Tracy Lawrence sings Country. The rest ...

Country Music Singles Reviews

Tracy Lawrence sings Country. The rest ...

Tracy Lawrence - Up To Him.
My Pick of the week!

Songs with a message can be dangerous ground, but not when they are handled with the care and attention that Lawrence and his label have lavished on this song.

The chorus is one of the most timely and memorable lyrics I've heard in more years than I care to remember.

The tune is a little over familiar for my liking - haven't I heard it some place before? - but I forgive that on the grounds that it ties to the words perfectly.

The production emphasises Lawrence and the words, NOT the powerful backing.

Some folks might thing, since it started getting airplay several weeks ago, that this is about Obama. It's not. The Him of the title demands a CAPITAL H!

I can't wait for June and the album.

Brad Paisley : Then.

I guess it had to happen. Eventually even Brad Paisley would succumb to the attraction of crossover pop music.

For so many years, he's been almost the last man standing when it came to sticking to true Country music.

But - if this is anything to go by - those days are gone.

Technically, the studio (or Paisley) have entered the 'loudness war' where how loud the song plays on your radio/CD player/MP3 machine is more important than the musical integrity. Stick to the MUSIC and let folks use a VOLUME control!!!!

The song itself is dull as yesterday's dishwater - a hackneyed melody, hackneyed lyrics and the ONLY saving grace is that at least Paisley can sing.

Which all adds up to Mr P's next "Country" number one. Except it won't be. It'll be his first pop number one but in the "Country charts".

Carrie Underwood : I Told You So

If Paisley was the last man to fall to pop music pressure, Carrie Underwood was right at the other end of the line leading the way.

This is a wonderful pop song, and asking Country veteran Randy Travis to duet with her does nothing to make it a Country song.

This is power balladry in which Underwood demonstrates her wonderful vocals and the backing includes a token fiddle (listen closely, it really is there!!).

Travis's vocals are wonderful and strangely - when he sings, it takes on more of a Country feel!

Williams Riley : I'm Still Me

Debut single from the Williams Riley Band which the overenthusiastic label describes at the "HOT AS A FIRECRACKER RADIO EDIT".

Well, if they're talking about over compressing the whole thing, they're right. It'll make the top 20 with harmonies and cannon singing al la Rascal Flatts. I have a word for it: Horrible!

Martina McBride : Ride

From the Grand Old Opry to a check-out in Walmart. It sounds like how the mighty are fallen, but that's not quite it.

McBride's "Live from a Walmart Check-out" is her latest single.

She still cuts it (the singing, not the meat) and this sounds way better than most of the releases this week!