John Rich & Gretchen Wilson No-Shows at Alabama Concert

Thanks for the props guys.

The Dierks quote ought to make everyone take a step back and wonder what’s going on, because if one of our more successful artists is pondering an album-less future, then what are the grinder indie artists thinking? Now, Dierks records for an EMI label, and they just went the private equity route with continued cuts and changes being spoken about from their top exec. We know tha majors are in it up to their ears. The question is: when the majors fall to their knees will there be an indie scene robust enough to develop all the Country talents we love to listen to and write about so passionately?

I don’t like all this death of the album talk, it’s disheartening–even if things started out in the singles based format to begin with. I’m partial to albums.

Dierks did leave things hanging there, though. Maybe he’d elaborate for us if we contacted him :P

Basically I can picture EPs/singles exclusively being offered online within the next ten years. As it stands, the electronics sections of most stores, in terms of CDs, games, and video games, is becoming obsolete with the internet, and while games and video games can be translated fully onto an online source, why should an artist feel obligated to release 11-13 songs when they could release as few as 1 or as many as they pleased?

I wish I could find the quote but this isn’t the first time Dierks has predicted the demise of the traditional album. At least he’s not burying his head in the sand.

If the album is on life support, it’s because too many albums are lifeless. One or two great songs, a few good songs, and 5 or more lackluster “filler” songs. To get the good songs you gotta buy the bad songs. If that’s what albums have given us, then good riddance.

But I hope the album remains viable because some music can only be made via album, music like Marty Stuart’s “The Pilgrim” or Willie Nelson’s “Red Headed Stranger.” The death of an album might not be a big loss to the George Strait fan, but it would be to the Marty Stuart fan.

I sometimes feel sorry for Big Kenny and all the crap he must have to deal with.

Ashton Shepard clearly has so much talent, but this song is far from perfect. This song has a great hook; but the lyrics really barely scratch the surface of a marriage that has gone loveless. We never get any hint of why the husband might rather watch tv than his wife in something sexy. And the vocals and the video don’t do much to make us really care why this happened, either.

Spepard’s vocals seem oblivious to the fact that there’s an interesting contrast between Shepard’s claim that “I’m the only one that can set myself free” and her choice to celebrate her decision to end the marriage by drinking alcohol. So many people try to find freedom or comfort or love in alcohol that one wonders if Shepard has really set herself free. The idea that Shepard hasn’t really “set herself free” is given credence by the fact that she tells her husband that she hopes “you miss me every second that I’m gone.” If she was really free of this marriage, why would she care about this?

I really want to like this song; its great when something a bit more “traditional” comes out of a major label. And there is a certain charm to the fact that she is taking the demise of her marriage in such stride. She sees the end of a marriage as the start of new possibilities, and she makes you want to root for her as she pursues a better life and takes control.

absolutely agreed about big kenny. he’s a class act. the other(s)? eh. i can pass on ‘em.