Favorites of 2010 So Far: February

1. Joe Pug - Messenger

2. Kasey Anderson - Nowhere Nights

3. Retribution Gospel Choir - 2

4. Great American Taxi - Reckless Habits

5. Surfer Blood - Astro Coast

6. Tim Barry - 28th & Stonewall

7. Johnny Cash - American VI: Ain't No Grave

8. Reckless Kelly - Somewhere in Time

9. Ray Wylie Hubbard - A. Enlightenment B. Endarkenment (Hint: There Is No C)

10. Butch Walker and the Black Widows - I Liked It Better When You Had No Heart

11. Carolina Chocolate Drops - Genuine Negro Jig

12. Freedy Johnston - Rain on the City

13. Rogue Wave - Permalight

14. I See Hawks in L.A. - Should've Been Gold

15. The Brothers Comatose - Songs from the Stoop

16. Gil Scott-Heron - I'm New Here

17. Whispering Pines - Family Tree

18. Spoon - Transference

19. Vampire Weekend - Contra

20. The Honey Dewdrops - If the Sun Will Shine

YouTube Gems: Rodney Hayden

Seems only appropriate on Rodney and Johnny's birthday (and mine!):

You know those annoying ads on the side of most blogs and sites?

Here's the countryfied version:

Songs Illustrated #14

John Rich's Songwriting Tips #30

Don't sell out. Set your writing principals right up front and stand by them. Believe it or not, this one's set in stone for me. I will never compromise myself from the belief that you should only write schlock, dreck, trite crap... whatever it takes to keep them royalty checks filling up your gold-plated mailbox at the end of your dogwood lined brick driveway. No way in the pit of Hades would I stoop to writing story songs, Americana, alt-anything or something with literary references. Porn references maybe. Live by this creed: Dance with the bitch that brung ya.

*Not actually written by John Rich.

Suggested new logos for country artists #2

Jam Band Day: Parody Album Covers

Sorry to hear about this...

Arista Nashville Drops Sarah Jessica Parker

Bubba Downer Debunks #2

.99 Review: Emily West

.99 Review: Emily West - Blue Sky (feat. Keith Urban)

The People's Take:

AhhhMAzing! (5 Stars) - LOVE IT! LOVE HER!I live in Nashville and see so many unappreciated, amazingly talented artists that deserve to be heard...Emily West is one of them. I think her time has come and she is on the verge of being a big, big star!!!! Such a beautiful song!!! GET THIS SONG NOW!!!!! PS if you ever get the chance to see her live - GO! She is so much fun and great in convert!!!!

- Hunk Of Burnin' Love

Calm Down.... (3 Stars) - Emily West is the next Faith Hill! But she has horrible stage presence. Saw her open for Luke Bryan at Joe's in Chicago and she was extremely hard to take seriously. Amazing vocals. Just wish she'd calm down and let the audience enjoy it. Can't wait to see what she grows into though. Keep an eye on this one!

- Anonymous5124

My Take:

A new female artist releasing a sparse, sad ballad at a time when new female singers aren't exactly filling the Top 40 is a questionable career choice to say the least. Adding Keith Urban as a backup vocalist (and a prominent name on the song title) doesn't hurt prospects, but still, if it's not an exceptional song, one of this ilk would likely be on and off the charts inside a month.

Happily, this is an exceptional song, well written and beautifully performed by one of Nashville's most engaging young talents. Emily West has become known early in her career as funny and frankly honest, so one might expect her to be more suited for Brad Paisley-style laughers and chick-attitude songs. With Blue Sky, she proves to be quite adept at a tearjerker without artificially pulling the heartstrings with overdone high notes and overwritten lyrics.

Here, West informs a cheating lover that she can't be his blue sky, his happiness, anymore. Her voice also reveals that her own blue sky is now obscured by storm clouds. She wills the metaphor to sound fresh where it would have fallen flat coming from a lesser vocalist.

Hopefully, "Blue Sky" is only the beginning for Ms. West. Along with Sarah Buxton, she may finally break through Nashville's recent glass ceiling for performers of the fairer sex not named Taylor Swift.

Blue Sky isn't particularly country. It fits into the current definition of mainstream country comfortably, but sets itself apart with strong song craft and powerful vocals, making it the highest rated single thus far on "Ninety-Nine Cent Reviews."

Total Value: .86/.99

(Foregoing the checklist for this edition)

Taylor Swift's iTunes Playlist?

Click for a closer view.

Cover of Soulja Boy's new mix tape

YouTube Gems: Artimus Pyledriver

Blistering redneck stoner metal! Throat shredding vocals! Beards, long hair and fast cars! What more do you need???

Introducing Bubba Downer

Bubba Downer is a moderately educated, highly opinionated, quite negative, philosophizing, unemployed redneck cartoonist (you'll see why) who is out to deflate the myths and ideals of commercial country music and country living one cartoon at a time. Possibly, this is another reason he's unemployed, but we appreciate his services as his M.O. closely resembles one of FTM's unpublished mission statements.

Here's Bubba's first cartoon:

John Rich's Songwriting Tips #29

Go to church. I enter the hallowed halls of my local Baptist church for 2 reasons: 1) hot MILFs in tight black dress pants & 2) to learn the themes and symbolism of Christianity. #1 is a no-brainer. #2 helps you write songs that are seemingly about people who are shit out of luck in life but then you turn it all around with big baby Jesus in the last chorus. Bingo: easy money top 10 hit! And another tip: next time you're writing a song, think WWJRD?

*Not actually written by John Rich.

Country Day: February '10

Next post:

Country Day: February - featuring parody album covers from Brad Paisley, Lady Antebellum, Martina McBride and more! Be here or else!

FWC&G: Carrie U.

Top 10 Endeavors John Carter Cash is Thinking of Licensing Johnny's Name To

10. Jumping Johnny Energy Drink

9. Man in Black African American Hair Products

8. Johnny Cash Money Clips

7. Ring of Fire Ass Cream

6. Johnny & June Passion Parties

5. "Jackson" Pepper Sauce

4. "Chicken in Black" Frozen Blackened Chicken Meals

3. Get Rhythm Wii Game

2. Folsom Prison Blues Blue Jeans

1. Johnny Cash & Dash Check Service

YouTube Gems: Surfer Blood

One of my favorite new discoveries of 2010 is Florida's Surfer Blood, an indie rock band with a cool surf rock/power pop sound. If you like Pavement, early Weezer, The Pixies or even possibly the Beach Boys, you might give these guys a try.

And what is this? An actual scripted, creative, interesting (and odd) video? What is this, the 90's? Here's "Swim" -