He actually has a really interesting story. He was adopted when he was a baby to a family that loved music, but had no real musical talent. He had toyed around with learning guitar, but it wasn't until he was older and met his biological family that he learned that musical genius was in his blood. From there he started practicing and playing more and more which, of course, eventually led to a record deal. You can read more about it on his website. Pretty neat if you ask me.
It's not yet available on Youtube, but the title song on his current EP, Tougher Than Love, is great. I wish I could have featured it today but, alas, it will just need to be kept for a Friday post once it's released.
The First: Show Some Respect
Oh man. I love this song, this message, and this music video. Reminds you to keep things in perspective and, most importantly, recognize and appreciate the people and things that have come before you.
The Second: Somebody Will
Mostly I just like this song because it's a really sweet story about a father-daughter relationship. Also my love for music videos that feature dance numbers is satisfied with this one. Oh, also, the song is great.
The Third and Final: Crazy Enough
Don't know why, but this song often comes on during my morning commute and I (of course) belt it out. My favourite part is the laugh at 3:00. Do enjoy.
Thanks for listening!
Karla
We're chatting about the Rascal Flatts today! I'm pretty confident that my first exposure to these boys was back when the Disney Family Channel would play music videos in between shows. Do any of you remember that? I can't recall what that feature was called, but I do remember being thankful that it turned me on to so much new music. Was it mostly Aaron Carter and Hilary Duff? Yes. But sometimes there were diamonds like RF's Life Is A Highway, which they covered for the Cars movie. I can't even tell you how many times I've watched them pull up for that drive-in movie. Great mems.
Anyways, I've since expanded my Flatts knowledge and would like to share a few (believe me, I could listen to all their stuff forever) of their songs with you.
The First: Bless The Broken Road
Gosh I love this song. I love the lyrics, I love singing it, I love this performance of it, I just love it all. It is true what they say about it being used for people's wedding song... I know of at least three couples who have used it. I can't say I blame them, it's pretty beautiful and I can see how the lyrics would hit home with many. Thanks, boys.
The Second: Banjo
I mean, I'll be honest here: I had completely forgotten about this song until writing this post. I had forgotten about this GEM! Like a fool! I remember when this song came out and I genuinely could not contain my excitement whenever it came on the ray-day-o. And now I've apparently just forgotten about it. Thank goodness for CMF forcing me to re-evaluate the musical past, huh?
The Third and Final: Why Wait
I mean, you'll have to overlook the very odd Hangover-inspired music video, but the song is a favourite of mine for sure. It's upbeat and though real-life Karla would probably find the concept impractical, dream world Karla thinks it's sweet and spontaneous.
We've heard a lot from Little Big Town around here. But apparently not enough. Because we're going to hear from them a little bit more today.
These four have been together for nearly twenty years. Twenty years of making sweet, sweet music together. For us. Like selfless southern wonders. Gosh they're great.
These impeccable harmonies come from Alabama, so I just feel like when they sing about sitting on their front porch or dancing on a pontoon, they're really speaking from experience. They've got some clout. Some credibility. Experience, even. Basically all the things this West Coast girl with a country music blog doesn't have.
The First: Little White Church
What's not to love here? We're taken down a scenic route. There's revenge. We've got clapping. They talk about chicken and gravy. It's got it all. Plus when they're strutting down that dirt road don't they just like the coolest cats around? I just want to join them and be their fifth. I can't harmonize to save my life but I could probably hold my own with a nice tambourine.
The Second: Quit Breaking Up With Me
I can't really tell you why I like this song, but I really, really do. I think it's funny and different than their normal sound and all around entertaining. It's a real great time. It's also an easy song to sing along to because the thing is that you don't have to sound good vocally to still sound good. It's just a lot of stuttering at the end of every other line.
Turns out I can tell you why I like this song after all.
The Third and Final: Girl Crush
Since I haven't gushed quite enough about their harmonies yet, let's do that now shall we? Because they are just so technically correct in their vocal collaborations that it's astounding. When I first heard this song I think I listened to approximately twenty seconds and was all "meh" and then it came on again and I listened to the whole thing and was amazed. The concept of the song and the writing and this particular performance. I love it all. Oh, and the harmonies... who would have guessed.
And of course I would be remiss if I didn't give a shoutout to Sober, my all-time favourite LBT song. So beautiful.
If you've been around for any period of time, you may already know that I love Chris Young and his deep, twangy, Josh Turner 2.0 voice.
Chris Young got his start by winning the reality tv show competition, Nashville Star, ten years ago. Unlike so many people who have won televised singing competitions (what percentage of American Idol stars are still putting out new stuff?) he has been able to maintain that success over the years.
He also seems charming as all heck, so I'm sure that's worked in his favour.
The First: You
This one is a fun one to sing along to, mostly because I like the way he changes up the rhythm of the melody throughout the song. That, and I can practice my horrible attempts at a bit of country twang.
Because practice makes perfect. Sometimes. (Turns out this is not one of those times).
The Second: Neon
I'm actually quite certain I've featured this one before, but it was right at the start of CMF, back when it was just an email and there was no blog to properly archive stuff on. SO WE'RE LISTENING TO IT AGAIN! I like this song solely because of his perfect crooning. It's not too fast, it's not too slow. It's the goldilocks of lazy listening country.
The Third and Final: Voices
What I like about Chris is that he balances his more lovey dovey songs with tunes about other stuff that don't have anything to do with love or your typical country clichés. Like this one, for example.
Thanks for listening!
Karla
Well at the beginning, I guess. Sugarland was originally brought together in 2002 by Kristen Hall and Kristian Bush who hired on Jennifer Nettles for their lead vocals. In 2006 Kristen Hall left the band (which later resulted in some draaamaaaa and a lawsuit), which left Jennifer Nettles and Kristian Bush as a duet. The two of them co-write the majority of their songs and saw a lot of success in the 2000s
We haven't had much new music from them in recent years because in 2012 they went on hiatus after Jennifer had her son. They've both released some solo stuff since (but I still think they did better work when they were a team... sigh).
The First: Baby Girl
I'm just going to go ahead and say it: I think this is my favourite Sugarland song. I could probably say that about every Sugarland song, but I think this one is just the tiniest smidge higher than the others. We're only talking a fraction of a millimetre (on an imaginary scale), but I think it's still enough that it's noticeable. This was Sugarland's first single and Kristen Hall is on the track and in the music video since she was still a part of the band at this point.
The Second: Settlin'
Looking for some motivation to make a change? This is the song for you. I promise that there's some good stuff in there if you ignore Jennifer's Shania-Twain-circa-2004-esque dance moves (I'm thinking Party for Two) and listen to the lyrics instead.
The Third and Final: It Happens
I like to think that Sugarland has a sense of humour and that it sometimes comes out in their music (see Stuck Like Glue, for another example). This song is one of those times when I can't help but think that I would probably enjoy myself if someone twisted my arm and told me that I had to hang out with them for an afternoon. (But seriously guys... when are we hanging out?)
Finally, as a sort of bonus, I want to tell you about Trailer Hitchwhich was Kristian's debut solo number and I think it's a great demonstration of proving that (even though I think they sound better together) they both have the promise of a solo career.
Welcome to a new addition here on CMF, which I shall tentatively name Artist of the Week. The Artist of the Week series will go up once a week - on Mondays - as a way to explore some artists a bit more closely.
Artist of the Week does not currently live on e-newsletter form as well, though perhaps one day it will. For now you'll just have to visit the blog directly. My apologies to you and your likely now broken heart. (But you can still subscribe to CMF, if you aren't already, by clicking that handy button to the right ->).
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We're starting off with none other than Miranda Lambert or today's Queen of Country, as I like to call her.
The Texas native has had success with not only her solo career, but also with her trio, The Pistol Annies. The first song I ever heard from her was back in 2007 when I was visiting my friend Melissa for a weekend and we listened to Kerosene on repeat for three days. When I got back home on Sunday night the first thing I did was load up my iPod with as much Miranda as I could find and had those songs memorized within a day or two.
I've said it before, but I love Miranda because she is more badass than I could ever dream to be and few people own the stage like she does. She can be rock and roll and quickly turn back to her acoustic roots, all the while walking the line of "sweet southern girl next door who has also single-handedly wrangled a bull or two."
The First: Famous In A Small Town
I think this was the song I really latched onto after my weekend of singing Kerosene ad nauseam. I may or may not have loved it so much that I recorded myself singing along to a karaoke version of it with the thickest twang I could muster. And yes, I did learn that I shouldn't try to force a country twang like that upon listening to the playback of said recording.
And also yes, I did delete that recording immediately.
You're welcome, world.
The Second: Over You
Get ready for heartbreak. I actually can't sing this song without accompanying myself on the guitar; it's too sad and I get choked up unless I'm focusing on something else like needing to strum the right chords. Miranda and Blake co-wrote this song in memory of his late brother and I think it's the most hauntingly beautiful song she's ever performed - especially this time.
The Third and Final: Platinum
This song took a few listens to get used to, but it's a win overall. Perfectly sassy, just like Miss. Lambert.
Finally, if you're looking for a few other Miranda tunes, I would recommend Kerosene (obviously) and We Were Us which she performed with Keith Urban, both of which have been featured here before so the videos aren't being posted again.
Hope you like this new addition, and if you have any artists you're dying for me to feature, I'm open to suggestions!
