van lear rose

[peabody]

i bought this today and i love it.

anyone else?

[jet set willy]

yeah.

[peabody]

yeah!

[Egadsman]

yes. It's incredible, and hopefully will put Country Music on the right path, because it hasn't seen it in over 30 years.

[The Magic Punk]

Originally posted by Egadsman
yes. It's incredible, and hopefully will put Country Music on the right path, because it hasn't seen it in over 30 years.

sigh...

[Egadsman]

what?

[Sepiae]

Originally posted by Egadsman
yes. It's incredible, and hopefully will put Country Music on the right path, because it hasn't seen it in over 30 years.

Big & Rich
Julie Roberts
Dierks Bentley
Gretchen Wilson

That's just new stuff that shows promise. I find it interesting you want to put the likes of Patty Loveless and Randy Travis on the wrong path.

It's nice that younger people are listening to Loretta Lynn. I really hope it inspires them to check out her older stuff. That said, I cried when she sang "Miss Being Mrs." at the Academy of Country Music awards.

[Egadsman]

I'm talking about the direction of popular country music and actual songwriting coming back to the genre as a standerd.

And what was your comment about the Patty Loveless and Randy Travis on the wrong path? I didn't get that.

It wasn't the more rocking production that impressed me. It was the sincerity. That's the path of which I was speaking.

[Sepiae]

Originally posted by Egadsman
I'm talking about the direction of popular country music and actual songwriting coming back to the genre as a standerd.

And what was your comment about the Patty Loveless and Randy Travis on the wrong path? I didn't get that.

It wasn't the production that impressed me. It was the sincerity. That's the path of which I was speaking.

You said that country music hasn't been on the right path in 30 years. In that span of time, one would ******* the careers of such artists as Patty Loveless and Randy Travis, who have made beautiful, sincere, soulful music that stays very close to the roots of country music, in my opinion.

Were you just referring to more people writing their own songs again? I missed that if you were. If so, 3 of the 4 new names (exception of Julie Roberts) that I mentioned write a lot of their own songs. But then, what about Alan Jackson and Vince Gill? They mostly write their own songs and have made some great music.

[jet set willy]

Big ass generalizations are cool.

[christian zombie vampires]

i love folk, but this is my first country record purchase. i am really not used to listening to 60 year old women with deep southern accents, and feel weird doing so. but damn, a few of the tracks are killer.

i guess i just trust jack white a lot, i bought the von bondies album too. mad props to that guy.

[Egadsman]

That's exactly the point. You can name 3 or 4 people in the last 30 years. Country Music used to mean something at some point, annd for the most part it doesn't anymore. It's completely stagnent. So is rap for that matter. Now I'm sure you can name artists in rap that are sincere as well, but just like Country Music of today, Rap is a barren wasteland in the form of the way people generally view it. Now, obviously, top 40 is, and usually will always be the bottom of the barrel, but not so long ago, and maybe 30 years is exagerating (all I know is that Islands In The Stream was the no turning back point), but two genres that used to be rather humbled, or at least honest are no more than contrived bubblegum pop. The reason I hope that this changes things on the right path is that it, if anything has a chance to do so. In the aftermath of the death of Johnny Cash, a reverence to what Country Music was has been growing. Young people are discovering his music, and are probably eager to grab hold of something along its lines. Its modesty, its anguish, its brutality, and deep emotional ressoance. Well, here comes this album. Despite your appreaciation for her music, most people don't know her and if they do, it's from the movie Coal Miner's Daughter. Here, we have an artist that retains the spirt of the older and more sincere genre, and with the help of it's production (which, though the extra edge does help, it was done with a sense of admiration and respect for the artist. Not setting her as an afterthought, but the focus) makes it exactly the sort of thing that would apeal to this group. Now, yeah, these are ignorrant young people who have no experience or real knowlege of the history of country music, but that's not the point. If they are interested, they will buy records, and they will demand more. Market will strive to meet their demand, and maybe, if the commericalization doesn't try to fabricate traditional country music and market that (which is a possibility), we might actually have something worth listening to on the country charts, again. it probably started with Johnny Cash's first album on Amercian, and really got rolling with the Oh, Brother Where Art Thou? soundtrack, but I think the want is now instilled in people, and this might be exactly what they are looking for. I know it was what I was looking for.

Was that better?

[Sepiae]

Originally posted by Egadsman


Was that better?

Yes, much, thank you. I do agree with a lot of what you said. (Also, I was talking about 3 or 4 people who have put out their first albums in the year 2004 or late 2003.) I used to be a lot more close-minded about what was good country and what wasn't, and though I probably won't buy any new CDs, except for Big & Rich possibly, I've found some people who have managed to blend styles and make great music.

[Egadsman]

Originally posted by Sepiae


I've found some people who have managed to blend styles and make great music.

Oh, there are exceptions, but their airplay is limited at best. Popular country music is no longer country music, and that's sad.

By the way, could you name these 3 or 4 other artists? I really wasn't a fan of the genre until relatively recently, and I'd love to look into some more artists that aren't the readily accessable trash.

[Sepiae]

They were the people I first mentioned: Big & Rich, Gretchen Wilson, Julie Roberts, and Dierks Bentley.

Big & Rich are these crazy guys leading the MuzikMafia, who want to make country music without prejudice. Their album is called Horse of a Different Color, and the singles are "Wild West Show" and "Save a Horse (Ride a Cowboy." It's very different from everything else out there right now, but it has a lot of merit.

Gretchen Wilson has the fastest rising single ("Redneck Woman") since Billy Ray Cyrus and her album reached #1 on the Billboard charts. She writes with Big & Rich and has a raw, interesting voice.

Someone described Julie Roberts as "Faith Hill if she were still making country music." I ignored her song ("Break Down Here") for awhile but when I finally listened to her sing, I was floored. Her voice is amazing.

Dierks Bentley grew up playing bluegrass and he reminds me of Sawyer Brown some. I don't like his ballad, but "What Was I Thinking" and his new one, which escapes me now, are really fun. It's like you can hear how much fun he's having when he's singing.

I grew up listening to country music because my mother was a displaced southerner. I haven't listened for a long time, and I wasn't a fan of how things were going, but I think these artists are headed in the right places if they can avoid the soapy song selection and sexed up images (concentrate on your music, not how you look) that plague so many.

[Toby]

[Egadsman]

Thank you. I'll look into them.

[sawdust restaurants]

You know, there are like a good 25 labels, at least, that are dedicated solely to re-releasing old-time country/hillbilly/bluegrass music, usually at fairly decent prices. You should look into that

By the way, Amy, you really need to hear Van Lear Rose.

[bowmaan]

i love this record. came as a recommendation by someone who was promoting it, but assured me she would personally pay me back if i didnt love it. one of the best ive heard this year.