Michael Ray is the latest in a long line of generic male artists that have emerged with a sterile hit single, only to open to putrid album sales that represents the state of the genre, which is built for short-term popularity with any shred of long term vision swept to the side. Ray's debut single, the iHeartRadio On the Verge supported "Kiss You In the Morning", hit the top of the Country airplay chart, despite middling at best sales and it being a semi-bro-country retread of bland and unoriginal thematic content. While his opening single may have been uninspiring and simply a poor listening experience, his newest release, "Real Men Love Jesus", can be seen as a significant step downwards.

Similar to also On the Verge sponsored RaeLynn's debut single, "God Made Girls", "Real Men Love Jesus" is nothing more than a check-list of stereotypical traits that makes one "manly", such as Saturday nights on the town, fast cars and football, backed with a title hook that declares the necessary religious affiliation for one to qualify as a man. The second verse, featuring topics such as calling home every day and praying, is only slightly more interesting than the opener, which is not in any way, shape or form an accomplishment. Topping beer and attractive women is not a feat. It isn't. Fact of the matter is, it still conveys the message that men must abide by certain standards and live a narrowly described lifestyle to be considered a so-called "real man".

The one aspect saving "Real Men Love Jesus" from reaching the horrific, unprecedented lows of Jerrod Niemann's "Donkey" or Haley Georgia's "Ridiculous", is the fact that the backing arrangement and instrumentation is solidly neo-traditional, while the melody holds it's own, much in the same way that the strong melody and production saved "God Made Girls" from the attaining the label that beholds the offerings from Niemann and Georgia.

Let's get one thing straight though. No amount of steel guitar or lack of hip-hop beats would be enough to save this record. "Real Men Love Jesus" is sexist garbage, and is one of the single worst things offered up by country music in 2015 to-date. 


Grade: F
Listen: "Real Men Love Jesus"

By Markus Meyer

You know, a lot of people tend to overlook Lee Brice, at least in my mind. He’s always struck a nice balance in his songs, such as love songs (“Hard To Love”, “Love Like Crazy”, “A Woman Like You”), sentimental songs (“I Drive Your Truck”, “I Don’t Dance”), and even fun songs like Drinking Class. So now, we have the third single from his 2014 album, I Don’t Dance, titled, “That Don’t Sound Like You”. Unfortunately the song doesn’t connect like some of his best.

“That Don’t Sound Like You” reminds me thematically of Old Dominion’s, “Break Up With Him”. We have a guy who is meeting up with an old lover for the first time in awhile. The woman who the guy used to know is no longer the woman she is today, particularly due to having a new love herself . Unlike the Old Dominion song, Lee doesn’t come across as a total asshole by commanding her to break up with her new boyfriend. He simply states that if she isn’t happy, she can always come back to him. Now, I do have a problem with the way this song is conveyed. We never once hear from the girl herself that things aren’t right between her and her new love. It is merely speculation on the male narrator’s part. So while Lee doesn’t come across as a total macho asshole, he does come across as a tad arrogant thinking that things are wrong just because she doesn’t act like she used to with him.

For the production, I like it. The chorus is booming, but not in a way that is overbearing. Lee delivers a heck of a vocal performance. It might be too much for some people, but I think it fits within the context of country music nicely.

Overall, this song had good intentions, and while I’m sure Lee meant to come across as sincere, he comes across as a tad arrogant instead. Still, if you’re one who can look past the lyrics, this sound isn’t half bad. It doesn’t soar like the first two singles from this album, but it’s definitely not the worst thing you’ll hear this year.

Grade: B-
Listen: “That Don’t Sound Like You”

Author: ​Zackary Kephart

After releasing one of the best singles so far this year with “Girl Crush”, Little Big Town is back with the title track to their latest album, Pain Killer. Now, as for the album itself, it was a very polarizing listen that had many songs I loved, and many songs that I wish had stayed off the album. “Painkiller” was one of the latter.

The song isn’t atrocious, but it is heavily lackluster. The song itself talks about how a loved one acts as one’s pain killer, someone who erases the pain of everyday troubles. It is a nice theme, but it could have been better written. What really clinches this song is the annoying reggae beat that accompanies it. The band just sounds so uncomfortable with it, especially as they sing, “yeah you take it away-ay-ay-ay-ay-ay”. The song is overproduced and just doesn’t move any sort of needle at all. I can’t believe that they went from a beautiful song like “Girl Crush” to something like this.

Overall, this isn’t terrible but it’s so… empty. There is no point to this song whatsoever, and also has an annoying production to it that is just incredibly unnecessary. I know the band is capable of much more than this, but you wouldn’t know it based on this song. “Pain Killer” is something I’ll forget about in a month.
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Grade: C-
Listen: “Pain Killer”

Author: ​Zackary Kephart

When it comes to Texas-Country, one of the groups that you will probably be recommended to check out if you don’t know anything about Texas-Country would be the Turnpike Troubadours. They have an incredible sound to them, mixing modern sounds with the roots of country. If you want to make a claim as to who is actually evolving country music, then you need not look any further than the Turnpike Troubadours. Their new single, as you may have already guessed, is another fantastic addition to their discography.

The song chugs along with that same mix of new and old that I mentioned earlier. As for it’s about, the song mentions a man who has suffered from some sort of loss. His friend (the male narrator) offers some compassion to his friend through this ordeal. The song has an easy going nature to it despite the theme. This is a song that could appeal to underground and mainstream fans alike. Much like Zac Brown Band’s “Homegrown” earlier this year, this is a great example of crafting a song that is fun while at the same time has some depth to it. The theme is pretty easy to relate to as well, making it a song for anyone. Actually, we never really find out why the friend is suffering, inviting the listener to craft their own interpretation.

Overall, this is a solid song from an always solid band that proves traditional country can sound fun and smart at the same time. Count me in as someone who is excited for September to roll along for a new album from this group.

Grade: A
Listen: “Down Here”

Author: Zackary Kephart

After much anticipation and excitement wondering what Carrie Underwood’s “big news” was (even though it could pretty much only be one thing….), listeners were finally treated to the first single from Carrie’s new album titled, Storyteller (due October 23rd). “Smoke Break” is already garnering a ton of attention, and there’s a good reason why.

“Smoke Break” feels like a departure from Carrie Underwood’s latest material, at least in the production aspect. Past singles such as “Blown Away”, “Something In The Water”, and “Little Toy Guns” all had very Pop leaning sounds, where “Smoke Break” is a more vintage Country-Rock style. Now, normally, Pop leaning songs in the Country genre often fall flat, mainly because they have little to no Country resemblance within them, and are just simply annoying. Carrie Underwood is a rare example of an artist who can take songs like the above mentioned, and add elements that make the songs rooted in Country, adding a much needed balance. Carrie does this best by adding storytelling elements, one of the most important aspects of Country music history. And, as you can guess from the title of her new album, that aspect isn’t going away, in fact, Carrie promises to even make this album more “twangy” and even traditional. Time will tell about the album, but for right now, “Smoke Break” “carries” (ha get it?) the torch of adding highly relatable stories into one song. This one in particular revolves around a single mother who is working hard to provide for four kids. She doesn’t smoke or drink but she’d like to. Now, after reading other reviews, I can see that this line is debatable. I read it as a simple expression, a metaphor for stating that she’s tired and needs a break rather than actually smoking and drinking to repress her troubles. It reminds me a bit of the message in George Strait’s, “I Hate Everything”. The other person involved is a man who is the first one in his family to go to college. He is feeling the pressures of trying to make it up the financial ladder, and much like the woman, he needs a break. This song isn’t quite as serious as her last two, but it still embodies a strong message that should appeal to radio (and she did without turning the song into a clichefest…..In 2015 this is something I’m forced to commend sadly). If there is any criticism I’m forced to make on the song, it’s that the production forces the melody to get a tad lost at times.

Although Bro-Country isn’t the No.1 trend in Country music right now, ghosts of its past still linger around on the airwaves. Before you think you’ve stumbled upon another review, let me make this clear, this song is the opposite of that trend. Bro-Country depicts life as one big, drunk party where everyone is in la la land. “Smoke Break” depicts life as it truly is – a stressful SOB that everyone needs an escape from every once in awhile. Actually, with its Country-Rock style, this song defies the current trend of incorporating R&B and Pop sounds into Country as well.

“Smoke Break” isn’t a song of the year type of song, but it still could be one of the most important. The song feels more like a hit than her last two, and as the first single from new music from Underwood, perhaps we could see the tides shift in Country music back to more meaningful, heartfelt songs. Even if it doesn’t, “Smoke Break” is still an excellent song and shows an A-lister taking charge, something that we desperately need right now.

Grade: A-
Listen: “Smoke Break”

Author: ​Zackary Kephart

Songs about women being cheated on and disgraced isn’t exactly new in Country music. That doesn’t automatically make everyone of them bad however. Some of them combine the right level of sass with great lyrics and/or production to make a winning single. Case in point: Rainey Qualley’s “Me and Johnny Cash”.
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The rocking number tells of a woman who has been done wrong by a man she once loved. Instead of crying over it though, she instead opts to get a little help from the Man In Black by tearing up some old love letters, having a bottle of wine, and of course spinning a record by the Man In Black himself. Several of Johnny Cash’s songs are cited in this song, as well as his famous light smashing incident that caused Cash to become banned from the Grand Ole Opry.  Some may feel that the references are a tad cliche, and I suppose I can understand that, however I feel that the references work well in their context. Rainey also brings a vocal performance that is just right for giving it an angry element to it, while also making it a tad fun, resulting in a song that is easy enough to like, without taking itself too seriously. The song also embodies a nice Country/Rock production that while a tad overproduced at times, showcases a nice blend of Country and Rock, which one could read into as an ode to the Man In Black’s style of Rockabilly.

Sure, this song isn’t exactly original, but between the rocking production and the vocal performance, it’s something I can easily get behind and makes me curious to check out some of Rainey’s other work.

Grade: B
Listen:  “Me and Johnny Cash”

Author: Zackary Kephart

The primary criticism of Kacey Musgraves' career to-date, through two studio projects, is the fact that, both sonically and lyrically, she has rarely stepped outside her comfort zone. That's not to say that the vast majority of her limited catalog isn't very good to great, because it is, but it's hard to argue that she's put a varied style of music thus far. However, "Dime Store Cowgirl" finds Musgraves leaning towards a more pop-country style melodically and production wise, with astonishing results.

"Dime Store Cowgirl" is an auto-biographical tune that vividly paints, what one would assume, the life of the young Musgraves', with little tidbits such as "I've had my picture made with Willie Nelson" and "I felt really small under Mount Rushmore" adding depth an intricacy to the listening experience. Unlike much of Musgraves' past work, "Cowgirl" focuses on personal experience rather than social commentary, which she tackles with just as much, if not more, proficiency. 

From a sonic standpoint, "Dime Store Cowgirl" is easily Musgraves' finest moment to-date, with twangy guitars and an addictive melody mixing to make for a record that is both radio friendly, and at the same time undoubtedly country. Throw in Musgraves' light-but-commanding vocal, and you have a single tailor-made for repeat listens.

As good as her past singles have been - namely "Merry Go 'Round" and "Follow Your Arrow" - "Dime Store Cowgirl" is an outstanding listen on all fronts, and may just be her best radio single yet.

Grade: A
Listen: "Dime Store Cowgirl"

By Markus Meyer

​Meet William Michael Morgan. He’s a new artist on Warner Music Nashville who is only twenty years old. His first single for the label is one that will shock you, but in a good way. “I Met A Girl” is definitely a fantastic slice of neo-traditional Country that showcases a man who is only twenty, and yet is singing about more mature subject material than some of this format’s biggest stars. There is however, one thing that is incredibly shocking about this traditional tune…

…It was co-written by Shane McAnally, Trevor Rosen and Sam Hunt. Wait what?!? Sam Hunt? Yup, there is an acoustic guitar and a steel guitar heard in this song and Sam Hunt was a part of it. Listening to this song makes me realize that maybe Sam maybe could make good Country music, but instead chooses to push out Pop drivel. But back to the song. William’s vocals are definitely Country, like a mix of Joe Nichols and Blaine Larsen. The song itself is actually very well written despite the somewhat generic topic of meeting a girl and describing how she makes the male narrator feel. Kudos to the songwriters for making this a pretty good song. The production on this song allows this song to breathe, allowing room for the Country instruments to be heard as well as room for William’s smooth vocals.

Overall, this song is definitely a bright spot in Country music. The song has an incredible soothing feel to it, and also mentions a guy’s love for a woman without objectifying her as a sex object like so many of these songs tend to do. I can admit when even artists I don’t care for make good music. No, I’m not talking about William, i’m talking about Sam Hunt. As for William, he is definitely a male that I will be rooting for this year.
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Grade: A-
Listen: “I Met A Girl”

Author: Zackary Kephart

​Anyone who has been following Tim McGraw ever since he joined Big Machine Records knows that his choices for lead singles have been some of, if not the worst songs of his career. Obviously someone agreed, as “Truck Yeah” just barely scraped the Top Ten and “Lookin’ For That Girl” bombed at #15. So when Tim McGraw announced he was releasing a new lead single, I have to admit that I was definitely nervous as to what the results could bring. So in regards to this, how does “Top Of The World” stack up to the other two lead singles, and every other single Tim has released for Big Machine thus far?

Well, it’s better than “Truck Yeah” and “Lookin’ For That Girl”, but it’s no “Diamond Rings and Old Barstools” or “Meanwhile Back At Mama’s” either. The song opens with an annoying hip hop beat (but don’t most Country songs do these days?), and there is an electronic production throughout most of the song. It’s not nearly as grating as “Lookin’ For That Girl” but it is still unnecessary.  As for what the songs about, it’s nothing groundbreaking. It’s about how two lovers don’t need anything else in their lives besides love, and as long as they have that, they’ll be sitting on “top of the world”.  What ultimately saves this song is the vocals. Tim McGraw usually nails this portion of a song, and it’s no different here. I will also mention that he at least brings some life into this piece, which elevates it to above average.

Overall, “Top Of The World” is nothing to get too excited for, but it’s not the worst song in the world, and will hopefully be the anomaly of an otherwise fantastic album, as was the case with his last two albums.

Grade: C+
Listen: “Top Of The World” (Note: Must have Spotify to listen)

​Author: Zackary Kephart

The heart wrenching new single from Pat Green is one that could easily apply to any singer who is out there on the road while their family is holding down the fort back home.

The song is about a singer who has just come home only to see his little girl is growing up and has already grown a ton since the last time he saw her. He realizes that he hasn’t been there for her like he should. He states that the hardest part of his job isn’t the bills he has to pay, but the things he’s missed while he was away. The song gets heavier as it moves along when the father sees a picture on the refrigerator of him and his daughter that his daughter drew. He realizes that she isn’t the only being missed in the family. The song itself is very quiet in its production, adding no more than an acoustic guitar, a piano, and a fiddle.

What will really grab you is Green’s vocal performance. It’s earnest, heartbreaking, and I’m sure that as a singer, he truly feels what he is singing about. This is what I love most about Country music, the honest, gut punching emotional deliveries that truly make a listener sympathize with the artist.

Overall, this single is one of the best in Country music so far this year, and is a perfect example of solid Country gold.

Grade: A+
Listen: “While I Was Away”

​Author: Zackary Kephart