Farce the Music: Loretta Lynn

Nov 6, 2014

CMAs 2014: Snarky Twitter Wrap-Up

Good news: Kacey Musgraves won, Strait sang, Garth was there, Vince was honored, The Band Perry covered Glen Campbell pretty righteously (and there were a few other highlights).

Bad news: Luke Bryan won entertainer of the year, FGL won something or other...

Here's a somewhat-in-order but not really snarky Twitter recap of the night's proceedings.

Thanks for your help!

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Jun 24, 2014

Album Review: Kelsey Waldon - The Goldmine

Kelsey Waldon is so country, she never has to mention it on the entirety of her new album, yet you know it from the first word she sings (the first note, in fact). Her voice is effortlessly twangy and personable and The Goldmine proudly hails from a lineage of Loretta Lynn, Tammy Wynette, Lee Ann Womack and the like.

There's a warm, hazy glow over the whole affair, like an old rural bar where half the lights are blown and they still let you smoke inside. It's strangely comfortable, but behind every set of glazed eyes, there's a sad tale and the potential for things to get dangerous.

"Town Clown" leads off the bunch with a tune about how gossip often becomes generally accepted as truth in a small town. Do you like self-pity? Do you like steel guitar? I do, and if you don't, here's where you should jump off.

The title track continues the drenched in steel approach. In it, Kelsey proclaims her preference for satisfaction over money in a relationship with a man whose financial gains may or may not be entirely on the up and up.

"High in Heels" is my favorite off The Goldmine. It's sassy and tragic at once. I'm fairly certain it's about a daughter having to resort to desperate measures to keep her broken family fed, but you may read it differently.

Kelsey Waldon sounds more vulnerable and confessional than say, Loretta Lynn, on these 11 tracks but she's every bit as confident. Hers is a sweet voice that belies a depth of realism and a spirit that forgives but never forgets. It's a world-weary but optimistic outlook that keeps The Goldmine from ever sinking into despair. It's a moving and memorable album that should easily satisfy fans of classic country and modern Americana, and make Waldon an artist to watch for years to come.

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The Goldmine is available for purchase on Bandcamp.

Feb 19, 2014

Prescription for What Ails Ya

Is this you?

If these symptoms describe your struggles, it's time you tried...

Warning:

Side effects may include: enlightenment, satisfaction, curiosity, heightened emotions, desire for an adult beverage that doesn't have "lite" or "bomb" in the name, respect for females, joy, tapping feet, flushed cheeks, appreciation, and a sudden realization that things will never be the same again.

If you're ready for help, here's your prescription.

And here are a few free samples to get you started.

Oct 28, 2013

Radio Then vs Radio Now

For those who make the argument that country radio is no better or worse now than it was in the past, that county radio has always had an overabundance of pop-country, and that anyone seeking real country has always had to find it somewhere besides the radio, I present this.

The following artists had number one hits for the majority of time and chart position held in their given year.