Feb 10, 2020
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Archives: Waylon Parody About Rascal Flatts
ORIGINALLY POSTED OCT 2, 2011
Waylon Parody about Rascal Flatts
Are You Sure Hank Done It This Way?
(Parody of the song of the same title)
It's the same autotune, electric guitars
Some people says it's not fair
Play these songs that ain't fit for bars
With all this gel in my hair
For no small change
My cousin told me I should go to Nashville
You can really sing a hook
Old Hank made it here, nobody sings like that still
And I don't think Hank had your cool look
I don't think Hank done it this way
Ten years down the road, playing arena shows
Screeching my vocal cords away
One more platinum plaque and nobody understands
Are you sure Hank done it this way
Did Ol' Hank really do it this way?
I've seen the world just me and my gang
God blessed the broken Music Row
Callin' my songs country when I know it's pretend
Cause I don't think Hank done 'em this a'way
No I don't think Hank done 'em this a'way
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Feb 7, 2020
Album Review / James Steinle / What I Came Here For
As a rule, Texas country music comes in
two flavors. There’s the thoughtful, introspective, singer/songwriter material
being perfected by artists like Jason Eady and Jamie Lin Wilson, full of
substance and heart and soaked in fiddle and steel. Then there’s the stuff with
less lyrical substance, but no less heart and even more fiddle, from artists
like Aaron Watson and Randall King. It’s not too often that a Texas country
artist succeeds at both, but this is precisely what we get from James Steinle
on his new album, What I Came Here For.
The lyrical standout of this album is
undoubtedly the title track, as the narrator muses on what his purpose might be
in life, or if he even has one. This song does a nice job of conveying a
universal sentiment that we’ve certainly all felt at one time while also
painting specific pictures of this mans life instead of broad sentiments that
wouldn’t have the same impact.
The songwriting also stands out on “In
the Garden,” as this song takes the clever approach of being told from a dead
man’s point of view. This man is waiting impatiently for his soul to be set
free and lamenting the fact that the world has forgotten him and others, never
paying heed, as he notes, to "what’s lying down beneath.” This is such a
well-crafted song, and it’s also helped by Steinle’s worn and weathered vocal
tones, as are most of these tracks. The ability to write and choose songs to
best showcase one’s particular vocal delivery is an underappreciated art, and
James Steinle does this excellently well.
To balance out the deep songwriting,
there’s some lighter, and frankly, just plain fun, material here. “Back out on
the Road” isn’t going to blow anyone away lyrically, but it’s just so
infectious, with the rollicking, carefree piano and joyful harmonies. And if
the bluesy vibes of “Low & Slow” don’t put a smile on your face, you’ve
become completely immune to good music.
That bluesy vibe is what separates
Steinle from his Texas country and Red Dirt contemporaries; where Texas
generally goes for a hybrid of country and rock, Steinle opts for blending country
and blues in a way that really makes this record stand out in the scene. Blues
and country have always been intertwined, but these days, we mostly see country
blending with pop or rock, and the influence of the blues on country music has
largely been lost or ignored. Songs like the aforementioned “Low & Slow”
and “Black & White Blues” intrigue me and make me wish more artists would
experiment with this type of sound. “Blue Collar Martyr,” a song about a
factory worker losing hope in the wake of being replaced by machines, uses the
bluesy licks, together with Steinle’s weather-beaten tones to create one of the
coolest moments here musically; if you only listen to one track from the album,
please make it this one.
Any fan of traditional country and the
blues should certainly check this out. The style is such a great blend of the
two disciplines. If you’re looking for something hard-hitting lyrically, try
the title track. If you’re looking for something to brighten up your day, crank
up “Low and Slow.” If you’re just looking for good music, check out the whole
great record.
What I Came Here For is available today everywhere.
Alan Jackson to Release Protest Album
Country legend Alan Jackson takes his time putting out new music these days, but he’s gearing up for a surprising new release. Due May 8th, Things That Bother Me, produced by Keith Stegall, will be a departure for the long, tall singer - a protest album - and we talked with him about this unique venture.
“The Long and Short of It,” the album’s opener tackles an issue near and dear to Jackson’s heart. “You don’t know how hard it is to find 38.5 inseam jeans without having to go on the computer,” frowned Jackson, “So this song’s about that.” The tune documents and dismisses the continued discrimination of the men’s clothing industry against men with very long legs. The anger in his voice is palpable as he sings: “I looked in the Target big & tall, but 36 is all they had.”
Jackson is twice as passionate on “As God Intended,” a gospel-tinged anthem about the proliferation of craft beers. “Why can’t people just enjoy a good Bud heavy like a normal American?” he puzzled, “They got IPAs, double IPAs, triplebocks, sours, and coffee stouts out the wazzoo. Makes it hard for me to just grab my sixer and go with all the granola boys hanging over the coolers looking at their phone apps for a beer rating or something.”
While never breeching the subjects of politics or social justice, Alan does get into a controversial subject on the album’s final cut, “Sissy Basketball.” While he only played church league ball as a younger man, Jackson still laments the evolution of the NBA from the grinding defensive struggles of the 80s and 90s to today’s high-scoring finesse game. “I miss the days of Bill Laimbeer and Charles Oakley literally assaulting somebody who thought they’d get an easy layup,” he laughed, “So this song’s about that.”
When asked if he thinks the confrontational tone of the album will turn off long time fans, Mr. Jackson simply stated “I don’t reckon.”
Track listing for Things That Bother Me:
1. The Long and Short of It
2. Beyonce Didn’t Invent Country Music
3. Electric Cars
4. As God Intended
5. Paywalls
6. No Legroom
7. Things That Bother Me
8. I Don’t Love That About You
9. Zipper Merge
10. Sissy Basketball
Feb 6, 2020
Album Review / John Moreland / LP5
By Travis Erwin
John Moreland's latest offering, LP5, delivers
the same acoustic sensibilities we have come to expect, while showcasing his
notable evolution as an artist and as a human. The end product for the listener
is honest, thought-provoking songwriting, delivered with authentic emotion.
The album opens with tender guitar notes pulling you
into the single “Harder
Dreams,” though Moreland’s poignant lyrics soon take over. And while it is
hard not to get lost in the calm tones of his voice, the songwriting is what
truly elevates both this track, and the entire album. The lines … Are
you lonely in your convictions, staring through the glass tonight? Is the
truth a work of fiction, better ask the blood-stained skies … stuck out for
me, but the emotional imagery within this opening song is gripping. This opening
track foretells what’s to come, in terms of quality of sound, songwriting
prowess, and in the teasing the overriding theme.
With a bit more of a bluesy funk, “A Thought is Just a
Passing Train” offers a different vocal style than the rest of the album. At
nearly five and half minutes long, this second track has a jam groove that sort
of relaxes your senses and allows you to close your eyes and settle in for the
long haul. But don’t dismiss the power of the lyrics, because we’ve all been
hit hard by an emotion, fear, or doubt, and this song is all about recognizing
the brevity of such gut punches.
“East
October” is the kind of track that subtly reveals itself. Painted with
broad strokes in places and refined thoughts in others, the track repeatedly
asks the question, … How Am I ever going to get by, all my myself? The
song left me thinking about a divorced man reflecting on the memorabilia of a
marriage gone bad. Though the fact it was written with a nod to Chris Porter’s
song, “East December,” makes it clear Moreland wrote it from more of a grieving
friend’s viewpoint. Porter passed away in 2016. That such a song can be
parlayed into broader emotion is more proof of Moreland’s talent for bringing
forth our humanity.
My personal favorite track on the album is “Learning
How to Tell Myself the Truth." The song delivers unrelenting truth. Coming
via a stream-of-consciousness style, the track brings out the nuances of
Moreland’s emotional vocals. This track is the musical equivalent of staring
into the mirror and talking to the person looking back.
“Two Stars” is a soft guitar instrumental that bridges
the gap over to “Terrestrial,” another track about overcoming the self-doubt
and uncertainty that washes over all of us at times. Discovering what is real
both within our own heads and the outside world around us is the prevailing
thought behind much of this well-written album.
Moreland again pays homage to his friend, Chris
Porter, with the track “In Between Times.” Written a mere two weeks after Porter’s
untimely passing, Moreland puts words to the kind of grief that often leaves
others speechless. The pain is palpable, and his voice is raw, over a
stripped-down melody.
Not known for love songs, Moreland proves he can take
on the most vulnerable of emotions with “When My Fever Breaks,” a track he
began writing, while first dating his wife. The song took him more than three
years to finish, but the result is a song that stays with you. It feels genuine
without resorting to being overly sentimental, simply for the sake of the
poetry.
“I Always Let You Burn Me to the Ground,” feels like a
goodbye, not in the literal sense, but in the admission of our own weaknesses,
so that we can finally let the ashes of our past blow away in the wind. “For
Ichiro” is another instrumental track that serves as an emotional reset. This
track has a digital vibe laid over keys and a guitar, making it feel slightly
out of place with the album, though it is tranquil and entertaining enough to
certainly have merit.
The album finishes with “Let Me Be Understood,” which
is fitting, because I imagine this is the internal plea of every songwriter,
when they release new material out into the world. But here, this track is
about growth and wisdom that comes to us on down the road, giving us a new
outlook over hindsight. Bluesy and folksy, the track brings forth many of Moreland’s
best sounds, both musically and vocally, and as always, the songwriting is
relatable and makes you ponder your place in this world.
Or perhaps more importantly, the song and the album
are meant to reinforce the fact we all have these complex thoughts and emotion
running through our heads. And the lasting message is that it's okay to
let them in, because we will emerge on the other side all the better for having
them. As a writer and fan of his work, I hope that is what Moreland wanted
understood, but no matter the intent, his new album, LP5 is definitely worth
your listen.
LP5 is available Friday everywhere you buy or stream
music.
----------
A native
Texan, Travis Erwin is an author and music reviewer now living in Southern
California. Find his novels and memoir, anywhere books are sold, or visit him
in the Twitterverse, via @traviserwin.
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Feb 5, 2020
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