Mica Roberts – “Days You Live For”
In the land of Toby Keith’s dreams, Mica Roberts is Show Dog Nashville’s answer to Martina McBride, a rafter-raising singer of wildly (okay, moderately) successful feel-good anthems. In reality, Mica Roberts is a back-up singer in Keith’s touring band whose first solo single for her boss’s label, “Things a Mama Don’t Know,” failed to catch fire last year, despite a little harmony help from Keith.
With any luck, “Days You Live For” will prove no more successful; certainly, it’s a weaker song than Roberts’ debut. For a lyric that sounds like it was thought up after prolonged exposure to the Hallmark Channel (perhaps scrawled on the inside of a chocolate box during a commercial break), it begs surprising attentiveness of its multitasking minivan mama audience: The difference between the verses and the chorus is in the contrast between the days you live through and the days you live for. That is, bad days and good days. If Mica Roberts is to be believed, you will experience both of them. Good to know.
The day I live for is the day we won’t be subjected to any more songs that try to list every phase of life within one chorus. Roberts sings: “That first home run, that first set of keys/That little bitty ring, down on one knee/You know that you will never be the same anymore.” If you’re surprised to learn that a baby’s born two short lines later, you probably haven’t been paying much attention to country music in the 21st century.
It would be one thing if the song were the only problem. But for all her pleasantness, Roberts still basically sounds like Martina McBride or Faith Hill’s background singer–both positions she held before joining Keith’s Easy Money band. (To be fair, Faith Hill also sometimes sounds like Faith Hill’s background singer.) Roberts’ performance isn’t commanding or distinctive enough to leave much of an impression, at least not as framed by the Generic Country Karaoke Track #3 production that surrounds it here. If Mica Roberts has any sort of personality, this song does a clever job of disguising it. She sounds like half the unsigned female singers currently spamming you on MySpace.
And that’s a shame, because there’s obvious talent here. It just seems like neither Toby Keith nor Mica Roberts knows what to do with it.
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August 14, 2009 at 10:18 am
But for all her pleasantness, Roberts still basically sounds like Martina McBride or Faith Hill’s background singer–both positions she held before joining Keith’s Easy Money band.
She used to be Martina McBride? >;)
August 14, 2009 at 10:24 am
Yep, Martina’s been using stand-ins for years.
August 14, 2009 at 10:30 am
That would explain the decline in the quality of her music. Thanks for clearing that up. ;)
August 14, 2009 at 10:45 am
Haha… Poor Martina.
But I guess more importantly poor Mica. I’m not going to bother listening to this song, I’ll probably vomit, and I have to go to work today and tomorrow.
August 14, 2009 at 11:14 am
Does this pitiful excuse for a blog EVER grade a single as good? By far the majority of times I see thumbs down. Although I can’t stand this modern plain vanilla crap either, go find some songs you can rate positively for a change. C
August 14, 2009 at 11:24 am
Does this pitiful excuse for a blog EVER grade a single as good?
Zac Brown, Miranda Lambert and Lee Brice have all received favorable single reviews in the past week.
August 14, 2009 at 11:59 am
Awhile back I purchased a Show Dog Sampler CD that had three tracks by Mica and they were all passable at best. One listen through and I had no interest in repeating the process. I like Carter’s Chord, I think Trailer Choir is okay, but Mica is just plain boring and not even her overwrought vocals up the ante. This is one backup singer who doesn’t deserve a promotion…
August 14, 2009 at 2:11 pm
I agree with the commits about Mica, that is the reason she is still sing back up for Toby she can not make it on her own. She has not personality either.
August 14, 2009 at 2:41 pm
Toby Keith can’t seem to successfully promote anybody but himself.
August 14, 2009 at 3:52 pm
Mayor Jobob, TK does have Trailer Choir “Rockin’ The Beer Gut” at 33 on the charts. While not as successful as himself, it is still somewhat successful.
August 15, 2009 at 7:22 am
There you go another great example of Women in
Country Music Today.
Way to go Toby another orchid is in the lounge gracing the stage ,now thats a Show Dog !
August 15, 2009 at 9:45 am
Idiots with a computer. The writer of this review
is part of the problem with the crap on radio
we have to listen to. Everyone has their opinion.
Mine is this guy wouldn’t know a hit if it bit him
in the ass.
August 15, 2009 at 9:59 am
The writer of this review
is part of the problem with the crap on radio
we have to listen to.
this guy wouldn’t know a hit if it bit him
in the ass.
Okay, those two sentances don’t go together.
August 15, 2009 at 3:14 pm
I’m sick and tired of reading comments about the writers rather than about the song. I disagree with many of the thumbs up/down that the writers here throw in, but we should respect their opinion if they know how to defend it. So stop this annoying “oh 9513 sucks/ 9513 is anti-mianstream….” bullcrap, coz u know what, i’m so happy there’s a place where good music is approved as good and bad music is critiqued.
August 15, 2009 at 5:42 pm
Tony,
You, apparently, have a computer too.
August 15, 2009 at 7:37 pm
boring…
August 15, 2009 at 9:01 pm
Amen to Tony’s comments.
August 15, 2009 at 10:06 pm
If you think “Things a Mama Don’t Know” was not a successful song… when it helped thousands of beaten and battered women and had the womens organization on her side with that song… I just am stunned by negative comments on that song.
She has been with Martina, Faith, Billy Bob Thorton, Willie Nelson before even being with Toby or his label. If that doesn’t prove she has something special to be picked up with people like that… I don’t know what could. I could care less, personally, for almost every female country artist out there today. She is one of the VERY few that are real in my eyes.
Taylor Swift, Carrie Underwood… ain’t worth multi-billion dollars in my book. They have nothing on Mica’s vocals. She is one of the very very few artists that I am hearing of that I can stand and LOVE her voice and her truthful and heart-filled songs. I downloaded all her songs on Itunes… “love in everything” is one of my favorite songs ever.
I seen her open for Toby YES OPEN last year… 2-3 times… and her spirit on stage, out front, was so energetic and great interaction with the crowd! I got to meet her too when she signed with the rest of the showdogs… she is just the most kind and caring person I have ever met. She rocks!
I cant wait until this song gets on my radio! I read a review on an internet radio station that my friend listens to… and listeners rated it 4.8/5 stars. I believe she has a good solid second single on her hands! I say… YOU GO GIRL!
August 15, 2009 at 10:24 pm
She is one of the VERY few that are real in my eyes.
You realize that people are only kidding when they say that Carrie Underwood is a robot, right.
August 16, 2009 at 7:07 am
You hit the nail right on the head CMW.
This is just another pretty face masquerading as a performing artist
August 16, 2009 at 4:45 pm
Ouch….I’m guessing you wouldn’t know good music if it came up & bit ya.
Things a Mama don’t know was successful. Even if it didn’t hit the mainstream radio, it helped thousands of battered & beaten women across the country get the help they needed.
Mica’s got the pipes to out sing so many artist’s in today’s mainstream country, if people would just give her music a chance. And Mica’s got a radiant personality, that just glows when you meet her.
Next time, clean your ears before you listen to music & give it a review like that.
I give this one a THUMBS UP!
August 24, 2009 at 12:03 pm
Perhaps you should all read Mica’s August Blog! I find it very interesting!
If her song doesn’t climb to the top, she has a fantastic shot at writing articles in place of Wilcox!
Girl is smart too!
August 28, 2009 at 9:26 pm
It is obvious to me that CM Wilcox falls into the category of those that cannot do, write about those that can. It is also very plain that CM Wilcox is the type of reviewer who thinks that by being snooty, mean spirited and pseudo intellectual corresponds to being a talented writer with something worth saying. You are greatly mistaken.
Mica Roberts has more personality, talent and a natural born ability in her pinky toe than CM Wilcox could ever dream of possessing. Mica is the most caring and loving person you could ever hope to meet and can sing her butt off. Mica is not only beautiful outside but is absolutely gorgeous inside, with a talent and a heart that few will ever know.
This blog just goes to prove that anyone with a few dollars to buy a domain name and can use a word processor program does not equate to having intelligence.
August 30, 2009 at 11:27 pm
I agree this is an upbeat and real song! People need to give this song a chance… Things a Mama Don’t Know was also a great song, that struck a cord with a lot of people. Not sure who this CM Wilcox guy is so not sure what makes him qualified to tear someone down like this… wilcox do you have any songs you have written out we can review… if not pretty sure you should keep rude comments such as this to yourself. Because nobody has even asked you to be back up let alone signed you for a solo contract.
I like the song and the others she has out. Pretty sure you will eat your words with a box of chocolates watching lifetime movies yourself sir.
September 2, 2009 at 7:37 am
I was underwhelmed by this song, but will give it a 2nd listen. It seemed like the vocal was competing with the arrangement. I’ve lived through all the scenarios in the song, but even that familiarity could not engage me.
September 12, 2009 at 7:34 pm
Haven’t heard “Days You Live For” yet. But I do think “Thing’s a Momma Don’t Know” is great.
October 1, 2009 at 11:10 am
Mica has amazing talent and is a very real down to earth person. Maybe instead of wasting your time on here with your thumbs up your asses always making up bullshit and thinking your god cause you can rate a person and try to bring them down, you should go get a fucking life.
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