Oct 7, 2016
Album Review: Brent Cobb - Shine On Rainy Day
The inviting warmth of John Denver, the deceptive simplicity of Kris Kristofferson, and the swampy grooves of Tony Joe White. Comparisons are the crutch of a lazy critic, but I'll be damned if those three traits don't fairly aptly describe Brent Cobb's sound. Throw in a little Van Morrison sublimeness for good measure. If I'm gonna go the easy route, I may as well go all out.
Hailing from a musical Georgia family, Brent Cobb gets both his chosen career path and his sound honest. His dad and uncles were songwriters (in fact, they wrote one of this album's strongest cuts, "Country Bound" when Brent was 5) and cousin Dave, well, you know Dave. He's helmed a few records you might have heard before. He's at the board on this one too, and Shine On Rainy Day stands as a fine first full-album collaboration between the Cobbs.
Distilled to its most central theme, Shine On Rainy Day is an exaltation of home and simple living. Where the typical Nashville writer might see a party spot or a mudding hole, Cobb takes you on a thoughtful stroll through the cattails and dragonflies. It's an appreciation rather than an exploitation; one that shows respect for both the craft and the audience.
You might even say this was a further exploration of the themes of this year's Southern Family compilation (produced by Dave and including Brent and many other rootsy artists). It's certainly similar in atmosphere…the kind of music you'd rather have a front porch seat than a front row seat to enjoy.
"Solving Problems" opens the set with a knowing look at the simple joys of just hanging out with an old friend. "We ain't up to nothing, just solving all the problems of the world" Brent sings, imbuing the moment with an emotional weight that belies the self-deprecation.
"Diggin' Holes" has passed this way before; it's a release from a 2012 self-titled EP and was one of my favorite songs that year. It holds up well, with a sense of humor that recalls Roger Miller and a catchy tune that would fit well in most eras of country radio that aren't this one.
The title cut, previously recorded by Andrew Combs as "Rainy Day Song," is a near celebration of the dark days in life. I know the feeling. It's not about wallowing in misery, but appreciating and feeling the full depth of the lows so you can love the highs …"Laughing ain't a pleasure till you know about crying."
It's a strong and consistent set of tunes without a lull in quality. Shine On Rainy Day isn't a party record but it's light enough for a round of beers on the back porch while the grill smokes away. It's a humid afternoon with a cool breeze. A slow drive down a gravel road on the outskirts of your hometown, with nary a bro in sight. Cobb's debut has all the goods to satisfy both the buzzy ne'er-do-well and the homesick romantic in us all.
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Shine On Rainy Day is available on Amazon, iTunes, etc.
Jan 13, 2017
Brent Cobb: The Farce the Music Interview
From Brent Cobb's Instagram |
Mar 9, 2022
Road Dispatch: Brent Cobb, City Winery (ATL), 2/25/22
By Kevin Broughton
“Man, we played Macon last night, and I kinda blew my voice out,” are the first words out of Brent Cobb’s mouth during a brief tour-bus visit before a late February show in Atlanta. And why wouldn’t it happen? Macon’s just 70 miles up the road from Cobb’s hometown of Ellaville; what to expect, if not a rocking show?
“The response on this tour has been overwhelming,” says Cobb, who recently released an album of Southern gospel standards, And Now, Let’s Turn to Page… “In places like Manhattan, even, they love it when we play the gospel record live, beginning to end. You’re gonna like this show.”
And yet, there’s one more tour stop, tomorrow in Nashville. Our boy was gonna have to dig deep.
And dig deep he would. Atlanta’s a good bit further from Ellaville than Macon, but there’s a partisan Cobb crowd on hand. It’s largely respectful of the opening act – rising country star Gabe Lee – but there’s a sense of anticipation bordering on rowdy.
As the moment arrives, Cobb and the band make quite the entrance: the front man in a shiny, mother-of-pearl-colored jacket with raised paisley, his bandmates sporting Kelly-green blazers of their own. The night is actually three concerts in one, as most of the songs from the gospel record make an appearance. After a quick jacket swap – as mother-of-pearl gives way to mustard corduroy – there’s a brief acoustic solo set, followed by a full-band, secular rocker to close things out.
It’s not until the last leg that Cobb’s vocal fatigue peeks in. “So, we played Macon last night, and I kinda blew my voice out,” he tells the crowd, before addressing the sound man. “Could we double up the vocal monitors, please?” And he soldiered on, including this live version of his 2020, tongue-in-cheek “Shut Up And Sing.”
Unsurprisingly, the lights come on after the last song of the set, signifying there’ll be no encores. Nobody complains, knowing they’ve watched a native son leave it all on the stage.
Apr 2, 2015
"Yo Bro," a Fantastic Satire by Brent Cobb
Nov 22, 2019
All Our "Best Albums" Lists Since 2008
Nov 27, 2020
Top Albums Every Year of Our Existence
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No links, no summaries, no pretty album covers, just lists.
Who knows?
Maybe you'll see something you've been forgetting to check out.
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2019
1. Vandoliers - Forever
2. Ian Noe - Between the Country
3. Tyler Childers - Country Squire
4. Charles Wesley Godwin - Seneca
5. Mike & The Moonpies - Cheap Silver & Solid Country Gold
6. Kelsey Waldon - White Noise / White Lines
7. Jade Bird - s/t
8. Jason Hawk Harris - Love and the Dark
9. Dalton Domino - Songs From the Exile
10. Whiskey Myers - s/t
11. Molly Tuttle - When You’re Ready
12. Cody Jinks - The Wanting
13. Sturgill Simpson - Sound and Fury
14. Black Pumas - s/t
15. The Highwomen - s/t
16. Caroline Spence - Mint Condition
17. Emily Scott Robinson - Traveling Mercies
18. (Tie) Tom Russell - October in the Railroad Earth
18. (Tie) Left Lane Cruiser - Shake and Bake
20. Hayes Carll - What It Is
2018
1. Lucero - Among the Ghosts
2. Jamie Lin Wilson - Jumping Over Rocks
3. Brandi Carlile - By the Way, I Forgive You
4. Kacey Musgraves - Golden Hour
5. Cody Jinks - Lifers
6. Joshua Hedley - Mr. Jukebox
7. American Aquarium - Things Change
8. Ruston Kelly - Dying Star
9. Whitey Morgan & the .78s - Hard Times & White Lines
10. Dallas Moore - Mr. Honky Tonk
11. Shooter Jennings - Shooter
12. Sarah Shook & the Disarmers - Years
13. Brent Cobb - Providence Canyon
14. Ashley McBryde - Girl Going Nowhere
15. Caleb Caudle - Crushed Coins
16. John Prine - The Tree of Forgiveness
17. Great Peacock - Gran Pavo Real
18. Blackberry Smoke - Find a Light
19. Sleep - The Sciences
20. High on Fire - Electric Messiah
2017
1. Tyler Childers - Purgatory
2. Turnpike Troubadours - A Long Way From Your Heart
3. Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit - The Nashville Sound
4. Colter Wall - s/t
5. Chris Stapleton - From A Room, Vol. 2
6. Gregg Allman - Southern Blood
7. Jason Eady - s/t
8. John Moreland - Big Bad Luv
9. Shinyribs - I Got Your Medicine
10. Travis Meadows - First Cigarette
11. The Steel Woods - Straw in the Wind
12. J.D. McPherson - Undivided Heart & Soul
13. Chris Stapleton - From A Room, Vol. 1
14. Zephaniah OHora - This Highway
15. Steve Earle - So You Wannabe An Outlaw
16. Lee Ann Womack - The Lonely, The Lonesome and The Gone
17. Lee Bains III & The Glory Fires - Youth Detention
18. Hellbound Glory - Pinball
19. Lillie Mae - Forever and Then Some
20. Margo Price - All American Made
2016
1. Sturgill Simpson - A Sailor's Guide to Earth
2. Cody Jinks - I'm Not the Devil
3. Lori McKenna - The Bird and the Rifle
4. Brent Cobb - Shine On Rainy Day
5. Austin Lucas - Between the Moon and the Midwest
6. Justin Wells - Dawn in the Distance
7. Flatland Cavalry - Humble Folks
8. Drive-by Truckers - American Band
9. Blackberry Smoke - Like an Arrow
10. Caleb Caudle - Carolina Ghost
11. A Tribe Called Quest - We Got it From Here…
12. (tie) Jeff Shepherd & the Jailhouse Poets - s/t
12. (tie) The Sword - Low Country
14. Luke Bell - s/t
15. Car Seat Headrest - Teens of Denial
16. Brandy Clark - Big Day in a Small Town
17. Elizabeth Cook - Exodus of Venus
18. Rodney Parker & 50 Peso Reward - Bomber Heights
19. Arliss Nancy - Greater Divides
20. Quaker City Night Hawks - El Astronauta
2015
(2015 was the first year we did a staff-voted list)
1. Turnpike Troubadours - s/t
2. James McMurtry - Complicated Game
3. Jason Isbell - Something More Than Free
4. Chris Stapleton - Traveller
5. Whitey Morgan - Sonic Ranch
6. American Aquarium - Wolves
7. The Yawpers - American Man
8. Ray Wylie Hubbard - The Ruffian's Misfortune
9. John Moreland - High on Tulsa Heat
10. Jonathan Tyler - Holy Smokes
11. Father John Misty - I Love You, Honeybear (tie)
William Clark Green - Ringling Road (tie)
Jason Boland and the Stragglers - Squelch (tie)
2014
1. Sturgill Simpson - Metamodern Sounds in Country Music
2. The War on Drugs - Lost In the Dream
3. Adam Faucett - Blind Water Finds Blind Water
4. Hiss Golden Messenger - Lateness of Dancers
5. Old 97's - Most Messed Up
6. Lydia Loveless - Somewhere Else
7. Run the Jewels - RTJ2
8. Kelsey Waldon - The Goldmine
9. Pallbearer - Foundations of Burden
10. Lee Ann Womack - The Way I'm Livin'
11. Lee Bains III & The Glory Fires - Dereconstructed
12. Stoney Larue - Aviator
13. Tami Neilson - Dynamite!
14. Cory Branan - The No-Hit Wonder
15. Fire Mountain - All Dies Down
16. St. Paul and the Broken Bones - Half the City
17. Don Williams - Reflections
18. Matt Woods - With Love From Brushy Mountain
19. Marty Stuart and His Fabulous Superlatives - Saturday Night/Sunday Morning
20. Jimbo Mathus - Dark Night of the Soul
2013
1. John Moreland - In the Throes
2. Jason Isbell - Southeastern
3. Sturgill Simpson - High Top Mountain
4. Arliss Nancy - Wild American Runners
5. Drew Kennedy - Wide Listener
6. Run the Jewels - RTJ
7. Brandy Clark - 12 Stories
8. Austin Lucas - Stay Reckless
9. Fifth on the Floor - Ashes and Angels
10. Ashley Monroe - Like a Rose
11. The National - Trouble Will Find Me
12. Kacey Musgraves - Same Trailer, Different Park
13. Shooter Jennings - The Other Life
14. Queens of the Stone Age - …Like Clockwork
15. Ha Ha Tonka - Lessons
16. Son Volt - Honky Tonk
17. Guy Clark - My Favorite Picture of You
18. Possessed by Paul James - There Will Be Nights When I'm Lonely
19. Vince Gill and Paul Franklin - Bakersfield
20. Todd Farrell Jr. and the Dirty Birds - All Our Heroes Live in Vans
2012
1. Lee Bains III & The Glory Fires - There is a Bomb in Gilead
2. Marty Stuart - Nashville, Vol. 1 Tear The Woodpile Down
3. Chris Knight - Little Victories
4. The Pollies - Where the Lies Begin
5. Turnpike Troubadours - Goodbye Normal Street
6. The Departed - Adventus
7. Dwight Yoakam - 3 Pears
8. Uncle Lucius - And You Are Me
9. Kendrick Lamar - good kid, M.A.A.D. City
10. The Trishas - High, Wide and Handsome
11. John D. Hale Band - More Than I Can Handle
12. Killer Mike - R.A.P. Music
13. Lindi Ortega - Cigarettes & Truckstops
14. Shooter Jennings - Family Man
15. Alabama Shakes - Boys & Girls
16. Arliss Nancy - Simple Machines
17. Darrell Scott - Long Ride Home
18. Jason Eady - AM Country Heaven
19. Matt King - Apples and Orphans
20. Lucero - Women and Work
2011
1. The Damn Quails - Down the Hatch
2. Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit - Here We Rest
3. Hellbound Glory - Damaged Goods
4. Hayes Carll - KMAG YOYO
5. Jimbo Mathus - Confederate Buddha
6. Cary Anne Hearst - Lions and Lambs
7. Butch Walker and the Black Widows - The Spade
8. The Black Keys - El Camino
9. Adele - 21
10. Ponderosa - Moonlight Revival
11. Austin Lucas - A New Home, In the Old World
12. Kasey Anderson and the Honkies - Heart of a Dog
13. Stoney Larue - Velvet
14. Drew Kennedy - Fresh Water in the Salton Sea
15. Ryan Adams - Ashes and Fire
16. Pistol Annies - Hell on Heels
17. Wilco - The Whole Love
18. Black Joe Lewis and the Honeybears - Scandalous
19. Mastodon - The Hunter
20. Will Hoge - Number Seven
2010
1. Jamey Johnson - The Guitar Song
2. Cee-Lo Green - The Lady Killer
3. Two Cow Garage - Sweet Saint Me
4. Austin Collins & The Rainbirds - Wrong Control
5. Big Boi - Sir Luscious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty
6. Joe Pug - Messenger
7. Trampled by Turtles - Palomino
8. Kasey Anderson - Nowhere Nights
9. Rodney Hayden - Tavern of Poets
10. Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings - I Learned the Hard Way
11. Paul Thorn - Pimps and Preachers
12. Truth & Salvage Co. - s/t
13. Dirty Sweet - American Spiritual
14. The Black Crowes - Croweology
15. Band of Horses - Infinite Arms
16. The Dillinger Escape Plan - Option Paralysis
17. Randy Houser - They Call Me Cadillac
18. Hellbound Glory - Old Highs and New Lows
19. The Black Keys - Brothers
20. Drive-by Truckers - The Big To-Do
2009
1. Charlie Robison - Beautiful Day
2. Ben Nichols - Last Pale Light in the West
3. Buddy and Julie Miller - Written in Chalk
4. Magnolia Electric Company - Josephine
5. Lucero - 1372 Overton Park
6. BettySoo - Heat Sin Water Skin
7. Wrinkle Neck Mules - Let the Lead Fly
8. Great Lake Swimmers - Lost Channels
9. Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears - Tell 'em What Your Name Is
10. Drew Kennedy - An Audio Guide to Cross Country Travel
11. The Black Crowes - Before the Frost...Until the Freeze
12. Justin Townes Earle - Midnight at the Movies
13. Son Volt - American Central Dust
14. The Devil Makes Three - Do Wrong Right
15. Slaid Cleaves - Everything You Love Will Be Taken Away
16. Joshua James - Build Me This
17. Switchfoot - Hello Hurricane
18. Miranda Lambert - Revolution
19. Krizz Kaliko - Genius
20. Mastodon - Crack the Skye
2008
1. Drive-by Truckers - Brighter Than Creation's Dark
2. Jamey Johnson - That Lonesome Song
3. Kasey Chambers and Shane Nicholson - Rattlin' Bones
4. Kathleen Edwards - Asking For Flowers
5. Hayes Carll - Trouble in Mind
6. Sun Kil Moon - April
7. The Hold Steady - Stay Positive
8. The Felice Brothers - s/t
9. Two Cow Garage - Speaking in Cursive
10. Fleet Foxes - s/t
11. NQ Arbuckle - XOK
12. Blitzen Trapper - Furr
13. Chris Knight - Heart of Stone
14. Metallica - Death Magnetic
15. Reckless Kelly - Bulletproof
16. The Gaslight Anthem - The '59 Sound
17. Justin Townes Earle - The Good Life
18. Bruce Robison - The New World
19. The Steeldrivers - s/t
20. Drag The River - You Can't Live This Way