Long Live King George
Yes, indeed, long live good King George. The “King” of country music, George Strait, has been a staple in the genre for over 30 years now. With hits ranging from “Carrying Your Love With Me” to “Give it Away” to his most recent #1 hit “River of Love” (which was five years ago roughly), it’s all the more shocking that such a classic George Strait song like “I Got a Car” performed so poorly (by Strait’s standards) on the Country music charts. The song tells the story of a couple meeting, falling in love, and then having a child, but it’s the classic George Strait kind of delivery that had many, like myself expecting this song to skyrocket up the charts. Unfortunately, “I Got a Car” has struggled to crack the Top 40, just recently reaching #35 (thanks, in no small part, to Strait performing the song on the ACM Awards). Whether the song’s disappointing chart run is a statement of Strait fading into obscurity or the Pop and Rock influenced landscape that Country music has taken on is hard to tell, but one thing is for sure: when the “King of Country Music” struggles on Country radio with a good song, something’s very wrong.
Kip Moore – Dirt Road
Kip Moore’s follow-up to the lead single from his upcoming album “Dirt Road”, isn’t what the title would have you think it is. Much of Country music nowadays has an obligatory mention to “dirt roads”, but Moore takes an interesting spin on the well-worn topic. Moore says what most country boys have had cross their mind about heaven,
“Unless it's got a dirt road, leading down to a fishing hole; a little piece of moonlight, couple cans of Bud Light; can cuddle with my baby, pull her real close; oh I don't wanna go; unless Heaven's got a dirt road”
While it’s not exactly ground-breaking (look up Hank Williams Jr.’s “If Heaven Ain’t a Lot Like Dixie” and Uncle Krackers “Heaven” for similar word-play and lyrical hooks).
Moore has pushed his new album back, looking to focus in and make the best album he can and he has a tough job ahead of him from his freshman album. “Young Love” and now “Dirt Road”, two sonically contrasting songs indicate that Moore is not resting on his laurels and is indeed looking to expand as an artist on his new album.
Dalton’s Rating: 7.5/10. I preferred “Young Love”, but still find “Dirt Road” to be a strong song, Moore’s raspy vocals come through well and it tells a story that’s not new, but has been absent from radio for quite some time.
Is it Worth a Listen? If Heaven has a Dirt Road, yes, and even if it doesn’t, yes.
Dustin Lynch – Where It’s At
“It’ll grow on you”. That’s was my response when I recommended this song to Adam earlier this week. At first, I didn’t care for “Where It’s At”, but it has firmly planted itself inside my head. I have allowed the infectious “Yep, yep” found in the chorus, to overtake my speech and writing. Lynch has moved farther and farther away from the traditional country sounds of “Cowboys and Angels” and while songs like “Hurricane” and “Waiting” were tragically reduced to album cuts because of it, it’s the smart business move right now. This new single from Lynch won’t hit it’s stride for another month or two, but expect to hear the chorus blaring from car windows this summer,
“Sweet little something late night kiss; on a plane or a train or way back in the sticks; I swear, if she’s there, that’s where; yep yep, that’s where it’s at.”
Though it may take a while to forgive Lynch for not releasing the two previously mentioned songs, this song is a step in the right direction. The weather is starting to warm up and that means it’s time for the happy-summer-songs to start coming out. Lynch is one of the first to get a song of this kind out this year and I think it will lead to a high chart run for him once it schools let out and summer begins.
Dalton’s Rating: 8/10. Lynch infuses a sound that’s less traditional and more rock, but most Country artists have recently. The key to succeeding with those songs is the lyrics and the timing of the release, I believe Lynch has both working in his favor with this one and will see strong success with it.
Is it Worth a Listen? Yep, yep! (Just listen and see if you don’t catch yourself saying it over and over again!).
Yes, indeed, long live good King George. The “King” of country music, George Strait, has been a staple in the genre for over 30 years now. With hits ranging from “Carrying Your Love With Me” to “Give it Away” to his most recent #1 hit “River of Love” (which was five years ago roughly), it’s all the more shocking that such a classic George Strait song like “I Got a Car” performed so poorly (by Strait’s standards) on the Country music charts. The song tells the story of a couple meeting, falling in love, and then having a child, but it’s the classic George Strait kind of delivery that had many, like myself expecting this song to skyrocket up the charts. Unfortunately, “I Got a Car” has struggled to crack the Top 40, just recently reaching #35 (thanks, in no small part, to Strait performing the song on the ACM Awards). Whether the song’s disappointing chart run is a statement of Strait fading into obscurity or the Pop and Rock influenced landscape that Country music has taken on is hard to tell, but one thing is for sure: when the “King of Country Music” struggles on Country radio with a good song, something’s very wrong.
Kip Moore – Dirt Road
Kip Moore’s follow-up to the lead single from his upcoming album “Dirt Road”, isn’t what the title would have you think it is. Much of Country music nowadays has an obligatory mention to “dirt roads”, but Moore takes an interesting spin on the well-worn topic. Moore says what most country boys have had cross their mind about heaven,
“Unless it's got a dirt road, leading down to a fishing hole; a little piece of moonlight, couple cans of Bud Light; can cuddle with my baby, pull her real close; oh I don't wanna go; unless Heaven's got a dirt road”
While it’s not exactly ground-breaking (look up Hank Williams Jr.’s “If Heaven Ain’t a Lot Like Dixie” and Uncle Krackers “Heaven” for similar word-play and lyrical hooks).
Moore has pushed his new album back, looking to focus in and make the best album he can and he has a tough job ahead of him from his freshman album. “Young Love” and now “Dirt Road”, two sonically contrasting songs indicate that Moore is not resting on his laurels and is indeed looking to expand as an artist on his new album.
Dalton’s Rating: 7.5/10. I preferred “Young Love”, but still find “Dirt Road” to be a strong song, Moore’s raspy vocals come through well and it tells a story that’s not new, but has been absent from radio for quite some time.
Is it Worth a Listen? If Heaven has a Dirt Road, yes, and even if it doesn’t, yes.
Dustin Lynch – Where It’s At
“It’ll grow on you”. That’s was my response when I recommended this song to Adam earlier this week. At first, I didn’t care for “Where It’s At”, but it has firmly planted itself inside my head. I have allowed the infectious “Yep, yep” found in the chorus, to overtake my speech and writing. Lynch has moved farther and farther away from the traditional country sounds of “Cowboys and Angels” and while songs like “Hurricane” and “Waiting” were tragically reduced to album cuts because of it, it’s the smart business move right now. This new single from Lynch won’t hit it’s stride for another month or two, but expect to hear the chorus blaring from car windows this summer,
“Sweet little something late night kiss; on a plane or a train or way back in the sticks; I swear, if she’s there, that’s where; yep yep, that’s where it’s at.”
Though it may take a while to forgive Lynch for not releasing the two previously mentioned songs, this song is a step in the right direction. The weather is starting to warm up and that means it’s time for the happy-summer-songs to start coming out. Lynch is one of the first to get a song of this kind out this year and I think it will lead to a high chart run for him once it schools let out and summer begins.
Dalton’s Rating: 8/10. Lynch infuses a sound that’s less traditional and more rock, but most Country artists have recently. The key to succeeding with those songs is the lyrics and the timing of the release, I believe Lynch has both working in his favor with this one and will see strong success with it.
Is it Worth a Listen? Yep, yep! (Just listen and see if you don’t catch yourself saying it over and over again!).