Burd Bites vol. 2
Burd and Joe joust a little about a guilty pleasure of Joe's and somehow Bruce Springsteen showed up?
Welcome to the second installment of Burd Bites. We have a mighty fine lineup readied for you. We tried to curate a few singles here that represent the artists recent output. Definitely consider digging into their respective discographies. Burd, bless his soul, got a bit keyboard happy so there’s a good amount for you guys to consume. Enjoy!
Joe
Albums
Elvie Shane - Backslider
I was intrigued in Elvie Shane after I heard his debut single, "My Boy.” This song wasn’t perfect. The instrumental was a bit underwhelming to be frank, but the subject matter is what really stood out to me. It’s not everyday you hear a song about becoming a step dad. So naturally when he released his debut EP, County Roads, I listened to it. It was a bit disappointing to me though, it was just mostly inoffensive bro-country in the vain of someone like Randy Houser’s big singles. But then he released the song "My Kinda Trouble" and I was instantly hooked. I loved the sound and groove of it and I kept repeating it. So now that I have listened to his debut album, Backslider, I am honestly super conflicted.
I am going to first address what is in my opinion, the elephant in the room, the album length. Albums being super long is pretty much a norm these days, but the thing about that is you need to back it up with quality music, and this album doesn’t justify the length. You could easily cut this thing down to 11 tracks and to be honest, it would probably be better. I would personally cut all the songs from the County Roads EP except for maybe "Sundress" and "My Mississippi." There is also a song called "Love, Cold Beer, Cheap Smoke" that is just so mediocre I forgot it was on the album after the first listen. "My Boy" doesn’t fit with the sound of the rest of the album at all and this leads into the biggest issue with the album trying to do a load sound wise. It’s mainly a heartland rock album with country and even some pop influences, the prime example of this being "I Will Run" which would’ve been great if it didn’t over rely on synthetic elements. There is also just a random interlude on here that shouldn’t be here, I don’t really know what it adds. To give this album some credit though, there are some serious bangers on here.
I LOVE the sound of "My Kinda Trouble" and "Rocket Science," it has some really great imagery. The album closer "Miles" is great too. It’s this beautifully painted cinematic song about not wasting time and really hits in the feels. There is also a hint of gospel on this album which is used effectively (the backup choir on "Saturday Night Me") and not effectively (the atrocity that is "Sundays in the South" which is basically southern cliches- the song)
Best Songs: Rocket Science, My Kinda Trouble, Miles (with My Mama)
Worst Songs: Sundays in the South
Final Score: Decent 6/10
Frankie Ballard - Sunshine & Whiskey
On Burd Bites Vol. 1 I checked out Frankie Ballard’s El Rio album as a recommendation from Joe. I liked it so I decided to check out his debut…and I didn’t really like this one too much. The slick guitar licks on El Rio were replaced with electronic beats and banjos. This at times felt like another bland bro-country record (particularly with "I’m Thinking Country," and the album’s title track, which was also his biggest hit) however there were a couple exceptions. This album does have some substance though, particularly with the album opener, "Young & Crazy" which might sound like a normal stereotypical bro-country party anthem at first, but has a nice retrospective twist in the lyrics that I really appreciate. This is also valid on the song "It Don’t Take Much" which shows how fast you can receive fame and lose it all, kinda ironic that Ballard put out this song because a similar thing happened to him. However, there is also "Helluva Life" which tries to bring more substance to the album, but in my opinion doesn’t really end up doing much. There is also a song on here called, "Tell Me You Get Lonely" which gave me PTSD flashbacks to the atrocity that was "Hope You Get Lonely" by Cole Swindell. Of course it is better than that song by a mile, it still isn’t that great and the recording quality sounds awful compared to the rest of the album, that might just be me though. There is also a song on here that I wanted to write off for the title called, "Drinky Drink.” I was right, the songwriting on this one is completely awful, however the instrumentation and groove of it was probably my favorite on the whole album, particularly the use of the harmonica. Another highlight I wanted to point out was the song "Tip Jar" which I think was a pretty cool idea for a song.
J- ugh Burd I’m disappointed in you. Sunshine and whiskey is one of the best bro country albums out there. Being part of that mediocre subgenre, it caps out at a 7 rating maximum but there’s some real bangers here. Ballard wasn’t naturally oriented towards this sound as evinced from his output both prior and afterwards. He still gave it his all and the results speak for be themselves. Excellent party anthems with a tinge of depth and self awareness to appeal to the inner snob. Mid 7s and maybe the best bro album I’ve ever heard.
Jason Aldean – Macon
Wait...did Jason Aldean make a good album? Well, kind of. Macon is the first installment of his double album, Macon, Georgia, which I rolled my eyes at the first time I heard the announcement, and the lead single which is terribly boring. Now that the album is out, I'm honestly very surprised. This album (well, half of it) is a return to form for Aldean, and as someone who is a fan of his older material, I dug it. The album has some issues though, but, I mean, it's Aldean, what do you expect? The first half is definitely the weaker half. "Over You Again" is that one song that's on every Aldean record that you go and say, "Wait, did I accidentally skip that one?" because it's so forgettable. "Small Town Small" is the resident dud on the album that's on every Aldean album, because it's an Aldean album. The album does eventually get better though. "Story for Another Glass" is a fun song about not wanting to talk about a breakup. "This Bar Don't Work Anymore" and "The Sad Songs" are almost neotrad in the subject material and sound (lots of steel!) "Watching You Love Me" has more of a R&B sound, but it doesn't feel clunky the usual Aldean trying R&B disasters. However, the true standout of this album is the cover of Brian Adams's "Heaven." He has played this live and I believe a demo was out on Amazon Music for a while (I might be wrong about that) but man this song is great. He gives a really soulful performance and the song doesn't stray far from the original, which in this case is a good thing. I honestly would rather Aldean follow this sound instead of going in a more traditional direction, but I'd be happy than either.
Best Songs: Heaven, The Sad Songs
Worst Songs: Over You Again, Small Town Small
Final Score: 6/10
EPs
Wade Bowen - Where Phones Don’t Work
Man, I love Wade Bowen. If you’re looking for some good ol’ fashioned Texas Country Music that may not reinvent the wheel, but still is a really good wheel nonetheless, then Wade Bowen is your guy and this EP is no different. These songs are just so easy on the ears. Lyrically it has some good lines as well, I especially like the hook of Phones Don’t Work. There are also little details in a song like "Where We Call Home" that makes it more than a stereotypical "My hometown is great" song. This EP truly shines with the harmonies though, particularly on the song "The Last Town in Texas," they are truly beautiful. Really great stuff on here.
Best Songs: Phones Don’t Work, The Last Town in Texas
Worst Songs: When Love Comes Around
Final Score: 8/10
J- Wade Bowen just doesn’t fail to deliver. Top to bottom excellence. Some incredible steel work all throughout. Excellent modernizing of a classic trope – the lonesome heartbroken cowboy- updated with modern references in the title track. One song on here- When Love Comes Around- that reminds me of a more country-ified Mumford and Sons type song. Canaan Smith had something similar on his track Mason Jars and Fireflies. I will be taking note to see if turn of the decade roots/folk pop becomes implemented in the not quite neotrad but too roots for pop country lane in the future. That aside it’s a great little EP and it gets me excited to see what Wade is going to do going forward.
Singles
Corey Kent - Lightning Fast
This one is okay. I think the lyrics were very detailed and had a great sentiment behind them, but Corey's delivery just didn't impress me all that much. I'm not familiar with this guy's work, but I wasn't crazy about his vocals either, and sonically this just felt like a decent popco track.
Final Score: 6/10
J- I am a fan of Kent but this is a weaker song from him. He has stronger material but often his weaker vocals get drowned out. It’s a fine balance and can work well bit it isn't easy for him. I’d recommend a few songs off his 2020 debut instead.
Graycie York - Texas Rain
This one is really cool. I don't really know what I was expecting going into it, but it definitely wasn't this. Like Corey, I'm not familiar with Graycie's work beforehand, but after I listened to the song I'm intrigued. This song is kind of like the feminine version of someone like Koe Wetzel or Kolby Cooper. It takes the song trope of a guy loving a girl who just leaves him hating himself after, but he keeps going back, except this is sung from the girl's perspective. I haven't seen it before and it's interesting to me.
Final Score: Strong 7/10
J- Just listen to it. You won’t regret it. Easy 8/10
Muscadine Bloodline - Dispatch to 16th Ave.
This song is kinda like Murder on Music Row's rowdier little brother. It takes alot of inspiration from it lyrically and in some ways is kind of like a sequel. However, to me, while Murder on Music Row was more of a protest song, this is more of a call to action. It has more of a rock edge and even just the title is asking people to "dispatch" to 16th avenue. I like how authentic this song is though, considering Muscadine Bloodline is a proudly independent duo.
Final Score: 7/10
Wasted Days - John Mellencamp feat. Bruce Springsteen
It's very funny that this is probably the most country thing I have talked about yet. I just can't get over how good John's and Bruce's delivery is on this track. It's normally good, but on this one they both seem so defeated it's just sad, which is a good thing. It honestly kind of reminds me of the tone and vibe of Johnny Cash's Hurt. The harmonies on this one are not good, at all, but that problem is fixed by all the emotion brought to the table by these two. It is a very strong track.
Final Score: 8/10
J- Love this. Dirty little secret of 1980s Heartland rock is that it shares the down to earth story-based songwriting styles as country music. Whenever I hear a southern pop artist defend the “Country- Ness” of his latest trap-rnb-pop “country” song because it has “country songwriting” I think about 80s rock as a counterpoint to the idea that somehow country music has a monopoly on story driven songwriting.
Ramblings aside, this is a great late career song from Mellencamp. These days Ol’ Johnny Cougar is a crusty Americana artist with a repertoire of the requisite mournful stripped down songs required for that all-exclusive genre niche. The Boss had his own dalliances with folk and golden age western music and they combine on this track for an excellent country song. The well past-their-prime and aging voices provide a rough textured template for retrospective and it hits hard. If you found the song because you like rock music this won’t do it for you. As a country fan, this scratched an itch for 80s Heartland rockers turned burned out melancholy country singers that I didn’t know I had. 9/10
Luke Combs - Doin' This
Thank goodness Combs hasn't fallen into the "mediocrity hole" that he seemed to be headed for with his past 3 singles. From when he first performed this on the CMA's to now, this is definitely one of my favorite songs from him. Combs says in this song that if he wasn't on a label, he would be in the indie scene, and this is something that I completely buy. He comes off as so authentic in this song. It has a great instrumental pallet too. It kind of steps into power ballad territory which is something that Combs hasn't really done. I definitely want more like this in the future.
Final Score: 8/10
J- meet the new Luke same as the old. Well not quite. For as much as I wish Luke Combs would stop the overpowering drums shtick, he does quite well with them. The release of the song presumably to kick off his third album is interesting. On one hand it’s a well crafted passionate message. On the other it almost seems targeted towards naysayers or accusations of selling out that inevitably crop up whenever success is experienced. It’s as if to say that “Hey look I’m deeply authentic and legit and I’m gonna premier this song on stage at a glitzy prime time awards show”. It just seems artificially corporate. Maybe I’m just imagining it. It’s still a great song. I’m just a little lower on it then Burd. Low 7’s.
If you liked this longer episode of Burd Bites, please realize that it is far and away the most time consuming of posts. It requires loads of time spent listening and then 2 people writing and a whole lot more editing then usual to nail this casual but still informative opinion based style we are gunning for. Appreciate that and consider sharing this with a friend!
Thanks for reading,
Joe and Burd