This trend really takes no prisoners huh? For those who don’t know what I’m talking about, I’m talking about the ever increasing R&B sound in mainstream country music. Unlike its predecessor “bro-country”, R&B country infects even the good artists. Now, in 2014, I discovered two debut albums from males who I thought were going to bring some integrity back to the genre. Those two were Jon Pardi, and Eric Paslay. Jon has stuck to his neo-traditional sound quite nicely on his new single and is truly one of the good guys in mainstream country music. Eric however, is just another artist who has bitten the dust.

Eric had a very nice country-pop sound on his debut album that really shined on tracks like “Country Side Of Heaven”, and “Deep It Is Wide”. His album truly proved you COULD merge country and pop together quite nicely. And if that wasn’t your thing, he even had the traditional monster, “She Don’t Love You” to back it up. Well, forget that sound now, because Eric has truly crossed over to the dark side. Excuse me for incorporating 21st century lingo into this, but I just can’t. Seriously, screw this train-wreck. Let’s talk about the lyrics first. You know, one of the greatest assets on Eric’s album was the strong songwriting. As you can guess, that’s totally absent from this song, in fact, this song has some of the dumbest lyrics I’ve heard all year (you can read them here at your own risk). The theme is about going to a club……………….What, you were expecting something else? Nope, that’s it, story’s done. What the hell is up with country music and clubs now? Oh right, “evolution”. Give me a break. There’s references to Timberlake, Cadi-ing up a lac (what the hell this even means, I don’t know), and being high class because him and his “crew” are at a club. No, you’re not high class Eric, take out the “high” and the first two letters of “class” and you’ll have a picture of what you are in this song. I was honestly hoping there would be a Tom Petty reference just so I could call this the worst song of the year.

Do I even need to mention the sound? This song has the same pop/R&B sound that everyone is doing nowadays. There’s token banjos and acoustic instruments, but they’re merely meant to fool us into thinking this is country. This is a far cry from that country-pop sound I mentioned earlier.

Overall, this song is a joke, and easily one of the worst “country” songs I’ve heard all year. What pisses me off even more is knowing that Eric knows better, and is crossing over to the dark side. Maybe his album will be different, who knows. But for now, all we’re left with is this disappointing pop song.

Grade: F
Listen: “High Class” ​

Author: ​Zackary Kephart

LoCash, formerly the LoCash Cowboys, are back with arguably their most radio-friendly single to-date, titled "I Love This Life", and radio has rewarded the safe selection with a career-best chart position of #27 and climbing.

"I Love This Life" is an upbeat, mildly cliched ditty that is really no more than a list song of things the narrator happens to life. On paper, this record comes across as no better than the average bro-country fare. What elevates "I Love This Life" above the rest of the pack is it's technical aspects.

The production is solidly country-rock that, while not spectacular, is more than listenable, and is eons ahead of the R&B music being shipped to country radio these days. The melody is infectious, particularly in the chorus, while the hook is simple, yet ultimately effective. What really makes this offering shine though, is the way Chris Lucas and Preston Brust absolutely sell it, with their raw enthusiasm and legitimate excitement, and it's that performance that makes it seem like an actual declaration of appreciation, rather than just a checklist of fun and amusing things.

"I Love This Life" is by no means groundbreaking, but it is a song that can and seems to be connecting with a large audience, and is an unquestionably solid effort from an act with a fairly shoddy track record. Good stuff.

Grade: B
Listen: "I Love This Life"

By Markus Meyer

​When it comes to the young career of Dylan Scott, the only way I can describe how I feel towards him is by comparing him to a fly. Annoying, but harmless. Now, I don’t mean any personal disrespect by comparing the guy to an insect, but that’s how I perceive his career. Songs like “Mmm Mmm Mmm” or “Lay It On Me” were cringe inducing for sure to say the least, but thankfully neither made an impact on the charts. So that’s why his newest single, “Crazy Over Me” surprises me, as it is the first single of his career that actually showcases some emotion and authenticity.

The song features a man and a woman who are crazy over each other. She seems to be a little anxious over every detail in the relationship, such as when a pretty girl walks by the two of them, or if she looks fat in a particular shirt, or if she’s smart enough for the guy. The male assures her that there is no reason to fear though, as he will stay by her side no matter what, and thinks she’s crazy for insinuating otherwise (You can be as crazy as you want, as long as you’re crazy over me). Lyrically, it’s miles better than any of his past material (which isn’t saying much). The lyrics are tender and heartfelt, and I’ll give credit to Scott where it’s due. It’s not the best written thing out there, but it’s an improvement.

The sound is also a nice feature of this song, as it is decidedly stripped back and (gasp!) country sounding. There isn’t any attempt at some loud guitar solo, or insertion of some annoying drum machine. The writers knew what they were going for with this, and the production is all the better for it. If there is one issue I take with this song, it’s Scott’s vocals. They’re not horrible, but I just don’t feel like his vocals were the perfect fit for this song. I will say there’s at least an attempt at an emotional delivery, so while it’s not the best, I appreciate the effort.
Overall, this song is light years ahead of anything else in Scott’s career and proves he actually CAN make some quality country music. The song won’t knock your socks off, but I give kudos to Scott for maturing beyond hot girls and horrible pick up lines.

Grade: B+
Listen: “Crazy Over Me”

Author: Zackary Kephart

​You know, when I think of Dustin Lynch, I immediately think of the character, Will Lexington from the television show, Nashville. Why? Because both men have a yearning to be something other than what their label is trying to tell them. Take a listen to Dustin Lynch’s debut single, “Cowboys and Angels”, or even album cuts such as “Hurricane”, and “Your Daddy’s Boots”. Then go listen to stuff like “She Cranks My Tractor”, and “Hell Of A Night”. Notice any differences? Although I’m not sure if this battle between traditional and contemporary has ever shown Dustin more frustrated than on “Mind Reader”. 

Lyrically, “Mind Reader” is nothing new, and relies on the same checklist tropes that are almost seemingly required for a hit these days. There’s a hot girl, torn up jeans, and even a mention of a party. All of this combines to make a weak hook of a girl being a mind reader, since she already seemed to know just how to turn this strange male on. Plus, Dustin uses pretty much every hook up line imaginable in this song. The lyrics use the same road-map that so many other songs do, this one just takes a few twists and turns to get the destination.

Now for the frustrating part. Throughout the song, a steel guitar “effect” is heard that gives this more of a country feel than many other songs do. There’s no doubt that Dustin secretly prefers a more traditional sound, but in today’s climate, that just won’t do. The steel guitar effect symbolizes to me, someone who desires to break free of the shackles that he is bound to by the desire for commercial appeal. Perhaps I’m over analyzing this but so be it. The song isn’t sung in an obnoxious manner like his previous single was, and honestly this song doesn’t SOUND terrible. It’s just the lyrics that need cleaning up.

But even still, “Mind Reader” is just a middle of the road song that, while better than his last two singles, is still just a song that you can take or leave. It’s not the worst thing in the world, but you can certainly do better.
​
Grade: C+
Listen: “Mind Reader”

Author: Zackary Kephart

​Is the AAA format becoming the new safe haven for country artists to release country songs? This is a question I pondered after seeing that both Jason Isbell and Chris Stapleton have released songs to this format. Jason’s “24 Frames” makes sense with its fantastic combination of country and rock, but I am a bit puzzled by the release of Chris’s, “Fire Away”, given that it is most certainly not rock, but instead seeped in traditional country goodness. However, regardless of where this song gets sent to, one thing is for sure is that this song is country gold, and certainly another winner from the man with one of the finest voices in country music.

As I stated above, this song is traditional gold, exemplifying an airy, smokey atmosphere that is perfect for the song. This heartbreak ballad suits Stapleton’s voice down to a T. The booming chorus showcases Stapleton’s powerful range quite nicely. It’s pretty short lyrically, but it more than makes up for that in content. The actual background is a bit mysterious, leaving the listener to draw their own interpretations which I find to be cool and unique. In this song, a male narrator is telling his lover to say the words to him that will hurt him the most, as he apparently deserves it from an implied past conflict. Some background would have been nice, but like I said, making your own interpretations can make a song good too.

Overall, this song is more of a vocal showcase for Stapleton than anything else, but still has a great theme to it, and features beautiful instrumentation and emotion as well. Folks, there’s a reason why this guy was just nominated as a CMA male vocalist of the year. Honestly, this song isn’t even near the best his debut album, Traveller had to offer, but the fact that I’m giving this song a high grade is evidence of the power of the album.

Grade: A-
Listen: “Fire Away”

Author: Zackary Kephart

​Well……this is it……the day that Sam Hunt releases the most uncountriest single of his career to date. Yes. “Leave The Night On”, “Take Your Time”, “House Party”…..all of them look like modern day “Amarillo By Mornings” compared to this new song. Seriously, how did it come to this?!? Many will point out that this song is “partly country” because it mentions a small town, and I will address this argument shortly, but let me point out right now, this song is in NO WAY, SHAPE, OR FORM COUNTRY AT ALL!!!!!! And why do I feel the need to address this matter? Why can’t I just judge it as a Pop song? Because someone thought it would be a great idea to send this to COUNTRY radio, so therefore, it’s a country song right? Wrong. “Breakup In A Small Town” is just another pop song that is using country as a springboard for further opportunities. 

First, let me give this song the SLIGHTEST amount of credit I can. The song revolves around a man who is haunted by an old lover’s memory and is upset that she has already moved on. Ok that’s it, the ONLY good thing about this song is that it’s decently written. Now for the fun part. This song has the same pop/R&B beats that are prevalent in every song of his. And wow, if you thought the spoken word in “Take Your Time” was bad, then get a load of this song! It’s even more annoying and prevalent than ever before! Seriously, stop just for the love of God, stop!

Now, yeah, this is decently written, but the overall theme could just be the worst part. This song revolves around breaking up in a “small town”. Where are small towns usually mentioned? That’s right, country songs! Good guess! Which means that since this song features a small town, it’s at least Country-Pop right? NOPE. In fact, the mention of a small town is what pisses me off the most about this song. Sam, the writers, his label, his mother……EVERYONE knows this isn’t country, and so they think country fans are stupid enough to fall for the idea that this song is country just because it mentions a small town!

Even as a Pop song I don’t think it’s great, and after the reaction that “Take Your Time” received on the Pop charts, I know I’m not the only one who doesn’t think this pop music is that great. Country music is not a recycle bin for other genres, and it is most certainly not a springboard for singers to leap off of and reap profits from.
​
Grade: F
Listen: “Break Up In A Small Town”

Author: Zackary Kephart

​When it comes to non-mainstream acts, it’s hard to get noticed. One will just simply not find their favorite independent artist(s) on the radio. Instead, they will have to resort to the Internet to discover a bunch of cool new sounds that they might have thought were lost in country music. When it comes to underrated independent bands, one of the most noticeable underdogs (does that make sense?) is American Aquarium. They’ve worked hard to get where they are, and finally got noticed by their 2012 Jason Isbell produced album, Burn, Flicker, Die. Now that we are in 2015, American Aquarium are still out there and have just released another song from their highly acclaimed 2015 album, Wolves (which, if you want my quick thoughts on, is excellent). “Losing Side Of Twenty-Five” is definitely a song that captures that underdog persona, and is easily relatable to anyone who feels like giving up.

The country-rock number tells of a man who is twenty-five years old and is stuck in a rut. His friends are all growing up and getting married and have all found successful jobs while he is still a struggling musician. It stings him a little bit that he’s not where he wants to be but he keeps trying anyway, despite everyone telling him to give up and pursue another dream. It’s a tune that anyone can relate to, as I’m sure we all have had those moments in our life where we feel like giving up.

Like I stated before, the song incorporates a blend of country and rock to mold into a very cool and unique sound. The only problem I might have with the song is that the band’s lead singer, BJ Barham sounds a little flat in places where there should be energy. Of course, one might read this as a sign of his troubles being too much for him, which is why he sounds tired.

“Losing Side Of Twenty-Five” doesn’t really capture an anthemic sound, but it does capture a message like that. It’s easy to relate to and comes from the heart, and is another prime example of why American Aquarium is one of independent country’s most underrated bands.

Grade: A-
Listen: “Losing Side Of Twenty-Five”

Author: ​Zackary Kephart

Mo Pitney is one of country music’s greatest assets to come around in a long time. One must only hear the heartbreaking “Clean Up On Aisle Five” or the tearjerker, “Just A Dog” to understand that Mo is the real deal. Here at TICM, we even featured Mo as one of the bright spots in mainstream country music. The thing is, neither one of the above mentioned songs would do anything on country radio today, especially not when Mo is on Curb Records, a label that hasn’t had the best of luck in recent years. So with that, our ears have been treated to Mo’s first two singles, “Country”, and now, “Boy and A Girl Thing”. The thing with “Country”, as I stated in my review was that it was “ok”. It had a great sound, but the lyrics were lacking, and that is also a problem that is found on his latest, “Boy and A Girl Thing”.

That’s not to say that “Boy and A Girl Thing” is a bad song though, it’s far from it actually. The song has that same traditional country sound that is Mo’s bread and butter, complete with plenty of steel and acoustic guitar driving this song along. In a world where mainstream country is favoring Pop and electronic beats, Mo’s sound seems extremely fresh and authentic. Now, the theme of the song gets a little corny. It lists off some things that boys and girls dislike when they’re younger (such as each other), and how they mature into adults who love each other. Some might wish to point out some of the stereotypes that are present in the whole “which gender likes which thing” category, but to me, it’s meant to come off as sincere, and not something like Raelynn’s “God Made Girls”, or Michael Ray’s “Real Men Love Jesus”, where the songs never prove a point. No, instead this song is meant to show a timeline of how boys and girls grow up. Some might find it a tad corny, but it goes deeper than “this gender should like this, this gender shouldn’t like this”.

I’ve said it before, but I’ll say it again, Mo Pitney’s worst two songs have been his singles so far and they’re still pretty dang good. While “Boy and A Girl Thing” is a bit corny lyrically much like “Country” was, it’s hard to dislike Mo when he’s trying to carry a torch for traditional country music in the mainstream. His vocals were made for country music, and that is evident from the first notes of every song he sings. If “Country” was able to reach the top thirty despite having everything going against it, then “Boy and A Girl Thing” should at least be a sizable enough hit to where we can get an album from him. Until then, his singles aren’t bad to listen to.

Grade: B-
Listen: “Boy and A Girl Thing”

Author: Zackary Kephart

​My oh my, what does one do with Rascal Flatts these days? They certainly haven’t had the best of luck at country radio lately. Sure, “Rewind” had a respectable top five peak, but the bro followup, “Payback” became their first ever song to miss the top twenty, and “Riot” didn’t do a whole lot better either. Usually in these sorts of cases, labels decide to call it quits on the current album era and shift to a new single to catapult some momentum. That is not the case with Rascal Flatts, who have just released the fourth single off of their 2014 album, Rewind, titled, “I Like The Sound Of That”. Sure, it’s catchy radio fluff, but is it really the smartest choice for these guys?

There really isn’t much to say about the song itself. As I stated above, it’s radio fluff that probably won’t offend as much as “Payback” did, and yet also won’t showcase Gary’s vocals like “Riot” did. That’s it, the song is just “there”.  It would have made more sense to release this as the second single than the fourth. Now granted, these guys are not quite the shining stars they once were in the industry, but I still think this would have been a smarter choice to release earlier. As for what it’s about….well…..it’s the same old song and dance. A guy is infatuated with his lover and all of the things she does, especially when she calls him to come on over, because “he likes the sound of that”. It’s not meant to come off dirty, in fact I feel more of a “life sucks and I want someone to fall back on” kind of vibe. If I’m giving credit where it’s due, I will say that Gary’s delivery actually brings this song some flavor. It’s inoffensive pop country that, while certainly not grating or anything, is simply just unmemorable.

Overall, I have no idea if this will catapult these guys back into the top ten or even top twenty at this point. I don’t feel that releasing another single from this album is the smartest choice moving forward, but time will tell if I’m wrong about that. Until then, take “I Like The Sound Of That” for what it is. Nothing great, nothing bad, just “eh”.

Grade: C+
Listen: “I Like The Sound Of That”

Author: ​Zackary Kephart

For years, Jason Isbell has been known as a critically acclaimed singer-songwriter that, despite virtually no airplay, had developed a relatively solid fanbase, through both his solo work and his time as the front-man of indie rock band the Drive-By Truckers. Following up one of the most respected albums of the past few years, Southeastern, Isbell's latest project Something More Than Free opened with 46k sold, and spawned what has turned out be his biggest airplay hit to-date, "24 Frames", which has now cracked the top 20 at AAA radio.

"24 Frames" is a wonderfully structured, cleverly written piece of what is a textbook example of evolved country. The song is both parts reflective and urgent, using the film metaphor of 24 frames as it's central hook, while Isbell is fully in control behind the mic, giving a commanding performance that once again showcases his knack for storytelling. What makes the record all the more admirable is the fact that "24 Frames" doesn't sacrifice melodic integrity, as the song possesses an addictive quality that makes it fit for repeated listens.

Jason Isbell is truly a generational talent, one that continually finds new ways to not only shine above his peers, but also push himself artistically from album to album, as well as single to single. Isbell isn't your typical musician and performer. He's a true artist, and "24 Frames" is yet another example of that quality.

Grade: A
Listen: "24 Frames"

By Markus Meyer