Kacey Musgraves "Pageant Material" Album Review

     Kacey Musgraves is one of the biggest lightning rods in country music.  On one hand, you have a female making traditional country music in 2015, having some mainstream success.  On the other, you have a girl who many view as snooty or cocky.  She certainly wears her heart on her sleeve, and that has turned off some fans.  With her second album, Pageant Material, she does some work to refute those notions.  A lot was riding on this release.  Kacey fans wanted to see her continue to fly the flag for traditional country music, while critics wanted to see some growth in her subject matter and songwriting.  Thankfully, Pageant Material does both.  This album goes a long way in cementing Kacey's legacy as a top notch artist.

Remembering Jim Ed Brown

     Jim Ed Brown went home to be with the Lord on June 11, 2015.  He was 81 years old.  Jim Ed Brown was recently inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame, and was a member of the Grand Ole Opry.  He had recently been battling cancer, and announced the remission of the cancer in early 2015.  Unfortunately, the cancer fought back, and Jim passed away on June 11.

Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard "Django And Jimmie" Album Review

     There are few accolades and praises left that haven't been heaped upon Willie Nelson or Merle Haggard.  These two men have cemented their legacies as two of the best and brightest that country music has to offer.  If there was ever a Mount Rushmore of country music, these two would be two of the highest vote-getters to be honored.  When you gain living legend status as these two have, it is easy to kick back and rest on your laurels.  Not the case here.  Willie and Merle's new duets album Django And Jimmie recently hit number one on the Billboard Country Albums Chart, proving that these two legends still have plenty of gas in the tank.

Keith Urban "John Cougar, John Deere, John 3:16" Single Review

     Oh boy.  Where do we even begin?  Keith Urban has been toeing the line between country and pop for years now, but he managed never to offend too strongly or ruffle too many feathers.  Sure, a hardcore Waylon fan probably doesn't enjoy "Kiss A Girl", but they don't go out of their way to criticize him like they would Luke Bryan or Florida-Georgia Line.  Perhaps it is his easy-going attitude, his encyclopedia-like knowledge of traditional country, or his commitment to the Country Music Hall Of Fame.  Whatever it is, Keith has managed to find his niche in the country music world to little dissonance.  Well, Keith better be prepared, because his new single is going to get some traditional fans hot and bothered.  "John Cougar, John Deere, John 3:16" is a jumbled, incoherent, ill-conceived mess of a song that isn't interesting, isn't smart, and isn't country.  

Thomas Rhett "Crash & Burn" Single Review

     Do you like Bruno Mars?  I know I do.  His smooth vocals and throwback arrangements are bringing new life to the classic Motown Sound of the late 60's and 70's.  His brand of pop is exactly the kind of stuff I can get behind and promote as pop music that is artistic, fun, and worthwhile.  I am a big Bruno Mars fan.  He is a lot of things, but one thing he absolutely is not is country.  Thomas Rhett did not get that memo.  In his latest attempt to jump on any trend possible to make a buck, Thomas Rhett has decided that he is a soul singer who lost his way.  "Crash And Burn" is the latest in a long line of country singles that prove that our genre has completely lost its identity.

Whitey Morgan & The 78's "Sonic Ranch" Album Review

    While the heart of Texas and the hills of Tennessee have provided us with the majority of the great music you hear today, an unlikely location is the birthplace of one of the best artists in the biz right now. Whitey Morgan is a modern-day outlaw whose music’s attitude ranks right up there with the best of them, and he hails from Michigan. Don’t let that throw you. Whitey Morgan and the 78’s newest album, Sonic Ranch, is a honky-tonk masterpiece that feels like it comes straight from the Lone Star State. In fact, Sonic Ranch is easily one of the best albums of 2015.

Luke Bryan "Kick The Dust Up" Single Review

      The past few months have seen a significant downturn in the amount of bro-country being thrown mercilessly at our tender eardrums. With the exception of the clueless Florida-Georgia Line, most artists have learned that the public has grown tired of the party that never ends from artists who never grow up. Apparently, Luke Bryan missed the memo. After announcing his latest Spring Break EP would be is last, there were thoughts that maybe he was finally going to attempt to put out some songs of substance as he did on his first two albums. We were wrong. Luke’s new single is an uninspired, unoriginal, and unbalanced mess that further pushes the genre towards irrelevancy. 

Chris Stapleton "Traveller" Album Review

     If you have listened to the radio in the past 5 years, you know Chris Stapleton. While writing songs for Kenny Chesney, Darius Rucker, Luke Bryan, Thomas Rhett, and many others, he has established himself as one of the top men in the songwriting business. He has had numerous number ones, writing some of the better songs on the radio. He was also previously in the band The Steeldrivers, making sweet, sweet bluegrass music. Now, Chris is on his own. He has released his debut album Traveller to great amounts of hype and fanfare. In this case, we actually have an album that lives up to the hype. Traveller is easily one of the best albums of the year.

Zac Brown Band "Jekyll & Hyde" Album Review

     One of the best and most consistent bands of the past decade has been the Zac Brown Band. Even though they do not claim to be exclusively a country band, they have released some of the best country music in the mainstream world. Zac was a chubby, bearded everyman with a beanie and a Carhartt. He looked the part and sang the part. Country fans tired of the glitz and glam were attracted to the understated demeanor and average Joe appeal of the Zac Brown Band. Their latest release, Jekyll & Hyde, promised some new horizons for the group. Little did fans know that they were getting disjointed and misguided mess that would alienate a large portion of their fan base.

Zane Williams "Texas Like That" Album Review

   While Nashville continues to produce mediocrity and bland artists, Texas continues to pump out quality music by real artists. Recent releases by Robert Earl Keen, Aaron Watson, Randy Rogers, and Wade Bowen have given us some of the best music of the year. Now, we can add Zane Williams to that list. With his newest release, Texas Like That, Zane Williams joins an already crowded field of top albums in 2015. Zane has an approach that is a great bridge between modern country music and the great music of the past.