Jaron and the Long Road to Love: Getting Dressed in the Dark
Posted in Contemporary Country on Sep 7th, 2010
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“…Fairly ballsy stuff by contemporary country standards.” –All Music Guide
Category Archive for 'Country'
Court Yard Hounds: Court Yard Hounds
Posted in Country on Sep 7th, 2010
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“Sister duo (Emily) Robison and Martie Maguire might have confused a few fans by spinning off from their usual Dixie Chicks gig. But that will likely stop once they get an earful of the familiar, harmony-laden pop-country hybrid on this 12-song set.”–Billboard
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“…For lovers of contemporary bluegrass and country music’s Appalachian roots, “Up on the Ridge” is a thrilling ride from start to finish.” –Billboard
Chely Wright: Lifted Off the Ground
Posted in Country, Country Folk on Sep 3rd, 2010
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“Wright, once regarded as a singer and performer, has become a songwriter of consequence here. Lifted Off the Ground is easily the most harrowing and lovely recording in Wright’s catalog. Crowell’s ability to guide songs rather than helm them aided her in accomplishing the most difficult task an artist can encounter: complete reinvention. [...]
Shelby Lynne: Tears, Lies, and Alibis
Posted in Alt Rock, Alt-Country, Country on Jul 29th, 2010
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“Given the wonderfully mercurial, fiercely independent persona Shelby Lynne has displayed throughout her career (one that has inspired fans and infuriated record company executives) her first self-produced, self-released effort might have been fraught with egocentric excess. Many artists have fallen into that trap. But they don’t have her backbone and keen self-critical eyes [...]
Alan Jackson: Freight Train
Posted in Contemporary Country, Country on May 28th, 2010
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“More than ever, the singer sounds like part of the old guard, willfully ignoring anything modern or rocking, preferring to sing swaying ballads and pay tribute to Vern Gosdin via a cover of “Till the End.” Certainly, there’s a fair share of charm to Jackson’s cozy confidence…it’s the sound of a major star [...]
Mary Chapin Carpenter: The Age of Miracles
Posted in Contemporary Folk, Country, Country Folk on May 28th, 2010
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“It was always clear that she was a folk-influenced singer/songwriter who found a way to coexist with Nashville rather than an artist whose first goal was landing singles on country radio. Now that Carpenter has left the major labels, she seems more than willing to let the country side of her musical personality [...]
Jo Dee Messina: Unmistakable Love
Posted in Contemporary Country, Country on May 27th, 2010
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“The songs on Love are unified in their views of love and show a different side of the party-girl image that Messina gave off in the first part of the decade. The songs are mature and of a piece; they look at the redemptive power of love in all its facets. Messina’s fans [...]
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“Griffin’s vocals here possess a fierce passion bordered by a touching emotional fragility, as if she’s fully aware of the gravity of the themes at hand, and means to give them the consideration they deserve.” –All Music Guide
Josh Turner: Haywire
Posted in Country on May 26th, 2010
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“Josh Turner has the best baritone in the business, a sexy Carolina rumble that can work either frisky or sincere. He’s devoted to
traditional arrangements, and he’s packed this fourth album, Haywire, with steel guitar, fiddles, and two-stepping beats.” –Entertainment Weekly
Butch Walker & The Black Widows: I Liked It Better When You Had No Heart
Posted in Alt-Country, Rock/Pop on May 20th, 2010
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“The vibe on the new album may be rootsier and more acoustic than Walker’s usual fare, but it still emphasizes his knack for memorable wordplay and melodic know-how, which have earned him writing and producing gigs with Weezer, Pink and Avril Lavigne.” –Billboard
Gustav Mahler: Symphony No. 8; Adagio from Symphony No. 10
Posted in Alt-Country, Concertos, Rap/Hip Hop on May 19th, 2010
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“It has the right balance of line and harmony, the right feel for mass and momentum, the right sense of being in and of the moment, and above all, the sheer audacity to pull off the whole mighty and monumental work.” — All Music Guide
The Mumlers: Don’t Throw Me Away
Posted in Alt Rock, Alt-Country, Indie on May 15th, 2010
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“The Mumlers take their name from a 19th-century man who claimed he could photograph spirits. So probably the least contentious point of comparison between the California sextet and its namesake is that the Mumlers’ Don’t Throw Me Away is also haunted by ghosts. The crisp, direct start to the album verges on aggressive [...]
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“Folk singer-songwriter Caroline Herring’s keening alto and hummingbird vibrato will grab you hard on her blisteringly beautiful new album, Golden Apples of the Sun…Herring proves again she is a performer of remarkable skill who deserves a spot among contemporary folk’s brightest lights.” –Pop Matters
Peter Wolf: Midnight Souvenirs
Posted in Country, Country Rock on May 15th, 2010
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“Midnight Souvenirs is a terrific dark-night-of-the-soul album, but it doesn’t mope. It’s made for driving, dancing alone in the living room, or merely pondering your next move, while snapping your fingers, of course.” –All Music Guide
Rosanne Cash: The List
Posted in Country on May 10th, 2010
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The daughter of Johnny Cash releases a country covers album. Elvis Costello, Bruce Springsteen, Jeff Tweedy, and Rufus Wainwright appear as guest singers.
“Cash not only infuses love into her delivery on the collection but also proves herself a supreme song stylist.”–Billboard.com
Lady Antebellum: Need You Now
Posted in Contemporary Country, Country on May 10th, 2010
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“Showcases the group’s ability to combine its own contemporary country sound and folk-rock flair with a familiar formula, making it a refreshing addition to the ever-expanding country genre.”–Billboard.com
Willie Nelson: Country Music
Posted in Country on May 10th, 2010
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“It’s the spectacular collection of songs as much as T Bone Burnett’s ace production and Nelson’s first-rate performances that elevates Country Music above the recent spate of country covers records and makes the album an essential addition to Nelson’s rich catalogue.”–Slant Magazine
Oh Happy Day: All Star Music Celebration
Posted in Gospel on May 6th, 2010
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“A wide array of contemporary artists has been paired with some of today’s leading gospel voices and legendary choirs. Together they explore a batch of gospel standards and main-stream hits that were clearly inspired by the old soulful sound and feel of gospel. It’s an all-star celebration that just might take you someplace [...]
Gretchen Wilson: I Got Your Country Right Here
Posted in Contemporary Country, Country, Country Rock on May 5th, 2010
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“Wilson claims this is the first female Southern rock album. She may be right. I Got Your Country Right Here proves two things: that it rocks nearly as hard as her live shows and that she is not an industry-constructed image — she’s exactly who she’s portrayed herself to be all along.”–All Music [...]