Blog Profile / Country Universe
| URL : | http://www.countryuniverse.net/ | |
|---|---|---|
| Filed Under: | Music / Country | |
| Posts on Regator: | 1452 | |
| Posts / Week: | 5.4 | |
| Archived Since: | April 1, 2008 | |
Blog Post Archive
Single Review: Justin Moore, “Point at You”
A song about a narrator whose woman completes him is a worthwhile concept, so long as one avoids pouring on the syrup. But in this case, the execution falls very flat.
Single Review: Hunter Hayes, “I Want Crazy”
Hunter Hayes just scored a decently big pop hit with "Wanted", which was initially his first big country hit. Perhaps that's why he's taking a cue from the pop market, and re-releasing his first album in an expanded edition called (Encore) this summer.
Single Review: Chris Young, “Aw Naw”
It's hard not to root for Chris Young. He can really sing and his music would sound identifiably country if it was released twenty years ago, making it sound like Hank Williams in comparison to what's passing for it these days.
Win a Copy of Randy Rogers Band’s Trouble
Texas Country group the Randy Rogers Band has a new album out today called Trouble, and Country Universe has gotten a hold of one copy to give away to a reader.
In Memoriam: George Jones (1931-2013)
Rest in Peace, Possum.
An extensive tribute piece to follow. In the meantime, enjoy the voice that will remain immortal and share your memories and favorite songs in the comments.
Single Review: Scotty McCreery, “See You Tonight”
Scotty McCreery has stated in interviews that his main goal with his upcoming second album is to get a Top 10 radio hit. First single "See You Tonight" makes that goal a little too obvious.
100 Greatest Men: #30. Jim Reeves
100 Greatest Men: The Complete List
Gentleman Jim Reeves started off as a hardcore country singer, but his smooth crossover stylings would become synonymous with the Nashville Sound, combining with tragedy to grant him country music immortality only a dozen years into his career.
100 Greatest Men: #29. Alabama
100 Greatest Men: The Complete List
In the early eighties, a new kind of country band surfaced, structured like the rock bands that came before them, but deeply grounded in country instrumentation. Alabama were the pioneers of the field, and they reached a level of superstardom beyond most bands of any genre during their peak.
Album Review: The Mavericks, In Time
The Mavericks
In Time
A reminder of the magic that can happen when a strong lyric meets a fresh, engaging production and a vocal performance that cuts right to the bone.
Single Review: Lori McKenna, “Salt”
"Hearts don't fly, but they can run like hell when they have to."
Lori McKenna's greatest gift as a writer is her ability to weave brilliantly constructed metaphors together with remarkably specific and quite often mundane details of small town, working class life.
Retro Single Reviews: Shania Twain, 2004-2012
After the enormous success of the Up! project, Shania Twain released a top-selling Greatest Hits album in 2004, which spawned three singles. She then embarked on an extended hiatus before returning in 2011 with a new single and a reality series on The Oprah Winfrey Network. Show More Summary
Retro Single Reviews: George Strait, 1992-1993
The comfortingly reliable George Strait mixes it up a bit during his 1992-1993 run of singles with a cover of a beloved classic, hardcore country, a surprising country rocker, and a sweet love song for good measure.
"Lovesick Blues"
1992
Peak: #24
Strait ably tackles the Hank Williams classic. Show More Summary
Single Review: Wynonna, “Something You Can’t Live Without”
It's been thirty years since the world was introduced to the voice of Wynonna Judd, a simple guitar strum being nothing close to enough preparation for the otherworldly voice that opened the debut Judds single, "Had a Dream (For the Heart)":
Single Reviews Round-Up: Rascal Flatts, Toby Keith, Tim McGraw ft. Taylor Swift and Keith Urban, & Kip Moore
Rascal Flatts, "Changed"
Like “I Won’t Let Go” a few years back, “Changed” is built on a sweeping sentiment, rousing melody and very little else. That’s not an inherently bad thing; despite an ounce of detail about the confessor, “Changed” feels like a confession –it pleads and swells and submits. Show More Summary
Country Music Hall of Fame Welcomes Cowboy Jack Clement, Bobby Bare, and Kenny Rogers
This year's inductees into the Country Music Hall of Fame have just been announced from Nashville by Bill Anderson. The 2013 inductees are Cowboy Jack Clement (Non-Performer), Bobby Bare (Veterans Era), and Kenny Rogers (Modern Era...
Freakin’ “Accidental Racist,” Y’all
In case you spent yesterday outdoors and missed it, the Internet happened upon Brad Paisley's eyebrow-raising new collaboration with rapper LL Cool J, "Accidental Racist," and its collective eyebrows rocketed off into space.
Summarizing what we're dealing with here feels beyond me. Show More Summary
Album Review: Blake Shelton, Based On a True Story…
Blake Shelton
Based On a True Story...
Bear in mind that Blake Shelton isn't just another country singer. He is the reigning Male Vocalist of the Year for both the ACM and CMA Awards, as well as the CMA Entertainer of the Year. Due to his position as a judge on “The Voice,” he is one of the most recognizable country stars around. Show More Summary
ACM 2013 Live Blog
If you're tuned into tonight's show at Blake and Luke just ain't gettin' it done for ya, come commiserate on the state of this genre with us. It'll be fun, maybe! And as always, please let us know in the comments if you have any trouble with the live blog client.
2013 ACM Awards: Staff Picks and Predictions
The stars are converging on Las Vegas this weekend as the industry gears up for this year's ACM Awards. We at Country Universe have been busily poring over this year's list of nominees, picking and predicting the winners while getting ready for all the live-blogging madness Sunday night.
Single Review: Lee Brice, “I Drive Your Truck”
Lee Brice's current hit is quite possibly the best song he's yet sent to radio - a compelling meditation on the process of dealing with grief over the loss of a loved one in death.