Ashley McBryde Was Always Going Somewhere

Lost in all the hype about the new Kacey Musgraves album from last Friday was the release of a significantly better album by relative newcomer Ashley McBryde. Girl Going Nowhere has been eagerly anticipated by country music fans since Eric Church brought her on stage during a recent tour to play her wonderful song "Bible and a .44." Honestly, perhaps the greatest disappointment I have with Girl Going Nowhere is that "Bible and a .44" isn't on the track list. At first I thought this was a huge mistake, only to find out it was released on a prior album. 

The album begins with the title track, which details the beginning of McBryde's journey where she was doubted by people in her life. It might be a familiar theme, but one thing most great art has in common is the ability to put a personal twist on everyday, relatable stories. McBryde accomplishes just that with "Girl Going Nowhere" and it's a great way to start the album.

What follows is a group of good to great songs with the lone exception of "Southern Babylon," which is strange and awkward and interrupts the cohesion of the album as a whole. Thankfully, it's the album's only misstep. Songs like lead single "A Little Dive Bar in Dahlonega" showcase once again McBryde's ability to take everyday narratives and give them the personal twist needed to make them all her own.

Hands down my favorite song on Girl Going Nowhere is "Livin' Next to Leroy." Meth is an epidemic in the Midwest as well as other parts of the United States, and to hear a song approach the topic on a mainstream country album is very moving, and I hope that it reaches the right ears so it can inspire addicts to seek help and give the rest of us the swift kick in the ass we need. Perhaps the best part of "Livin' Next to Leroy" is its implied message--at this point we can't ignore the problem anymore, and something needs to change.

"Andy (I Can't Live Without You)" is another standout. If this song can't make a listener think of someone who can frustrate them one moment, then light them on fire internally the next, nothing will. It's a very emotional testament to the trials and tribulations of everyday life with a partner, only to remind us of things that really matter during the chorus. 

One more favorite is "El Dorado." At first I was hoping it was a cover of the song written and performed by Randy Rogers and Wade Bowen on Hold My Beer, Volume I. Instead, though, McBryde unleashes an uptempo song that is wonderfully catchy. The placement of the song was excellent, too, as it provided a needed break after hearing "Livin' Next to Leroy" and "Andy (I Can't Live Without You)" as two of the three prior songs. 

Overall, Girl Going Nowhere is an excellent mainstream debut for Ashley McBryde. It's already rare to find an album with only one bad song, but for McBryde to pull it off with her first release that'll reach a national audience? To say the very least, that's impressive. Highly recommended. 8/10 

Drive-By Truckers Release Timely American Band

Drive-By Truckers are an iconic fixture in the alternative country scene, with many years of touring and studio album releases under their collective belt. They've made a career of breaking ground, developing their own unique sound and recording albums with odd little inclusions rarely heard in modern music. Perhaps the most obvious of these traits is that the band doesn't have a lead vocalist. Longtime stalwarts Patterson Hood and Mike Cooley take lead vocals based on whoever wrote the song in question, as did the incredible Jason Isbell when he was a member of the band.

When one considers all of the ways in which Drive-By Truckers differ from other artists, it's hard to fathom how they've now released perhaps the most important album of their career, American Band, by treading well-worn lyrical paths. American Band is ripe with social commentary, a lyrical masterpiece in that Hood and Cooley veer away from any kind of protest agenda and instead tell needed stories that neither preach nor perpetuate any specific political statement. The main theme of the record seems to be that certain things in our society are wrong and in need of fixing. That might be obvious to any aware citizen, but the songs on this album speak for themselves.

Gun violence is a recurring theme on American Band, but Hood and Cooley focus more on the individuals that do such things as opposed to their weapon of choice. Despite what their stances may be on potential legislation, these two songwriters still have the necessary understanding that people are the primary issue. It's a refreshing perspective in this day and age where everybody shares their two cents regardless of how educated they are on the topic. Standout track "Guns of Umpqua" (Umpqua Community College in Roseburg, OR, was the site of a shooting in 2015) has some of the best lyrics that I have ever heard. "We're all standing in the shadows of our noblest intentions of something more/Than being shot in a classroom in Oregon," sings Hood, just one of many fantastic lines in the song. With "Guns of Umpqua," Hood flashes back and forth between wholesome memories of a life well lived and a narrative of the present depicting the narrator and others trying to barricade their classroom door as they hear a shooter in the hallway. I see it as Hood's way of addressing the sad reality that it's hard to feel safe at any time.

"Ramon Casiano" sits at track one and is Mike Cooley's way of setting the mood for American Band. Casiano was a young Hispanic killed by eventual NRA leader Harlon Carter in 1931, a case that largely resembles modern "stand your ground" cases, as Carter claimed that Casiano threatened him with a knife. He was initially convicted of murder but the conviction was eventually overturned. Thankfully, the song is about the two people in question and not the weapon of choice. It's very apparent that Drive-By Truckers meant for American Band to focus on the main problem in American society--the people themselves.

"What it Means" is the lead single, and Hood uses damn near six and a half minutes to detail both the progress we've made and the problems that we unfortunately still have. "I mean, Barack Obama won/and you can choose where to eat/but you don't see too many white kids lying bleeding on the street," Hood sings, begging us to stop pretending that progress means that all of our problems are gone. Perhaps the most important line of the song is when Hood sings, "And when they turned him over/they were surprised there was no gun/I mean, he must have done something/or else why would he have run?/and they'll spin it for the anchors on the television screen/so we can shrug and let it happen without asking what it means."

"Once They Banned Imagine" is one more standout on an album full of great songs. Mike Cooley discusses the culling of artistic expression in our society and how that plays a role in the issues that continue to plague our nation. I would assume that the song also has something to do with the longtime controversy surrounding John Lennon's "Imagine." Lyrically, "Once They Banned Imagine" isn't as clear as I'd like it to be, but then again the best songs leave something to be deciphered. It's one more great song written by Mike Cooley.

American Band is an album with a dangerous concept in the hands of lesser songwriters, but because Patterson Hood and Mike Cooley are capable of addressing such topics without grandstanding on their own perspectives, it's a miraculous achievement that hopefully reaches as many ears as possible. While those hyper-sensitive to these issues might cast American Band as leftist propaganda, that'll only go to show that they didn't truly listen to the music and lyrics. American Band is an album about people problems, and that's what sets it apart from past albums with similar themes. Buy this album. Listen to it. Love it. It's probably the most important album of the year, and certainly one of 2016's best releases. 9/10

"Body Like a Back Road" is Every Way We Shouldn't Talk to or About Women

Welcome to 2017, folks, a year in which men are supposed to be a little more aware of the ways in which they objectify women, and should perhaps understand just how demeaning it is to speak in certain ways to a woman. If you'd like to know how realistic that idea was, Sam Hunt's truly horrifying "Body Like a Back Road" has become a number 1 song with no real indication that it'll be slowing down any time soon.

If you listen to mainstream country, I'm going to assume that you've heard "Body Like a Back Road" by now, but here are the basics. Guy likes girl. Guy makes truly ridiculous comparisons between girl's body and objects or places. "Hips like honey" and other cringe-worthy lines that'd kill the mood instantly in most intimate scenarios.

It's not that each individual line is the worst we've ever heard from mainstream country, not even in the last 5 years. It's what this song represents in today's day and age. We like to think we're making progress in the way we treat women, but when some dude who looks like he just stepped off the modeling runway sings a song like this to massive acclaim and gets away with it, it's hard to believe we've made any progress at all. And that's what really drives this message into the ground, for me. If a normal looking dude had written and recorded this song, it wouldn't be surprising if there was a massive media firestorm condemning him and effectively ending his career. If a normal looking dude making country music were to come out and criticize this song for calling it what it is, the media would likely scoff and make allusions to the probability that he's just bitter about being rejected at some point in his life.

It's the things we allow to happen for unjustifiable reasons that sabotage any progress that might be made in our efforts to raise young men who respect women.

Sam Hunt gets away with this because he's not a normal dude. He's a traditionally good looking former athlete with some real songwriting chops (though you'd never know it by listening to this song), a pleasant voice (for the most part--he gets a little breathy, at times, but he's not the first to deal with this issue), and, despite this song, genuinely appears to be a decent human being. I don't personally dislike Sam Hunt, and I don't even hate all of his songs, though I wish they were being played on pop radio where they belong. "Make You Miss Me" is exceptionally catchy and very tangible to any person who's ever turned the other cheek on somebody who ditched them. "Take Your Time" is slightly awkward with its monologue verses, but the chorus is impeccably catchy and the instrumental arrangement is haunting. Sam Hunt is not a strictly bad artist by any means. He's just being played in the wrong format, and now he's unknowingly written and released a song that represents every way in which we don't want to treat women in today's world.

I don't honestly think Hunt realized what "Body Like a Back Road" symbolized when he and his co-writers wrote it. I think this is ignorance in full force. That's the unfortunate point, though. We still don't know what we do wrong. We still don't know how not to speak to women, how not to speak about them. One could argue that "locker room talk" is a reality of the world for both men and women, and maybe it is, but it should stay in private circles, and when it does leak out into our art, we should understand what is wrong with it and, you know, maybe not celebrate it like we're a bunch of dimwitted morons.

There are so many factors in play that caused the success of this monstrosity. Ignorance. Tolerating such ignorance for stupid reasons like a person's appearance. The lack of focus on the arts in schools (teach kids what good art is and they'll be able to identify drivel like this and let it die quickly like it should have). There's really no redemption to be had for "Body Like a Back Road." It's the "Blurred Lines" of country music, even if music fans aren't smart enough to realize it isn't a country song. Please, people, learn from this horrid mistake. Think about it this way. Would I want to be spoken to like this? Would I want any of my loved ones to be spoken to like this? Would I want my daughter to be spoken to like this? Would I want my son to speak to a woman like this? 

Those answers were all no, weren't they?

Brantley Gilbert Needs to Give Up on This Bad Boy Bullshit

Every time an extremely talented artist achieves success, one of two things seems to happen. Either the artist drastically changes the landscape of their art form through the things that make them unique, or that artist clings to a newfound image so loyally that their art suffers at the hands of it. Brantley Gilbert falls into the latter category.

Before mainstream country fans knew Brantley Gilbert's name, it was well known to the fans lucky to stumble upon his music that he does have a rough side, and a past that speaks volumes to just how dangerous alcohol is. He has since claimed to have kicked the sauce, and yet the two lead singles from his last two albums promote binge drinking. Seems ass backward, doesn't it?

Friday saw the release of Gilbert's new album The Devil Don't Sleep, and while there are 2-3 tolerable songs and maybe one great song, most of it is radio drivel highlighted by awkward hip hop beats, Gilbert's ridiculous growl-singing that sounds like shit live, and a seeming need to remind us of how much of a badass Gilbert thinks he is. None of it is even remotely believable, which makes some of these songs awkwardly hilarious, and quite frankly, count me among the people who miss the Brantley Gilbert that sang about real things and actually sang, to boot, as opposed to this vocal style that makes it sound like he's gargling gravel.

I find so little redemption for this record. There's too much posturing, too much flag waving and chest beating. This is music for that guy compensating for something by putting a lift kit on his truck that jacks it up into orbit. Gilbert's songwriting--once his greatest asset--has devolved into pure silliness. Even the more serious songs are ridiculous. "Outlaw in Me" is poorly titled, considering the connotations of the word "Outlaw" in country music. Brantley Gilbert is no more outlaw than Luke Bryan or Jason Aldean. He's chasing trends with the rest of corporate Nashville.

"Three Feet of Water" is a breath of fresh air, and doesn't come off as preachy, but unfortunately it's the very last song on the album. Track 16. Please don't ask me how I even made it that far, because I honestly don't know. After 15 songs of terrible growl-vocals and one mainstream lyrical trope after another, even a song as great as "Three Feet of Water" couldn't do much for this record.

The Devil in Me is the continued devolution of Brantley Gilbert. He no longer writes good songs. He no longer sings properly. He's no longer a bright spot in modern country music. It's a shame, and hopefully as he ages he comes out of this Sons of Anarchy cast-off phase and begins to release good music again. 0/10

2016 Award Winners

I've finally found the time to write again, and announcing my picks for 2016 award winners is long overdue. I'd like to once again mention just how tremendous 2016 was for substantial music, and hopefully 2017 follows suit.

2016 Song of the Year: "Fighter" by David Nail
David Nail has been open about his struggles with depression, and "Fighter" is his way of thanking his wife for being a "fighter" during the worst of times. The greatest thing about this song is that anybody can apply it to their life because so many people have struggles with depression and anxiety. The sheer power of this song is incredible.

2016 Album of the Year: I'm Not the Devil by Cody Jinks
The rise of Cody Jinks is oddly reminiscent of Sturgill Simpson's ascent. His fans are incredibly loyal, and his sound is so authentic that there seems to be no way that he'd fail to connect with any listener. I'm Not the Devil is probably the best traditional country album released since Jamey Johnson's That Lonesome Song, and that is very high praise.

2016 Concept of the Year: American Band by Drive-By Truckers
The greatest threats to the progression of American society are the collective ignorance of glaring problems by politicians and the public, as well as the suppressing of creativity and culling of expression. Patterson Hood and Mike Cooley tackle all of these topics on the very, very timely and relevant American Band. Music fans needed this album in 2016. Even the album cover, depicting an American flag at half mast, speaks volumes.

2016 Artist of the Year: Cody Jinks
It was hard not to pick Sturgill Simpson for Artist of the Year, but considering the embarrassing state of popular country music, the most important individual at any time is the person standing in line to take the torch if needed, and Cody Jinks has quickly placed himself alongside artists like Simpson, Chris Stapleton, Margo Price, and Jason Isbell. And I can't wait to see who's next.

Mo Pitney's Sound is Great, but Behind This Guitar is Too Damn Cheesy

I want to be a huge fan of Mo Pitney. He has everything we want in a young country star--a throwback sound, songwriting chops, wit and charm and, most importantly, a voice of gold. All that being said, his first major label release Behind This Guitar is like an unending audio Hallmark card and for those of us who can't stand overly sentimental bullshit, it's almost unbearable at times.

Make no mistake, there are a handful of great songs on the album, but it's the hokey nonsense that drowns everything else out. I found myself excited during one song only to be cringing repeatedly during the next. Songs like "Clean Up in Aisle Five" are obnoxiously melodramatic. Art is meant to be a medium through which we can express things we can't in every day life--we're free to use hyperbole, to be melodramatic, to flirt with certain lines we can't normally, but there's a way to do it, and Mo Pitney can't seem to find that balance.

Even lead single "Country" has its eventual downfall in the latter half of the song when an arbitrary nod to our military members is added out of the blue. It's blatantly disrespectful to use others' military service as a means to sell singles and albums, and while I don't think Mo Pitney knows any better and did not do this intentionally, I'm hoping that in the future he'll just release songs specifically about being respectful and thankful to our veterans and those currently serving our country. This whole arbitrary "thanks guys" thing has gotten out of hand in country music and reeks of ignorance and nearsightedness.

Album highlights include "Come Do a Little Life," perhaps the only sentimental song where Pitney doesn't take it too far, Current single "Everywhere" leans in a more contemporary direction but it's well done and very interesting. "I Met Merle Haggard Today" is funny, endearing, and, considering Haggard's death in 2016, very timely. "Boy & a Girl Thing" has a nice groove and is easy to sing along to. Aside from these four songs, however, I find the album either too melodramatic or very uninteresting.

Mo Pitney has plenty of potential, and I certainly think he will be a great artist at some point in his career. Unfortunately, he's currently missing the mark. Thankfully, his current issues are very correctable and shouldn't be hindrances later in his career. 4/10

Award Nominees for 2016

It's hard to believe but another year is coming to a close, and while 2016 did a number on us in many different ways, it's safe to say that it was a great year for substantial, meaningful music. I've lost count of the new artists I've discovered, albums I've absolutely loved, songs that have moved me in ways that only music is able to, and best of all, the sheer number of albums and artists I've yet to have a chance to listen to. My plate is as full as it's ever been in regard to great music, and moving into 2017, I couldn't be more thrilled about that.

It only makes sense to give out year-end awards for 2016, and today I've decided to list my current nominees.

Disclaimer: These nominations consist only of artists/albums/songs that I have had sufficient time to listen to and digest. If there seem to be any glaring oversights, it's more likely that I just haven't had time to listen the album or song in question.

2016 Album of the Year Nominees

I'm Not the Devil by Cody Jinks
Big Day in a Small Town by Brandy Clark
The Bird & the Rifle by Lori McKenna
Tradition Lives by Mark Chesnutt
A Sailor's Guide to Earth by Sturgill Simpson
Undercurrent by Sarah Jarosz
American Band by Drive-by Truckers

2016 Song of the Year Nominees

"Call to Arms" by Sturgill Simpson

"Kill a Word" by Eric Church

"Wreck You" by Lori McKenna

"Since You've Gone to Heaven" by Brandy Clark

"Fighter" by David Nail

"Lightning Bugs and Rain" by Whiskey Myers

"House of Mercy" by Sarah Jarosz

"Give All You Can" by Cody Jinks

"Hurt People" by Rick Brantley

"How Can You Love Him (You Don't Even Like Him)" by Reckless Kelly

2016 Concept of the Year Nominees

American Band by Drive-By Truckers
Fighter by David Nail
Big Day in a Small Town by Brandy Clark

2016 Artist of the Year Nominees
Sturgill Simpson
Cody Jinks
Sarah Jarosz
Lori McKenna