Label admits theft of Country music!

Love And Theft : Runaway

Rascal Flatts record on a label called Lyric Street records.  They produce middle-of-the-road pop music which appeals to millions, and that's fine.

But I object to the label calling it Country music. It is not.

Now Lyric Street (part of the Disney empire) has a "sister" label called Carolwood Records.

And a new trio - "Love and Theft" have emerged as the new label's great hope.

I have to ask how much effort Carolwood is putting in to these guys careers. The publicity pic is hardly illuminating - you can JUST see the guys behind the artistically arranged red chairs.

"Love and Theft" sound like a poor man's Rascal Flatts: they produce BAD middle-of-the-road pop music. Which is fine.  But Carolwood are calling it ... you guessed, Country music.

Trash can for this rubbish though it will doubtless appeal to millions and top the "Country" charts!

Matt Stillwell : Rain

I HATE it when I play a CD - download - whatever, and have to grab for the volume control before my ears are blown clear off my head.

Matt Stillwell's single is a nice little song about a road trip and the rain and it's part of the "loudness wars" now afflicting the entire music industry.

Every record label executive seems to be telling the engineers that their song must be louder than the competition's singles. That way, they figure, they'll be better heard on radio.

They use lots of technical gubbins - mainly compressors - to artificially raise the volume and "fullness" of the songs. The sad fact is that, for radio play, songs with less compression sound louder and better. Who says? America's top mastering engineer!!!

And before Matt's label tell me I had my stereo way too loud: I didn't - it's a studio system designed to play back studio recordings.

They messed your song up Matt, I'm so sorry!

Jessica Harp : Boy Like Me

Catchy little ditty which might confuse at first. She's a GIRL. So how can she sing a song about a "boy like me".

Well, believe me, she can and the writers make it work. You just have to listen carefully.

This is the kind of party music you can happily let play in the background while you pop a top or two and enjoy loud chatter.

I wish her well, because she has a good voice.

But, in truth, this sucks and that means she may well make the top 20 on her debut!