SaraBeth is releasing a new single from her debut album Anything Is Possible called "That's The Sound, “ which offers a unique take on the typical breakup song. It’s a country rocker in which she sings of the emotional freedom she finds by leaving a relationship. “That’s The Sound” references the sounds of freedom one might hear when they are leaving a relationship, from the revving engine of a car to three inch heels on a hardwood floor. I like the song, my only complaint is the delivery is too sweet. SaraBeth can sing sassy and that's what is needed here. “Keys jingling in my hand Three inch heels on a hardwood floor Ring fallin’ on your nightstand Windows rattle from a slammin’ door That’s the sound of a heart letting go That’s the sound of leavin’ Baby that’s the sweet, sweet sound of freedom” You can catch Sara on tour with Lonestar kicking off February 6th in Scottsdale, AZ. “That’s The Sound” will impact radio on February 6th and is available for purchase here. 3.5 stars
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Let's just cut to the chase, three time CCMA nominee Codie Prevost's fourth album is a keeper; one that has been added to my coveted "no skips" collection. What does that mean? It means this is one record you will listen to straight through because there is not a bad song on it. All Kinds of Crazy is the follow up to Codie's critically acclaimed and award winning album Get Loud. It was recorded at the Armoury Studios & Studio Downe Under in Vancouver with producer Tom McKillip (Lisa Brokop, Ian Tyson) and was mixed by Scott Cooke (FGL, Jake Owen). All Kinds of Crazy features some of country music's most sought after studio musicians including guitarist Darren Savard (Chase Rice) and bassist Dennis Marcenko (k.d. Lang). The song “I'll Be Your Whiskey,” which features acclaimed guitarist & vocalist Hayley Mclean, opens the album. The song is about a woman who keeps coming to him (and whiskey) when she gets hurt by another. He wants her to substitute his love for the alcohol because whiskey "it's just a temporary fix that leaves you feeling worse than before, but my love doesn't work that way, it might age, but it wont fade." "All Kinds of Crazy" is a good time country rocker that will have everybody rockin' and the whole place shakin'. "Down The Line" is a highly relatable song with touching lyrics about being in a relationship that just isn't working at present, but perhaps might be right down the line. Key lyrics: "maybe we'll just have to let go to know if this will ever be right......we just gotta live different lives together, I hope that the roads that we take collide down the line." "Say My Name" just screams "huge hit." An extremely infectious uptempo melody with a sing along ready, "whoa" filled chorus. It's a song about how a girl holds his heart in her hands making him go weak even when she does something as simple as say his name. Loving the lyrics: "when you kiss me on the lips baby that's good as it gets, keeps me coming back for more, like the ocean to the shore." His voice really shines on the romantic ballad "Melting Into You" and the inspirational "Someday." The former is a lovely song about what happens when you truly give your heart to someone and want to become one with them. The latter, which is also his current single, is about finding hope, faith and love through difficult times. "Stay Up Late" and "Last Night All Day" are two of my favorites on the record. The former has an easy to slip into enjoyable groove with lyrics that give a little wink as to just what stay up late means.The latter, about being unable to think straight because all that's on your mind is the previous night, closes out the album. It is a song with nice harmonies that will put a smile on your face. You might just want to stay up late and listen to this record a few times. All Kinds of Crazy is set for release on March 1st 2014. For more information visit www.codieprevost.com You can listen to "Someday" below. 4.5 Stars No secret that I love Parmalee's debut album Feels Like Carolina. When I heard that "Close Your Eyes" was going to be the next single, I kinda jumped for joy because even though the album is chock full of hits, "Close Your Eyes" is a personal favorite. The song was written by Trent Tomlinson, Shane Minor and Adam Craig (who fronts a band you need to check out: Adam Craig Band). "Close Your Eyes" a mid-tempo love song that hooks you from the six note drum beat introduction. The lyrics paint the picture of a perfect summer moonlight-and anticipation-filled night when you are with someone special. The melody and Matt's vocals are simply spot on perfect: romantic and yearning, in a sweet, non-salacious way. "Hey baby 'fore the night gets any older Lean your pretty self over here a little closer I need to hold ya, I want to show ya What you don't wanna miss, nooo It's all gettin' to what we've been waitin' on I'm gonna go and turn you and the night on Comin' on strong I'm gonna lay it on your lips Might wanna close your eyes for this" And then there are these flawless lines: "Just when you thought you've really seen it all/Well it turns out you don't have to see it all." Can you say swoon? Feels like....another #1. The single is available at digital retailers. For more information visit www.parmalee.com 5 Stars “Dust” is the second single from Eli Young Band’s upcoming release 10,000 Towns. It is the follow up to their #1 hit “Drunk Last Night” and is the type of song that could definitely make it two in a row for the band. “Dust” was written by EYB members Jon Jones and James Young along with Kyle Jacobs and Josh Osborne. The single is an up tempo guitar driven country rocker that stays true to the Eli Yound Band’s sound. “Dust” tells the story of a female who wants to escape the life she lives for a brighter future, leaving behind nothing “but dust.” “She’s fighting back tears She’s fighting back years of the only life she’s ever known There’s a future that’s bright in the dead of this night And all she’s gotta do is go And turn the radio up (turn the radio up) Roll the windows down She got an open road (she got an open road) Ain’t no stopping her now” We heard EYB play "Dust" live in NYC a few months back. It got a wonderful reception from the crowd, and we fully expect it to get the same from country radio. “Dust” impacts country radio on February 3rd. It is available for purchase here. 10,000 Towns will be released on March 4th. 4 Stars He has been described as having a modern sound with echoes of the past. Irish recording artist Gary Quinn is an award winning singer songwriter whose songs will touch your heart. Born and raised in Ireland, Gary grew up listening to Kris Kristofferson and fell in love with the country music of the 1990s, especially Garth Brooks. He has performed as part of the CMA Songwriters Series with Bob DiPiero and Kristin Bush of Sugarland as well as the Belfast Nashville Songwriter's Festival and the Belfast Nashville Songwriter Showcase. His self titled release contains ten songs, all of which were written or co-written by Gary. The songs include heartfelt ballads, mid-tempo country songs and ones that would be right at home in a honky tonk. His vocals adapt quite nicely between the songs: warm and emotive on the ballads; spirited and humorous on other tracks. The gentle piano on "Spoken Like A Man" is a lovely way to open the record. The mid-tempo love song is about the "little things" a man does to say I love you. The second track was named British Country Music's Song of the Year for 2013. "He Don’t Show Her Anymore" is perhaps my favorite track on the record. It is a sadly beautiful ballad about a man who focuses on work instead of the one he loves. The little things he used to do are now a memory, from asking about her day to bringing her a gift: "He might say he loves her but he don't show her anymore." "The Power of You and Me" is a song about choosing to continue a relationship, starting over or even ending it. Expressing that two people can rewrite their fairy tale if they would care "more about the two of us and less about ourselves.... we can make it all come true if we just believe in the power of me and you." "Love To Watch You Leave" and "On Your Way Out" would fit right in played at the honky tonks on Broadway in Nashville. The former is about admiring a woman from behind. The latter is classic country song with piano, steel guitar, humor and a melody you will want to two step to. He sings "I won't miss the way you scream and shout, so make sure the door don't hit you on your way out." In "Dodge You Bullet" he sings about how he could not avoid falling in love with a woman. She turned the tables and captured his heart and although he tried, "This burning deep inside says I couldn't dodge your bullet." "Forget About You" has him remembering and regretting a past love when he sees her after some time. In "A Day I Find Love" he is thinking about the day when "a miracle will fall upon me, this loneliness will be lost far behind me." "Live Each Day" will have you toe tapping along from the very first note. The song has very inspiring lyrics and a positive message, and is another personal favorite. "Live each day like it was your last/You can't see the future, can't change your past/You can only grab the moment of today." "Rewind," a melancholy, yet touching ballad, closes the album. In the song, he compares a relationship to a movie, one which has "a twist he didn't see coming." 4 Stars For more information visit http://www.garyjpquinn.co.uk/home You can follow Gary on Twitter @GaryQuinnMusic Jennifer Nettles, one half of the duo Sugarland, is releasing her first solo album on Mercury Records. That Girl will hit retailers on January 14th. The album, produced by Rick Rubin, contains eleven tracks, all of which were either written or co-written by Jennifer, including her current single “That Girl.” Jennifer has said in a statement that “I started writing this album three years ago. I put no conscious guides or governors on the creation of this album other than to write songs that I want to sing. Working with Rick Rubin was a dream come true and the result is an album that plays to my roots – country, 70’s radio, gospel and singer songwriter.” The listener can most definitely hear those roots on That Girl, along with island rhythms, soul, and blues. As a fan of Sugarland, the single, “That Girl,” was not what I expected, but it peaked my curiosity as to what a full album would entail. Honestly, it took many a listen before I could truly appreciate That Girl. However, when you listen closely you will find an album full of touching, relatable stories told by a strong, emotive voice. These include songs about being the “other woman,” jealousy, finding happiness by being alone, old love and new love. A lovely, gentle guitar opens the first track of the album, “Falling.” The lyrics paint a vivid picture of a first summer love: “ I watched as you were leaving/The leaves were dancing oranges and reds/They circled all around me like confetti on fire/They were nothing when compared to the burning in my head.” As piano and drums join in, her voice soars to remember her first time and how “Every year when the leaves appear/Your memory comes sweet and clear/I never will forget you/And I never did regret you.” Beautiful. “Me Without You” describes the peace that can be found in ending a relationship. With lyrics like, “I don’t know this road I’m on or where it’s leading to/But I know I’m gonna be alright/The more I see the more I like me/without you,” the song is an empowering one for women reminding us that being on our own can be okay. “Moneyball” and “Jealousy” are two of the few up tempo tracks on the album. The former, with its jazzy melody, is about how fast life goes and how “A thousand years of passing we’ll be memories and food for the grass.” “Jealousy” pairs a breezy 70’s flavored melody with killer lyrics like “I didn’t really mean/To cause such an ugly scene/Showing up at your house/Half drunk and crazy bitch/I called you out.” “This Angel” sonically reminds me of Joan Osborne’s “One Of Us.” A beautifully sung, string filled ballad about finding a person who will “shake me” permitting “life to begin,” welcoming hope and love. “Thank You,” a favorite track on the record, speaks of someone in life who has helped her grow, touched, blessed and loved her. “A lifetime to count the ways wouldn’t be enough to say I thought you should know how much you’ve helped me grow.” The song can remind us to appreciate the people in our lives who have impacted us and be a reminder to say “thank you.” You can hear Jennifer’s many influences again on “This One’s For You.” Written with Sara Bareilles, this is a love song about wanting someone to know that “You are the rhythm/You are the rain/You are the music and melody/You’re the reason behind why there’s so many love songs…but this one’s for you.” “Good Time to Cry” is about needing to move on from an old lover. “Pain only broken hearts know/When there’s more holding on/Then you have to let it go.” Filled with piano, guitars and drums along with a rollicking old school melody & well written lyrics, “Know You Wanna Know” is infectious. Everybody wants to know everyone’s business all while claiming to be “above it all.” The album concludes with a cover of the Bob Seger classic “Like A Rock.” That Girl will be available January 14th 4 Stars Jon Pardi’s debut album has been a long time coming, but it is finally here. Today, January 14th Write You A Song is being released on Capitol Records Nashville. Jon wrote all but one track on the record and co-produced the album along with Bart Butler. The album contains eleven songs including the single “Missin’ You Crazy” and his hit “Up All Night,” currently at #13 on the charts. The songs deal with topics familiar to country music such as life on the road, drinking, love and breakups. Their stories are told by Jon’s unique voice in an undeniably good debut album. You can hear his influences aplenty, especially the Bakersfield sound of his native California, in an album that is not lacking in fiddle, steel guitar and piano. Opening the record is “What I Can’t Put Down” a country rocker about picking up habits, from whiskey to cigarettes to a woman, or in the final verse, his guitar, which is the one thing he “finally got one right.” “That Man” is a true, heartfelt ballad with swoon worthy lyrics. “When u wanna be wanted/And you need to be needed/When you wanna to move on ‘cause you want somebody who’s nothing like he is/You know I’ve always been waiting/And I guess what I’m saying is /I am that man.” “Happens All The Time” talks about love and it’s possibilities “We just might fall in love I hear it happens all the time.” “Love You From Here” will hook you with one of the “countriest” sounding, infectious, upbeat melodies you have heard in a long time. The song is about the end of a relationship, but he sings “just ‘cause you’re gone…I can still love you from here.” “Chasin’ Them Better Days” and “Write You A Song” both deal with life on the road. The latter is a steel guitar and fiddle infused, high energy number about meeting women at different cities on the road without promising them anything more than hearing their name in a song. The former is a more reflective, yet still up tempo song, about working hard hoping that “Any second, any minute, any time/All my luck’s gonna turn in a dime.” The last minute and a half of the song is an instrumental where an old school piano and fiddle take center stage. “Empty Beer Cans” is a country rocker in which he says goodbye to a flame, comparing to his now ex to draining him the way he drains a beer can. The lyrics in “Trash A Hotel Room,” about “getting back in touch” with a female friend, are a little raucous, but I found myself toe tapping and humming along. The album closes with the irresistible, simple melody of “When I’ve Been Drinking” about a drunk dial call in which he maybe said “A little too much/You know I don’t think before I talk when I got a good buzz.” Write You A Song is a cohesive package of country music that you’ll want to listen to again and again. 4 stars Out Among The Stars is a new album comprised of twelve recently discovered Johnny Cash studio recordings that have never been heard before. The album is said to connect “the revolutionary rockabilly of his Sun Records years to the epochal final albums he made for American Recordings.” Thirty years in the making, the tracks on Out Among The Stars were originally recorded in Nashville, Tennessee at Columbia Studios in 1981 and 1111 Sound Studios in 1984. The songs were produced by Billy Sherrill and featured musicians including Marty Stewart and Jerry Kennedy and duets with June Carter Cash and Waylon Jennings. “She Used To Love Me A Lot,” written by Dennis Morgan, Charles Quillen and Kye Fleming, is the first track to be released from the album. In this emotional ballad, Cash’s warm voice conveys the story of lost love and regret. “I thought she loved me with a love that wouldn’t die/Looking at her now I can’t believe she said goodbye/She just left me standing there I’ve never been so shocked/She used to love me a lot.” In the current climate of country music, this song is a welcome change. But whether it will be embraced by a younger generation will have to be seen. However, it is definitely a must have for Johnny Cash fans and lovers of good music. “She Used To Love Me A lot” is available here. Out Among The Stars will be available March 25, 2014. 4.5stars Joe Nichol’s album Crickets was released in October. Its first single “Sunny & 75” reached number one. Can he make it two in a row with the release of his second single, “YEAH?” It looks likely. Joe has said that “YEAH,” which was written by Ashley Gorley and Bryan Simpson, was one of the first songs he cut for Crickets. The song deals with themes that we have come across before: a guy and a girl meeting in the country one night. But, instead of the guy wanting the girl to do something for him, it’s the guy who would do anything for the girl. He is so taken with her that she “is calling the shots tonight” and he will say “yeah” to everything, including liking her too fruity drinks to the “hippie” sounding song on her ipod. “YEAH” has a cool groove that is easy to settle into with clever lyrics that are perfectly delivered. “Whatever you’re drinking, That’s what I’m drinking Girl, you’re calling the shots tonight Whatever you’re thinking, that’s what I’m thinking Tell me what you got in mind So I can say yeah, yeah (yeah, yeah)” 4 stars Visit www.joenichols.com for more information The Swon Brothers, siblings Zach and Colton, first hit the national radar winning fans with their harmonies and personalities as finalists on Team Blake in Season 4 of NBC’s The Voice. Now the duo, signed to the Arista Nashville label, are releasing their first single to country radio titled “Later On.” “Later On,” which was written by Ryan Hurd, Joey Hyde and Justin Wilson, seems like a definite radio hit. The story is a familiar one about a guy and a girl “getting to know each other out there in the moonlight glow.” However, the melody is incredibly catchy and the duo’s harmonies make the song shine. Zach’s lead vocals, bringing to mind Mike Eli of the Eli Young Band, deliver the lyrics genuinely and, dare I say, charmingly. “You start sliding over We can't get no closer Ain’t no room in the middle Girl, whatcha doin' a little later Let's go start a fire How ‘bout you and I Get this thing moving, shaking, grooving Baby, tell me what you’re doin' Later on, later on, later on, later on, later on, later on” The Swon Brothers are currently writing and securing songs for their major-label debut album, produced by Mark Bright, coming in 2014. “Later On” is available here. 4 stars Watch their performance on The Voice below. For more information visit www.swonbrothers.com |
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