“Vinyl” Proves William Michael Morgan Is The Traditionalist The Mainstream Needs
This is it folks. Without qualifiers, caveats, or commercial dalliances outside of his tightly-knit traditional-leaning comfort zone, William Michael Morgan has released a mainstream country record that is quality cover to cover, true country at every turn, and most importantly, one that might actually pique the interest of the masses as its lead single eyes a top spot in the charts and people are actually paying attention.
This isn’t Hank Williams or Waylon Jennings country mind you. But it’s not Garth Brooks or Brooks & Dunn either. It’s not even Chris Stapleton, who despite his singular talents and true country treatments, still leaves a bit to be desired if you’re looking for country music straight down the middle. There’s no wiggle room here, no play in the action, no latency in the line. Like a pearl snap Western-patterned Wrangler shirt and starched jeans, you can count on William Michael Morgan. There’s no compromise, no pandering or pop-related material. If the heyday of the George Strait / Alan Jackson era is what you wish country music would hearken back to, then ladies and gentlemen, here it is embodied in a young and promising talent who will hopefully have years of similarly-minded music coming.
William Michael Morgan wows you in a number of moments on his debut LP Vinyl, and at other times plays it a little bit safe. But the most important thing is that he never goes off the traditional country script. Who cares who co-wrote “I Met A Girl” and if they’re country or not, William Michael Morgan could sing Erasure and make it country from the sheer power and authenticity of his voice. The fact that his biggest hit so far is a Sam Hunt song isn’t a strike against him, it’s how you know he’s the real deal—that his touch can turn something to country gold, while the production of Morgan’s songs always stays right there in accordance to his authentic country style.
Another song “Missing” has that immediately infectious and warm country music flavor like your favorite home cooked meal that you’ll never tire of, and you fell in love with the first time you tasted it. Solid tracks like “Vinyl,” “Lonesomeville,” and the throwback vibe of “Cheap Cologne” make sure that William Michael Morgan isn’t just the tale of a couple of lucky takes, but brings a full boat of country goodness to the table. If your looking for mainstream country songs that don’t just paint everything rosy, they’ve all coalesced around William Michael Morgan like moths to a flame.
There are a couple of songs that slide by that don’t seem to raise the pulse either way, and a couple of moments where the influence of today’s songwriting does creep in. Though it’s staunchly traditional at heart, “Beer Drinker” seems a little presumptuous, though stops short of being pandering. You can tell that “Something To Drink About” was the result of a wrestling match where maybe the label or the producer wanted a more modern edge in the lyricism and production, utilizing a mandolin in a rhythmic pattern almost like electronic percussion would be employed, and words that trend toward the Metro-Bro influence. But even though it might walk up to the edge (and be an overall weak track), it doesn’t result in an anchor like so many other bad mainstream songs do on otherwise decent projects.
And whatever Vinyl leaves for second guessing, it also smooths over with deeply personal songs like “I Know Who He Is” touching on Alzheimer’s, or “Backseat Driver” about knowing when to let people go in life, and learning when to let go yourself.
Vinyl feels like a freshmen release in how it’s not really interested in taking too many chances, and how it also illustrates a tremendous amount of promise and potential. But it also doesn’t need to be apologized for either. There is a lot of good and great material on this record.
Music Row is hedging its bets at the moment on traditional country artists like William Michael Morgan. But William Michael Morgan may be the most traditional of them all. And because of this, unlike Jon Pardi or a handful of others, Morgan could really get the grassroots of country to rally behind him. True country fans are hungry and happy to root for a young talent who can carry the torch to the next generation.
There is still much to be decided in the young career of William Michael Morgan, but Vinyl is decidedly country, definitely good, and a great start to what hopefully continues to be a successful traditional country career, if not a resurgence in that direction for the entirety of the genre.
1 3/4 Guns Up (8/10)
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September 29, 2016 @ 8:48 am
I can’t wait to hear the whole album. I think “I Know Who He Is” is an excellent song. Definitely excited about this release.
September 29, 2016 @ 11:51 am
I’ve really liked that song ever since it made it’s rounds when Eric Church debuted it at CRS. I’m surprised that he didn’t keep it for himself but I’m glad that WMM recorded it.
September 29, 2016 @ 8:48 am
When I heard I met a girl last year I became a fan. One of the biggest reasons was because he had the balls to put a song out like that as his debut single while others were putting out whatever you wanna call it. I got his ep when it came out and was very pleased with it. There was probably more steel on those 5 songs than all of country radio in awhile. I also had the opportunity to meet him in April and he is a real down to earth guy. He can put on a show too. I told him he must be doing something right if SCM is praising him and he said yeah it’s always nice to stay on triggers good side haha I thought that was cool. Not only that but he has a 4 piece band that consists of guitar bass drums William on acoustic and a steel player. I think that is a true testament to the kind of artist William is because for a new mainstream artist to bring a steel player out on the road is a big deal. I have a lot of hope this record is what we need to turn the tides. With the success of I met a girl I think he will have a great week as far as sales go. William is the real deal!
September 29, 2016 @ 8:49 am
I just found out I would’ve been 5 years old when this guy was born and here he is following what was originally going to be my career choice when I was a kid. Problem is I’m too introverted to even sing in front of anybody. I’m not in a position to get the album yet but it’s definitely on my list.
September 29, 2016 @ 9:11 am
Let us know when you do!
September 29, 2016 @ 8:53 am
“If the heyday of the George Strait / Alan Jackson era is what you wish country music would hearken back to,”
So in other words it’s not going to be the fiddle and steel-driven authentic stuff that we got from Merle Haggard or Little Joe Carson… it’s going to be Clint Black and Martina McBride style Country?
pass.
After listening to “Missing” I can’t help but draw an early Toby Keith or Trace Adkins comparison. I will say that the song is way too overproduced.
“True country fans are hungry and happy to root for a young talent who can carry the torch to the next generation.”
Yep, so much yep. I agree completely with this one.
We need somebody who “gets” it. Not just how it sounds but what it’s supposed to represent, and who made it first and why they sounded the way they did.
Getting the sound is the easy part, getting an understanding of the genre’s history takes passion and dedication.
At this point I’d be happy if WMM name-dropped Vern Gosdin because at least that means he knows more than Luke Bryan does.
I wish i had more to add but I’d need to listen to the rest of the album.
If there’s a track about alzheimer’s you can guarantee that I’m on board wholeheartedly.
September 29, 2016 @ 10:33 am
”We need somebody who “gets” it. Not just how it sounds but what it’s supposed to represent, and who made it first and why they sounded the way they did.
Getting the sound is the easy part, getting an understanding of the genre’s history takes passion and dedication.”
Very well articulated F2S .
I haven’t heard this whole record but this song is a gem , In-My-Often-Not-So-Humble opinion, and promisingly indicates to be that WMM does, in fact , ‘get it ‘ .The lyric is crafted beautifully and intelligently and delivered in kind …with appreciation and respect for it , the groove supports the lyric vibe , its a universal theme regardless of age/demographic or familiarity with tailgates , lots of room for pickers , its completely dance-floor friendly, and its hooky as hell without forsaking a sense of adventure in the chord structure .
Timing , it would seem , is indeed everything . George Strait released what I thought was his best album in a decade with Cold Beer Conversation and it was all but ignored by radio . Several years ago Easton Corbin was set to be the ‘torchbearer’ for tradition and got waylaid and cut off at the pass , unfortunately . Lets hope Cody , Sam Outlaw Or WMM don’t suffer the same fate and that people are just bored and ‘bro-ed’ enough that they are ready to embrace something closer to the real deal when they hear it .
September 29, 2016 @ 11:27 am
Dude, you honestly don’t seem to like anything that is put out. There is a weird divide on this site. I think many people who view this site don’t like country music. They like folk, which is cool. I do too. This IS country music. This album is really good. Do you like George Strait, Alan Jackson, or other 80’s and 90’s country music? If so, then there is no way to argue that this is a bad album.
September 29, 2016 @ 11:54 am
“Do you like George Strait, Alan Jackson, or other 80’s and 90’s country music?”
Not really.
I’ve got a few Strait songs I can get into, but Alan Jackson I can take or leave, and usually leave in favor of Don Walser, Kenny Price, Alison Krauss, or Marty Stuart.
It’s just too “fluffy” and “watered down” to be honest enough for my taste.
I like a lot more than just folk. I like anything that is real, raw, honest and passionate.
I love Green Day, I love the Clancy Brothers, I love Jason Isbell…
But I don’t care much for the post-Outlaw Country Music…
It just got watered down and pop-influenced and overproduced and… well, boring.
September 29, 2016 @ 12:02 pm
Hey, fair enough.
No George Strait though? 🙁
September 29, 2016 @ 4:04 pm
I love the you-know-what out of the “Somewhere Down in Texas” album… but by and large King George doesn’t do it for me.
September 30, 2016 @ 8:10 am
but by and large King George doesn’t do it for me.
Yet picks one of his weaker albums Ha!
Either awful taste or a terrible troll.
September 29, 2016 @ 7:42 pm
I don’t know about Fuzzy, but the 90’s is the era where mainstream country starts to lose me, and by the 2000’s there’s basically no mainstream country that appeals to me. Being from Texas, I sorta have to like George Strait, but I think his best material came out in the 80’s. As far as Alan Jackson is concerned, I’ve never much cared for him, though his and George’s rendition of Murder on Music Row is wonderful.
September 29, 2016 @ 12:12 pm
Should GS add a 3rd fiddle player to the Ace in the Hole band?
September 29, 2016 @ 12:30 pm
“So in other words it’s not going to be the fiddle and steel-driven authentic stuff that we got from Merle Haggard or Little Joe Carson… it’s going to be Clint Black and Martina McBride style Country?”
What a selective quote. As I went on to say,
“But it’s not Garth Brooks or Brooks & Dunn either.”
…meaning it’s NOT indicative of the “Class of ’89,” which would mean it is not indicative of Clint Black, or even Martina McBride. But even if it was, would that inherently be awful, at least before listening to the actual music?
September 29, 2016 @ 12:48 pm
I like outlaw country music, but if all country music was only outlaw that’d be boring too. I don’t want everything in country to sound the same. Different sounds have always been part of country.
September 29, 2016 @ 7:13 pm
Fuzzy TwoShirts is always so negative. Oh Trigger gives a good review to an album? No it’s not good enough for you
September 29, 2016 @ 8:23 pm
Right — Lord knows that fiddle and steel have never driven an Alan Jackson or Clint Black song. You seem to share a rather disturbing trait that your old SCM commenting buddy Clint had in that you think your likes and dislikes are intrinsic to a given song/album/performer’s authenticity, therefore if you dislike it it’s “inauthentic.” Bullshit. I’ve not heard a single person ever insinuate that Killin’ Time is anything less than a hard country record, but by your approximation Black might as well be a pseudo-Taylor Swift that just throws in a token banjo and calls it a day. You can hate the neotraditionalist sound nine ways to Sunday, but let’s be realistic about the aesthetic, shall we?
If anyone ever wonders why staunch traditionalism is destined to die, here’s why: when you draw battle lines behind the battle lines, you inevitably encounter friendly fire. Nothing decimates a cause quicker than infighting. Clint Black and Alan Jackson may not be Merle Haggard or Little Joe Carson, but they’re still COUNTRY. That’s the point here. Trigger wasn’t insinuating that the ’80s and ’90s were the golden age of country, but moreso that this neotraditionalist period was the most recent in which the true blue country sounds still dominated this genre of music and the quality of the material was up to par. As of 2016, these are the most recent “good old days.” Not to mention that it’s the era William Michael Morgan most exemplifies.
September 30, 2016 @ 12:44 pm
the thing about Clint Black and Alan Jackson is that they’re sound has way too much extra noise. It’s like they’ve added a couple strumming guitars to flesh out the sound but it just reduces the distinction between the instruments.
The end result is that it’s just a wall of nondescript sound that doesn’t have any edges or curves and just flows along without doing anything interesting.
At least that’s how I would describe it.
My other complaint is that even “sad” modern Country songs are just way too happy.
There’s just not enough raw emotion in the performance to hold my interest.
I’m also a staunch Broadway traditionalist.
I say “Les Miserables” was best before Colm Wilkinson quit, and will maintain that no other performer could do it as well.
It’s not about quality of voice or technical ability, it’s about raw emotion in a performance.
And since the end of the seventies there hasn’t been enough of it.
That’s why I love Green Day and Guns’n’Roses.
Any singer alive can hit the notes in most tunes, the good ones are the ones who can make it real.
and Clint Black was just not raw and edgy enough. His singing was too polished and not sincere enough.
And as Angelo Rinaldi has said, the “good stuff” was the Webb Pierce’s, Patsy Cline’s and Hawkshaw Hawkninses that just made the music so real because it was coming from somewhere deeper than their vocal chords.
September 30, 2016 @ 3:22 pm
Apparently we’ll just have to agree to disagree on this. I’ve not heard much Green Day, but I know GNR and “emotional” isn’t an adjective I’d use to describe Axl Rose’s singing. Amazing range? Check. Distinctive tone? Check. But he’s never gotten my goat in the same way other singers have, which is partly the material but also just that he sounds more intense than introspective. Unless the emotion you’re commenting on the pseudo-schizophrenic paranoia that’s evident in his lyrics, or that he seems pissed off all the time, but you can get either of those elements from Nickelback so I don’t really see the need to praise it here.
I suppose it’s all simply a difference of opinion and preference. First you implied that the music of Alan Jackson and Clint Black wasn’t country enough and then you said it’s too “busy.” Initially the music itself was the problem and now it’s the voices and emotion. It seems like you just dislike certain artists/eras and keep coming up with reasons why rather than the other way around. And call me crazy, but the earliest albums from both Jackson and Black both sound pretty bare — do you just prefer three instruments instead of about six? Also, you might have to explain yourself about Clint Black’s “overly polished” singing. Again, the only other person I’ve ever heard this from is your buddy, and I assume you wouldn’t say the same about George Jones or Randy Travis, etc. (despite their obviously honed vocal crafts), so you might need to give us a few more details than that. Are we criticizing people for actually being able to sing now? I’m not a big opera fan but my wife LOVES it. I assume that you’d consider it emotional, yet you’d be crazy to tell me that it’s not “polished.” Where’s the delineation here?
September 30, 2016 @ 7:56 pm
For example:
Colm Wilkinson is my favorite vocalist ever, and Elvis and George Jones are 2 and 3, respectively.
What I like about these three is that they’re so pure, honest and real about their art. There’s nothing being phoned in.
I HATE “The Grand Tour” because it’s just so… below par for George Jones, compared to “Bartender’s Blues” or “Our Bed of Roses.”
I like stuff that “pushes the envelope” a little bit.
so maybe a better term than “polished” is “straight-faced.”
Clint Black and Alan Jackson are just too… safe, for my tastes. There’s nothing challenging about the music, they sing (nowhere near as well as Elvis or Jones) and they stop short of the kind of emotional connected that Jones, or Vern Gosdin, or Hank Jr. delivered.
It’s just… bland.
I love Alan Jackson’s Bluegrass album, but I’d be lying if I thought his cover of “Wild and Blue” was better than Hank Jr’s or Mack Magaha’s.
And yea, that borderline schizophrenia, as you put it, is enthralling to me… The man’s technical ability seems sooo unfettered from the traditional bounds of training and proper technique. so Axl Rose is high on my list of vocalists.
and yeah, I do like smaller bands and lineups, much more than 5 different instruments and there’s just too much to take in.
It’s supposed to be that way in the more organized genres like Jazz and Classical, but for an intimate or un-organized thing like Jass improvising or a honky tonk thing, much more than 5 and they’re tripping on themselves.
A “good” Country outfit, in my opinion, is bass and drums, 2 guitars (1 acoustic one electric,) OR one guitar and one steel, 1, 2, or three fiddles (depending on if you want a more Western Swing sound) OR any combination of one fiddle, mandolin and banjo, or fiddle, piano, and saxophone, etc. etc.
So if you add that up there’s seven people in the band, and obviously one of them is going to sit out every song, because not every song has a part for everyone, so let’s assume that 6 will be playing at any given time.
Except in the case of triple fiddles, there’s one of everything.
Now I’m not saying this is the only way to make music, I’m saying that if I had my druthers when it came to Country bands, I’d strive to implement a format like this.
These new Country records, especially the bros but even some of the 90s stuff, have 2 and 3 guitars, plus bass, drums, fiddle, steel AND a chorus of background singers, and usually a token dobro, banjo, or mandolin.
and it’s just crowded.
as for Randy Travis, I have to be in a Randy Travis sort of mood. I love some of his albums, eight by ten and Heroes are my favorites, but they’re not albums I listen to everyday.
And besides his strength is a unique vocal quality, not so much range or expression.
The albums I listen to the most?
The Clancy Brothers, mostly. A tin whistle, guitar or 2, banjo, and maybe a concertina, plus vocal harmonies.
I also listen to a lot of Green Day, Reno and Smiley, and Del Shannon. (I have a huge love for the classic Buddy Holly and Johnny Cymbal days of Rock’N’Roll.)
September 30, 2016 @ 9:54 pm
Fair enough. Obviously I’m biased, but I think that you’re wanting something that neither Black nor Jackson were offering (or claiming to offer) in the first place: edginess. Not everybody has to be a badass, you know. As for Black not emoting to the level of others, I suppose I can understand where you’re coming from if I put myself in your shoes. But he’s invested in his performances in other ways that enthrall me. Black is less about the “cry along with me”-type songs and more about a wink and smirk wit. The reason he seems to pale in comparison to a Jones or a Presley is because his songs are usually more subverted and less direct, featuring more wordplay and deadpan blink-and-you’ll-miss-it humor than your average country song. I like that. Jackson is across the spectrum, with a dry delivery of straightforward messages that makes him seem relatable. He sounds like an old friend who just stopped by to shoot the breeze. I love Jones and immensely respect Elvis (though it’d be disingenuous to call me a “fan” outright), but neither has ever really given me that down-to-earth feeling that Jackson (or Strait, for that matter, even if I find his material to be a little samey in long stretches) does.
I’m a strong proponent of judging art by its own terms rather than preconceived notions. Obviously everyone is going to fall prey to the latter as much as we might strive for any type of objectivity, and in many cases (such as the fight for authentic country music) there HAS to be some prejudice and boundaries. Still, it’s always helpful to try and appreciate what’s being offered rather than what appears to be missing. I love me some neotraditional country, mostly because it had a back-to-basics aesthetic about it. Some songs might be crowded, as you say, but for the most part it was a decent sized band with a singer, no frills (ideally speaking, of course). Backup singers were there but not in EVERY song, and there weren’t really any strings or other electronic embellishments on the whole. It might have been a little busier than in the past but it was still grounded and unpretentious. It wasn’t the golden era of country but it was certainly a contender, and far from the life-choking smog of today’s music.
October 2, 2016 @ 9:04 pm
You can say what you want about Clint Black, but if Alan Jackson doesn’t have raw emotion, I invite you to listen to “Monday Morning Church” and “So You Don’t Have to Love Me Anymore.”
October 4, 2016 @ 12:25 am
”……but if Alan Jackson doesn’t have raw emotion, I invite you to listen to “Monday Morning Church” and “So You Don’t Have to Love Me Anymore.”
Amen to that , Megan . ” So You Don’t Have To love Me Anymore ” is as good a country song and as emotional a performance as I’ve ever heard from ANY country artist and I’d include George Jones’ best performances in that .
September 30, 2016 @ 7:29 am
My kind of country music is the kind played by Ernest Tubb, Webb Pierce and the other giants of that era (40s to 60s), but we have to understand that sound is too much for today’s mainstream.
The best we can hope for is someone sounding like Strait and Jackson, and WMM is exactly that type of guy.
September 30, 2016 @ 12:45 pm
WMM is my buddy and I promise you that this review is not only on point but the kid greatly honors and respects the history of country music. He can carry the torch if the powers that be allow it.
September 29, 2016 @ 9:19 am
Ok folks, if you want to “save country music” buy/stream the crap out of this album. It’s pretty simple, music is a business, the major labels want to make money. If they think traditional country sells, they’ll make more traditional country. If this album (& others like it) tank, than these artists will either have to change their sound or lose their recording contracts. Pretty simple.
September 29, 2016 @ 11:34 am
Exactly! You have the right idea. If you really want to save country music, then you should support guys like William Michael Morgan, Jon Pardi, and Aaron Lewis.
Country music is not going to be saved by wanting everybody to sound like Jason Isbell and Sturgill Simpson (These are two of my favorite artists, by the way). These guys already have there own lane, and radio will ignore them. A lot of you guys are giving great reviews to Folk/Americana artists, which I love as much as the next guy, but THESE GUYS DO NOT SING COUNTRY MUSIC! Sure, we could lump at all as roots music, which is great, but “country music” is unique.
P.S. This is not a shot at you, Trigger. Roots music is important to protect and support. I am just saying that we need to recognize the cause.
September 29, 2016 @ 3:46 pm
But if I don’t like any of those guys, why would I give them my money? If I’m giving them my money just because they’re signed to a major label, isn’t that just perpetuating the cycle by feeding the labels? I almost work hard for my money, I’ll spend it on the music I actually want to listen to.
Having said that, I don’t actively root against those guys, but I’m sure as shit not giving them any money.
September 30, 2016 @ 12:46 pm
that’s what I keep saying. The major labels are part of the problem, Big Machine is the worst, and when the big wigs take their cut, they use it to further erode Country Music.
The only way to make it authentic again is to tear the system down so Music Row goes under and rebuilds from scratch after all the interlopers have jumped ship.
September 29, 2016 @ 11:40 am
Sorry seak05, I meant to preface that by saying that I totally agree with you.
September 29, 2016 @ 9:20 am
I’m rooting for the kid cause it’s better than most of the mainstream and a step in the right direction’s a step in the right direction after all.
But I don’t like it. Like, at all. I wanted to, hell I even tried to, but I think Vinyl had “girl” in it about 2 dozen times…half of which was just rhyming “girl” with “girl.” I can’t get past what I’d give (and have given) FGL so much shit for in their songs. All I could think was “so, this is what bro-country sounds like with country instrumentation!”
September 29, 2016 @ 10:01 am
I pre-ordered this album. Looking forward to getting it.
September 29, 2016 @ 10:05 am
Completely agree.
Great country album, one of the best released by the mainstream this year.
September 29, 2016 @ 10:20 am
“Not just how it sounds but what it’s supposed to represent”
I don’t want people to just cop a style. I want people who really are country people to sing country songs about their own lives. The genuine articles, market images be damned. That’s why I loved Merle, this punk rebel kid who loved all misfits and music and figured out he could sing. That’s why I like Ryan Bingham, because he’s a stoner prodigal wanderer in the process of straightening himself out. It’s why I like Wayne Hancock, who for all his problems loves the American open road and does his thing without compromise. Johnny frickin Cash, because he went from the nervy uppers mania of rockabilly to the broad river of married love gospel and God.
There are real folks, real stories, who embody archetypes, not brands. They aren’t stylists: they were a certain way that became a style in the hands of their followers.
I hope this kid is real like that.
September 29, 2016 @ 10:32 am
I think the review makes it pretty clear he’s not necessarily that kind of artist.
October 3, 2016 @ 11:49 am
“They aren’t stylists: they were a certain way that became a style in the hands of their followers.”
Howl-la-looya!
September 29, 2016 @ 10:34 am
Terrific review , Trigger , and much appreciated . Looking forward to hearing the rest of what WMM has to offer .
September 29, 2016 @ 10:44 am
Everytime they play this song on 98.9 (Real Country out of Lebanon, TN. They play TONS of classic country music.) I change it. I agree with Fuzzy on this one, it’s watered down 90’s country. And I’ll pass too.
I got to meet WMM last year at some CMA fest stuff over at Loser’s. Great guy, really nice. Everyone was telling me “this kid’s gonna bring country back to where it needs to be.”. These were record company people, that are VERY much on the inside. He sang a lot of covers during his set and I was impressed with is voice. It was what I grew up with, 90’s country all the way. But I also knew not too put much stock into that, it’s typical for a artist who just signed a deal not to have too much, if any of their own material. A great voice singing covers is one thing, a great voice singing original material is another and a great voice singing great originals is a completely different animal.
“I met a girl” is not a great lead off single in my opinion, but it is doing well amongst the garbage and that’s hard to argue with. I remember when Easton Corbin came out with his first album, which to me was without a doubt, the most country album to date from a metro/bro country singer. Everyone put all their chips on the table with Easton Corbin and look what’s happened.
I might be playing devils advocate right now, but how long will be before he’s wearing a beat up straw hat (even in the winter time! Lol), ripped up sparkle jeans, and a shmedium tie dyed/acid washed shirt with tribal embroidery and pearl snaps. The next thing you know, electronic drums show up and it’s that’s that. See where I am going with this?
Is it a step in the right direction, yeah and I’ll support it. Do I think we need to wait it out until his next album? Yes. He’ll prove to us just how country he is on the 2nd record.
September 29, 2016 @ 12:35 pm
“…how long will be before he’s wearing a beat up straw hat (even in the winter time! Lol), ripped up sparkle jeans, and a shmedium tie dyed/acid washed shirt with tribal embroidery and pearl snaps.”
We’ve got so used to losing in true country music, we don’t even know how to win any more. If William Michael Morgan turns to the dark side in the future, then I will be the first to take up the poison pen against him. But in the meantime, let’s not discount the kid or his music because of what he “might” do in the future. Is he Cody Jinks? No. But he’s really good, and undeniably country. Maybe it’s still not your speed, which is fine, but let’s give him a chance.
September 29, 2016 @ 10:52 am
I’m getting my copy tomorrow! I’m so excited. I love William Michael Morgan and his music. “Lonesomeville” is one of the best songs I’ve heard, period.
September 29, 2016 @ 11:15 am
I think I just figured SCM out….you all are the left-wing republicans of country music!! Conservative and want to keep with tradition, but not in a crazy, confederate flag waving kind of way. Am I right?? No wonder I feel out of place. I’m more of the socialist democrat country fan. I don’t mind being the odd one of the group, though.
Fun fact, the song “I Know Who He Is” was first covered by Church. He never released it. I think it was written by someone he commonly co-wrote with. I forget who. Casey something? Anyways…just throwing that out there….
Might give this one a listen, might not. Not sure yet….
September 29, 2016 @ 11:58 am
Nah, I don’t get political with my music. It sounds like this is a real boundary for you. My favorite artists are from all different political backgrounds
George Strait (Republican)
Hank Williams Jr. (Republican)
Jason Isbell (Democrat)
Hayes Carll (Democrat)
Sturgill Simpson (Probably Libertarian)
Alan Jackson (Probably Republican)
So, who cares…
September 29, 2016 @ 1:49 pm
I didn’t mean it literally….I was trying to make a comparison….IF music were politics….the stances would be similar….not that SCM is literally Republican. *sigh* nevermind.
September 29, 2016 @ 12:04 pm
I thought it was written by Church and Casey Beathard but credits seem to only show Beathard. Eric talked about the background of the song when he played it at CRS in 2015 and made it sound like he wrote it. https://youtu.be/kzU8Pwx-hbc
September 29, 2016 @ 1:51 pm
They collaborate frequently. Could have been the inspiration behind it, doesn’t mean EC wrote it. Could be why he never put it out on his own. EC usually releases music he’s had a hand in creating (the exception being “Like Jesus Does”).
September 29, 2016 @ 7:51 pm
As SCM has grown, there has definitely been an influx of people who were fans of radio country until the mid 2000s or so before becoming dissatisfied with the genre, who you might call left wing/moderate republicans. Five or six years ago, however, there was a sizable number of “socialist democrat” country fans. There were a lot of people from punk backgrounds that were just discovering country which is no surprise when you consider that SCM basically stared as a “Free Hank 3” website. The shift in demographics over the years has been really interesting to see.
September 30, 2016 @ 10:01 pm
Neat perspective! I’d say it’s partly because the mainstream REALLY has gone downhill in the past seven or eight years. There’ll always be people who claim that it’s been declining for ten, twenty, thirty, etc. years, but this latest drop-off was the closest to an objective quality dip that we’ve ever seen in country music. Every other article about the genre mentions that the infighting has reached a peak not seen in country music history, and with good reason. SCM is one of those internet havens that has long appealed to the underground scene, but with the influx of terrible and inauthentic music in the last few years, more and more people are jumping ship. I myself began to lose my interest around the time of Taylor Swift’s massive rise in popularity, whereas I think the music leading up to that point circa 2006 wasn’t that bad on the whole (with a few regrettable moments strewn about here and there). Nowadays it’s constant embarrassment with a few decent moments strewn about. I don’t think that there’s really been a shift in demographics (or at least in regard to one pushing out another) as much as the demographic margin widening due to the music.
September 29, 2016 @ 11:19 am
The sound is country enough. I just think the soul is missing. It’s a little too careful, IMO. Feels like he’s just singing, doesn’t FEEL what he’s saying.
Still a billion times better than anything else on the radio…
September 29, 2016 @ 1:05 pm
I feel the same way. Its like soft country, which is better than other stuff on the radio. It sounds like watered down soft early 90’s neo traditional country, which is far better than anything the radio is playing, but not up my alley. But it is country and I hope he does well.
September 29, 2016 @ 1:30 pm
One word to describe this…..Vanilla. This is bland, middle of the road county that reminds me of something that could have been released by any number of faceless early-mid 90’s hat acts. Not saying its horrible, just not my style.
September 29, 2016 @ 4:15 pm
“Do it vanilla boys!”
–Hank Williams
That quote is attributed to Hank via Colin Escott’s biography. That is what he’d tell his studio musicians right before a recording session. True country music is vanilla. Doesn’t mean it can’t be other flavors too, or that vanilla country will appeal to you.
September 29, 2016 @ 4:41 pm
Vanilla means “no fancy chord extensions or substitutions.” Hank wanted the music as plain-spoken as he was.
September 29, 2016 @ 3:02 pm
Tough crowd, we are.
September 29, 2016 @ 3:39 pm
Only sometimes. Other times I love the music, buy the CD, and tell everyone I know to buy it, too. Kinda like how my Pat Reedy CD just got here today! Even went out of my way to email the guy and ask what site got him the biggest cut when I buy-cdbaby.com gives him the biggest cut, so I bought it there.
September 29, 2016 @ 3:18 pm
It’s just a matter of time before the Alan Jackson’s and George Straits of my generation come out and about. Then IMHO, I think country music will be somewhat saved. We need another Neo-Traditional movement, we need more artists that respect and pay tribute to the one’s that came before and paved the road.
September 29, 2016 @ 4:11 pm
Sounds like George Strait in his heyday, which is a good thing. He also sounds a lot like an Easton Corbin at the beginning of his career, which makes me a bit nervous because we all know how that turned out.
September 29, 2016 @ 4:41 pm
Really looking forward to checking this album out tomorrow I’ll probably have to hunt for it
September 29, 2016 @ 4:59 pm
Pre-ordered this and have the EP, good stuff. Totally agree that we ahould buy several copies each and give as holiday gifts since labels will only pay attention if it makes money. I have often said the best way to beat bro-country is ignore it and put your money behind those artists who are working to support Ameripolitan music.
On a side note, I just received my copy of the new Jim Lauderdale album “This Changes Everything”. It is his best to date and an awesome album. If you like steel, Chestnutt’s “Tradition Lives”, and William Michael Morgan, I would recommend Jim’s album as well. In fact, if Jim, Mark and WMM would tour together, it would be quite the triple middle finger to bro-country.
September 29, 2016 @ 5:41 pm
Because no one asked and this is completely off topic , here’s why I appreciate this site .
We all seem to be on board with the concept of Saving Country Music …I don’t think that can be questioned.
But what I love is that most of us seem not only informed by a more-than-working knowledge of country’s history but by a working knowledge of other popular genres of music . We are MUSIC lovers first and that is obvious by the way we substantiate our claims , rationalize our viewpoints , and , yes, often let our passions and/or our guts rule when we REALLY feel strongly about a song ,an artist or simply something posted . What’s not to love about a community of like-minded souls comparing notes in a conversation facilitated by someone who’s at least as passionate and invested in the cause as any of us ?
September 29, 2016 @ 6:18 pm
Don’t collectivize me, bruh.
September 29, 2016 @ 6:32 pm
hold on…… ……I’m looking up ”collectivize”…..
September 29, 2016 @ 8:29 pm
No comment on the music just yet (aside from the two good songs “I Met a Girl” and “Missing”), but is anyone else a tad ruffled by the fact that this album isn’t actually getting released on its namesake? There’s enough interest in the format these days that an album called Vinyl really should make an appearance in wax. Ironic. Still, looking forward to hearing it.
September 29, 2016 @ 8:37 pm
I have no doubt “Vinyl” will be released on vinyl. What folks have to understand is demand for vinyl is so big right now, it can sometimes take 9 months for a project to get pressed. Because of this and because it results in two sales instead of one, many releases are waiting to release on vinyl until a few months after the original release date. And hey, why not download or stream the album before you decide to invest $17.99 in it?
September 30, 2016 @ 12:15 pm
I believe he said on Facebook that vinyl will be available in December.
September 30, 2016 @ 4:20 pm
Dude, I agree. I thought this was extremely odd…Almost so odd, its stupid.
October 3, 2016 @ 12:00 pm
When artists dump their digital recordings onto plastic and call it vinyl, we should be able to sue them for fraud.
September 30, 2016 @ 1:37 am
“that immediately infectious and warm country music flavor like your favorite home cooked meal that you’ll never tire of, and you fell in love with the first time you tasted it.”
Well put! Describes exactly how I feel. He sings with the same warmth as Strait and Jackson.
September 30, 2016 @ 6:23 am
Great album. Big fan of this guy. Keep it up! I thnk Mo Pitney’s album comes out next week, as well.
September 30, 2016 @ 7:05 am
I know people have hammered away on the fact that Sam Hunt wrote I Met a Girl here. But I bring it up from a different perspective. Frankly, it doesn’t bother me one bit, this is an amazing album. But to play devil’s advocate in the commentator capacity, I can’t help but think of how many songs that have been ripped to shreds lyrically here that may have been all of a sudden deemed country and great if someone like William Michael Morgan sang them. I just can’t wrap my head around that.
September 30, 2016 @ 7:28 am
Awesome, sounds great, good to hear this style again.
September 30, 2016 @ 1:01 pm
Listening to this and trying to come up with a comparison and I think its the 2009 versions of Chris Young and Easton Corbin. Hope he follows a different path.
September 30, 2016 @ 3:33 pm
just got home and put the cd in my stereo it’s a solid debut and the future seems bright for him there’s also definitely a radio friendly vibe to the album while also keeping on the traditional i just really hope he gets another hit or two off this album because i’m not gonna lie if missing were to play on my radio every day i wouldn’t mind one bit
September 30, 2016 @ 9:40 pm
Somethin’ To Drink About sounds exactly like a Jason Aldean cut and if it was, it would be getting skewered here. Boggles my mind.
September 30, 2016 @ 11:02 pm
If it was a Jason Aldean cut, it would have been built from an electronic drum machine bed. I specifically singled the song out as the worst on the album in the review. I’m not going to make any excuses for it, and I hope they don’t release it as a single. But let’s not get hyperbolic.
October 1, 2016 @ 6:01 am
I’m listening to this song right now and my first thought was “this is just a Jason Aldean song”. Glad I wasn’t the only one that thought that.
September 30, 2016 @ 11:16 pm
Ah, now I have put my finger on it. WMM doesn’t have the same voice, but his presence and look reminds me of Ricky Van Shelton.
October 1, 2016 @ 4:10 am
I love this kid. I love his voice. I love his attitude, so far he seems to me to be country like how my dad was and that’s probably because he’s from Vicksburg MS and my dad is from right across the Mississippi on the Louisiana side. He seems to be a western shirt wearing, cowboy hat wearing, clean cut performer (as opposed to that turd Aldean with his chin strap facial hair, earrings, clothes that look like they’re something a barely pubescent middle eastern kid would wear into a night club, etc). I love the fact that he pays homage to good country.
“Paint me a Birmingham” – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oXt5KGwZeK0
“If we make it thru December” – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Urhw87z2l7s
“When you say nothing at all” – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ngnrfXDAXv8
“Good hearted woman” – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gJwArRflhok
“It’s a little too late” – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W8veoUtKrVs
And I can never find it when I want to show it to someone but there is a beautiful cover of “Miami, my Amy” on youtube somewhere that he played at that York Festival.
But I will agree despite my name his own works are a little too vanilla. I get bored listening to them after a while. I wish his songwriting was more mature. To give him credit though he is a new young fresh face into this scene. Can’t expect him to have Merle quality songs right out of the get-go, can we?
October 1, 2016 @ 6:17 am
As much as I want to like WMM, I’m not sure this album will get much play from me. I wasn’t a fan of the EP, which appears to have been removed from Spotify now that the album is out. I was hoping the album would leave some of the EP songs behind but all 6 made their way on to the album.
For me there are more negatives than positives on this album. I Met a Girl has always been lipstick on a pig for me, but that’s been discussed enough already. As Anthony mentioned above, Somethin’ To Drink About sounds like it belongs on a Jason Aldean album. Bro-country with real instruments is still bro-country. At times this album reminds me of Chris Young, before Chris got incredibly boring on his last album.
That being said, I really like Missing and I Know Who He Is. I’ll listen to this quite a bit, but I probably won’t listen to the full album again.
October 1, 2016 @ 6:52 am
It’s pretty par for the course from the mainstream at this point to put out an EP from a debut artist, and then expand it for the debut album. I’m pretty much against EP’s in most all circumstances with certain exceptions, including asking your fans to pay for the same songs twice.
October 2, 2016 @ 9:09 pm
Before Chris Young got incredibly boring on his last album…lol.
October 2, 2016 @ 10:01 am
Not sure how I feel about this album or artist just yet. It’s nice to have a more traditional leaning artist on a major label and getting some radio love for sure, but I also can’t say I was blow away by any one track on this album. All of the songs generally feel pretty “safe” and “middle of the road” in terms of content and quality.
It’s not a bad album, but it also honestly comes off as a bunch of songs that they put together from lost 90’s “hat act” demo tapes. If I was forced to listen to the mainstream Country radio, I would love William Michael Morgan. But considering 99% of my music listening is now streaming through my phone, I can’t say I see myself adding this to my rotation of artists like Jason Eady, Cody Jinks, Simpson, Isbell, Troubadours, etc.
October 15, 2016 @ 4:38 am
You guys can’t be satisfied. You get a solid album and you still rip it up.
By his own admission, WMM plays “traditional country music.”
He isn’t ashamed or afraid of that label. I’ve seen him live and he has a charisma that is unique, which I believe will carry him through
October 15, 2016 @ 4:43 am
Also, the song “Vinyl ” is now labeled as solid, but wasn’t reviewed so favorably by this Web site when the ep came out.
For the record, it is my least favorite song as I see the bro-country influences in the lyrics somewhat. I’m just curious why the flip on it to solid now.