Category Archives: New Country

by | October 7, 2014 · 11:31 am

Zac Brown Band Live!

I recently went to a Zac Brown Band concert. I’ve been to a lot of country music concerts in my time ranging from obscure Texas country to big name country stars and I have never had as much fun at a single live music showing than I did when I saw Zac Brown. I actually went only a few days ago so I heard everything that they have put out thus far including “Chicken Fried”, “Toes”, “Day of the Dead”, and Keep Me in Mind”. However, that wasn’t all they played. They did awesome covers of “Ride the Lightning” by Metallica, and “The Devil Went Down to Georgia” by Charlie Daniels and “Bohemian Rhapsody” by Queen.

Everything about their show was fun and lively. From the hard core jam sessions in the middle of a song to launching t-shirts into the crowd. Everything they did was fun simply because they looked like they were having so much fun. At one point Zac Brown brought a little girl on stage, signed his guitar and gave it to her. She did what I probably would have done as well, burst into tears right on stage. Furthermore, towards the end of the show they came out in glow in the dark skeleton suits and masks to perform their new single “Day For The Dead” successfully surprising the entire crowd, including myself.

Overall, the concert was a good portrayal of their playing style and the energy that they exude. Every song they played had emotion and heart behind it which made it easy to jam and sing along to. They got the crowd up and out of their seats and dancing in the aisles with beer and nachos livening up the festivities. They are crowd pleasers and their music allows for a lively and energetic atmosphere. Better yet every song they played sounded just as good if not better than the studio recorded versions. Its hard to do that. It tough for artists to carry over successfully from the studio to the stage but they do it so seamlessly as if each show is their first show exuding confidence and a respect for the crowd.
I just want to point out that the Zac Brown Band may not be entirely original in their predominantly southern sound but they are fresh and welcoming and their shows certainly are of a high caliber. They have a great knack for moving the crowd and giving the people what they want… One hell of a show! If there was ever any doubt in my mind about the Zac Brown Band before its certainly gone now. They have a “feel good sound for hard times” as Zac Brown says himself. I am grateful I got to see them live and I hope everyone else gets a chance to do so because its truly an incredible show to see.

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Filed under Live Music, New Country

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by | October 5, 2014 · 2:23 pm

Country Studyin’

When I’m studying or writing papers, I always have some sort of music playing. Depending on what type of day it is, the music can vary from 90’s hip-hop to blues/jazz, but I always prefer Country Music. Some songs certainly stick out above others, and some songs are not meant to listen to while studying. I try to shoot for the medium-paced soothing country songs to help me focus on my work. Any type of loud/fast up-tempo songs usually distract me from my work. I’m sure there are some that disagree, but as I care to tell it, this is how I prefer to groove while doing school work.IMG_0358

There are certain songs I listen to depending on what type of homework I have to do. This song is a prime example of a not too slowed-down melody that would be great to listen to while writing a paper. Eric Church tells a story that many people can relate to in this song. Personally, I enjoy hearing a story like this while writing papers, it puts you in a better mood and keeps your mind off how much you have left to write. When writing a paper, nobody should listen to a song like Whiskey Lullaby by Brad Paisley. This type of song could potentially put you in a sad mood and make you not want to write any further.

Wayfaring Stranger has been performed by different types of artists such as Jack White, Ed Sheeran and Johnny Cash. I prefer to listen to not only the Johnny Cash version, but any Johnny Cash tunes when i’m studying for an exam for various reasons. There is something about listening to older country music that really helps me concentrate while studying. When I listen to older country songs, I don’t know the words to a lot of them. I think this helps me focus on learning a topic because i’m not singing the words in my head, and these songs are rather used for background music.

This song incorporates my two favorite types of music to listen to while doing homework: Country & Blues. It’s unique to me in many ways, and can be listened to in either writing a paper or studying. First written by Ray Charles, Willie Nelson combines the bluesy rhythms into his own country twang to create a musical masterpiece. It might be a little slower than Sinners Like Me, but it’s an uplifting song that one could listen to while writing a paper. It’s also an older song that could be listened to while studying or reading. The Blues part slows the song down and helps me focus on the object at hand.

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Willie Nelson (left) and Ray Charles (right)

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Filed under Classic Country, Lists, New Country, Song Analysis

by | September 30, 2014 · 11:57 am

The iHeartRadio Country Festival

Lights flashing, fans screaming, and music blaring; the iHeartRadio Country Festival 2014 was in full swing. It was held at the Frank Erwin Center in Austin. Obviously, Austin was a perfect place to have one of the best country lineups to date. Luke Bryan, Jason Aldean, Florida Georgia Line, Eric Church, Lady Antebellum, Hunter Hayes, Carrie Underwood, Jake Owen, and Dan + Shay all blew the roof off. My favorite performance was Eric Church. He played a lot of the songs on his newest album, but didn’t forget to play “Springsteen” and “Drink in My Hand.” Without a doubt, the artist that had the biggest reaction from the audience was Luke Bryan. Maybe it was because he performed last, or maybe it was because all the ladies go crazy for him.

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital was the official charity partner of the event, and this altered my impression of country music. We all know the stereotypes: beer chugging, short shorts, and cut off t-shirts. This concert was different. It shifted the spotlight to an important cause, and the crowd loved it. I have never heard of a rap or hip-hop concert that had a charity sponsorship.

The iHeartRadio Country Festival was the second country festival that I’ve been exposed to. Back home in Minnesota, WE Fest is the festival of choice for country fans. The alcohol-induced crowd camps out for three nights and every day seems mashed together. It holds a similar big name lineup, but also has some small label bands perform as well. In comparison to concerts that differ in genre, country music concerts have always been the most fun! Everyone sings every song. People dance, make friends with strangers, and are all there to support the country music industry.

Looking back, the iHeartRadio Country Festival was the best concert I’ve ever been to. The fact that it was in what we most call “The Live Music Capital of the World” made the concert seem that much more relevant in country music terms. After learning about Austin’s role in Willie Nelson’s career, I now realize how important Austin was to the progression of country music. Now all I can think about is getting tickets for the next festival. Who is going to be in the lineup? Who do you want to see the most? Have you been to a big country music Festival? I’m just hoping that Eric Church comes back for another time around.

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Filed under Austin, Live Music, New Country

by | · 9:21 am

Country Nights on Spotify

I recently caved in to the pressures from society, and all of my friends, and made myself an account on Spotify. I had never really understood what the big deal was, because I had music on my ITunes and listened to the radio whenever I was in my car. I got my fix of music, both country and other, or so I thought. I went online and decided to take the plunge and create an account just to see what all of the hype was about.

Needless to say, my life has been changed forever. I went for the Premium option since it’s half off for students, and why not spend more money as a broke college student. I didn’t really know what I was doing, as I was new to the Spotify experience, so I just started clicking random things and searching for random music.

Of course, being the fanatic I am, my first search was for anything country. I stumbled upon a playlist titled Country Nights, which contained a mix of country-dance music and many songs that you might hear on your typical country radio station. To say that I listened to this playlist non-stop in all of my free time would be an understatement because I listened to this music even when I should have been studying or paying attention to other things. Imagine my excitement when I realized the true glory of Spotify playlists; they are continuously adding new music.

In the past week, there have been five new songs added to the list: “Burnin’ It Down” and “Tonight Looks Good On You” by Jason Aldean, “Drink It Up” by Kenny Chesney, “Lonely Tonight” by Blake Shelton ft. Ashley Monroe, and “Day Drinking” by Little Big Town.

  1. “Burnin’ It Down” by Jason Aldean Like a lot of Jason Aldean’s music, this song has a very pop feel, with the addition of some techno/alternative hints at the beginning of the song and a little bit throughout. It is trying to be a slow, more intimate song, but the background bass and electric sounds are leaning more toward a dance song. The words themselves are kind of country, but, honestly, I don’t think the song really fits Jason Aldean’s personality. Even though Jason has, as of 5 days ago, a fiancé 10 years younger than him, he is typically seen as more of a family man with his 2 young daughters. This song, however, is a very sexual song, which, aside from his photographed affair in 2012, is not typically Jason’s style. Overall, I’d say this is more R&B than country in its makeup.85fcc9e1717888a8ccbb031dab8eb44398e12a85
  1. “Tonight Looks Good On You” by Jason Aldean Just like “Burnin’ It Down,” this song has a very techno background feel throughout the song. My feelings about this song are pretty similar to my feelings of “Burnin’ It Down.” I don’t think that this is really a country song, and honestly I think that Jason is pulling a Taylor Swift move and drifting toward pop music. I don’t know if it’s intentional, but I think these songs are definitely showing this dramatic change in his production standard. Only time will tell whether this is a good move or bad move for Jason.
  1. “Drink It Up” by Kenny Chesney This song is totally country in my opinion. It has a strong rock influence, but I think that in this case it really adds to the country feel. The drinking theme throughout the song is one that is very frequently used in country music, and the asymmetrical rhythm gives the song more of a rough, redneck feel. Kenny Chesney has come on to many people’s radars recently with the popularity of “American Kids,” but I definitely think that this is one of my favorite songs of his I have heard.
  1. “Lonely Tonight” by Blake Shelton ft. Ashley Monroe Before I saw this song appear on the playlist, I had never heard of Ashley Monroe, so I was very skeptical at first. However, as normal, Blake Shelton did not disappoint with his song or his duet partner. This song encompasses everything that I think of when I think of a country love song. The lyrics flow without being overwhelmingly cheesy, and the song tells a story. That, plus the fact that Blake and Ashley’s voices perfectly complement each other, makes this song perfect in my eyes.
  1. “Day Drinking” by Little Big Town This song has been playing for a while now on country radio stations, so, having heard it before, I was very excited when I saw it had been added to the playlist. The whistling at the start of the song sets that initial country feel that is portrayed so heavily throughout the song. Like “Drink It Up” by Kenny Chesney, this song plays off of the theme of drinking and having a good time that is so prevalent in so many country songs. This is just a really happy, feel good song, which I think will stay in the country scene for a long time, especially with the catchy beat that will make people want to sing along.

Although not all of the recently posted songs are one hundred percent country in my eyes, I love how great this playlist is. I’m really looking forward to seeing what songs are posted in the coming weeks, because I have already discovered some great new music, and I can’t wait to see what’s next!

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Filed under Lists, New Country, Song Analysis

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by | September 29, 2014 · 11:24 pm

The Legends All Together

Country music has always been my main go-to music. Whether I am sad or happy, no matter the time of day, country music is always acceptable. I have gone to plenty of country music concerts from Lady A. to George Strait. As a country music fan, I look forward to the country awards shows, like the ACM’s and CMA’s. Something about hearing the new hits live, witnessing the new artists perform and hoping my favorite artist wins is a thrill in itself. In March 2013, I was privileged with my first live award show experience at the ACM’s, or Academy of Country Music Awards.

We took a girls trip to Vegas for my sister’s 21st birthday. Amidst the fun, quick- paced atmosphere of Vegas, we spent our last night attending the ACM awards. It was one of the most exciting experiences of my life. Seeing my favorite performers in one sitting and being in the same room with the top country artists was an adrenaline rush.

Along with getting to see all of my favorite performers, two of my favorite artists were the host of the award show, Blake Shelton and Luke Bryan. These two together are like stand up comedy. They crack jokes, make fun of one another, and even call out the other famous stars in the crowd.

The year we attended, George Strait was ending his “Cowboy Rides Away” tour. He only had a few scheduled, live performances left, and we were able to enjoy one of them. Being long-time fans of George Strait, it was a sentimental experience for my family.

Like most other award shows, there is always the “biggest award” at the end of the show. Along with being a host that year, Luke Bryan won ‘Artist Of The Year.’ It was rewarding to see him accept that award in person and genuinely thank the fans for being country music fans.

To top off the amazing experience we had being a part of the crowd, we unexpectedly ran into one of my all time favorite country artists, Clay Walker! It was a very cool experience to meet and talk with him. He kindly took a picture with us so we could have such a memorable experience documented. When I was little, my dad would play Clay Walker’s music every day on the way to elementary school. To me, he is one of the few country legends.Clay Walker!

We had an unforgettable experience at the ACM awards. Unforgettable enough that we decided to go back this past March. Blake Shelton and Luke Bryan hosted for the second year in a row, and the show was even better the second time around!

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Filed under Awards, New Country, Reflection