listening, then you don’t know ANYTHING about art. Y’all are picking about “glossy production?” Name a Nashville label act with DIY production! Julie Roberts and Taylor Swift are not “amazing”. They are very, very good. And nothing new, original, gutsy, or important. Cotten has the ability to be important because she refuses to give in. She actually has, wait for it, artistic vision. And that is something that is NOT ALLOWED in Nashville. Your comments here prove that. And that is why y’all drone on about Blonde X and Brunette Y, cuz your not really LISTENING. The comment “some weird release called “Funkabilly” says it all. Y’all are the same folks who complained when Garth hit and when “that AC/DC producer” bought that Shania Twain girl.

Ok, so I was fortunate enough to get pulled along to a set of hers last night, and I have to say that I was rather impressed. Though she did have a few pitchy spots, so do most artists when they are live and in a smaller venue. It was still a great show.

As for the comments on this blog, it truly sounds like Jim and Cookietime are the only open minded readers / listeners.

For years I have hear people talk about “Country-Rock Crossover” and how in today’s industry you have to be able to appeal to both sides of the fence. Well, I think Cotten has added in a new twist� Alternative / Punk.

I don’t think it is genuine to compare any true “Artist,” at all, let alone to the previously mentioned, and all to well known, Cookie-Cutter Singers. That would be like comparing Janice Joplin or Mama Cass to Debbie Gibson or Tiffany, better yet, why not compare Right Said Fred with Elvis, we can call it the “I’m too sexy for my Blue Suede Shoes” debate.

Speaking of comparisons and the like, I have often wondered how well someone like Janice Joplin or even Johnny Cash would do in today’s music industry as an unknown artist. I bet they would have a site just like this set up that comments on how they don’t really sing but rather just talk their way through a song and how it seems more like bad poetry with instrumentals in the background than true music.

What I think is funny about the comments that are on this page, is the fact that they are almost identical to the comments made about Nirvana back in the early 90’s from the Rock side of the music fence, and well, I have to ask you all to think about what it was they truly did to change the music industry (at least on the other side), and in essence created an entirely new genre of music that was completely unheard of before. Now, what has been done to breathe new life into the Country realm? How many true advances and changes have been made to bring listeners into this industry?

The real purpose for the “Crossover” style of music is not to piss off those of you with closed minds who want the style to never change, it is to entice those of us “Rockers” out there to consider buying a Country artists album, to get me to spend my money on your side instead of the Rock side.

I am not a Country fan, at all, but Cotten has the ability to “Bring a Rocker to Country.” Unlike the earlier mentioned Garth Brooks and Shania Twain, to me they are still country that just happened to get played every now and again on the radio stations that I frequented, I can see myself either listening to her music on those same stations and or even switching to what I commonly refer to as “That Thar Hillbilly Musac Station” in order to get a chance to catch her on the radio.

Note to Joanna: Rock on, beautiful! Stay true to your soul and don’t let then force you into their box.