Female country vocalists who bleed into Adult Contemporary territory are responsible for some of the worst country music, behind only faux cowboys and emo crooners. But after hearing Heaven, Heartache and the Power of Love, Trisha Yearwood’s new album from Big Machine Records, you’ll have sympathy for those hackneyed songbirds: this album was what they were shooting for, what they came so far from achieving.
Not only is this album stunningly beautiful, it reminds us that singers can be artists, not just the face for a talented producer or the name to sell perfume. Like Bettye Lavette, Trisha Yearwood doesn’t just sing songs, she interprets them, she makes them her own even if she didn’t write them. Hitting the notes is only a fraction of Yearwood’s singing talent.
Trisha Yearwood is a storyteller on this album taking us from a women who have given up on love in “This Is Me You’re Talking To” and “Let the Wind Chase You” to a lover with a secret in “Nothin’ ‘Bout Memphis.” Yearwood seems to act as well as sing. Even fun songs like “Cowboys Are My Weakness” seem true and clear, not the posturing of so many country artists who sing of Western themes like they have something to prove.
The album’s best track, however, is the haunting “The Dreaming Fields”which is about a family farm long gone with thetouching yet slightly creepy refrain, “what will be my harvest now?” There are a lot of country songs in “loning for times gone by” category but this one speaks of real economic and emotional consequences, birthed from the reality of so many modern Americans.
Yearwood outdoes herself with this album and makes you feel sorry for her imitators: it ain’t gonna happen songbirds, so stop trying.
Well, it’s time for the Grammy nominations once again and while it seems country music won’t own the event like last year, there is some modest representation. If you’re interested…
In the major categories, Vince Gill scores a nominations for Album of the Year, Taylor Swift is nominated for Best New Artist and Carrie Underwood’s unstoppable “Before He Cheats” is nominated for Song of the Year.
The Country Nominees are…
Best Female Country Vocal Performance
Simple Love Alison Krauss
Track from: A Hundred Miles Or More: A Collection
Famous In A Small Town Miranda Lambert
Track from: Crazy Ex-Girlfriend
Nothin’ Better To Do LeAnn Rimes
Before He Cheats Carrie Underwood
Track from: Some Hearts
Heaven, Heartache And The Power Of Love Trisha Yearwood
Best Male Country Vocal Performance
Long Trip Alone Dierks Bentley
Track from: Long Trip Alone
A Woman’s Love Alan Jackson
Track from: Like Red On A Rose
If You’re Reading This Tim McGraw
Track from: Let It Go
Give It Away George Strait
Track from: It Just Comes Natural
Stupid Boy Keith Urban
Track from: Love, Pain & The Whole Crazy Thing
Best Country Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals
Proud Of The House We Built Brooks & Dunn
How Long Eagles
[Eagles Recording Co. II]
Moments Emerson Drive
Track from: Countrified
Lucky Man Montgomery Gentry
Track from: Some People Change
Sweet Memories The Time Jumpers
Track from: Jumpin’ Time
Best Country Collaboration With Vocals
Days Aren’t Long Enough Steve Earle & Allison Moorer
Track from: Washington Square Serenade
Because Of You Reba McEntire & Kelly Clarkson
I Need You Tim McGraw & Faith Hill
Track from: Let It Go
Lost Highway Willie Nelson & Ray Price
Track from: Last Of The Breed
Check out Dolly’s new video for “Better Get To Livin’”! Now if only she could have worked in Stephen Colbert and the rest of the cast of Strangers With Candy…
Buoyed perhaps by her country duet at the American Music Awards or by a myriad of country artists covering her hit “Irreplaceable,” Beyonce is allegedly going country. After all, why trounce Jessica Simpson in only one musical genre? I am little skeptical, however, because this news is derived from a mysterious “source” from The Sun who says
Beyonce wants to try something completely different. She’s a fan of country music and thought that would be an interesting and exciting way to go. She tested the water at the American Music Awards and she is up for it. She contacted Amanda [Ghost, a songwriter] early this week and she is going over to work with her on it. Beyonce is very excited. Country is still hugely popular in the States. Combined with Beyonce’s popularity, this could be absolutely huge.
Beyonce was quoted as saying “What now, Rihanna? What now?!” Okay, I made that last part up.
Don’t forget (as if you would) that Dolly is leading the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade tomorrow! She’ll be singing her new single “Better Get to Livin’”.
Carrie Underwood won three American Music Awards on Sunday, tied with fellow Idol alum Daughtry for the most awards. Underwood won Favorite Female Artist (Country) and Favorite Album (Country) and the special text message award. The rest of the awards were determined by online votes. Given Underwood’s popularity right now, I suspect she would have beat Akon for best Soul/R&B Male, if given the chance.
Rascal Flatts won for Favorite Group/Duo (Country) and Tim McGraw won for Favorite Male (Country).
Okay, so I exaggerate: I am not embarrassed to be a country fan, but I wouldn’t use some of the CMA performances as recruitment material either. Two that I found particularly cringe-inducing were Brad Paisley (who I usually like, which makes this archaic, low-brow thing all the worse) and Rascal Flatts. So which is more embarrassing: Brad Paisley (35) proving how “cool” he is by having Kellie Pickler (21) and Taylor Swift (17) gyrate near him in his performance of “Online” or Rascal Flatts disaster in which Jamie Foxx sings Gary LeVox off the stage during “She Goes All the Way”? (Yes, yes, I know LeVox had bronchitis, but on some level it’s no excuse; didn’t we learn from country music that you gotta know when to fold ‘em?).
PS Kellie Pickler and Taylor Swift, you are musicians. Do not go on the stage as accessories just because you are female and young. Or at the very, very least, demand choreographed routines.
And speaking of Garth Brooks, the mega-star has canceled television appearances on The View and Ellen in support of the Writers’ Guild of America. Says his publicist:
This is the first time in many years that he has not done television in support of his music. His first appearance on television was to have been The Tonight Show, however the strike happened that day. We believe he is the first artist with product in the marketplace to not have the support of these appearances. Garth is proud of the position he has taken since he hopes to be a writer in the not too distant future.
Like Britney Spears and The Dude, Garth Brooks must hate the f***ing Eagles these days. The Eagles’ Long Road Out of Eden sold 359, 000 copies in its second week of sales, edging out Garth Brooks’ The Ultimate Hits which sold 352,000 copies in its first week in sales. The Ultimate Hits includes 34 songs (only 4 new) and 33 music videos, as opposed to Long Road Out of Eden which contains two CDs of all new material.
Female country vocalists who bleed into Adult Contemporary territory are responsible for some of the worst country music, behind only faux cowboys and emo crooners. But after hearing Heaven, Heartache and the Power of Love, Trisha Yearwood’s new album from Big Machine Records, you’ll have sympathy for those hackneyed songbirds: this album was what they were shooting for, what they came so far from achieving.
