Album Review – Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit’s “Weathervanes”
178 CommentsDon’t call it a comeback. Jason Isbell has been the King of Americana ever since he released his album Southeastern 10 years ago this week. But nothing will ever be good enough when it’s measured against perfection.
Woman ‘Impaled’ at Dierks Bentley Show – Speaks on Puking Incident
28 CommentsA woman was seriously injured at the Dierks Bentley show Sunday Night (11-16) in Utica, New York when a piece of falling metal from the ceiling of the Utica Memorial Auditorium impaled her. Meanwhile Dierks spoke on the puking incident from last week. ” I’m always looking for something like cool about every night. So for that to happen was pretty epic.”
Why Brandy Clark Was The Best Candidate to Integrate Country
49 CommentsWhen the news began to slowly trickle out that songwriter turned performer Brandy Clark was in fact gay, it didn’t really cause the kind of stir you would assume this type of news might drum up in country music. Part of the reason is because you just sort of found out about it through osmosis. There wasn’t some big news story with a huge headline proclaiming “Brandy Clark Is Gay!”
Kenny Chesney Punks Out Bro-Country in Billboard Cover Story
36 CommentsOnce again Kenny Chesney is putting Bro-Country in his crosshairs, and specifically its objectification of women. In a new cover story in the upcoming issue of Billboard, the four-time CMA Entertainer of the Year includes some bellicose language about how country is portraying the gentler sex these days. But is this all marketing, and yet another effort to exploit the growing anti Bro-Country backlash?
Tami Neilson Positively Dazzles with New “Dynamite!” Album
37 CommentsAlright, before we get too deep into this matter, just understand that you’re going to want to be purchasing this album. It’s my job to sit here and gab at you for a while about it and explain why, and I’m flattered that you would entertain this notion and read the proceeding words. But you pretty much just need to get this album and thank me later.
Girl Pukes on Dierks Bentley During “Drunk on a Plane”
36 CommentsAdd to the list of stage falls, mass arrests, “mass casualty” events, performers getting beamed in the head with flying beer bottles, rape, and even death, we now have a woman hurling on Dierks Bentley, appropriately, as she’s singing along to his smash hit “Drunk on a Plane.” Jokes about paper bags in backseat pockets and the awkwardness of airline lavatories even seem a little too obvious here.
Bobby Bones Takes Next Step Towards a Media Empire
19 CommentsiHeartMedia’s pop country über DJ and morning zoo host Bobby Bones, who currently can be heard in nearly 90 markets across the country and is the biggest DJ to ever serve the country genre, revealed yesterday that he’s launched his own television production company. That’s right, Bobby Bones is coming to a boob tube near you, though in what capacity has yet to be determined.
Pokey LaFarge, Rev. Peyton, & Banditos All Sign to Labels
8 CommentsThe past 24 hours has seen some big signings by some worthy artists to record labels. The old-school throwback St. Louis singing and strumming song man Pokey LaFarge has signed to the prestigious Rounder Records. Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band has signed with Yazoo Records, and the Alabama-bred gritty and greasy Banditos have signed to insurgent country label Bloodshot.
The American Country Countdown Awards Already Suck
48 CommentsThe only thing worse than a country music awards show is four of them. It feels like these annual earaches are multiplying like a pestilence in country music and the music world beyond, and now we have yet another machination of forced television pageantry to contend with. Say hello to the “American Country Countdown Awards”—the Busch League of country music award shows.
Album Review – Garth Brooks’ “Man Against Machine”
52 CommentsThe truth is, Garth was never going to live up to the lofty expectations many were foisting upon his re-entry into the country fold. Forget the naysayers who still can’t get over his high wire act at Texas Stadium or the Chris Gaines gimmick, there was some thought that Garth may be the only one left with the star power to reignite the spark of true country music in the mainstream once again.
The 6 Pop Country Archetypes (2014 Edition)
70 CommentsHave you ever wondered who actually listens to those awful songs they play on pop country radio? Here are the six primary Archetypes, or as Music Row refers to them, the “target demographics” that make up the audience of the pop country world.The new version takes into consideration country music’s changing demographics.
Taylor Swift Leading Country Exodus from Spotify
90 CommentsOn Monday, Jason Aldean pulled his latest record Old Boots, New Dirt from Spotify—a big loss for the company from one of country’s biggest stars, and one who has set streaming records. Subsequently, Brantley Gilbert, whose 2014 release Just As I Am has been receiving surprising sales numbers, has also been pulled from Spotify. So has Justin Moore’s “Off The Beaten Path.”
Whitey Morgan to Release Live Album – Hear New Song
12 CommentsFans of the hard driving, honky tonkin’ throwback country band of the new generation known as Whitey Morgan & the 78’s have been waiting a very long time to hear something new since the release of their self-titled Bloodshot Records debut in 2010, and the floodgates are about to open, beginning with the long-awaited release of “Born, Raised & LIVE from Flint.”