Sunday Morning Comment Corral & Forum Roundup, Issue #2

Thanks for making August a fantastic month here at The 9513.

Forum Roundup for Sunday, August 31st.

• In “Do pop-country songwriters know the score,” Hollerin’ Ben explores the possible creative dichotomy between successful mainstream country songwriters and their more adventurous (but less commercially viable) counterparts:
  

  “They seem to actually believe that they are writing good, important, country music. Furthermore, they offer sales numbers as evidence of their song’s quality. This strikes me as completely delusional.”

• Does CD packaging still matter? “Longtime LP enthusiasts bemoan the decline of the album artwork and liner notes, and it’s hard not to take the point seriously. Especially when so many albums these days consist of a second-rate photograph with a free font slapped on.” (Brody)
• Razor X waxes on Gretchen Wilson’s fall from glory:
  

  “I wouldn’t go so far as to call Gretchen Wilson a one-hit wonder, but I can’t recall ever seeing an artist crash and burn so quickly after initially showing so much commercial promise. When she won Female Vocalist of the Year, I thought that she’d be a force to be reckoned with for the next several years.”

• How many of you still listen to mainstream country radio?
  

  “There was a time when I would thought it would be impossible to survive without country radio, but I honestly don’t miss it at all. I’ve been depending on sites like this one to help me keep current. While reading the threads on what songs should or should not be singles, it struck me that I really don’t care much which songs are selected for singles anymore, since I’m not tuning in to the radio anyway.” (Razor X)

• Sound Off: “Songs that shouldn’t have been singles” and “Songs that should have been singles but weren’t“.
• 63 forum replies later, and we’re still discussing Chad Brock’s latest release, “Put A Redneck In The White House.” Three thoughts on this: First, no. Second, wait, we already have a redneck in the White House. Third, 63…that means this thread has the exact same number of replies as the song has radio spins.
• What do Julie Roberts, Perfect Stranger, and C.W. McCall have in common? (Drew)
• And finally, listmania has erupted in full force, with forum members posting their “top ten” favorite songs by each of the following artists:
  
  Alabama
  Alan Jackson
  Barbara Mandrell
  Brooks & Dunn
  Conway Twitty
  Dolly Parton
  Emmylou Harris
  Faith Hill
  George Jones
  George Strait
  LeAnn Rimes
  Lee Ann Womack
  Merle Haggard
  Kenny Rogers
  Reba McEntire
  Ryan Adams
  Steve Earle
  Tammy Wynette
  Tanya Tucker
  Tim McGraw
  Waylon Jennings

Comment Corral: Choice nuggets from the peanut gallery…

• On The Lost Trailers – Holler Back (Album Review):
  

  “…If I had somehow purchased this thing, I’d need a drink.” — Mike Parker

• On Jason Boland and the Stragglers — Comal County Blue (Album Review):
  

  “This is the perfect album to put in the player and drive for about 5 hours on roads with just 2 lanes.” — Ryan

• On Glen Campbell – Meet Glen Campbell (Album Review):
  

  “I felt like his version of “sing” by Travis was too much of a copycat. I love the original, and I do like campbell’s version as well, I just wouldve liked to see a bit more of a departure from the british original, I suppose, since Campbell is about as opposite of British as you can get.” — Kelly

• On Brandon Rhyder – Every Night (Album Review):
  

  “I am loving this record. But then again, I am liking the new Jimmy Wayne record so take my opinion for what it may or many not be worth….” — Matt B

• On George Jones – Burn Your Playhouse Down (Album Review):
  

  “Hmmm, not that I even remotely agree with the author of this review but wouldn’t a so called “Bad George Jones Album” be better than anything else being produced today???” — Smith

  And, in case you needed to laugh today…

  “This duet album is a must for any George Jones fan. I’m guessing the reviewer of this album is probably a big Rascal Flatts fan.” — Casey, referring to our own Matt C.

  Let’s see how much Matt C. loves Rascal Flatts.

• On Crystal Shawanda – Dawn of a New Day (Album Review):
  

  “Formulaic is the operative here. She sounds like the big label suits decided to cast her as the next Gretchen Wilson. In spite of the inclusion of an overtly rocked-up cover of Hank William’s “Your Cheatin Heart.” This is Nashvegas confection at it’s most predictable.” — Baron Lane

• On Sugarland – “Already Gone” (Single Review):
  

  “…Sugarland has done some creative things with their music and shows, but I think they got a little too cute and sloppy at the same time. I still like them but I’m hoping for a major course correction before the next album.” — Scooter

  “What happened to the emotional rawness and realness of “Stay”?…” — CRAIGR.

On Joey + Rory – “Cheater, Cheater” (Single Review):

“Wow, something good actually came from a CMT show. I’m stunned.” — Hollerin’ Ben

“sorry matt but with your remarks on joey’s vocal abilities you’re not even in the parking lot of the ball park. on second thought, your not even in town. let’s get real, while the instrumentation might be refreshing and the lyrics nicely frivolous, the highlight of this effort is her voice. this women can sing and sounds very much like a pro, even a good pro, in my ears.” — Thomas

• On Miranda Lambert – “More Like Her” (Single Review):
  

  “Whether or not this does well at radio, looking at the long term, Miranda really needed something the polar opposite of Gunpowder and Lead or Kerosene to balance her as an artist.” — Stormy

  “I’m afraid I really dislike this song’s lyrics. It’s my least favorite on the album by a long way. I hate the sneering attitude towards the object of the song (and it feels particularly unpleasant to me since I understand IRL Miranda is involved in a relationship with someone who left his wife for her). It affects me in a really visceral way.” — Ocassional Hope

• On Josh Gracin — “Unbelievable” (Single Review):
  

  “Does Josh Gracin remind any of the rest of you of the actor David Boreanz who played the vampire “Angel” and is now Boothe on “Bones”? Hmmmm……” — Rick

  “Wow you guys are assholes. I can guarantee you that this song will get lots of airplay and be a big hit for Josh because it IS a good song. Sometimes a good song doesn’t need to be creative or all that “original” by your terms but just a good song that people can relate to. THAT is why people love country music. It’s full of songs about life and just livin’ life.” — Jamie

• On August Mailbag – What Would Kristofferson Do?:
  

  “Katie Cook going over to GAC would be reason enough to watch CMT. I suggest that Ms Cook and Ms Alexander and their ilk purchase a dictionary and look up the meaning of the word “amazing”. Maybe then they would quit using the word to describe things that are in the mediocre-to-good range.” — Paul W Dennis

• On Rucker Proves That Sometimes The Best Marketing Is No Marketing At All:
  

  “Great music may not always do well at radio, but it always speaks for itself; marketing that pigeonholes an artist may provide a “quick fix” hit or two, but ultimately limits one’s artistic and commercial potential. As far as I could tell (and I may be wrong, so feel free to point it out if I am), Taylor Swift wasn’t really sold to the general public as “the seventeen year-old MySpace-loving girl-next-door” until “Tim McGraw” – one of the most unjuvenile songs in her repertoire – had already made a significant impact and people had become naturally curious about her. Sure, now she’s over-marketed like hell, but it all started with a solid song (and its accompanying no-BS video).” — Dan M

  “…I am sick and tired of country music being a depot for failed pop stars…” — CRAIGR.

Other stories, just in case you missed something this week:

Win a Glen Campbell prize-pack, featuring a copy of his latest CD, Meet Gleen Campbell, along with a limited edition vinyl version. Entries are open until Tuesday, so you still have time to drop your name in the hat.

Latest entries in Paul W. Dennis’ “Forgotten Artists” series:

Bradley Kincaid:

“In 1928, Kincaid published his first songbook titled My Favorite Mountain Ballads. The initial printing sold more than 100,000 copies and subsequent printings brought the sales totals to over 400,000. Over the course of the next twenty years, Kincaid would publish a total of thirteen different songbooks.”

Goldie Hill:

“Had Carl Smith and Goldie Hill been born 30 or 40 years later, they might have been like Faith Hill and Tim McGraw–the dominant married couple in country music. Carl Smith was one of the biggest stars of the 1950s; bigger perhaps than Tim McGraw is today. Goldie Hill was glamorous and talented, with a powerful and pleasing voice, unquestionably one of the three or four best female voices ever in country music history.”

Wynn Stewart:

“Wynn Stewart arrived in 1954 with his hard-core sound and distinctive tenor and phrasing, recording for a minor label out in California. He signed to major label Capitol in 1956 and had one hit, “Waltz of the Angels,” which reached #14, but he was unable to duplicate that success and was soon released.”