Bigger in Texas 2: Parody Country Album Covers

31 Country Music Themes: 24-27

Here's the next-to-last edition of "31 Country Themes." I'll post the final four next week along with all the others in a single post.

Farce the Music Sells Out #4: Scott Warren

Scott Warren - Quick Fix Bandage

Scott Warren is a singer-songwriter with a charming folksy pop-rock sound that probably could have garnered him a hit or two back in the 90's when folks like Del Amitri, Duncan Sheik and Toad the Wet Sprocket still graced the airwaves. On Quick Fix Bandage, that sound is pulled towards the Americana genre with some subtle sweeps of steel guitar, mournful lyrics and Scott's warm Westerbergian rasp.

There's also an obvious AAA contemporary bent that makes it easy to imagine nearly any of the songs on the album playing in the background of an overly emotional scene on One Tree Hill or Melrose. Mind you, they would be among the best tunes to ever set that schmaltzy mood. Never fear guys, only the slightly annoying "Laugh Through the Pain," with it's repetitive "I love you's," sounds overly chick-oriented. There are enough touches of harmonica and rustic atmospherics to maintain a degree of alt-country cred.

The opening "Before You Say Goodbye" is a moody but catchy pop rocker that should be a hit, but likely won't ever get enough attention to pull it into the mainstream. "Along for the Ride" is a standout track, reminiscent of Buffalo Tom's most commercial output. Another of the album's highlights is the down-tempo cover of America's "Sister Golden Hair" which bestows a completely different emotional personality on the classic tune.

QFB, to me, feels like the soundtrack to a wistful fall afternoon. It's a solid, memorable album that pop-rock lovers along with fans of the likes of Ryan Adams, Rhett Miller and Pete Yorn should definitely enjoy.

Check him out here: http://www.myspace.com/scottwarrenmusic

Free, legal song download here: Before You Say Goodbye

Buy the album on iTunes or at Amazon

$4.99 Review - Zac Brown Band

Zac Brown Band "Live From Bonnaroo"

None of the recent singles on iTunes have struck me lately as anything interesting to blog about (including tolerable tunes by Tim McGraw and Easton Corbin that I didn't feel all that snarky about) as a 99 Cent Review, so here's a review of an EP.

The People's Take:

just ok (3 Stars) – the zac brown band is good, but they should stick to their own stuff. "free" is a great song, but their version of "devil went down to georgia" was not good at all. charlie daniels band did that song so much better. stick to the more popular country.

-fill in da blank

absolutely stunning (5 Stars) – There's nothing better than ZBB live and these few tracks really sum it all up. My fiance and I have been trying to come up with a first dance song and we were torn between Free, Whatever it Is and Into the Mystic by Van Morrisson among a few others. What could be better than the live version of Free with Into the Mystic featured?!?! It's the best of both worlds, you just can't beat it! What an amazing small collection of live tracks. Only wish there were more.

-soxfanjp

My Take:

I need to come clean on a complete change of opinion. I've made more than my share of sport of the Zac Brown Band in the past. Not Chuck Wicks level sport, but they've been in the crosshairs no doubt. To be honest, I based my entire initial opinion of the band on "Chicken Fried" and then filtered their album The Foundation through that skewed opinion. I didn't care for The Foundation after a few listens because of that. Maybe even hated it, aside from a couple of songs.

Time has been a friend to this album, because for some reason I kept being drawn back again and again to give it more chances. Now The Foundation is a friend to my ears. I still skip "Chicken Fried" though.

So anyway, I was something of a fan of ZBB even before I heard about this EP. After purchase and play, I'm a big fan. "Toes," their current hit single is the opening track here and it's even more fun live. While the band isn't flamboyantly entertaining in concert by any means (thank goodness), they bring a warmth and joy to their performance that's hard to describe.

"Free" which flows into a cover of Van Morrison's "Into the Mystic" is the centerpiece here. It's a hypnotic display of ZBB's ability to slow it down without boring it down. It's such a compelling track, I defy even the hippest hipster to say they hate this. Applause and backpats are in order for this tune. Awesome.

There's a jam band-ish feel to the proceedings that's not as noticeable on their studio recordings, but don't take that as a red flag. Uh oh, just lost half the audience. In no way do I mean they noodle on the guitar and rub their bleary eyes amid the patchouli smoke. I just mean there's a laid back atmosphere but a real focus on the playing, not the showing off.

There's also a reggae bounce going on, especially in "Who Knows" which is, well, a reggae song. Oh crap, now I've lost the other half of readers. Never fear, ZBB aren't trustafarians or posers, they just happen to incorporate a lot of those elements into their overall package. The blending never sounds awkward or fake, it's an organic experience.

Besides the three songs already mentioned, the EP also includes ZBB's able rendering of CDB's "The Devil Went Down to Georgia" (which includes no reggae bounce) and a video of the performance of "Who Knows" that really adds to the package and helps those of us who haven't seen ZBB live get a feel for what it's like. It's like... really good, because it's obvious they love what they're doing and they do it well. Hope they come around here soon.

A lot of bands and artists these days make me worry for the future of country music. Zac Brown Band is not one of them.

Total Value: 4.15/4.99

The Checklist:

N/A

Farce the Music Sells Out #3

Here's another rambling, so-called review at FTM. Though straight reviews shall remain relatively rare here, there will be two more tomorrow - Zac Brown Band and Scott Warren - before we return to the funny with the next edition of "31 Country Themes" and a "Bigger in Texas 2" honest album covers day. For now, please check out this fine album.

Old Californio - Westering Again

Westering Again is a killer country rock album with something for nearly everyone who reads this blog. There is an obvious Beatles influence in many of the melodies and harmonies. There's also sweet jangle pop reminiscent of the Jayhawks going on with some Calexico-esque mariachi spicing things up. In the mellower moments, some of the same dusty landscapes of Richmond Fontaine's story songs are visited here, but the mood rarely gets that somber. Can't help but hear a little Gram Parsons every now and then as well.

The opening track, "Mother Road," is a great, uh, road song (too obvious?) that taps the toe and fills the soul with sunshine. Cheesy description - great song. "From the Mouth of Babes" sounds like Oasis by way of Dylan and features an earworm of a chorus. The only real misstep is "Warmth of the Sun," an over-thought rocker whose mid-tempo groove finally resolves itself into an unfulfilling coda. Fortunately, Westering Again brings it home with three great songs including the epic (in scope not scale) "Lazy Old San Gabriels" and the thoughtful but lilting "California Goodness."

Despite the fact that I played "spot the influences" and "name the similar sounding artists" with this review, Old Californio has its own vibrant personality and fills out this record as a fully realized artist, not just a mockingbird of a "genericana" band. Well worth the purchase. Even fans of more mainstream music would find a lot to love here - this is a very accessible listen.

Check 'em out here: http://www.myspace.com/oldcalifornio

Free, legal song download: "Mother Road"

Buy the album on iTunes or here: http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/oldcalifornio