Underrated albums?
What does that even mean? The second installment of Today I Heard year end material.
As a follow up to the hyped albums post, I figured it made sense to put a light on the opposite underrated and underappreciated albums of 2022. In order to do this, we have to define what is an underrated album. Frequently, when you find a list of underrated albums, it actually is a list of unknown albums. Most people do not even know who the artist to begin with. Can we really call that underrated?
To my mind, an underrated artist is one that has a platform and is somewhat known. They would expect a certain degree of success or buzz surrounding an album release. Then upon release, the album does not receive praise commensurate with the quality of actual contact. This could be a C list star putting out a spectacular album that deserves to be competitive with the A-list stars, or it could be an album from a top tier guy that the singles flopped and therefore people didn’t pay attention to the whole album, but in reality, there are some spectacular album cuts. A great example would be Luke Bryan and his Born Here, Live Here, Die Here album. The singles from that album were genuinely terrible. I don’t need to say anything about the song One Margarita as the title tells it all. However, that album had some excellent material on it that was overlooked. Therefore, I’d call it underrated and underappreciated.
You may feel that this definition creates a bias towards the mainstream. This is correct. The independent scene by nature of its lower profile, the lack of recognition, and the inability of marketing to expand beyond the small circle of independent country enthusiasts creates a definitional difference. With rare exceptions, say the Sturgill Simpsons of the world, the relationship of the average consumer to the independent scene is the relationship of discovery. When I first heard Drake Milligan‘s debut EP and he only had four monthly listeners at the time, was that me discovering something underrated? Nah. That was me discovering something unknown.
This can act to the benefit of the independent scene as quality is more likely to rise to the top. Whereas in the mainstream the commercial viability of artists matters just as much if not more concerned then artistic quality per se. Often this incongruence creates an “underrated” dynamic. Brett Eldredge is a perfect example. He released Sunday Drive to tremendous critical acclaim in 2020. Despite that, there was only a muted buzz when he dropped the follow up this year. Presumably that was related to the failure of any single in the last five years. The quirky nature of his record didn’t fit with the trends on country radio. Therefore it doesn’t get the push it needed and got leapfrogged in the public conscience by others. This is the template for an underrated album per my working definition.
Similar to last post we’ll highlight three albums and evaluate them. Where they undeservedly snubbed, or was the lack of hype and enthusiasm surrounding the album deserved?
Note To Self- Randy Houser
Randy Houser is an interesting artist in 2022. That stands in stark contrast to his previous 10-15 years of music making when he provided wasted potential and generic radio fodder. However, as his commercial career started to die down, he actually became a more interesting artist. His 2019 project, Magnolia was a notable stand out. Not commercially, as the highest charting single barely cracked into the 30s, but critically it was acclaimed. Randy Houser is no longer a young, up-and-coming artist, nor is he in his commercial prime anymore. He is closer to fifty than forty, and in spite, or maybe because of that, late stage Houser is putting out the most compelling music he has ever made. An artist on the waning edge of commercial viability will no doubt be overshadowed by the next buzzy artist off the Nashville assembly line and for that reason, there wasn’t much in the way of hype upon release. The title track is the lead single and it settled into the lower end of the charts for months before accumulating some small gains in airplay and scraping into the thirties after some months. There were a few pre-release drops. Not much buzz was created and then the album dropped and it was surprisingly excellent.
The overarching vibe to the album is a very mature one. Randy Houser is using his age and life experience for good and brings a nuanced, mature, and reflective perspective that makes the album tremendously appealing to the mature listener. There are some remarkable standout moments in the album. None are overly complex. They are simple and straightforward and within that simplicity lies the elegance similar to the best of country music. Country music, especially in the historical sense, has always been a more simple genre lyrically. The broad message is the key. This stands in contrast with other more dense genres like much of classic rock. This divide seems a primary reason why general music critics (rock critics especially) so often swing and miss when it comes to country music coverage.
Sonically, Note to Self is quite country. It isn’t neotraditional. The muscular rock guitars and emphatic percussion firmly places it as an organic and updated take on 2000s country. Think Red Dirt Road, not Brand New Man. The extra muscle enhances Hauser‘s powerful voice, and puts an exclamation point on top of the well cultivated and well crafted production.
I especially enjoyed the song Working Man. It is a thumping boot stomper of an anthem devoted to extolling the forgotten workin man. It taps into the long history of blue collar representation that country has long had association with. To his credit, and this is what elevates the song to my ears, the framing of the song is not as a personal sketch co-opting the working man’s identity for himself, but instead intentionally coming to the song as an appreciative outsider.
“Daddy said, Son you better listen better learn
Ain’t nobody shelling out no concern for the working man
Yeah I’ve seen it firsthand, Buddy just like you
That’s why I’m out here singing the working man’s blues”
There are mature takes on all sorts of issues and topics all throughout the project. Faith, romance, identity, childrearing, resilience and more are all covered and discussed in a practical straightforward “Dad” fashion. Compare him to a contemporary in Luke Bryan who is still commercially successful and the contrast is strong. Bryan’s songs still sound like a 29 year old guy who’s holding onto his youth a little too hard. But then when you realize he’s 45 years old and it feels even more overwhelmingly shallow. What Randy Houser has accomplished here is impressive. It is a rock solid album that exemplifies just who and where in life Randy Houser is and all that comes along with that. There’s not much more you can ask for in country music.
The verdict: absolutely underrated.
Denim and Rhinestones- Carrie Underwood
Carrie Underwood is very much at a crossroads of her career. To those that grew up with her as the reigning queen of country music, knocking out number one after number one, they may find it hard to believe that the string of dominance has faltered. This is not just the last year or two. It has been almost seven years since Carrie Underwood was that ever-present dominant presence on radio. However, on the heels of a collaborative number one with the consistently chart topping Jason Aldean, she announced her first full length studio album since 2018, entitled Denim and Rhinestones. It doesn't take much to get the Carrie fandom excited, but outside that audience the buzz wasn't there. Country radio expected a big hit and pushed her leadoff single hard. Despite that, it fizzled outside of the top five. That is something that would’ve been unthinkable ten years ago, but really shows how the general buzz and hype around Carrie Underwood has softened. I am going to ask a previously unthinkable question. Is Carrie Underwood now somehow underrated? Has she been surpassed by the likes of Morgan Wallen and Lainey Wilson and therefore her album is getting unfairly overlooked?
I think if you have any insight to my preferences musically, you can guess the answer. I think her album is not particularly good. It is a mishmash sonically. It is tonally inconsistent both song to song and within individual songs. Despite Carrie Underwood having the best voice in the business, it is insufficient to carry what is a sloppily crafted album. Stuck halfway in between dated pop diva music (Faster) and 1980’s stadium rock (Poor Everybody Else), it was a clear attempt to capitalize on the 1980’s nostalgia making its way through the current zeitgeist. I admire the hustle and it works in spots on the project (Pink Champagne is fun, I guess), but it seems to me that it falls into the core identity problem that many pop- country albums fall into. Not pop enough for pop music and not country enough for country music.
Additionally, it seems that this album was an effort to be more fun. That seems like an ill timed pivot. These days there certainly are a fair share of dumb fun songs on the charts, but the artists that are currently connecting and accumulating mass fan bases do so with a more serious artistic perspective. Or at least a pseudo-seriousness. You may not think of Morgan Wallen as a serious artistic figure, but he does attempt to convey heavy emotion. Those emotions may generally be bitter and angry, but it is still an extreme emotion and that appeals to the sadboi crew. Look towards the first of the Wallen disciples in Bailey Zimmerman and note that he pulls from the super self serious, angsty, pop punk styling of the 2000s. Zach Bryan's entire appeal is the solemnity with which he takes his music and life. Carrie pivoting away from the more personal material on Cry Pretty towards the fun glitzy shallowness of D&R screams of an artist out of touch with the current scene. Churning out retreads of songs we've heard Carrie perform significantly better before doesn't help at all either. It's no surprise that once Ghost Stories left the charts, it's been forgotten about. Denim and Rhinestones seems stuck on trying to be fun course correction for Carrie. It's just a pity that it wasn't a good album. Maybe she still has enough commercial cache to survive a dud of an album. But at this point it's been a long while. I am curious to see how the next few years play out for her.
Long story short, the album was under hyped and under delivered, so no, it is not underrated at all.
Unwanted Man- Aaron Watson
Full disclosure, I tremendously enjoy Aaron Watson’s music. There are three essential albums in the 2010s Aaron Watson canon. 2015’s The Underdog which charted at number one for album sales (an astonishing and game changing moment for independent country), 2017’s Vaquero which was the apex of his commercial and radio success (Outta Style hit top 10 on mainstream country radio, an incredible accomplishment for an independent Texas artist), and finally 2019’s Red Bandana which, although it did not experience the commercial success of the previous two, does the best job peering into the soul of Aaron Watson and expressing his personhood. It is a messier album, but it is a glorious mess. (Read more about it here1) I personally eagerly awaited the follow up album - American Soul- which dropped in 2021. I gave it a listen as it came out and was very underwhelmed. It felt almost like a caricature of the previous albums. It hit the same ideas but in a far shallower fashion than his older material. Now for a dedicated fan like myself, it isn't that hard to shrug our shoulders and just listen to older records. However, it undeniably has a chilling impact for the casual fans. Momentum of those three excellent albums in a row was lost after American Soul failed to make an impact. He had a quick follow up and released what is both a slightly more experimental album, but also an album which very much plays the hits entitled Unwanted Man.
It is a split album. Part of the album discusses the very deep insecurities of Watson as the “unwanted man”. There is an undercurrent of low self esteem in songs like the title track and even the bravado filled gusto of Cheap Seats. Whether the doubt is coming from inside or from outside, the lows and highs of that mental experience is explored. And then there are the other songs. They mostly fit the Venn diagram of classic Aaron Watson songs with sturdy love songs, idiomatic wisdom, lots of reflection and that’s about it. Sonically the album does tweak the Watson signature neotrad sound in favor of some modern accompaniment in places, but overall it's only a slight shift.
In a normal year, I would be quite happy with that product and when it first came out, I was. But as time goes on, I have noticed that I have not returned to the album much. I think that’s because it suffers in contrast to the aforementioned three albums. There was a certain convergence of environment, life stage, and maturity that went into those albums which, despite this current album being excellently put together, just doesn't compare.
In order for an album to be underrated, I would feel the need to advocate for my friend to give a listen. I haven't found myself doing that with this album. It is hard to say that this album is underrated when you put it in the context of the absolute strength of the Texas scene this year, especially with older artists. Texas stalwarts Pat Green, Randy Rogers, Wade Bowen and Aaron Watson all released albums this year and it pains me to say that I would place Unwanted Man fourth in that list. It is a solid seven out of ten record, but I don’t think in comparison to the competition this year and Aaron's discography as a whole, it has the strength for it to hit the threshold of being properly underrated and worthy of more appreciation. Give it a listen. There are some great songs. The title track and Old Man Says especially. Dancing Around the Truth and Crash Landing are excellent as well. You'll have a good time because it really is an enjoyable record, but if you haven't listened to The Underdog, Vaquero, or Red Bandana then please go listen to those first.
The verdict: Not underrated.
Thanks for reading,
Joe
End of year season is in full swing. I'm thinking of one more specific post in a week or so and then the grand finale general year in review post around new years. Or something of the sort. I haven't even started outlines or rough drafts for either of those, so it's all up in the air.
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