Maren Morris' Underwhelming Hero

I've been reading all the exaggerated headlines about Maren Morris for months now, and it confuses the ever-living hell out of me. I certainly don't hate her two singles. "My Church" isn't great but it's catchy and easy to relate to. "80's Mercedes" is not even close to a country song, but it gets stuck in your head with ease. When it comes to modern country radio, Maren Morris is not a huge problem. The issue is that her music is marketed as country, which is completely misleading and dishonest. She's not the first purely pop artist to have her music marketed this way, but what she represents is the continuation of a real problem in mainstream country music.

Once again, I feel it is important to state that musical evolution does not involve a genre turning into another genre, or into a bad mish-mash of the most basic elements of several genres. Country has not evolved into pop, and it has not evolved into hick hop or the arena rock garbage we hear from Jason Aldean. That's not how evolution works. Maren Morris' music is not the product of evolution--it's the product of a pop artist who is conveniently using country radio as a means to launch her career. Did she herself make that decision? I doubt it. It's pretty easy to blame the suits in Nashville.

That's not to say that Hero is bad, overall. There are some solid songs on this record, but to call it country would be an obvious lie. Every song has a blatantly pop arrangement. There are so many jarring, synthetic sounds on this album that it makes me dizzy. At the very least, I'll give Morris credit for not trying to country it up with layered fiddle or banjo lines. Make no mistake, Hero knows it's a pop album. It's just not as good as people seem to think it is.

As far as criticisms are concerned, they revolve around very fixable issues.The odd vocalizations in many songs get annoying really fast, from the almost rap like delivery that she uses at times to the way she mispronounces words. "80's Mercedes" may not be a bad song, but when Morris songs "I'm a 90's baby in my 80's Mercedes," she pronounces "baby" as "bay-beh," which I found annoying and ridiculous. There's no reason to not pronounce the word properly. It adds nothing to the song, does not help the rhyme, does not aid in the transition from one line to the next. It's just an odd choice that is jarring and unnecessary. Another thing that irritated me was the arbitrary swearing. There's room in music for profanity, but it ought to serve a purpose. The only purpose served by the occasional "shit" or "bullshit" on Hero is to portray this tough, sassy image. Maren Morris does that already. The swearing wasn't necessary, and in songs like "Drunk Girls Don't Cry," it came out of nowhere and didn't fit the song. It's a small issue in the grand scheme of things, but when the album itself is underwhelming, it stood out even more.

What gives me hope for Maren Morris is that all of these issues are all easily correctable, so I look forward to her future releases. It's very clear that with her vocal abilities, Morris will likely release some great music in her career. I've got my fingers crossed that it's sooner rather than later.
Maren Morris is at her best as a vocalist when she forgets about all the nonsense and just sings. Those abilities are on full display on album standouts "Once" and "I Wish I Was." These are two absolutely fantastic songs on an otherwise sub-par record.

Hero is moderately enjoyable in spurts, hard to tolerate in others, and the latter side comes through more often than the former. 4/10

Up next: Single Review: Eric Church's "Kill a Word"

Metal Review: Tremonti's Dust

For guitar nuts like myself, Mark Tremonti is a household name. His unique and spirited fretwork travels all the way back to 1997 when Creed's My Own Prison was released. Everything after that is well-documented. Creed released 3 albums before disbanding the first time, which allowed Mark, Scott Phillips, and Brian Marshall (everybody in Creed not named Scott Stapp) to form Alter Bridge with vocalist/guitarist Myles Kennedy, and since the release of debut album One Day Remains in 2004, Alter Bridge have established themselves as arguably the best hard rock band on the airwaves today. Creed would reunite briefly to release the very good Full Circle in 2009, but have not surfaced since.

Alter Bridge have released 4 studio albums with a fifth coming this fall, and since 2012, Mark Tremonti has released three albums under the name Tremonti. Originally a solo project, Tremonti has evolved into a 4 piece band with Mark on lead guitar and vocals, Eric Friedman on guitar, Wolfgang Van Halen on bass guitar, and Garrett Whitlock on drums. They released Dust in April, and after recently purchasing the record, I must say that it's a damn good one.

While Creed and Alter Bridge both have more of a hard rock sound, with Alter Bridge occasionally venturing into alternative metal, I would argue that Tremonti are a metal band with the occasional dive into hard rock territory. Mark Tremonti's penchant for heavy metal is very well known, from the days that he and Scott Stapp first met and formed Creed, through the heavier Alter Bridge material. When All I Was came out under the Tremonti name in 2012, Mark's heavy metal roots became fully realized. I don't know if I could place Dust into any particular sub genre of metal. At times it's thrashy; at times it's plodding and ominous, but most of all, it's thrilling to the ears of any listener with appreciation for what can be done with a guitar. Dust is one great riff after another through 10 songs, with excellent guitar solos and leads scattered throughout the record.

In Creed's earlier days, Mark wasn't often able to display his skills as a soloist, but thankfully Alter Bridge opened more doors for him in that department, though it's not necessarily a given with each song. With Tremonti, he can let loose and have fun. He definitely has his own style. I'd describe his guitar playing as loose and free but still controlled. He's not actively making sure that he never makes mistakes when performing live, but every note sounds organic and planned. Despite all of that, he's very unpredictable as a guitarist, and in the best of ways. Every riff and every solo is fresh and exciting.

As a vocalist, Mark Tremonti is certainly capable, and his skill and technique improve by the album. He's not going to do anything crazy but he's not bland, either. Lyrically, Dust has some excellent moments, some of which are more outright, like standout track "Betray Me." The title track is also a bright moment lyrically, and might be the best song that Mark Tremonti has ever written. At just over 5 minutes, "Dust" moves along slowly but listeners are captured by every second. The track opens with an ominous clean guitar line, and slowly builds into a crushing, emotional chorus. The bridge takes 30-40 seconds to prepare listeners for the best solo I've ever heard out of Mark Tremonti. It's 25 seconds of pure emotion, proving to be the high point of an incredible song.

Dust is just one more great piece of music with Mark Tremonti's name tagged to it, and if you're not familiar with him past a few overplayed Creed songs, it's time to dig into Alter Bridge and Tremonti. You won't be disappointed. 8/10

Standout Tracks:
"My Last Mistake"
"Dust"
"Betray Me"
"Tore My Heart Out"

Up next: Hero by Maren Morris

Kelsey Waldon Has Her Way With Classic Country

The greatest thing about country music in 2016 is that substantially talented artists, with respect for the genre, have the ability to make a living without radio play. Modern radio has pushed away so many listeners over the past five or so years that it's no wonder that artists like Chris Stapleton have had their day in the sun. Listeners who look for more than the most basic pop, hip hop, and arena rock arrangements mixed with banal lyrics about tailgates, beer, and tanned legs have begun to search a little more thoroughly for music with substance, and it's paid off for some of the most talented artists in the country genre. All it takes to convince people that there's much better music out there is exposure, and even someone like me, who listens to a lot of music and is always searching for new artists, misses out on some truly talented individuals until somebody tells me about them. Kelsey Waldon falls into that category.

Waldon's new album I've Got a Way was released on Friday, August 12th. It is 100% classic traditional country from beginning to end. I don't think I've heard so much steel guitar on an album I can recently recall. Where some albums lean on several traditional instruments, I've Got a Way features the steel guitar on every track, which results in the vintage sound trademarked years ago. I prefer more fiddle, mandolin, banjo, and dobro (I gravitate toward bluegrass influenced country, in general), but it was intriguing to hear one instrument used in so many ways in each song.

Lyrically, I've Got a Way is solid throughout, and every song has something specific to express. Standout track "False King" is full of great rhymes and features, perhaps, the single best line on the album when Waldon sings, "You can't place a crown on the head of a clown and then hope he turns out to be a king." I found myself smiling throughout the record because of Her wittiness ease of articulating complex emotions, which kept me interested throughout the album. "I'd Rather Go On" discusses sharp swings in a relationship in which the narrator comes to the conclusion that she'd rather just move on.  In the first verse she expresses a strong sense of vulnerability, but by the end of the chorus her decision is made. "All By Myself" is another standout song on the album. "I can be me all by myself" is another great lyric by Waldon, and is a line that can mean anything to a variety of people. It should be something that fans take to fairly quickly. There is no shortage of talent in Kelsey Waldon when it comes to lyrics and songwriting. As an album, I've Got a Way doesn't have any major shortcomings.

One thing about any good album, regardless of genre, is that problems are very hard to find. My criticisms of I've Got a Way aren't necessarily about the quality of the music. I will say that I'm not that fond of the sound of Kelsey Waldon's voice, but after repeated listens it is growing on me. She's definitely a skilled vocalist--it's more the tone of her voice that grates at me, but that can be cast aside as personal preference. I also prefer more variety in instrumental arrangements. Featuring the steel guitar is interesting but I think there was room to make the arrangements on this album more interesting. I'd love to hear what Kelsey Waldon can come up with if she adds more variety in the future.

Overall, my opinion of the album has as much to do with personal preference as it does with quality of the music. The songs, themselves, are great, and Kelsey Waldon is a fine lyricist. Take my rating with a grain of salt and don't hesitate to take a listen. 7/10.

*Written by Kellen Dobmeier, edited by April Dahlgren

Upcoming reviews:
Dust by Tremonti
Bury Me in My Boots by The Cadillac 3
Spark by Drake White
Pure and Simple by Dolly Parton
Hero by Maren Morris

Potential Reviews:
Multiple singles are receiving considering
Dig Your Roots by Florida Georgia Line
Dylan Scott's Self-Titled Debut

Single Review: Metallica Returns With Ferocious "Hardwired"

I'd caught wind of a new Metallica album being released this fall, but it's still a surprise any time a first single is released nearly 8 years after a band's last album. Metallica seems to have gone the route of Tool over their past few albums, taking their sweet damn time between records, but who could blame them? Every single band member is at least 51 years old. Some bands prove to be prolific when it comes to album releases, but some don't want to rush anything for the sake of meeting some arbitrary time limit. Of course, I'm sure the fact that the members of the band don't need the money has something to do with it, but art isn't that black and white, either. Let's just be grateful that Metallica is still making music.

The new album Hardwired...to Self Destruct will come out on November 18th, and the first single "Hardwired" was released on August 18th. I woke up and read about it that morning, and had to take a listen. Frankly, it was refreshing to hear new music from a band I've respected for a long time, even through the St. Anger days. It did help that followup album Death Magnetic was pretty damn good, despite production issues. It's hard to believe that it's already been 8 years since that record was released.

The long wait still takes its toll on fans, though, particularly those of us who hope to hear music that resembles 1980s Metallica as opposed to anything released after ...And Justice For All. "Hardwired" is fairly close to the sound of early Metallica, and it definitely has the speed and anger needed to excite fans about the album's release in November.

The song is very aggressive with a great main riff and a breakneck pace that sets the tone from the first few notes. James Hetfield is channeling his younger days as vocalist. Age does show itself in his delivery, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. It adds a level of conviction to his voice brought on by years and experiences. The lyrics aren't anything special, but they aren't terrible, either. The idea of being our own worst enemy isn't groundbreaking, but it's observable in every day life and I enjoy Metallica's take on it.

Overall, "Hardwired" is a solid first single that hopefully gives some sort of indication of what the new album sounds like. 6/10

Cody Jinks' Hard-Hitting I'm Not the Devil

There's always a place in country music for worn and weary storytellers like Cody Jinks. His deep voice etches itself in the mind, feeding on emotions and traumas long buried. Whatever it is that you don't want to feel, Cody Jinks' music will find it, drag it out, scare you half to death in that process, then heal you in ways you didn't know you needed to be healed. A great Cody Jinks song is like a great novel, forging new perspectives and establishing an important role in one's life at the time.

For me, the first of those songs was the incredible "David," a haunting tale of good intentions gone wrong. I stumbled across it while reading a great piece on Saving Country Music (check out that website if you love country music--it's fantastic), and since then Cody Jinks has been a regular listen for me. His last album Adobe Sessions was as authentic as it gets. I was reminded of great singer/songwriters like Jason Eady and Chris Knight. When I first heard the title track to his new album I'm Not the Devil, I was as excited as I've been for an album in quite some time, and with new releases from David Nail, Lori McKenna, Brandy Clark, and Sturgill Simpson in the past 6 months, it's safe to say that it's been an excellent spring and summer for country music.

I'm Not the Devil was released last Friday (12 August) and has since been worn out with repeated listens for me. It's pure hard country music. Not an ounce of filler and not one bad song to be found. Nearly every mainstay instrument in traditional country can be found on this album. I'm particularly fond of the way the steel guitar was used, accenting the emotion in certain lyrics, careening through the twists and turns of each song. Several songs make prominent use of piano, especially standout track "Give All You Can" where every note is incredibly haunting. It'd be hard to find a more diverse instrument than the piano. It can convey the happiest emotion or create a feeling so ominous that it's hard to shake. The way it was utilized on I'm Not the Devil is breathtaking. The arrangements perfectly complemented Jinks' lyrics and vocals.

Lyrically, they don't come much better than Cody Jinks, especially with heavier material. The way they write is very different, but Jinks' lyrics make me draw comparisons to Jason Isbell's darker songs. You'll feel something that seems strong one moment, only to have a line come around later that brings you to your knees. The lyrical highlight of the album for me is the ending of "Give All You Can" where Jinks continually asks "What are you living for?" Not only did it tie in great with the rest of the song, it felt like Jinks was posing a question to listeners. Rarely does a song inspire such a deep level of introspection, and that introspection made "Give All You Can" the most emotional moment on an album full of great songs.

"No Words" might be one of the best love songs I've heard in quite some time, revolving around how hard it can be to adequately state what somebody means to you. The verses describe the awareness of the narrator himself, with lines like "You could be much better off/God knows without me," as well as "I don't believe there's good in every man like I did back then." While "No Words" is definitely a love song, it's also very reflective and honest, and what sets it apart for me is how believable Jinks' delivery is. Rather than list a bunch of specific things he's done wrong, he acknowledges his shortcomings in a general sense. Oftentimes, songs like this seem to have the singer admitting to a bunch of awful things, which doesn't always come off as realistic. The way Cody Jinks decided to tell this story is believable, and certainly tangible for many people. I know I heard many of my own flaws described in this song, as will other listeners. "No Words" is wonderfully powerful.

Another obvious standout on the album is "Grey." What a damn fine song with excellent lyrics and a great arrangement. "Rediscover all the color in the grey" Jinks sings at the end of each chorus, which speaks to the ease one can find when they take the time and look back on how life has unfolded. Other highlights include the title track, "Chase That Song," and the great cover of Billy Don Burns' "Church at Gaylor Creek."

By the time the album ends, listeners will feel like they've run through every emotion they could possibly feel, but they'll be better people for it. As I've said, there's an odd healing that comes with heavy material in the hands of such a gifted songwriter. Cody Jinks sings about real people and real situations--it's easy to hear one of his songs and think about something in your own life. He's a fast rising Texas artist with a lot to say, and he has an uncanny ability to maximize whatever it is he's trying to convey. If you hadn't heard of him before this review, you'll want to dig through his discography. He's a special talent.

I'm Not the Devil is a truly wonderful album, and will have a case to make for the best album of 2016. 9/10.

Standout Tracks:
"I'm Not the Devil"
"No Words"
"Give All You Can"
"Chase That Song"
"Grey"
"Vampires"

Concerts in the Garden: Sam Outlaw

Every summer, the North Dakota Museum of Art presents their Concerts in the Garden series. The last concert for the season in 2016 featured Sam Outlaw, a country artist from Los Angeles. I didn't even know about this concert until yesterday morning. Sporadic heavy rainfall on Monday night turned grain harvest into a no-go on Tuesday, so I was looking for something to do last night to relax. For some reason, I decided to see if there was one more concert in the garden before UND's fall semester begins. After seeing Sam Outlaw's name on the schedule, my Tuesday night was settled.

The very talented Molly Parden opened the evening of music. Unable to leave work early enough for a 6pm start time after an hour's drive, I missed most of her performance. Luckily, she was a part of the band backing Sam Outlaw on stage during his set. Outlaw, Parden, and two other bandmates took the stage and played "Cry For Me" to kick things off. It's a great song that has been released for over two years, and was on the track list of his self-titled digital EP, but didn't appear on his only studio album to date, Angeleno. After that, Outlaw weaved his way through cuts from both releases, throwing in a couple of covers as well as one or two new songs that were very good.

The most impressive thing about Sam Outlaw as a performer was how easily he interacted with the crowd. He was hilarious between songs, telling stories about each song as well as the time he spent in South Dakota during his youth before his family moved to California. There was something about him, an odd mix of confidence and humility. It's like he knows that he's talented but won't let that confidence turn into arrogance. Not only was it easy to enjoy the music, it was easy to like Sam Outlaw the person. It was refreshing to see a performer who is so obviously down to earth and genuinely happy to have a platform to share his art. He also regularly gave credit to each of his band mates, more than most artists do. It was obvious that they all get along in general. Not only were fans enjoying themselves, so were the four people on stage.

Outlaw's brand of country music was well-received by concert-goers. It seemed that everybody was enjoying themselves and I found myself getting lost in each song, absentmindedly singing along (hopefully not so loud that those around me could hear). I've owned Angeleno for quite some time now, and have been listening to it regularly. Not until last night did I realize how much each song stuck with me--I knew damn near every word.

Highlights from the set include "Ghost Town," arguably the best song on Angeleno, as well as the tender ballad "Country Love Song." Outlaw played a new song called "She's Playing Hard to Get Rid of" that provided a bit of a laugh as well as an emotional punch as he detailed such a relatable relationship story in the lyrics. He also played a great cover of Clay Walker's "If I Could Make a Living."

At the end of Outlaw's set, I had that feeling of lightness that comes with any great concert, like nothing could ruin the night. It's the main reason that I love live music. After being fortunate enough to see Sturgill Simpson and Sam Outlaw live in less than a week's time, I can't say that I've ever had more fun with music.

If Sam Outlaw passes through your town, get tickets and go to the show. It's more than worth it.

I "Kinda Don't Care" for Justin Moore's New Album

There are times when Justin Moore is genuinely likable as an artist. He is certainly capable of releasing solid country music, but most of the time he's trying so damned hard that I have trouble getting past it. Most annoying for me is his hammed up twang--it's so gimmicky and obnoxious that it's an immediate distraction.

Nevertheless, with great songs like "Grandpa," "Small Town USA," and "If Heaven Wasn't So Far Away" in his catalog, I always pay attention to what he's releasing. On Friday, August 12th, Moore's album Kinda Don't Care dropped, and along with it came news that he's tried out some contemporary country elements. Not that he wasn't somewhat contemporary before, from the distorted guitar to certain lyrical tropes, but now he's thrown drum loops, gratuitous vocal effects, and synthy nonsense into his songs. The only instance where it kinda works is "Somebody Else Will," which is one of the few standout tracks on the album.

Even if Kinda Don't Care wasn't littered with artificial sounds, I'm not positive that I'd like it all that much, anyway. Justin Moore does not come off as authentic to me, which is key when it comes to playing and promoting country music that leans in a more traditional direction. By this point, it might be better for him to drop the shtick and just release a contemporary album.

There are an astounding number of bad songs on this record. I just can't wrap my head around how some of these tunes seemed like good ideas. "Put Me in a Box" is a title that had my hopes up, but it's incredibly awkward as Moore continually sings "Put me in a box, girl, put me in a box." It's a refrain that was old the first time it was sung but it's completely overdone in this song and Moore's vocal performance does nothing to make it better. Eventually, a tune called "Got it Good" starts playing and I begged it to stop after the very first note. Easily the most commercial track that Moore has ever recorded, "Got it Good" is egregiously pandering, to the point that it's almost funny. This song is, quite frankly, a disaster, and to hear Justin Moore sink so low is not unexpected but still kind of sad. Hold on a second, though--it gets worse. Moore includes a duet with Brantley Gilbert on Kinda Don't Care called "More Middle Fingers" and it's as bad as it sounds. In a way it's hilarious, because you've got two over-exaggerated vocal styles trading lines in one song, Moore with his twang and Gilbert with his silly growl-vocals. Unintended comedy at its finest.

At the very least there are a handful of really good songs like the lead single, "You Look Like I Need a Drink." The aforementioned "Somebody Else Will" is the only contemporary-leaning song that works on the album, thanks to a great chorus. "Rebel Kids" is also a tolerable song that I found myself nodding my head to. I trust Justin Moore to release some great music, but I really want to see him just make music as opposed to selling a country boy image. His best music will come when he's an artist first and foremost. Sadly, that hasn't happened yet.

Kinda Don't Care is without a doubt Justin Moore's least enjoyable album to date. I don't know if all of these artificial additions are the result of label pressure or if he simply wants to be an A-list country star, but they cheapen his already limited sound and result in a truly disappointing album. 3/10

Standout Tracks:
"You Look Like I Need a Drink"
"Somebody Else Will"
"Rebel Kids"

Need a Good Laugh?
"Put Me in a Box"
"Got it Good"
"More Middle Fingers"