What Has Caught Joe’s Eye
Inspired by Kevin Alexander’s On Repeat posts.
Kevin Alexander has a fantastic Substack you can find here. https://substack.com/@kevinalexander
One of his recurring features is a weekly post where he shares what he's been listening to and asks readers what they've enjoyed in the last week. I’ve enjoyed browsing the comments there and seeing people share their recent favorites. There’s such enthusiasm and gusto in human recommendations that you just don’t get with algorithm pushed recs.
Here is an expanded version of my comment on his post. Think of it a miniature what has caught Joe's eye post.
Albums:
Uncommon Ritual- Edgar Meyer (1997)
A classical, folk, bluegrass fusion instrumental. Even tosses in some jazz. On the more easy listening side, but really tasteful and enjoyable. By the end of the album some of the songs melt together in my head. That might be more of a me issue. Without lyrics, I have a hard time differentiating songs sometimes. The title track is an earworm though.
Celebrants- Nickel Creek (2023)
First album from the group in 10 years! It's a progressive bluegrass band. Many would call it "Newgrass". They mix bluegrass with a more contemporary production and super compelling vocal and harmony work. The vocals are the standout but the writing is quite solid as well. Standout tracks are To the Airport, Holding Pattern, and Hollywood Ending. I lean more traditional with my bluegrass so some of the more pop production choices feel Mumford and Sons like to me. Other may enjoy it more. I still really liked the album.
Yourself or Someone Like You- Matchbox 20 (1996)
1 guess this is considered an oldie nowadays. I like the straightforwardness this album has. Sometimes I feel rock lost its way because it tried to get too complicated. Also, they dropped an album last week and I figured I should get reacquainted with the discography before giving the new one a listen. It's been probably a decade since they were relevant so I've pretty much forgotten the album cuts lol. Tbh, the singles are the best songs on the album. 3 AM still slaps.
My Bluegrass Heart- Bela Fleck (2021)
The bleeding edge of modern bluegrass. High quality picking and energetic frenetic vibes. If you thought that advanced musical techniques weren’t part of the roots umbrella, think again. Charm School was a notable standout, but the album is chock full of fantastic playing. Just hit shuffle and be amazed.
Now, to add some singles I didn’t mention in the initial comment.
Harmonica- Bunt. (2014)
Take this EDM song and put it into the category of pop country songs performed by non-country singers. Quite rare although it shouldn't be. If the genre lines are genuinely collapsing like the way all the Nashville defenders claim, then you'd expect a back and forth to exist. For every genre bending Morgan Wallen song, there should be a similar overlap from the rootsier side of pop. Why isn’t Ed Sheeran or Harry Styles considered to be making pop country when they have acoustic folksy songs on their records? Rant aside, this is just fun and energetic. It’s pretty dope to see harmonica used in fun ways. I guess it’s supposed to be a bit of a breakup dirge, but it’s way too cool to be let down by those kinda thoughts.
Fairytale- Willie Shaw (2023)
I’ve covered Shaw before. He’s a pop act based out of Nashville who dabbles in more country influence on some of his more somber content. I loved Sunday Call from a couple years ago and this fits right into that lane. This is focused on a potential forever with a girl and it’s a sweet sentiment. Maybe cheesy, but if it catches you in the right moment, you’ll enjoy it. The softness of the production- especially the drumming- works well with Shaws not especially powerful vocal work. Synergy is the ultimate goal in production. This nails the balance.
New Angel- Niall Horan (2020)
I was curious what the former teen heartthrobs of One Direction were up to these days. Styles I didn’t need to check in on. He is everywhere these days. Most likely all the teenage girls really enjoyed his work in Dunkirk. You know how those cinephiles can get…. Horan has likewise experienced success but obviously not at the same scale. This song isn’t the most popular nor the most critically acclaimed song on the album. In fact, it’s a disco inspired outlier on a mostly subdued modern pop rock album. I just loved the groove and catchy hook. Slapped near the end of an introspective (and sloppy) breakup album, the levity is appreciated. Fun listen. If you want the best song on the album, listen to Still. You want vibes, try this.
Tumbleweed- Roo Arcus (2020)
Close your eyes and you’d swear this Aussie dude is a George Strait clone. And I don’t mean that in the “Wow Randall King reminds me of old King G”. No, he literally sounds like Strait in every possible aspect. Rest of the album is great, but this one just sticks.
Paper Rosie- Gene Watson (1977)
It’s a classic for a reason. Like a goodness-gracious-remind-me-why-this-isn’t -in-the-conversation-for-best-country-song-of-all-time level classic. Story songs have a special place in country. Bring them back please. And not “look, here’s a deep inspirational and personal story about how I met a women at a bar and she was drinking White Claw™️”. Every line in the song is carefully written and delivers for maximum gut punch. Succeeds on all accounts.
I was gonna also talk about the Aaron Watson song Out Of My Misery, but I feel like I rave about his music too much. Gotta keep things in balance.
hope you enjoyed this little piece,
Joe
I love all the songs! Thanks for writing!