Listen to Josh Turner's new album on CMT.com

http://www.cmt.com/artists/az/turner_josh/1141238/album.jhtml

First impression: That low voice and the rich instrumentation makes every song enjoyable.

Your Man, Way Down South, Me and God, the cover of Don Williams' Lord Have Mercy on a Country Boy, White Noise, Baby's Gone Home to Mama are the best, the singles will hopefully be drawn from amongst these 6.

-White Noise, with John Anderson (of "Seminole Wind" and "Swingin'" fame) is hilarious. White Noise, coming from the white boys, I can't keep my cowboy boots from stompin....take me where those honkies are a 'tonkin." If they can swallow some political criticism, it could be a big hit.

-Way Down South is the anthem of the southern boy, structured around the everyday life of a young man soaking up the elements of southern goodness. "Country music on the radio, talk about a good ole sound."

-Lord Have Mercy on a Country Boy, a cover of Don Williams' hit, similarily is devoted to the man of the south, but from the perspective of one out of place in the city. A great remake.

-Me and God, with Ralph Stanley and Diamond Rio is moving in its content, and beauftiful in its harmonies.

-Baby's Gone Home to Mama is very good, very comical ; very similar to What it Ain't from the debut album. Rhymes with Nostradamus, and chihuaha ("that stupid little dog, more like a rat"); also very funny is Loretta Lynn's Lincoln

-The ballads Angels Fall Sometimes, Would You Go With Me, and No Rush are excellent, but do not surpass the first rate quality of the single Your Man.

3 and a half minutes of Paisley licks.

Arguably country music's most talented guitarist, Brad Paisley playing his "pink paisley."

From http://www.drzamps.com/

LISTEN:
mp3

"A collaboration between Master Tele Player Brad Paisley, and Master Amp Builder Mike Zaite has given birth to the all new Prescription Extra Strength."

CCR: Garage

Ok, Southern Rock, but you have to listen to it. Nice guitar licks, and the only thing I've been listening to in the car lately, well formed compilation. Plus, Cody named his kid Dierks...

Dierks Bentley: Next up is "Settle for a Slowdown"

If you don't already know it, Slowdown is a great song with a lonesome verse structure, and a powerful buildup chorus. Know the words before is hits radio January 23.

article from http://www.netmusiccountdown.com's Neil Haislop...

"I watch a lot of live shows, and to me, that's just the one element you can't buy or download or borrow or steal: the live show experience," Dierks told Blair Garner last week on After MidNite.

"I pay a lot of money to go out and watch the bands I enjoy sing and to play live, because that's just the coolest thing you can possibly feel is the energy and the passion that comes from a live performance, so we certainly spend a lot of time working on our live show. You know, at the end of the day, I think me and all the guys in the bands want to be known as one of the best live bands in any genre of music, not just Country, but to just be a great, live band, so it's definitely where a lot of my focus is right now."
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This is why anyone who has seen a Dierks show returns a bigger fan than before. He is full of character and has taste when it comes to country showmanship.

Found this a little late but a great read.

Fantastic article on Dierks Bentley, from his home state of Arizona, which sums up his leading of the charge of the new traditionalist country movement....

Josh Turner

Josh Turner's second album Your Man out January 24. I expect to see a strong sophomore effort. The title track single has been floating around but will likely receive a boost from the video which should be released very soon, which Music Row reported was just filmed in Nashville's Hermitage Hotel.

Quick look at My Kind of Music

RATING: 9 out of 10

Ray Scott's debut album "My Kind of Music" is top quality country. Released Nov 22, it debuted at no. 39 on Billboard's country albums chart. I saw his video on GAC this past summer, and I have been anticipating this record since. It does not disappoint. Billboard has a good review for a change. "My Kind of Music" is an obvious hit for anyone who's heard it, blending the hard baseline beats of Waylon with a wry wit and one hell of a deep voice. "Different Kind of Cowboy" has a classic Western feel to it, but drives with a good hard electric and lyrics for all of us who really have nothing to do with driving cattle. His love song "I Didn't Come Here to Talk" surprised me for a moment, but only made me a bigger fan in light of this versatility. Two of the richest tracks, both musically and lyrically are "Gypsy" and "Walls." Walls in particular is powerful. The opening chords played loud on an electric make the song from the first seconds. It's awesome in the car. Gypsy on the other hand, has subtle character, a rich composition, and that buildup characteristic of big hits. His solid faith is manifested in the penultimate track "Bear With Me Lord." A hidden 13th track is explained as a thank you, and a snub to superstition. The return of Outlaw-Rambler is certainly well underway.