Category Archives: Country Subgenres

by | October 14, 2015 · 7:00 am

Brad Paisley’s Free Concert was Priceless

IMG_4766 (2)“FREE” is quite possibly the most important word in a college student’s vocabulary, so when Brad Paisley announced he was packing up his plethora of guitars and heading cross country on a FREE college tour, I’m pretty sure the cheers of coed country fans could be heard for miles. Naturally, I was logged on to my computer at 12:01 AM on August 26 to claim my spot among the 8,400 local Austin fans who would be crammed into the parking lot of UT’s baseball field on September 10 to watch one of country music’s biggest stars. When they opened the gates, my three friends and I booked it across the lot and somehow, unbelievably, managed to secure a spot at the front of the stage not three feet away from the mic. I knew then that it would be an amazing night!

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Pat Green rocking Texas Country before Brad takes the stage

Since we are in Texas it would have been sacrilegious if Brad hadn’t paid homage to our very own genre of Texas country, so it was appropriate that his opening act was none other than his old friend and Texas Country all-star Pat Green. Pat has been active on the Texas Country scene since 1995, and he hasn’t slowed down since. His song “Home” reached 5th on the country music charts when it was released this year. Pat is loved across the country, but he is especially revered at home in Texas. I mean, how could he not be with songs like “I Like Texas” and “Girls from Texas”? He certainly knows how to work the home-court advantage!

As Pat Green closed his set with “Wave on Wave”, Paisley warmed up backstage along with the Texas cheerleaders, UT’s mascot Hook’em, and his (by my count) eight guitars! At 8:40 he took the stage and his fans went wild as he opened with his hits “Crushin’ it” and “Mud on the Tires”. Donning a Texas Football t-shirt, he worked the crowd and made everyone cheer as he threw up his horns.

brad concert hookem

Brad throwing up his horns about 3 feet away from me!

Nothing could put a damper on his performance, not even the 100% chance of rain that fell as he fittingly performed “Perfect Storm” and “Water”. It seemed as though the night could not get any better…but then Brad played a familiar tune on his guitar as he was joined on stage by Hook’em, and together they led the crowd of students in the most epic performance of “The Eyes of Texas” that I have ever witnessed.

From the quirky videos playing behind him on the big screen to his PAISLEY guitars (gotta love a man who embraces real-life puns), Brad put on an unforgettable show! I’m pretty sure the crowd could be heard all the way across campus as every soul at that concert screamed the lyrics to his closing number “River Bank”. I know I certainly had too much fun shouting the line “take a…LIME AND SUCK IT”.

While having a free tour geared toward college students might seem like an odd choice for a veteran artist like Brad Paisley, it was actually a pretty smart career move. With songs like “Alcohol”, “Crushin’ It”, and “Online”, Brad’s quirky sense of humor and social commentary are the perfect tools to reel in a population of young, college-aged fans. The cherry on top is his love for college football which inspired him to launch his tour at the start of the fall semester. His new single “Country Nation” is his theme song for the tour; it names dozens of college mascots, but focuses on how even though we might wear different colors on game day we are still united through country music. With its quasi-patriotic sound, it really is the perfect anthem to bring students together, and it certainly didn’t hurt that it expanded Brad’s fan base in the process.

“We’re Mountaineers, we’re Volunteers/We’re the Tide that rolls, we’re Seminoles/We’re a heard of Longhorn steer…On two thousand country stations/Yeah we’re one big country nation that’s right”

In spite of the criticism Brad faces as he veers more toward the bro-country style, I’m not ashamed to say that I fan-girled the entire night, and my heart skipped a beat when he performed a guitar solo an arm’s length away from me. This was definitely one of the best concerts I’ve ever attended and it was a perfect start to the new school year. So thank you, Brad, for the FREE concert and for just being you. You were certainly Crushin’ It on that stage all night long!

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Yes, Brad Paisley was inches away from my camera lens

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Filed under Austin, Blog Post 2, Bro Country, Concert, Country Rock, Texas

by | October 10, 2015 · 7:00 am

Making the Most of Everything: Country Music Lessons

For every nostalgic song produced by country music, there is one that reflects on the opposite message. Living in the moment is important for everyone, especially in a time where little distractions are so common. In order to have no regrets, you have to make the most of every minute, which is a hard task. Country music always cuts to the heart of a matter, and this topic is no different. As someone in college who is trying to make the most of these four years, these songs will always have a special place. Here are five of the greatest ‘living in the moment’ country songs:

“I Hope You Dance” – Lee Ann Womack

This country pop song came out in March 2000, and won multiple awards. Lee Ann Womack reminds me of Carrie Underwood in some ways. This song is filled with hope about the future and emphasizes not letting any time go by without making the most of it. It’s hard not to feel inspired!

“Time is a wheel in constant motion always rolling us along, / Tell me who wants to look back on their years and wonder where those years have gone”

“Don’t Blink” – Kenny Chesney

If you’re a fan of Kenny Chesney, then you know that this song is one of his all-time greats. It veers away from his traditional carefree, relaxed beach vacation songs. (Beer in Mexico will always be a classic!) It is fitting that the 2007 album was titled Just Who I Am: Poets and Pirates. He tries to figure out the secret to life, and it’s pretty simple, just live! It seems like just yesterday when I first came to UT, so I definitely relate to this song.

“Trust me friend a hundred years goes faster than you think…So don’t blink”

“I Saw God Today” – George Strait

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wfe8Ik5vU2Y

You wouldn’t think that a song about new baby would really be relatable to most college students, but it’s the general idea that any major life event creates some reflection and a desire to not let things go by so fast. George Strait released this song on his album Troubadour in 2008- considered one of the finest in his long career.

“His fingerprints are everywhere / I just slowed down to stop and stare / Opened my eyes and man I swear, I saw God today”

“You’re Gonna Miss This” – Trace Adkins

A dad who is watching his daughter grow up narrates this song. Each stage of her life brings struggles but also blessings, something everyone can relate to. When the times get too trying, it’s easy to wish you get over the hump and be past it, but there’s so much good you could miss with that kind of outlook. He stresses to her to enjoy every stage of life, because there’s always a part of it she’s going to miss.

“You’re gonna miss this / You’re gonna want this back / You’re gonna wish these days hadn’t gone by so fast”

“Live Like You Were Dying”

In my opinion, this is the ultimate song about living in the moment. I have gotten to see Tim McGraw perform this song three different times in person, and I still get goosebumps. Between the lyrics, the sound, and the way Tim McGraw sings the song, it extremely powerful. The message is clear in this 2004 hit- don’t just live life, live it to the fullest and truly appreciate every moment.

“And he said someday I hope you get the chance, to live like you were dying”

No matter the situation or circumstances, or even the phase of our lives that we find ourselves in, country music remains clear on one thing. Enjoy life and don’t take time for granted- live in the moment!

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Filed under Blog Post 3, Classic Country, Country Pop, Song Analysis

by | October 8, 2015 · 7:00 am

What A&M and Miranda Lambert Have in Common

In 2007, Miranda Lambert released her song “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend”, a classic story about an insanely jealous, gun toting ex girlfriend stalking her boyfriend and throwing things at him in a bar. All of this is completely normal, apparently. And she’s honestly kind of proud of it.

While I can’t say I really identify with Miranda in this situation, it’s still a pretty entertaining song. It’s probably how ridiculous the whole idea is that makes it so good, not many people know what its like to go to 30 bars to try and find your ex boyfriend just to get drunk and throw things at him. But yet it’s so easy to picture it happening that listeners can still relate to it. It also helps to realize what not to do after a breakup, no matter how bad the other person messed up.

We all have some sort of crazy ex though; the one that just can’t seem to get over you. Most likely you haven’t been stalked and assaulted by your ex, but there’s always that one that’s just a little crazy. Usually it just means they can’t stop calling or texting you or even the ones that keep showing up in your life trying to get back with you.

The closest experience I have to this song would be being a UT student and interacting with Texas A&M students. In this situation, the A&M students are the crazy ex. It’s been almost 4 years since these two teams last played each other, and since A&M was beat by the amazing Texas Longhorns. And yet, they still can’t seem to get over us.

To this day, they refer to The University of Texas as “TU”, which is apparently a huge insult. They’re so into hating on us that they even sing about us in their fight song, saying “’They eyes of Texas are upon you’/That is the song they sing so well/So goodbye to Texas University/We’re going to beat you all to.” This song screams “craxy ex-girlfriend” over and over again, just like at the end of Miranda’s song.

I’d say the fact that they feel so strongly about us to incorporate us into their school song says a lot about their sanity levels. But its not just the song that makes them the crazy ex in this relationship, it’s the fact that after 4 years of not playing each other they still sing it. In the words of Mariah Carey, “why you so obsessed with me?”

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The cult that is Texas A&M literally breeds their students to hate UT, while UT students somehow manage to find other things to concern themselves with. Meanwhile, Miranda is following her ex around with a pistol and physically assaulting him while he’s just trying to mind his own business. Maybe these two aren’t exactly equivalent, but you get the picture. Hopefully A&M can learn to get over us one day, and Miranda can learn to leave the gun at home after a breakup.

11 Comments

Filed under Blog Post 3, Country Pop, Reflection

by | October 7, 2015 · 7:00 am

How Do You Like Me Now?

unnamed-1I inherited my love for Toby Keith from my mother, along with a pair of boots signed by him at
the Harris County Fair circa 1996. The only thing we ever listened to in the kitchen was his “Boomtown” album. Artists like Toby, Tim, and Kenny were pretty much the extent of my country music awareness until I turned 10, and I don’t have any complaints about it at all.

Toby Keith Country MusicI knew for sure I would be a “Whiskey Girl” when I was in the 3rd grade; I was wrong… so, so wrong- whiskey does NOT make me frisky, whiskey makes me sob uncontrollably. That being said, Toby Keith is known for rambunctious, “Get Drunk and Be Somebody”-esque songs. He gets a bad rap for being some kind of ignorant wash-up who killed country music, but I think that’s pretty unbased as far as his music is concerned.  He’s had his controversies, but he HAS great music. “I Love This Bar” as much as the next girl, and I wanted to share a few of my favorite songs both performed AND written by Keith that don’t really embody what most country fans would consider a typical TK song.

“Woman Behind the Man” is from his Boomtown album, and it’s a far more compelling love song than “Whiskey Girl” could even come close to. The song displays a capacity for love that an everyday country music fan wouldn’t begin to imagine possible of Toby. Similar in theme to “Stand Beside Me” by Jo Dee Messina, it’s a great example of women being viewed as equals and a healthy relationship, not based on tattoos or blue jeans.

“Every Night” is another example of Toby engaging with a more sensitive side, understanding the heartache and pain that a woman he is interested in is dealing with. It’s far from a boot stomping, beer drinking, all-american honky-tonk jive.

I love “Yesterday’s Rain” because even though the lyrics themselves are unabashedly miserable, it still manages to be a catchy song with a lively instrumental. It’s pretty typical country (albeit corporate) but it still stands out from the general Toby impression.

This is probably the most popular of the songs listed, and most people wouldn’t list ‘stoner’ as one of Toby Keith’s characteristics, it would fall farrrr below drunk and obnoxious; this song goes to prove just that. However, the song does mention his “great contact high” and he gives in and smokes again at the end of the song, so I like to think he came around at least a little bit. Also it’s just a fun TK song that I think is at least a little bit different from his typical rowdy redneck bad rap.

Hopefully after listening to these songs (and checking out his albums to find more on your own), you too will admit that his work has many dimensions, and I also hope to swing some fans in his favor- he’s a fun guy! I’m not saying he’s the next Albert Einstein, but his music doesn’t constantly cycle between tramp stamps, trucks, and red solo cups.

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Filed under New Country

by | October 6, 2015 · 7:00 am

Toby Keith Preaches… Acceptance?

Typically people don’t associate advocating for acceptance with Country music but Keith’s bar-anthem “I Love This Bar” is all about welcoming all. This song is deceptively progressive and impressively easy to find yourself singing along to.

Most of Toby Keith’s songs from this album are fun songs about drinking, women, and dreams but this one is a little bit more. This song is an interesting mix of progressive politics and classic Toby Keith Country. The backdrop for this song is a bar reminiscent of Cheers with Keith singing loving about his favorite bar but what is surprising is his attitude toward the patrons that frequent it. At first this song appears to not be any different as he mentions “smokers,” and, “boozers,” and “bikers,” but when he mentions, “yuppies” one realizes that this might go somewhere different. Some of the more unexpected people that are mentioned throughout the song include, high-techs, lovers, divorces, and hookers, however what really suggests an even more accepting atmosphere is the comparisons of opposites like, “winners and losers,” and, “a dumbass and a wiseguy”. These comparisons of opposites imply that not only those types of people are allowed in but so too are all those in between. Toby Keith really creates an image of a motley group of people.

In my mind, the strongest and most powerful part of this song is the end of the chorus, which goes, “Just walking through the front door / puts a big smile on my face / it ain’t to0 far, come as you are”. Hearing this celebratory and lighthearted song drop the line, “Come as you are,”  makes me smile because I think that is how the topic of acceptance should be approached – positively. Toby Keith approaches the topic of acceptance not in an accusatory or frustrated way, but in a way that is highlights and celebrates the diversity of the bar. One can imagine themselves in this bar, walking in and seeing inviting faces, which I think is a better catalyst for change than a negative song.

If nothing else, I think that this song fits perfectly with the rest of Toby Keith’s songs on the album like “As Good as I Once Was” and “I’m Just Talkin’ About Tonight”. The fact that Keith managed to stick to his sound and produce a song with an atypical meaning is impressive. Finally, the message of acceptance in this song that is not typically associated with Country music, and I am glad that it does such an effective job at demonstrating it positively.

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Filed under Blog Post 2, New Country