Once again I find myself disgusted by what passes for country these days. The number one offending song right now must be
Rascall Flatt's new single "What Hurts the Most." This song is pop musch nearer r&b/hip hop than country. The synthezsized beat, the arpeggio of short phrased lyrics: it is not country music. Spike-haired Gary and his falsetto need to stop tarnishing country music's image by enabling people to classify this song as country because it has an accoustic guitar and plays on "country" radio. Although it is already a huge hit (number 11 after only 7 weeks), it's a
pop song for women with more business getting played at a highschool dance than on my "country" radio.Carrie Underwood on top of the coutry charts again with
"Jesus Take the Wheel." Radio has been spinning this to death even though it is just another pop ballad (this is only worsened by the fact that it's from a cookie-cutter "Idol").
Bon Jovi!? Come on, are you crazy? He would have to write a duet for himself and Merle Haggard to have a chance in my book as country, so doing a song with "country's" pop band Sugarland's lead Nettles is crappy as would be expected.
Keith Urban's "Tonight I Wanna Cry" is a piano pop ballad, but I have to let him go, because he works his sunburst Telecaster almost as good as Paisley, and writes great banjo music...
Trace Adkins is a great country singer. "Honky-tonk Badonkadonk" is retarded, but excusable by virtue of the fact that he has a sense of humor, much like Toby's, which in this case, simply went overboard.
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I't's not all bad news these days though, quite to the contrary: with the number 2 song on the charts Brad Paisley gets Dolly another hit, with an amazing song about GOD. The video is an example to all other singers as well.
Josh Turner has turned out a phenomenam album, and the title track is finally getting the spins it deserves. Jumping 4 slots this week to 4, twenty-nine weeks have paid off. The video, like Paisley's is excellent, and the most innocent and tastefully shot project in recent memory.
"Living In Fast Forward" is yet another summer flavored serving of Chesney at his finest. It's hard not to like it. Look for him to release "Summertime" just before heading into the season of the same name; it will be huge.
My man Dierks's single 'Settle for a Slowdown" is flying, which is a good indicator for the industry. Listen to Dierks' three albums, and you will hear some of the purest country music being made today.
Toby's "Get Drunk and Be Somebody" is flying even faster, already nearing the top ten. Another good sign. His new album "White Trash with Money" should be great.
