The Backlog: Album edition pt. 1
September deadlines are closing in and album reviews are tougher then I thought.
Albums are hard to judge. Especially nowadays when many albums seem to be aimed squarely for streaming optimization and not crafted with a message or theme in mind. It would be easy to wave them off as aimless, but by doing so one can often miss subtle bigger picture themes that run through a project. The intellectually honest approach is at the very least try and look at the project- the individual songs as well as the project as a whole- and aim to suss out the ideas being grappled with. Or such was my intention. The substance and style of this piece evolved over two weeks so some blurbs may be shorter then others. That is not by design, merely the result of shifting attitudes towards brevity. The aim is to talk about the album as a whole, but to also point out some songs; either that I enjoyed or that I see as emblematic of the definitional ideas in the album.
In the state of country music these days, you find a very large tent. The audience's relationship with the tent has two impulses on the far sides of the rhetoric. On one, you have the side pushing for expansion and growth of the sound and then on the other side pushing back against expansion with the worry of losing the soul. I've thoughtlong and hard about how to divide up the landscape, and I most likely will write a piece about the specifics of my thought process. In the meantime, I thought it useful to give two or three micro subgenre titles alongside each album so if one’s taste and knowledge has progressed to the point where they are fluent in the differences, they can easily pick up on what they think would be to their liking.
Perhaps at a point in time country music was monolithic and totally defined by what was put out on the radio waves. Certainly in 1950s and 1960s, this was the case generally speaking with the exception of regional scenes. For instance, you had the Bakersfield sound form in opposition to the Nashville sound and in earlier years, you had western swing develop in Texas. Even granting those scenes their due place, by and large you still had one very dominant sound. This makes things very easy for the fan. One could say “I do like country music” or “I don’t like country music” because you were talking about one specific thing (mostly). In the constant pursuit of audiencegrowth and maximizing the user base, Nashville has embraced a much larger swath of musical influences then what was. Additionally, independant music has expanded significantly and now is no longer simply the first couple steps on the way to mainstream career, but now a viable path to create a career without the need of the mainstream structure. Because of these changes, added to the general shrinking of the world and minimization of regional scenes plus the world of streaming opening up past decades of old music equally available to modern audience's ears, taste, and the sound of what is called “country music” has expanded tremendously. I’m not passing judgment. My personal opinions are my own, but re. this piece, the fact is that all of these albums are colloquially called country music and therefore I will cover them. The odds are quite high that not all of these projects will be enjoyed by an individual reader. Frankly, there is not a lot of commonality between dusty 1960s honky-tonk of Brandon Leigh and the circa 2008 pop-rock of Brett Young. How about you find a comfortable chair, sit down, and open up your mind and let’s see if we here at TIH can find something for you to enjoy.
Kip Moore- Damn Love
Heartland Rock/80s Rock/ Country Rock
Gruff with more glitz than you’d expect for Kip. Definitely more upbeat than his Covid era WildWorld. Sense of personality really shines through. There’s a loneliness to being a forty-plus-year old who has never settled down and travels constantly. A grind. The spirit for adventure conflicts with the human desire for stability. It all leads to some introspective moments, albeit scattered between more generic attempts at curating mainstream favor. Not his best, not his worst. Songs like Mickeys Bar continue building on the Kip personal lore and Guitar Slinger engages further with the Kip mythos, building upon Guitar Man and offering a post pandemic weathered perspective in contrast. Kip really is holding a torch for grizzled rock and roll that seems to be fading. Trends have moved away from this sounds in the mainstream. Seems this is his last album for this label. I’m intrigued what his next move will be.
The Malpass Brothers- Lonely Street
Honky-Tonk/Neovintage
One of a string of excellent neovintage albums to come out this year. Wry, incisive, and executed with the period accurate flair, the brothers alternate between mid tempo toe tappers and heart string pulling ballads, each interspersed with salt of the earth lyrics in a relatable and digestible package. Unlike some others in this subbgenre, this doesn’t feel like period cosplay. More like an authentic artistic representation. Don't Cry Daddy and Road Of Memories are my favorites on here.
Ward Davis- Sunday Morning
Singer-Songwriter/ Neotraditional/ Gospel
Ward goes straight for the jugular. He’s been one of the most emotionally laced songwriters of the past few years. Asunder in 2018 was a heartbreaker of a divorce EP. The recent spate of Nashville divorcees should look towards that EP for inspiration. Then he followed that up with Black Cats and Crows which was one of 2020’s best projects. He returns with the short and emotionally resonant EP entitled Sunday Morning. It deals with weighty topics like addiction, sobriety, penance, and salvation. With such a hefty list of topics, it is impressive that Ward manages to not give short thrift in spite of the short track list. The surprisingly sensitive lyrics are surrounded by well played acoustics and an assortment of low key instruments that hew closely to what you would expect from both his past music and the seriousness of the topic choice. Bold experimentation wouldn’t have been appropriate here. As a card carrying member of the modern bearded outlaw crowd, Davis is uniquely qualified to explore the duality of that lifestyle superimposed in contrast to the spiritual longing for cleanliness and redemption. “Sunday Morning” is well trod but complex ground for introspection and is executed par excellance.
William Beckmann- Here's To You. Here's To Me.
Country Rock/Heartland Rock/ Neotraditional
I was early on the Beckmann hype train. I think he is supremely talented. I also found myself enjoying the old school country aesthetic he dabbled with. Part of finding a young artist is that you discover them before they become fully formed. It seems Beckmann isn’t sure what direction he wants to go in. His music has ranged from classic country to heartland rock to tejano and even more. He has the chops to deliver in any of those genres, but the overall product suffers from too much diversity. This is especially noticeable when there are only seven tracks. This album leans more in the general direction of heartland rock, but even with those leanings you get a massive mixture. Out of only seven songs, there’s songs that sound like Springsteen, Brooks and Dunn, Waylon, and Ed Sheeran. I’m not saying he should force himself into one specific niche like Randall King, but currently the product is a bit too all over the place. That doesn’t mean it isn’t good. I greatly enjoyed this album. It just didn’t seem to clarify where Beckmann is going as an artist. With a project like this, so divided in vision, the primary focus should be on the songs individually. Individually most of the songs hold up. I’m especially partial to the bluster of Bad Dreams and Amphetamines and the outlaw charm of She Can’t Be Found.
5. Ian Munsick- White Buffalo
Neotraditional/Pop Country/Electronica
Bold experimentation might be an understatement for Ian Munsick. His auto-tuned, fiddle drenched, hip hop drum loop, mandolin and banjo featuring brand of western inspired county pop is without question one of the more divisive and unique projects this year. I found it difficult to digest, but charming. Sure, the moments where the auto tune got overly noticeable distractes, but generally it is reined in just enough that it can be chalked up to artistic choice. What really stands out about the record is the remarkable ability it possesses to personify ideas and places within its writing. When Ian feels strongly about something, the conviction flows. When he is jubilant or despondent or reckless or stubborn, so does the listener feel.
There is more than one way to skin a cat. Sometimes, hyper specific detail allows the reader to fully understand what the singer is intending, and other times the hyper focused detail limits the scope of vision for the listener as they can’t insert their own mental spin on the song. It hampers the relationship between the artist and the listener when the listener cannot personify and find himself in the song. In this instance, Munsick’s record excels at hitting the balance wherein the details enhance the picture. The unique approach to the accompaniment merges well with the specificity in writing and leads to cohesive emotion and sense of concept. For those that are turned off by the excess of the project, Munsick has released stripped down versions with less electronic accompaniment that are more digestible. I find them simultaneously more approachable, but also less interesting. If the whole album seems daunting, try out From The Horse's Mouth, Ranch Hand, Barn Burner, Bluegrass, and Indian Paintbrush. Those five collectively should give a solid taste of the breadth of the album.
Brennan Leigh- Ain't Through Honky Tonkin’ Yet
Neovintage/Countrypolitan/Honky-Tonk
The neovintage queen returns. I covered her briefly earlier this year as well as having her in my end of year list for 2022. She makes an incredibly solid product. There isn't much to say here aside from remarking on the consistency and clear effort put into recreating the vibe and tone of the era she is is pulling influence from. There is wit all throughout the album ranging from When Lonely Comes To Town all the way to The Bar Should Say Thanks. A sense of authenticity pervades the project, ranging from genuine sincerity to intended irony. Running Out Of Hope, Arkansas is a personal favorite. Uptempo, but with a delicate sense of balance, the plain guitar picking meshes perfectly with Leigh's clear tone. If her collaboration album with Asleep At The Wheel last year established her bona fides, this album confirms Brennan Leigh will be a fixture in the growing neo vintage scene.
Corey Kent- Blacktop
Modern Country/Country Rock/Rock
Long time TIH readers know that we’ve been on the Corey Kent watch for a long while before his viral success and eventual record deal. Ironically, or considering this isn’t the first time it’s happened, the moment that got him noticed was one of my least favorite of his pre label releases. The overly boisterous neo-Aldean-barely-country-tinged-rock anthem struck chords, or at least algorithms countrywide and Corey rocketed up to the top of the charts. Good for him. Not gonna begrudge anyone the hustle and success. The question I had is how would his music react to the broader audience. TLDR it’s a mixed bag. Kent always thrived in more reflective and low key settings. His debut album From The West was defined by this slice of life reflective angle on everyday reality anchored by strongs acoustic and electric axes and not much else. This album naturally building off of the success of Wild As Her, is much more of an overt rock project and personally I think it’s a mismatch. Perhaps crafty mixing can help, but Kent’s vocals are on the thinner side and don’t hold up well when put in contrast to booming drums and massive axes. However, the- not that many but still there- less intense parts of the album have that openness and approachability that marked his earlier material. There isn’t much of a theme running through here. It’s more of an introduction by Kent of himself for listeners. There’s a little bit of detail and personality in each song regardless if they aren’t aimed at telling an overall story. Regardless it’s far more interesting then dropping an 26 song debut album chock full of love and breakup songs. Kent is trying to be interesting and halfway succeeded. I still like From The West more, but there is certainly potential here for a more thoughtful mainstream presence. Something Is Gonna Kill Me, Man Of The House, and Once Or Twice are the songs on the project that felt most evocative of the unique perspective Kent is capable of bringing to the table.
Brett Young- Across The Sheets
Pop-rock/ Pop-country
See what’s weird about Brett Young is that he is an anachronism. Post John Mayer pop-rock is a dead scene. In the late 00s and early 10s, you saw a good few rock rejects try and pivot to country. If you’ve ever dug deeply enough to find one of Brett's self-released albums from prior to his cleanup job in 2016 when he signed with a Nashville label, you would be unsurprised to find that he splits the difference between Gavin Degraw and John Mayer inspired pop-rock. Or at least he tries to do so. It certainly made for more interesting and varied listening than the one lane music he’s shoveled out since he joined the Nashville game. This latest album, well it’s fine I guess. Only eight songs, all either love or breakup themed with an odd cover of Don’t Take The Girl slapped on the end. At worst it’s generic, unfeeling, and with production choices ranging from bad to bizarre. At its best it’s tasteful, melodic and at least semi interesting. It splits right down the middle in raw song quality but the overall package is less then the sum of the parts. Probably a 5 or 6/10 but it has a moment or two. Brett Young has an interesting vocal tone and to be honest, it doesn’t feel like it’s ever really been utilized properly. certainly not here, and if I’m feeling feisty I’d point out to a variety of similar mixing and tonal issues stemming some similar attempts to sand him down to the Nashville way. He seems to be finally getting success after over ten years hustling before landing in Nashville. Also, if you want entertainment, go look up some live video of him and compare his face to his album covers. Very impressive clean up job! Kudos to his team. His rerecording of You Ain't Here To Kiss Me is an interesting twist on an older album cut. Love Goes On is genuinely good. Well detailed and solidly produced. Shows you the potential that is only here in flashes.
Tim McGraw- Standing Room Only
Modern Country/Pop-country/ Country Rock
This is tricky. On a technical level, this is a very well done album. Gone are the odd synthetic moments that marred 2020’s Here On Earth. Same with the inconsistent tone throughout that messy album. This is a very Tim album. To be honest, I am not quite sure what that means. He doesn’t seem to have much of an identity aside from being exactly in the middle of whatever sonic influences rule Nashville has at a given moment. He leans heavily on big ideals and sincerity, has a number of love songs, and plenty of nostalgia. It feels like retread ground for nearly anyone, but especially a veteran artist. He is neither taking a big swing nor is he “going back to his roots” the way we sometimes see veteran artists do. It’s all just very Tim. If a younger artist had put it out, I probably would be more enthusiastic because of the abundance of organics and overall solid technical execution, but woth McGraw it all feels so calculated. What even is he as an artist at this point? Seemingly Mcgraw falls into the paradoxical reality for veteran artists I described in the recent post. As an aside, Tim McGraw has never been the most technically capable of singers, but usually is crafty enough in the production to manipulate the songs atmosphere and accompaniment to enhance his strengths and ignore the weaknesses. On some of his bolder attempts at bombast, that doesn’t quite land here. It’s a technical quibble that honestly has always been a critique of McGraw. Yet again, a quintessential Tim record in every way. Letter From Heaven is fantastic in spite of the overly excessive excess of the song. There are other quality songs as well but it's all overshadowed by a solid and very long discography.
Gabe Lee - The River
Singer-songwriter/Folk/Americana
Short. Concise. Honed to precision. All the songs are precisely written with maximum emotional conveyance. Expressive vocals. Arrangements aren’t overly stripped, so the album doesn’t run out of character even as it thematically hews straightforwardly. Surprising amount of religious iconography in the album. Contributes to the real life lived in feel. Merigold is a show stopper. Even Jesus Has The Blues is evocative and gives a real lived in feel. Drink The Water is probably my favorite turn of phrase, “If faith were a shovel, to any man of means/ Why am I always standing, the dirt up to my knees?” It isn’t an accusation as it is an acknowledgment of what seems to be Lee’s feelings of being fallen and broken. That relationship and emotion is explored at length all throughout. Despondency. The light at the end of tunnel. Humanity. Depth. Connection to the “more”- romance, spirituality, etc. Gabe Lee is on one of the hottest streaks we have seen in a long time. Each of last four albums cuts a slightly different path and all are equally powerful. Big end of year list vibes from this one.
Colter Wall- Little Songs
Neovintage/Western/Folk
This feels like a big moment for Colter. As is well documented, he executed a sharp pivot away from the dark foreboding sound of his debut record. His voice changed completely and he dove headlong into cowboy and western music. It was a gamble. Even after two or three albums in that vein, to my ears he didn’t yet seem wholly comfortable. Perhaps it was the overreliance on covers or some of the gimmicky productions choices, but this was the first album that he felt entirely there. His voice has grown more comfortable in its register and is no longer overtaken by fry. The songs create stories and moments that the listener feels like they’re peering directly over the shoulder of the narrator. Honestly a transportative experience. It is good to see the torch of western and cowboy music being carried on the unlikely but durable shoulders of Colter Wall. Songs range from levity to deathly serious, but the entire way through are delivered with the appropriate levels of gravity. Praire Evening/Sagebrush Waltz is deeply romantic and proves walls ability to insert emotion into the harsh landscapes he paints. You don’t need a tuxedo and pop glaze on the song to be romantic. Just feelings. The Coyote And The Cowboy is emblematic of his ability to find universal meaning in a lifestyle and landscape that is unusual. Although it isn’t originally his song, he makes the song feel his. That wasn’t quite the case on his previous record with his covers of Big Iron and Cowpoke. There it felt like he was paying tribute to prove his worthiness. Now he is in, no proving of anything is necessary. Really loved this. It may not be everyone’s genre cup of tea, but it is admirable from a distance nonetheless.
Part two of the album reviews is in the works. I'd say to expect it in a week, but if it gives me as much trouble as this one did, then I have no clue. Hope you enjoyed reading and I especially hope you discovered something new here. Some of these are more high profile releases but that's no guarantee that you've crossed paths with them before.
Until next time,
Joe
Photo credit: random clip art in the Delaware Valley Journal