Slightly Overwhelmed

Friends. I'm slightly overwhelmed by all the new awesome music that's been released over the last month. What is a country music lover to do with themselves!?? Well I'll tell you what I've been doing: saturating myself in it whenever I get a chance.

It's either that or re-watching the new Gilmore Girls trailer for the hundredth time, which truthfully overwhelms me more than really great new music so I've been choosing the former over the latter because it's probably less strain on my heart.


The First: Star of the Show by Thomas Rhett

FIRST OFF: how did I miss this song earlier in the month?? Apologies for my oversight, friends. Anyways, I heard this for the first time over the weekend and I can tell you that my immediate reaction was something along the lines of, "Yes. I love this. I love it so much already. This is so good!" That reaction is still true today, several days and tens of listens later. I particularly love the acoustic groove at the beginning. It's good for head bobbing and living room dancing.

Side note: Don't we think that Thomas Rhett can afford to buy shirts without holes in them given his recent success? Especially for his album cover shoot? Who knows... maybe giant moths attacked his wardrobe the night before his photoshoot or something.


The Second: Ain't Always Pretty by Logan Mize

Something about this song and things not always being perfect or easy is just really hitting the right chord with me. We get it wrong, we get it right... it ain't easy but it ain't too hard.

Also, yes. I am embarrassed that this is the first Logan Mize song I've featured in over a year.


The Third and Final: Better Man by Little Big Town

The incomparable LBT! They've done it again! My money is on this making the top five at some point for sure. Is it kind of heartbreaking? Yes. Is it kind of really beautiful irregardless? You betcha.


If you're celebrating, I hope you have a fun and safe Halloween weekend! If you're not, I hope you still have a fun and safe weekend.

Thanks for listening!
Karla

Cabin Fever

So... public service announcement: there are ten Mondays left in 2016.
Please don't panic. I said don't panic.
Please stop.


The First: Baby, Let's Lay Down and Dance by Garth Brooks

It's here! It's here! It wasn't available last week but now it's here! Garth has new music and it's good! I can't tell you anything else because you can just listen to it and you'll understand my excitement. Also, the Youtube kindly reminded me of this gem of a moment with two of my faves.


The Second: Kiss Me Quiet by Jess Moskaluke

I think we learned our lesson last time that Jess isn't the greatest lip syncer there ever was. She's a notch better than Ashlee Simpson, but that's not saying much. Unlike Ashlee, she does actually have an incredible voice so I can understand that she struggles with fake singing in her music videos. All that to say: listen to the song, take or leave the music video.


The Third and Final: In The Dark by Clayton Anderson

New boy, Clayton Anderson, comes out swinging with this little ditty. It's that twang and crooning that really gets me with this song. It's also about as catchy as my niece's Thanksgiving weekend cold (I'm fine now, thanks for asking).

Hope y'all have a relaxing weekend! I plan to do just that out at the cabin with a few friends. My plans include reading, board games, watching movies, walks in the woods, generally being cozy by the fire - and country music, of course.

Thanks for listening!
Karla

Jealous of a Five-Year-Old

Remember last week when I was super excited to see my niece and nephew (aka the littles)? Yeah, that was great until my niece rudely gave me her cold which has left me hopped up on cold meds for the past few days. She's now cold-less and on a beach somewhere in Hawaii. And I'm stuck in rainy Vancouver being jealous of a five-year-old. All that to say, I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving!


The First: Sun Sets Down by Chris Buck Band

This one was just too fun not to share! It makes me want to get up and dance. But I don't currently have the lung capacity to do that so instead I just get to sit on my couch and shake my shoulders along with the music. It's basically the same thing. Just like how Coca-cola and Pepsi are basically the same thing. (They're not the same at all don't fall for those lies Pepsi is awful.)


The Second: Dirty Laundry by Carrie Underwood

We got some new stuff, folks! This song feels very Miranda Lambert to me - especially the chorus - and I'm into it. Let's talk about the obvious weirdness though: Umm... the lion. And the horse, and the burning shoe and the peacock and the buck... What's happening here, Carrie? Did you film this video at a zoo or did a circus crash your set?

Also, and probably more importantly, what are you doing wearing a pair of suspenders backwards? I would maybe even be okay with it if they weren't slightly off center the entire time but they are and my brain is super irritated about it.


The Third and Final: Midnight Train covered by The Washboard Union

Covers! Camper vans! Collaborative harmonies! Did I try too hard for alliteration back there? Perhaps. But that's not what's important right now. What's important right now is that you listen to this beauty of a song and then start figuring out your Valentine's Day plans immediately because (*spoiler alert*) you're about to fall in LOVE.

I plan to spend this rainy weekend watching the Jay's, baking apple pie, and ideally finishing off the novel I've been working on for far too many weeks now. Hope you've got some great rainy day plans yourself!


Thanks for listening!
Karla

I'm thankful for country music.

Well a happy (Canadian) Thanksgiving to all!

Let's take a moment to remember what's truly important this holiday weekend, shall we?
Family.
Friends.
Freshly baked pie.
An extra day of leisure.
The beautiful colour of the trees as their leaves slowly die.
Country music.
Brussel sprouts.

Sorry... did someone say country music? I mean, yeah, sure, twist my arm, I guess I can share some..?


The First: Woman In Love by Aaron Goodvin

Well isn't this just the grooviest little tune! It's sweet until you feel like a bit of a creep watching a stranger's wedding video because *spoilers* I'm pretty sure this music vid is legit just the Goodvin's actual wedding video.


The Second: A Guy With The Girl by Blake Shelton

Not gonna lie... I haven't been the biggest fan of the other tracks Blake has released lately. I just find them a bit spiteful not my thing. But this one was a nice change from all the other... stuff. It's short, and sweet, and catchy. Like a child-sized fishing rod with a gummy worm at the end. Yep, that's the analogy I'm going with.


The Third and Final: That Ain't Country by Aaron Lewis

Let's be grateful for folks like Aaron here who try to emulate some of the old stuff that started this glorious genre. Also, yes, I did decide that one Aaron was just not enough for this post, so I went ahead and added another Aaron to the mix. Let's all be thankful that I didn't add a third Aaron in the middle and instead went with Blake.


I hope you all enjoy yourselves and, more importantly, the tryptophan this long weekend! I'll be spending mine with some dear friends and family (including the littles!) and hope you get some time in with the people special in your life as well.

Thanks for listening!
Karla