New Zac Brown Band Album Cover Revealed!

Country Day Parody Covers July '14 Pt. 2: Luke Bryan, ZBB, etc.

From @10lbhammerbp

New Video: Zac Brown Band - All Alright

From The Grohl Sessions EP, here's the new video for ZBB's "All Alright."

Get More: 

Zac Brown Band, All Alright, Music, More Music Videos

Lyric Parody: Zac Brown Band - Sweet Annie

"Sweet Fanny"

(Parody of ZBB's "Sweet Annie")

(As sung by a bro-country songwriter)

I been drinkin' Lite

And leaning against this fender

Pretty girls and brain dead bros seem to be my line of work

Believe me when I say, I impressed by all your splendor

This man might be too old for you, but baby turn around

Sweet fanny

Can I stare at you a while

Then I'll write a song that's vile when we part,

Sweetheart I live life like a fraternity

And you've got just what I like

And with every song I write

I push misogyny 

Sweet fanny

Sweet fanny

Don't know how you're so round and tight

But those Daisy Dukes and your college glutes are just what I prefer

Your big and bodacious bootay, sugar shakes when you bend over

Dance around, to fake country sounds, please don't think I'm a perv

Sweet fanny

Can I stare at you a while

Then I'll write a song that's vile when we part,

Sweetheart I live life like a fraternity

And you've got just what I like

And with every song I write

I push misogyny 

Sweet fanny

Sweet fanny

Oh what a sight

There ain't too much fat in 'em

This'll go platinum

A plaque in my den

To tell the truth, my thoughts don't run much deeper

Did you just call me a creeper?

No please don't call the cops again

Sweet fanny

Can I stare at you a while

Then I'll write a song that's vile when we part,

Sweetheart I live life like a fraternity

And you've got just what I like

And with every song I write

I push misogyny 

Sweet fanny

Sweet fanny

New Video: Zac Brown Band - Sweet Annie

Get More: 

Sweet Annie, Zac Brown Band, Zac Brown Band Videos

3 Up, 3 Down: October '13

3 Up

Miranda Lambert - All Kinds of Kinds

Quirky… no, downright strange for country radio, this is a song only someone with an established track record like Miranda Lambert could get away with (and she's only managed to barely crack the top 20 with it). It's weird and warm and has hopefully prepared listeners for the next big ode to open-mindedness to hopefully grace the charts, Kacey Musgraves' "Follow Your Arrow."

B

Zac Brown Band - Sweet Annie

Reminiscent of their earlier earthy smash "Colder Weather," "Sweet Annie" is a slow rolling vocally driven gem. It's not pure country, but it's right there in the pocket of what pop-country should sound like in a natural evolution of genre. It's a low-key, high-quality song that hopefully won't be hurt by any higher ups trying to serve out "justice" for Zac's comments about genre cash-cow Puke Bryan.

A

Jason Aldean - Night Train

Yes, I'm serious. No, I'm not testing you. No, please don't shun me. Sure, this isn't traditional-sounding and it's not particularly deep… but it sounds good and isn't a generic party/listing song. There's only a passing mention of a truck. And no cut-off jeans. Aldean usually puts out one single per album that I genuinely enjoy and this is it for the album of the same name. I'll probably never care for Aldean as an artist or person due to his attitude and tendency to put out crap like "1994," but "Night Train" shows that he's got a little more appeal behind the bluster than some of his compadres.

B+

3 Down

Cole Swindell - Chillin' It

An unmemorable voice singing an unremarkable song that sounds like a Florida-Georgia Line album cut. There aren't any particularly embarrassing lyrics in the song, but certainly nothing to hang your new vintage trucker cap on. Oh, and did I mention he used to be Luke Bryan's merch guy? That's got nothing to do with the song sucking but... who am I kidding? Yes it does.

D-

Chris Young - Aw Naw

Thankfully this is one of the 2 or 3 worst songs on his new album. Unfortunately, he'll probably release all of those as singles. Chris wasn't making enough money to keep up with the Aldeans putting out critical favorites like "Neon," so he became a follower of the less talented but more successful members of his genre, and this was the result. A bone-headed partyin' drinkin' anthem that he yells instead of sings.

D (Originally given a C+)

Parmalee - Carolina

These guys switched from mainstream rock to mainstream country without even changing their sound or even remixing this song (not even a token fiddle or steel) and nobody said a word about it. DJ's just bent over and said "put it right here." It's not that this is a terrible song; it's one of the better songs I've heard from Daughtry… I'm just saying it doesn't belong on country radio. Why does country have to be the collection bin of failed pop singers and fake alt-rock bands?

C-

Country TwitterFAIL: Luke Bryan Fans Aren't Intelligent Edition

The fail is strong this week with the Zac Brown backlash reaching fever pitch from the Luke fans...

I blurred any actual names because this isn't a personal shaming (this time - mostly because these seem to be all aged 13-20 girls); it's a fan-base shaming.

Little Known Facts: May '13

LL Cool J's next single will be titled "Accidental Sellout".

Justin Moore only wears a cowboy hat for one reason. To protect his soft spot.

If you stare into a mirror and repeat "Little Debbie" three times, Gary Levox will appear.

The Brantley Gilbert fact for this month has been edited out by Trailer due to not being offensive enough.

The only two boobs in music bigger than those belonging to Dolly Parton 

are the two singing in Florida Georgia Line.

Curb Records is no longer adding new artists to its roster, only lawyers.

While savingcountrymusic.com has been accused of hacking one time, 

farcethemusic.com is accused of being written by hacks daily.

94% of all Robert Earl Reed music that is purchased is by people 

attempting to buy a Robert Earl Keen album.

Travis Tritt still receives counseling due to his emotional scars from an early 90's feud with Billy Ray Cyrus.

The Zac Brown Band's tour bus sleeps 20. The remaining band members usually get a hotel.

The reward for taking a picture of Jamey Johnson crying in public 

is you get beaten to death by Jamey Johnson.

Thanks to Jeremy Harris for most of these.

Country Twitter WINS: April '13

Top 10 Shortest Books by Country Artists V

10. Social Media is Your Friend - Rich O'Toole

09. Hairstyles I Haven't Tried Yet - Lauren Alaina (from @Sam4Vols)

08. My Favorite Quotes From Liberals - Charlie Daniels

07. Hair Care Tips andTricks - Zac Brown

06. Talent for Dummies - Brantley Gilbert (from J. Rutledge on FB)

05. Blake Shelton's Most Intelligent Tweets

04. Great Non-Autotuned Florida-Georgia Line Songs

03. Lab Report from Hunter Hayes' Physician: Testosterone Levels

02. Recording Contracts for Dummies - Jamey Johnson (from @76crowes)

01. Male Celebrities & Musicians Age 18-35 I Haven't Dated by Taylor Swift

Rewatch the Awesome Levon Helms Tribute from the Grammys

Elton John, Zac Brown, T Bone Burnett,  Mavis... by IdolxMuzic

Monday Morning Memes: ZBB, Borchetta, etc.

From Jeremy Harris

Little Known Facts: Feb. '13

Because of his arrest in 2006 for the "I'm Hank Williams Jr bitch!" thing, Hank had to cancel a WWE cage match for the Backlash pay per view against Natalie Maines since it caused him to miss his ride to the walkthrough.

Dee Snider is a touring backup singer for Brantley Gilbert.

Blake Shelton has never tweeted under the influence of anything other than pure stupidity.

The latest U.S. census revealed that one of George Strait's exes had moved to Arkansas from Texas.

Gary Levox is actually Mike Myers in a fat-suit.

72% of all people at a Eric Church concert purchased their boots within a week of the show. 100% of those people will take them off and hold them above their heads when he plays "These Boots".

Martina McBride broke a lounge chair over a roadie's head when she found out George Strait wasn't opening for her on The Cowboy Rides Away tour.

Florida-Georgia Line's name is a reference to the gambling addiction they both share.

Chad Brock was the second choice for this year's Super Bowl Halftime Show.

When you hear a new country hit mention Hank, it is referring to Hank Garland 92.7% of the time.

David Allan Coe has never dyed his beard, but he has had a history of mold problems.

Brantley Gilbert will be Jana Kramer's third husband before age 30. Also her first marriage to a troll-boy.

Jeff Foxworthy's "Redneck 12 Days of Christmas" is actually a detailed list of the payola required to get airplay on a country music radio station.

Zac Brown has a beanie beard-net he wears when preparing food before concerts.


--------------------------
*Thanks to Jeremy Harris for most of these!

3 Up 3 Down: July 2012

3 Up


Zac Brown Band - The Wind
Unfortunately, it seems the band led off this new album's single era with the best song of the bunch. That doesn't do anything to blunt the impact of this thoroughly enjoyable, heart-racing bluegrass pop-country tune. Probably one of the best commercial country songs of the year.
A


Lee Brice - Hard to Love
I've read people comparing this to a couple of Tom Petty songs, but I don't really hear it. What I hear is an undeniably catchy, honest-sounding modern country song that veers a little too close to adult contemporary at times, but still stands above the fray. It's well-written, decently performed and thankfully free of trucks, cutoffs and beer.
B


Jerrod Niemann - Shinin' On Me
This is hardly, barely a country song, but it just sounds so damn cool. Niemann's laid-back delivery, left-of-center instrumentation and the crisply askew production makes this winner of a summer song, avoiding nearly all the cliches so common to this season on commercial country radio. Is it the best written song ever? Of 2012? Of this month? Probably no to all of those, but it's darn sure a treat for the ears.
B+

3 Down


Little Big Town - Pontoon
I hope that's out of their system now. This is a talented band. I'm not sure why they took the easy route to.. oh wait, yeah I do: $$$. These guys have great voices and up to this point have released pretty decent singles. This dunderhead song broke that streak. It's a lockstep summer anthem with nary an original thought and a goofy "motorboatin'" hook to hook the teens and pervs. Not really anything redeeming about this song. Do better, LBT.
D-


Tim McGraw - Truck Yeah
What else can be said, really? I could copy and paste all the synonyms for "feces," but I already did that the time Bucky Covington covered Nickelback. Can you believe this is actually worse than that? It's improbable but true. Also, if Tim continues in this direction, he will easily overtake Luke Bryan and Brantley Gilbert on FTM's shit-list within months. For the love of all things decent and good, Tim, stop this. You're embarrassing yourself.
F-


Blake Shelton - Over
It's not that this is such a horrible song, but it's a mediocre potboiler right at the time Shelton should be delivering massive hits to cement his place as an A-Lister (please shape up Blake! I'd rather have you as an A-Lister than Luke Bryan!). It's a position-holder to keep his brand on the charts and his name in listeners' ears. Blake is at the apex of his fame - shouldn't he use this position to cut and record the best Nashville songwriters have to offer? This is fluff that nobody will remember in… yep, already gone. I honestly can't make this song play in my head even after listening to it for review. It's that forgettable.
C-

A Better Look at the new Zac Brown Band Album Cover

Huh, that's weird.

Zac Brown Band - The Wind (single review)

The ".99 Review" format is a bit restrictive, especially for songs I actually enjoy, so I'm going to drop in some short single reviews from time to time now. I'll still do the .99 Reviews sometimes too, but I've gotten to the point that I'm unwilling to spend even ninety-nine cents (or 1.29) on a song I don't like.

Yep, that's the album cover.

Zac Brown Band - The Wind
(click to see an admittedly low-quality live recording or hear a high quality version at The Boot)

I had lowered expectations for the first single for the forthcoming ZBB album, Uncaged, due to some weak single choices from the previous release and the news of the band's expansion. Happily, "The Wind" is homerun of a first single.

It's an organic-sounding, lively, mostly-acoustic country jam that blows their last few charting songs out of the water. My worries about more band members causing an overly convoluted sound were unfounded. Somehow, all 42 members of the ZBB are perfectly integrated into the number with nary a shade of overkill. In fact, it's a surprisingly simple tune about a man whose love follows the object of his affections wherever she may travel.

"The Wind" is catchy, warm and charming. Perhaps the influx of new players has had an enlivening effect on the band's creativity and spark. Let's hope this winning single is a harbinger of good things to come on Uncaged, which drops July 10.

A

Zac Brown Without a Hat

So this is why he always wears a beanie...

Senseless Censorship X