Craig Morgan's 2012 CD, This Ole Boy. Photo courtesy of Black River Entertainment.

It’s like having Saturday morning breakfast at your favorite diner down on Main Street. Between reading the news and sipping coffee, conversations with friends inevitably turn to fond memories carrying a hint of nostalgia. On his sixth studio album, This Ole Boy due in stores February 28, Craig Morgan speaks to blue collar America with an easygoing collection that spends time reflecting on the good ole days.

Co-produced by Craig and Phil O’Donnell, This Ole Boy features 12 new songs showcasing the 47-year-old singer/songwriter fully entrenched in his music and sounding as comfortable as ever. The voice and feeling that many know so well from previous hits like “That’s What I Love About Sunday” are evident throughout the record as Craig makes his debut for new label home Black River Entertainment. This Ole Boy is Craig’s first new album since 2008’s That’s Why, but the good-natured approach he takes on songs like current Top 25 hit and title track “This Ole Boy” sound like the welcome return of a good friend. With happy-go-lucky guitar themes and flowing vocal melodies, Craig sings with a soft country twang, She sweetens my tea and she butters my biscuit / I am who I am and buddy she gets it.

Craig extolls the virtues of small town life and songs like “Whole World Needs A Kitchen” and “More Trucks Than Cars” pay humble ode to simpler times and less hectic lifestyles. On the radio-ready “More Trucks Than Cars,” nicely crafted visuals like the gas station attendant who knows your name and the waitress who calls you “baby” roll smoothly over a music bed of light pedal steel, banjo and electric guitars. “Show Me Your Tattoo,” a song destined to be a crowd favorite at concerts with its meaty country/rock guitar riffs, takes a slightly different approach as it subtly addresses rural rebelliousness. Craig displays innocent – albeit in the young teenage male sense – wonder at what her new ink could possibly look like as the swampy southern rocker pounds along.

Craig co-wrote seven of the album’s twelve songs, including “I Didn’t Drink,” which relates the record’s heaviest themes. The song depicts the tear-jerking story of being driven to drink due to the pain of a loved one’s cancer. Over dramatic piano tones, Craig holds the listener’s attention throughout this classic country song. Though this is easily the album’s darkest moment, most of This Ole Boy hums an optimistic tune.

Craig’s thirst for adventure shows up most notably on “Being Alive and Living” and “Better Stories.” The two standout album cuts celebrate living life to the fullest and without regrets. Craig delivers an impassioned vocal on the chorus of the former featuring the insightful line, There’s a difference between being alive and living.

This Ole Boy is full of easygoing charm. Songs like the sexy “Love Loves A Long Night” and “Fish Weren’t Bitin’” fill out a solid collection that feels like a warm conversation. Craig’s music and voice have always been engaging and accessible, and it’s no different here. So come on in, order a cup of coffee and pull up a seat – we’ve got some catching up to do.

Key tracks – “This Ole Boy,” “Being Alive and Living,” “Love Loves A Long Night,” “Show Me Your Tattoo”

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Gene Watson's 2012 CD, Best of the Best: 25 Greatest Hits.

There’s no doubt that the music business is tough. Maintaining a career as a singer and entertainer for 50 years is a feat that only a handful of artists accomplish. To celebrate a career that started with a regional Texas single in 1962, Gene Watson re-recorded 25 of his best-known songs for the new project, Best of the Best: 25 Greatest Hits, due in stores today.

Gene re-recorded these songs as close to the originals as possible, right down to the same keys and tempos. By doing it on his own Fourteen Carat Music record label this time around, he retains ownership of the production masters, a benefit that was held by his major label partners throughout his career. Songs like 1981’s No. 1 classic “Fourteen Carat Mind” and 1985’s “Memories To Burn” are included, as well as the song that kick-started Gene’s career, 1975’s steamy “Love In The Hot Afternoon.”

The first thing that jumps out about this collection is Gene’s voice. It is in fine shape and sounds as smooth as ever as the 68-year old runs through songs like “Paper Rosie” and “Nothing Sure Looked Good On You,” the latter showing off his great vocal strength in a powerful chorus. On the slow “Bedroom Ballad,” Gene’s control is tight as he navigates tricky notes with lines like, She’s got a way of saying things just when I need a thought to make it rhyme, building on a sensual theme while using songwriting metaphors. On “Should I Come Home (Or Should I Go Crazy),” Gene sounds fresh and soulful as he belts out hillbilly melodies in the chorus.

Building his band for this project, Gene reached out to Continue Reading

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Dierks Bentley's 2012 CD, Home. Photo courtesy of Capitol Nashville.

On his last record, 2010’s Up On The Ridge, Dierks Bentley went Appalachian while pursuing his love for bluegrass, amidst earthy tones and Americana-influenced songs. Though the album was critically acclaimed and garnered Country Album of the Year nominations from both the Grammys and CMA, the singles didn’t achieve quite the same success at radio as his previous releases. On Home, his first mainstream set since 2009’s Feel That Fire, Dierks returns with 12 contemporary songs that showcase the singer/songwriter firmly entrenched in his element and building on established strengths.

With the album’s first single, “Am I The Only One,” already reaching the top spot on the country charts, and follow-up single “Home” currently in the Top 10, it’s clear the new work is already connecting. These two songs also highlight the diversity of Dierks’ songwriting and continued artistic drive. “Am I The Only One” is a rowdy stomp through a wild night that has Dierks seeking out someone to party with, while “Home” is an introspective and vast power ballad celebrating our differences with elegant patriotism. Dierks’ ability to maneuver between lighthearted and openly emotional from song-to-song has been a key aspect to his career — and he continues to execute it flawlessly here.

Songs like the quick “5-1-5-0,” punctuated by sharp acoustic riffing and tight banjo, illustrate Dierks’ sense of humor and penchant for entertaining twists. 5-1-5-0, just this side of loco/ I’m goin’ crazy / Think I love you, baby, he sings through lyrical dips and dives. On the hard-driving “In My Head,” distorted guitars roll along while Dierks shows off his ability to develop engaging melodies over an entire song. Flowing through verse and chorus, melodies build to a powerful refrain complete with rhymes inside rhymes. You’re still in that t-shirt on my bed/ You’re every song that’s on, you’re gone, but you’re in my arms in my head, he sings with an emotional punch.

On the swaying “Tip It On Back,” Dierks cleverly alters the carefree nature found in other songs on the album with a desire for being free from troubles when faced with tough struggles. With epic-sounding production supplied by Brett Beavers and Luke Wooten, ringing guitars and twinkling mandolin lay a foundation for forgetting about Main Street closing and miles of “for sale” signs with a good old-fashioned night at the bar. It’s a smart emotional swap that gives the song extra depth.

Home features guest spots from bluegrass players Sam Bush and Tim O’Brien on “Heart of a Lonely Girl,” and Little Big Town’s Karen Fairchild adds beautiful dynamics to the bluesy “When You Gonna Come Around.” However, it’s Dierks’ three-year old daughter Evie who provides the most touching collaboration, singing the final chorus of “Thinking Of You” and creating the album’s most tender moment. On Home, Dierks masterfully pulls these different elements together, creating an album that succeeds in both its artistic vision as well as its mainstream appeal.

Key Tracks – “When You Gonna Come Around,” “Home,” “In My Head,” “Diamonds Make Babies”

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Photo courtesy of Webster & Associates.

Between 1982 and 1986, Janie Fricke reeled off seven No. 1 singles as country music fans got to know her as more than a backing vocalist and in-demand duet partner (she also scored No. 1 hits with Charlie Rich and Merle Haggard in 1978 and 1985, respectively). Her run in the US alone through the 1980s consisted of 16 Top 10 singles with a brand of country/pop that paid homage to classic country.

Janie’s now honoring the pickin’ tradition while reworking 12 of her own hits on the new studio album, Country Side of Bluegrass. Backed by a group of seasoned players, including dobro player extraordinaire Randy Kohrs (Hal Ketchum; Hank Williams III) and fiddler Luke Bulla (Lyle Lovett; Jerry Douglas Band), Janie offers up stirring renditions of chart-toppers like “He’s A Heartache” and “Don’t Worry ‘Bout Me Baby” with a bluegrass twist.

Amidst standard bluegrass instrumentation, songs like the speedy “Do Me With Love” nail the elements of controlled chaos and precision found in the genre. Add in quintessential country double-meanings like, Words are cheap and ‘I love yous aren’t free/ So unless you mean it, well, don’t spend ‘em on me, and it’s clear that the combination can be entertaining and exciting. Hard-hitting classic country lyrics are all over the record, like on standout track “Tell Me A Lie,” where Janie’s voice pours out the emotion of a desperate woman while singing, Tell me a lie, tell me you’re not a married man, in her Indiana twang. Janie cranked up the tempo on the new version of “Tell Me A Lie,” a song that was originally done as a ballad.

Traditional country influence is heard throughout the record. On the steady-paced “Please Help Me, I’m Falling (In Love With You),” Janie’s voice rises and falls with aching honky tonk melodies as a fiddle yearns in the background. The slow dobro/acoustic guitar intro of the classic “It Ain’t Easy Bein’ Easy” makes way for a smooth chorus full of textured harmonies as the song’s loneliness seeps through the speakers.

The album is indeed full of lonesome songs. One of the best is Continue Reading

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The second in a series of three tributes to the outlaw country legend, The Music Inside: A Collaboration Dedicated to Waylon Jennings, Volume II brings together a diverse, all-star cast to honor one of music’s great icons. Spearheaded by Waylon’s widow Jessi Colter, son Shooter Jennings and guitarist Reggie Young, The Music Inside is a hard country, rough-around-the-edges collection celebrating the freedom of Waylon’s music.

It’s like Montgomery Gentry’s Eddie Montgomery sings toward the end of the duo’s spirited cover of the classic “Good ‘Ol Boys (Dukes of Hazzard Theme Song).” Just havin’ fun, mama, he muses over a thick rhythm section, honky tonk piano and pedal steel. On this song, and really everywhere on the record, that fun-loving sentiment is easily heard.

Be it Dierks Bentley, Hank Jr. or Justin Moore, the performances here are ignited by a love for Waylon’s enduring legacy and free spirit. Dierks opens the record with a swampy, thumping version of “Lonesome, Onry and Mean,” calling out the anthem with a smoldering intensity as the band’s obvious joy is heard through their own instrumental voices filling out the rest of the track. Hank Jr. couldn’t be more in his element than on the chuggin’ “Waymore’s Blues,” letting loose with the lines, Well, I woke up this mornin’ it was drizzlin’ rain / around the curb came a passenger train, over the song’s infectious shake. And Texan Pat Green, whose raspy voice gives the beautiful “Rainy Day Woman” a rugged edge, deftly navigates multiple tempo shifts before an around-the-horn solo handoff from pedal steel to fiddle and later electric guitar.

The majority of The Music Inside is uptempo, bordering on anthem. However, artists like country/hip-hop-infused Colt Ford and folk-inspired Jewel offer their takes on Waylon classics that serve to slow things down just a bit. On “Only Daddy That Will Walk The Line,” Colt dials down the original tempo, rhythmically speaking the verses before a searing slide guitar solo. Jewel, the only other woman on the album besides Jessi Colter, adds a bittersweet touch to Continue Reading

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Kellie Pickler's 2012 CD, 100 Proof. Photo courtesy of Sony Music Nashville.

A quick glance at the song titles on 100 Proof and it’s apparent that Kellie Pickler is reaching back to her country roots on her first record since 2008’s self-titled release. 100 Proof, due in stores next week, is the 25-year old American Idol alum’s third studio album and first with producers Frank Liddell (Miranda Lambert) and Luke Wooten.

“Where’s Tammy Wynette,” “Unlock That Honky Tonk,” and “Stop Cheatin’ On Me” are an album-opening trifecta effectively serving notice that Kellie is dishing up a collection of songs with a traditional slant. Tell me how you fry a skillet of chicken in high heels and a skirt, she sings smartly with syrupy Southern twang on the shuffling “Where’s Tammy Wynette,” before launching into stories about protecting her man from that hussy over there and sitting alone at the kitchen table with a bottle of wine.

Kellie’s undeniable country voice is an easy match for such traditional ingredients, but her ability to develop melodies shows an ever-growing musical maturity. Kellie co-wrote six of the album’s eleven songs including the Dolly-esque “Rockaway (The Rockin’ Chair Song).” Descriptions such as, The night’s like an ocean off of our back porch/ We’re movin’ like waves swayin’ back and forth, flow easily to match the open country/rock groove. On “Long As I Never See You Again,” an acoustic number pulling on those honky tonk heartstrings, Kellie skillfully descends to aching depths through the line, It’s never easy when love comes to an end with a classic vocal touch that sounds like the soundtrack to a lonely barroom.

The album’s first single, “Tough,” is the record’s most aggressive song. Featuring locked-in acoustic rhythms and a snapping snare drum, Kellie holds the tension through the first verse before opening up in the chorus. There ain’t nothing wrong with a woman that has a little back bone, she sings self-assuredly while proclaiming the virtues of her rough edges. Though several songs on 100 Proof have an element of that attitude, it’s the loving title-track that leaves the strongest impression. Continue Reading

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Tim McGraw's 2012 CD, Emotional Traffic. Photo courtesy of Webster & Associates.

After a court ruled in November that Tim McGraw had fulfilled his contract with Curb Records, his final album for the label, Emotional Traffic, is set for release next week on January 24. The record that Tim calls one of his ‘best ever’ is a tight collection of 12 songs that brings a close to one of the most successful Music Row partnerships of the last two decades.

The album’s lead single, the multi-week No. 1 hit “Felt Good On My Lips,” serves as a solid representation of Emotional Traffic’s overall sound. The polished work of Tim’s longtime Producer Byron Gallimore (Martina McBride, Faith Hill) is heard in the song’s crisp mix and pop-laden structure. Driven by a melodic bass line and a crunchy, sing-along chorus, Tim lightheartedly sings, I want to go crazy with you over a hook more suited for a dance floor than a bar stool. Much of the record makes a move to combine this modern, adult-contemporary feel with subtle country twang. Album-opener “Halo” works to achieve this by layering mid-tempo, ringing guitars underneath the lower range of Tim’s smooth drawl before breaking into a powerful chorus.

“I Will Not Fall Down” (written by Tim, Martina McBride, Brad Warren and Brett Warren) follows a similar path. Palm-muted guitar chords work methodically through a verse with the lines, I should probably just go out quietly / But I still got something left to say, before a dramatic chorus with lyrics that speak of thriving in someone’s love and gaining the strength to carry on in the face of adversity. While songs like these illustrate Tim’s mainstream appeal, he really is at his best in more traditional surroundings.

Possibly the album’s best song, “Touchdown Jesus” is a fresh description of divine intervention. With a similar feel to 2009’s No. 1 hit “Southern Voice,” Tim sings, I raised my hands above my head and said ‘Touchdown Jesus’, when witnessing the miracles made by recovering addicts and those who are sick. Continue Reading

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Though it may be hard to believe, 2011 is already drawing to a close. And being that this is the final month of the year, music reviewers are busy formulating their various “Top 10” lists of what they believe were the year’s best projects.

It’s been a great year for country music, and the music industry in general, as CD sales are actually up for the first time in a very long time. Part of this, I believe, is that there really was an abundance of terrific music released.

Below, I offer my opinion on what were the 10 best albums of the year in no particular order. It’s always a tough task to come up with only 10, as some very worthy albums can’t be included by the very nature of a “Top 10” list. So please, if your favorite album isn’t on here, let us know what you loved and what got you singing along all year long. And don’t forget to check out our album review section for reviews of these CDs and more, HERE!

Pistol Annies: Hell On Heels

Pistol Annies' 2011 CD, Hell On Heels. Photo courtesy of Sony Music Nashville.

Born out of a midnight conversation between singer/songwriters Miranda Lambert, Ashley Monroe and Angaleena Presley, the  album Hell On Heels had the initial feel of a one-off side project. Peel back the layers, though, on this tough-as-nails collection, and it’s immediately evident that these three kindred spirits were channeling something worth a whole lot of attention. Reminiscent of classic outlaw women like Loretta Lynn, Hell On Heels stares weighty subject matter straight in the face while taking on issues like class struggle, teen pregnancy and looking out for number one. Stripped down to a foundation of acoustic and reverb-tinged guitars, the textured harmonies are bright as each of these immensely talented women add their unique voice. Hell On Heels debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Country Albums chart and No. 5 on the Top 200 all-genre album chart upon its release. Key tracks – “Hell On Heels,” “Housewife’s Prayer,” “Beige,” “Boys from the South”

Vince Gill: Guitar Slinger

Vince Gill's 2011 CD, Guitar Slinger. Photo courtesy of UMG Nashville.

On the follow-up to his epic, Grammy-award winning set These Days, Vince Gill opts for an introspective approach both in his songwriting and guitar playing. Thoughtful guitar lines weave in between philosophical meditations on life and death, human nature and love. Grammy-nominated single “Threaten Me With Heaven” ponders the hereafter with a bittersweet sentiment while the thumping outlaw number “Billy Paul” questions how a seemingly sane person can go crazy so suddenly. Vince’s guitar work is exceptional as he showcases bluesy, instinctive leads at every turn. And he even packs a little of that R&B soul into his voice on songs like “When The Lady Sings the Blues.” Guitar Slinger debuted at No. 4 on the Billboard Country Albums chart and No. 14 on the Top 200 all-genre album chart when it was released. Key tracks – “Threaten Me With Heaven,” “Guitar Slinger,” “Who Wouldn’t Fall In Love With You,” “The Old Lucky Diamond Motel”

Eric Church: Chief

Eric Church's 2011 CD, Chief. Photo courtesy of Capitol Nashville.

Eric Church’s third album, Chief, is a defining work for the 34-year old North Carolina singer/songwriter. Sure, his first two records elicited some pretty solid acclaim and commercial success, but this time around Eric sounds more comfortable and confident than ever, while seemingly finding his “sound.” The result is a hard country adventure through songs full of temptation, love, nostalgia and a few good times with a couple iced-down cold ones. On Chief, Eric pushes himself harder than ever, both lyrically and musically. He’s not afraid to blend Southern Gospel with crunchy rock guitar (“Country Music Jesus”), or R&B roots with atmospheric grooves (“Hungover & Hard Up”). It’s the hugely successful combination of these different elements and willingness to push the envelope that provides support for Eric’s soulful voice and intelligent approach. Chief landed at the top of the Billboard Top 200 all-genre chart upon its release, has already been certified Gold and is also nominated for the GRAMMY Country Album of the Year award. Key tracks – “Creepin’,” “Hungover & Hard Up,” “Springsteen,” “I’m Getting Stoned”

David Nail: The Sound of a Million Dreams

David Nail's 2011 CD, The Sound of a Million Dreams. Photo courtesy of UMG Nashville.

Bluesy piano, raw slide guitar and a voice that bears the complexities of its subjects, The Sound of a Million Dreams comes alive with stirring southern soul. On his sophomore album, David Nail dives deeper into the R&B-infused country that earned him a Grammy nomination last year. The shake of “Grandpa’s Farm,” packed with country nostalgia and gospel back-up singers, or the hard charging “She Rides Away,” demonstrates David’s vocal depth while always conveying the song’s true emotional undertones. While his blue-eyed soul and dapper look in some ways break from current Nashville trends, the stories and characters of songs like “That’s How I’ll Remember You” connect deeply with a downhome and authentic feel. The Sound of a Million Dreams debuted at No. 8 on the Billboard Country Albums chart. Key tracks – “She Rides Away,” “Catherine,” “Catch You While I Can,” “Let It Rain”

Brad Paisley: This is Country Music

Brad Paisley's 2011 CD This Is Country Music.

On This is Country Music, Brad Paisley takes on the challenge of representing an entire musical genre on one, 15-song collection. There’s acoustic-based traditional country (“Toothbrush” with singing fiddle and pedal steel), Southern rock power (“Old Alabama” featuring icons Alabama) and bluegrass (“Be the Lake” showcasing some fancy banjo pickin’), as well as other influences ranging from the Nashville Sound to Southern Gospel. Joined by guests including Carrie Underwood, Blake Shelton and Clint Eastwood, Brad ties the expansive project together with his twanged-out virtuoso guitar playing and unique sense of humor; i.e. the revved-up “Camoflague” uses country-fried guitar licks while telling the story of the high school kid who painted his Chevy Cavalier 100% camo. This is Country Music debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Country Albums chart, No. 2 on the Top 200 all-genre album chart and was nominated for CMA Album of the Year. It has also been certified Gold.  Key tracks – “This Is Country Music,” “New Favorite Memory,” “Working on a Tan,” “Eastwood”

Ronnie Milsap: Country Again

Ronnie Milsap's 2011 CD, Country Again.

On the title track “Country Again,” Grand Ole Opry member Ronnie Milsap breaks it down for all the young’uns. The ’70s outlaw-feeling tune tells the story of a Dodge truck – that just so happens to be a time machine. After returning from a trip to the future, the truck’s driver, Tommy, shocks his neighbors even more with tales of true blue, authentic country music on the radio. This anecdote alone should give heavy indication that Country Again leans uber-traditional, and no one can do it quite like Ronnie. Walking the line between aching honky tonk and polished Nashville Sound, Ronnie brings the twang on his first new set in five years while tracks like “Almost Mine” showcase his fine touch and feel behind the piano. Key tracks – “Country Again,” “You’re The Reason I’m Living,” “Oh Linda,” “If You Don’t Want Me To”

Toby Keith: Clancy’s Tavern

Toby Keith's new album Clancy's Tavern is in stores now!

Like your favorite neighborhood pub, Clancy’s Tavern gathers an intriguing cast of characters with some very entertaining stories. There’s the lonely guy in the corner staring at his beer (the country blues shuffle “I Need To Hear A Country Song”). Over at the bar, two lost souls search for meaning that won’t be there in the morning (the slow, melancholy “Just Another Sundown”). Then there’s the dark, seedy figure in the back booth (the spooky “Club Zydeco Moon”) and the loud frat guys with all the laughs (the absurdly catchy “Red Solo Cup”). And while everyone carries on, Toby Keith tends the bar, pouring drinks and slipping in thoughtful lines about perception and love as he serves up his best album in years. Clancy’s Tavern debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Country Albums chart and No. 5 on the Top 200 all-genre album chart. Key tracks – “Just Another Sundown,” “I Need To Hear A Country Song,” “Beers Ago,” “Red Solo Cup”

Alison Krauss & Union Station: Paper Airplane

Alison Krauss & Union Station's 2011 CD, Paper Airplane. Photo courtesy of Rounder Records.

On their first new studio album in seven years, Alison Krauss and Union Station return to the stirring bluegrass they helped bring to the mainstream. With an angelic voice that weaves effortlessly through the intricate arrangements provided by bandmates including Barry Bales (bass) and Ron Block (banjo), Alison leads evocative pieces like the haunting “Lie Awake” and tormented “My Love Follows You Where You Go.” The playing is impeccable with acoustic intonation that is vibrant and pure. Songs like “On The Outside Looking In,” sung with an authentic blue-collar rawness by guitarist Dan Tyminski, jump from the speakers while Jerry Douglas’ virtuoso dobro work remains captivating as ever. Paper Airplane debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Country Albums chart, No. 3 on the Top 200 all-genre album chart and marked Alison’s most first week sales with 83k. Key tracks – “Lie Awake,” “On The Outside Looking In,” “Sinking Stone,” “My Opening Farewell”

Sunny Sweeney: Concrete

Sunny Sweeney photo courtesy of Republic Nashville.

A bottle of red, a bottle of white/ Which one will it be?/ I can’t decide, Texan singer/songwriter Sunny Sweeney sings with a flippant kiss-off on the opening track “Drink Myself Single.” It’s the first glimpse of smoke from the fire spreading just below the surface of Concrete, and it certainly isn’t the last. Throughout the 10-song collection, Sunny confronts her cheating man’s wife a la Dolly Parton on the bluegrass-tinged “Amy,” strikes a no-nonsense pose that includes a few threats on “Helluva Heart,” and struggles with her inner rebel trying to break free on “The Old Me.” Sunny’s a complicated woman, and the closing track “Fall For Me” shows this best with a subtle daydream about the object of her affection. Produced with a modern edge and beautiful harmonies against classic honky tonk influences, Concrete is solid evidence that the fire is just getting started. Concrete debuted at No. 7 on the Billboard Country Albums chart when it was released.  Key tracks – “From A Table Away,” “Mean As You,” “Hulluva Heart,” “Fall For Me”

Miranda Lambert: Four the Record

Miranda Lambert's 2011 CD, Four The Record. Photo courtesy of Sony Music Nashville.

Even at her quietest, most introspective moments, singer/songwriter Miranda Lambert’s voice maintains its power. On her fourth album, Miranda trades in a few of the anthems, but not the intensity, that has brought her both critical and commercial success. Ballads like “Over You” showcase her strikingly emotional and melodic voice while “Better In the Long Run” (a duet with husband Blake Shelton) rolls along with expressive descriptions of making love work despite the struggles. Four the Record is packed with insightful moments that continue to highlight Miranda’s growth as an artist and her adventurous spirit. The sexy “Fine Tune” utilizes a talk box and R&B groove, and the beautiful, atmospheric “Oklahoma Sky” sprawls open and free to a methodical acoustic guitar. This isn’t to say that Miranda doesn’t let loose. The unhinged “Mama’s Broken Heart” is brilliant, and together with the rebellious “Fastest Girl In Town,” provides more than enough evidence that no one can channel the chaos quite like Miranda. Four the Record debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Country Albums chart and No. 3 on the Top 200 all-genre album chart upon its release. Key tracks – “Mama’s Broken Heart,” “Fine Tune,” “Better In The Long Run,” “Look at Miss Ohio”

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David Nail's 2011 CD, The Sound of a Million Dreams. Photo courtesy of UMG Nashville.

You could almost make the argument that the current trend of infusing R&B and soul into mainstream country has a little bit to do with the success of David Nail. Singles like the Top 10 hit “Red Light” or the Grammy-nominated “Turning Home” from 2009’s I’m About To Come Alive felt like they had more than a little in common with the classic southern blues sound of artists like Joe Cocker or the Allman Brothers Band, and yet they succeeded in connecting with the country audience.

On The Sound of a Million Dreams, David’s second studio album that’s due in stores next week, the Missouri native expands on the bluesy, soulful country of his previous efforts with tender songs full of young love, nostalgia and heartache.

Themes like these are found throughout contemporary country, and David settles right in with them on the album opener “Grandpa’s Farm.” Summer dresses, honeysuckle and bare feet all make an appearance as David sings about the city girl who visits her family’s farm when school’s out and it’s too hot to do anything but find a swimming hole. However, what sets David apart is the concept and delivery. Humidity practically steams out of the speakers with swampy slide guitar and B-3 organ over a loose rhythm section while David’s engaging drawl is at once soulful and complex.

David’s ability to study a specific moment and convey all the feelings involved is compelling. The first single off the album, “Let It Rain”(written by David and hit-maker Jonathan Singleton, and featuring Sarah Buxton on backing vocals), is a meditation on regret. Building off the steady syncopation of organ and percussion, David sings, No seven years of good can’t hide the one night I forgot to wear that ring, before begging for the punishment due with a ringing chorus of, Let it rain down on me. On the epic “That’s How I’ll Remember You,” David takes a seemingly opposite approach that reaches a similar result. Continue Reading

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Josh Gracin's 2011 CD, Redemption. Photo courtesy of Essential Broadcast Media.

The art of the country power ballad was not lost on Josh Gracin. On his first album in roughly three and a half years, and his third overall, the 31-year-old Michigan native sings of burning love over dramatic arrangements full of acoustic/electric interplay, big synthesizers and a soaring voice.

A lot has changed since Josh’s most recent album, We Weren’t Crazy, was released in 2008. For starters, Josh found a new label home with up and coming Average Joe’s Entertainment after parting ways with now-defunct Lyric Street Records. His first project with Average Joe’s Entertainment, the 16-song collection Redemption, hits stores next week with a polished sound similar to the pop leaning epics of groups like Rascal Flatts.

Josh handles most of the songwriting himself on Redemption, which is also a shift from his first two records. After writing or co-writing only three songs total on those albums, Josh writes/co-writes 15 out of the 16 songs here. A Top 5-finishing contestant on the second season of FOX’s American Idol (2003) singing competition, Josh’s talent for performance is evident early and often throughout the record as his songwriting displays a knack for building dramatic love songs.

“Over Me,” a rising power ballad realizing that a lover has moved on, features vocal runs reminiscent of Rascal Flatts frontman Gary LeVox as Josh sings, What I didn’t know, that it still hurts this bad since I let you go, over piano, strings and soft acoustic picking. Strong piano tones hold many songs on the album together. “Enough” and “Lie To Me” both feature piano-based foundations before erupting in the chorus. On the latter, Josh shows off the ability to maneuver complicated production elements through a sea of electric guitars, drums, piano and synthesizer, remaining steady and passionate with lines, Baby, just lie to me/ let’s make this easy. On the standout and creatively produced track, “Let You Go,” soft echoes and effected vocals support Josh’s bittersweet message as he admits, I had to ask myself the hardest question/ Am I the best she’s ever gonna know?/ The answer’s the reason I’ve got to let her go.

Josh’s willingness to bring a fresh approach to Redemption even extends to his methods finding duet partners. Continue Reading

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