Let's be more Swiss.

It's Friday! Finally! Find yourself some friends and a cocktail and cheers to the weekend!

In between extended weekend trips and some long-anticipated days off, it's been a few weeks since I've worked a full five-day week. And you know what I've learned? Five days a long haul. Who else is thinking that Switzerland, Sweden, and the Netherlands (among a few others) have the right idea with their four-day work weeks? All in favour for being more like the Swiss raise your hand.
I thought so.

Bonus: I also love swiss cheese, so I'm thinking this'll work out well for me in more ways than one.

The First: Tin Man by Miranda Lambert

Well just break my heart and put it back together, Miranda. I love this.
She sounds like old Miranda circa Famous in a Small Town and New Strings and it's so good. Not only is this song great, but can we take a moment to just appreciate her as a performer? It's just her and her guitar and her voice and a spotlight and she has that entire audience captivated. I mean, her fringe should also get a shout out for its stage presence (obviously) but mostly it's just her guitar and her voice that captivates you. And that's pretty incredible.


The Second: I Could Use A Love Song by Maren Morris

I've had a hard time finding a Maren Morris song I haven't immediately loved, and this one is no different. It's on the slower side but oh so good. As you may have guessed, the official music video was waaay too much drama for a Friday and disrupted the song a few times so you get this zero budget lyric video instead. Trust me. It's for the best.


The Third and Final: Broken Halos by Chris Stapleton

Man can this guy sing. I don't know that I'll ever tire of his voice and the never pop-y song selections. I think what I love most about Chris Stapleton's music is that it's always all about his voice and the lyrics. They're not about how catchy they can make the chorus sound or if the kids in the club will be able to dance along to the music (clubs are still a thing, right?). They're just about the weight of his voice and I think that's cool.


Looking forward to a few sunshine-filled walks along the water, plans with friends, and the return of a certain European traveller this weekend. Hope you've got exciting plans in the works too!

Thanks for listening!
Karla

Catnapping 101

I hope you all had a happy Family Day on Monday and enjoyed your shortened workweek!

If you didn't have a Family Day well... then... I don't know. Maybe you should move to BC? It's beautiful here, just like it says on our license plates. If you aren't interested in a massive life upheaval, then I'll just say that I hope you had a nice, normally-lengthed weekend/week. Either way, it's Friday now so let's just put aside our stat holiday differences and celebrate anyway. K? K.

The First: We Should Be Friends by Miranda Lambert

I won't lie, I have mixed feelings about Miranda's new album but I definitely have a few favourite songs on it, nonetheless, and this is one of them. So yay for a new music video where I almost thought she was going platinum again (literally), but then didn't.


The Second: Darling, Let's Go Out Tonight by JJ Shiplett

Super into the grainy-ness of JJ (so mysterious - what do all the J's stand for??) Shiplett's voice. I mean, do I kind of feel like he needs to clear his throat a few times? Yes. But that's what makes him enticing and like maybe we're all on the edge of hearing his voice disintegrate into a major coughing fit, which is about as close as I get to living my life on the edge of anything. So thanks for challenging my comfort zone, JJ. If that is your real name...


The Third and Final: These Old Boots Have Roots by Aaron Watson

Yes, the title is a little counterintuitive, but the song is fun in typical Aaron Watson fashion. So just go ahead and hit play. You can send your thank you cards later, I'll wait.

No real plans on my end for this weekend after the social butterfly I pretended to be last week, but I hope y'all do something fun. PS The kittens were adorable and I am currently plotting my "accidental" catnapping of the tinier one (Samson). My brother and his partner don't read CMF so it's cool. They'll never know it was me. Especially since I definitely didn't already try to leave their apartment with him.

Thanks for listening!
Karla

Imma Be Bored

What a week. Today is my last day of work this year (in theory, at least) and boy am I thankful for the break. It's been a whirlwind couple of months. On the other hand, I am a little nervous I'm going to be bored with so much time off. When I had a week off in early November I couldn't handle the lack of direction or structure each day. I was bored out of my mind. Which I realize is ridiculous... But what do people do when they're fun-employed or retired? This is a real question - I want to know the answer!

Anyways, if you need me, I'll likely be working on making my Anti-Vacation Boredom list.

The First: Bad Boy by Miranda Lambert

Let's just take a moment to all say it out loud: Miranda's new album is real good. This song has been one of the many I keep hitting repeat on. Part of my love for this song is the raw intro line. At first I was confused but it's grown on me and is now quite close to being my favourite part of this song. That and it's super catchy. Other gems I'd recommend include, Tin Man, Running Just In Case, We Should Be Friends, and For The Birds. In case you were wondering what might be coming in future CMFs. Because *spoilers*: they'll likely be in future CMFs.


The Second: Hell On A Highway by Justin Moore

A classic country song plot: someone is driving away from someone else and one of the two individuals feels like they need to sing about it. Think early Miranda with New Strings, Carolyn Dawn Johnson's Georgia, or Tim McGraw ft. Taylor Swift with Highway Don't Care. It may sound like I'm making fun of them, and don't get me wrong: I am. But I also love these songs. Plus Justin makes a Springsteen reference in this one, so regardless of where you land on the country music loving/driving away song spectrum, you can probably appreciate that.


The Third and Final: With You I Am by Cody Johnson

This song takes me back to my early days of listening to and loving country music. Days of George Strait, Tim McGraw, and Martina McBride. Thanks for sounding like the good ole days, Cody.


I hope you all have an excellent weekend! Things will take a little break on here for the next few weeks as I try to dedicate some time to family and friends for the holidays. Or maybe I'll get so bored I change my mind. No one knows at this point. Merry Christmas and see you in the new year!

Thanks for listening!
Karla

Artist of the Week: Miranda Lambert

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!

Thanks for listening,
Karla

Take Me Back

I feel like we're in that sad little gap in between fall album releases and summer singles blowing up the radio. Aka unfortunately we're in a bit of a new country dry spell, if you ask me.

So you know what we're doing this week? We're throwing it back. I realize this is Country Music Friday and not Throwback Thursday, but flexibility is a virtue people. So this week I give you not just oldies and goodies, but oldies and goodies that talk about the good old times. Ooooooh. Inception. (< a movie I still have yet to see because I simply don't have the energy to deal with it).

The First: Mayberry by Rascal Flatts

I love this song. It has always been one of my favourite Rascal Flatts songs, which I think says a lot since I am a fan of nearly all of the many, many songs they've released over the years. I think part of the reason I love Mayberry so much is because:

a) It totally reminds me of growing up in a small town where passing someone on the sidewalk and not smiling and saying hello was pretty close to being an offence worthy of jail time. It just wasn't a thing that happened. So much so that when I first moved to university it took me about a month and a half to figure out that this was why I was getting so many strange/confused looks on campus. I was that weird girl walking around smiling and making eye contact with everyone.

b) It launches me into a world that exists in my daydreams in which I own a cute little yellow house with a massive front porch that I hang out on in the warm evenings with some really funny and good-looking man.

As a bonus with this one, you get to enjoy a now vintage photo slideshow of the Rascals while listening to the song.


The Second: 19 Somethin' by Mark Wills

Please enjoy the pre-Instagram filters, all the weird facial expressions, and of course, that goatee.


The Third and Final: Automatic by Miranda Lambert

The newest of the oldies, I thought it was only appropriate to also include this hit from Miranda. The only thing that concerns me is the unsafe amount of time she spends staring out the driver's side window - instead of at the road in front of her - while driving. Equally excellent throwback song from Miranda is her duet with Keith Urban, We Were Us.


As much as I love all these songs, here's hoping there's an infusion of new songs soon! Perhaps that's what each of you can work on this weekend: writing and producing the next country hit. You know, if you don't already have plans that is. Just a thought for your consideration...

Thanks for listening!
Karla

My Top Ten Loud-Car-Singing Songs

I spend a decent amount of time in my car and would argue that that's really where my best vocal performances occur. In fact, the best ones usually happen at around 8:30am when I'm driving to work and trying to get myself super pumped for the day. I also feel that this practice doubles as a public service to other drivers who get to see me rockin' out without restraint and thereby have a slightly brighter day because of it. You're welcome, fellow commuters.

Here are my favourite songs to sing loudly along with while I'm driving:

1. Here Comes the Thunder by Tim Hicks

I really can't express to you just. how. excited. I get whenever this song starts playing on the radio. My hand immediately shoots to the volume dial and the music takes over. This one arguably turns into something more akin to screaming than singing. Tim's Hell Raisin' Good Time is a good substitute, if you need one (the vid's weird though).

2. Kerosene by Miranda Lambert

Because who doesn't love a good revenge-filled cowgirl kiss-off?


3. Friday Night by Eric Paslay

Bonus points for singing this on a Friday, post-work.


4. Young and Beautiful by Carrie Underwood

Carrie Underwood's powerful voice really just invites you to duet with her in the car.


5. Natural Disaster by Zac Brown Band

You can hear more about my thoughts on this gem here.


6. Want To by Sugarland

This song reminds me of my lovely high school friend Melissa and our adventures driving around our small hometown.


7. Drink In My Hand by Eric Church

Even though I love my job, I can't help but sing this anthem real loud when it comes on.


8. Sparks Fly by Taylor Swift

Because let's get real, once a commercial break comes on the radio I'm switching to the CD player and TSwift is in there 70% of the time. Haters gonna hate.


9. Catch All the Fish by Brad Paisley

I explain my tactic with this song in great detail here.


10. Who's Bed Have Your Boots Been Under by Shania Twain

Shout out to by good friend Lawrence, because this is the only country song he knows (but at least he loves it) so we sing it together sometimes.


Thanks for listening,
Karla