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Reviews

Album Review – Andrew Pope – Stoned on the One

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Rating: 7.5/10

I had never heard of Andrew Pope until Megan clued me into this album. She lured me in with the promise of lots of steel guitar, which I’m sure everyone who reads my reviews knows I love. As this is Andrew Pope’s second record, I was excited to hear it. This is because most of the artists I’ve learned about recently have quite a few other albums out, and I was hoping to find a newer artist to like. As it turns out, I definitely have.
This is a very country album. It features lots and lots of steel guitar throughout most of the songs, as I’ve previously stated. There are lots of heartbreak songs too, and you can’t get deeper into the roots of country music than That. Andrew Pope mixes things up with some great songs about family and life being a musician, among other things. The instrumentation is skilled enough to stand out, though some of these songs are overlong. One big criticism I have about this album is that Pope likes to have pauses between some of his lines that last for a few seconds. It’s one of the things that immediately stood out for me, as he does it quite often. It’s not my favorite, and it bugged me a lot.
The title track kicks off this album in style. “Stoned on the One” is one of the best songs on here. It’s a great heartbreak song about missing his girlfriend, and the memories of her that he clings to. I especially love the chorus. “Honky Tonk Tragedy” is a fun song about a musician who’s tired and broke, but he wouldn’t change his life for anything. “I Wish I Was in Austin” is all about Pope wishing he were in Texas, playing music with Willie Nelson and soaking up the atmosphere where good country music is still loved. As someone who’d love to visit Texas, I definitely relate to that!
After this comes “Runnin’ After Rainbows”. It’s a standard song about a girl who can’t love someone, and there being nothing the man can do about it. This song features a metaphor of the girl trying to heal a heartbreak by driving down a highway, chasing after rainbows. “If I Go Crazy” is your average song about being too proud to admit how affected someone is after he’s left by his girlfriend. The chorus goes “If I go crazy, tell her I’m doing fine”. My problem with this is that being too proud to admit that you’re hurt has been done thousands of times. “Even Ramblers Get the Blues” is about a rambler, of course, but he sometimes gets tired of going from city to city, with nothing to hold him anywhere. All he has is his guitar and strangers. It paints a very stark picture.
“Redneck CEO” is one of my favorite songs off of this album. It’s all about his grandfather, who taught him everything he needed to know. He says that fancy boots and three-piece suits could learn a thing or two from his honest farmer of a grandfather. Now, we come to my least favorite of the album. It’s supposed to be a fun song about going into town with his girlfriend where she doesn’t have to dress up, but really, using the words “granny panties” just makes everything weird. I could probably appreciate this song without those mentioned, but as it is, it just feels wrong to me. “Country Congregation” is a good song about there being no discrimination in the country community, if you love country instrumentation and songs, you’re in. I like the theme here, because he’s saying it doesn’t matter if you’re rich, poor, happy or sad. Everyone’s welcome. “Everything’s Changing but Me” is yet another favorite song on this album. The world seems to be going crazy, but he stays the same. He feels out of place in today’s world, which is definitely relatable to a lot of people. I know it definitely resonated with e.
“Whiskey Gets Me There”tells the story of a man not wanting to feel the pain of his ex leaving him. The only thing that makes him numb is whiskey. It’s another cliche song about drinking to forget your problems. I like the acoustic guitar in this song, and how it strips everything back to just Andrew Pope’s voice, though. “Stormchaser” uses the imagery of storm chasing to talk about how a man keeps chasing heartbreak. I quite like how descriptive the lyrics are. “Through” is a nice way to close the album. It could be seen as the end of the heartbreak songs, with him finally saying he’s through with the pain of his relationship, and he would never go back to being with his girlfriend or wife again. This song was stretched out to accommodate for some really good solos, but I’ve always been a lyric person so this wasn’t really my thing.
Overall, I found this to be a good album. I wish that some of the songs were shorter, and again, those pauses between the lyrics really stick out for me. However, there is some awesome steel guitar featured on almost every song, and his lyrics are just varied enough to make most of the tracks stand out. I recommend this if you like traditional country music with a good backing band, as well as descriptive lyrics.

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Reviews

Album Review: Charlie Worsham – Beginning of Things

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Rating: 6/10

I had never heard Charlie Worsham before listening to Beginning of Things. I had heard his name before, but never took the time to check out his music. After hearing this album, I’m honestly not sure what I think.

Charlie Worsham’s voice is very pleasant to listen to. It’s smooth, and not too deep or high. He can definitely sing quite well, I just wish that all of these songs showed that.
My favorite moments on this album are the songs “For Old Time’s Sake,” and “The Beginning of Things”. “Old Time’s Sake” is probably the most country song on this album, as far as instrumentation goes. It features some really nice steel guitar. The song itself is about making a new beginning in a relationship. “The Beginning of Things” is a very well-done song about a man who left a woman right at the beginning of their marriage, and that woman later develops a condition where she can’t remember much that happened to her. All she remembers is the start of their relationship. What made it more poignant is the last half of the song which is told through the perspective of their daughter.

Other good songs on this album are “Cut Your Groove” for its message about making your mark on the world. “Take Me Drunk” is just funny, because he’s obviously had too much to drink. Part of the chorus says “Take me Drunk I’m Home”, which is quite amusing. It’s not a song you’ll love, but it’s fun.

Unfortunately, the other songs on this album don’t do as much for me. “Please People Please” is a bit repetitive, but its saving lyrics are “Even Jesus was preaching on the mountain side, Tryin’ to teach us about love when crucified, And it only goes to show, someone’s always gotta take offence”. The song is basically about how you can’t please anyone, which is a good theme. It just gets tiresome quickly when the same words and lines are repeated. “call You Up” is a song where he says he’ll only call his ex when he’s completely over her. “Only Way to Fly” is a pretty catchy song about having fun and taking life easy. The chorus, in particular, sticks in my head.

I don’t have too much to say about the rest of this album. “Birthday Suit” is probably the worst song here. It’s simply about getting naked, whether that’s on your own or with someone else. The backing vocals are a bit annoying, and the verse where Charlie Worsham starts rapping isn’t that good. “Southern By the Grace of God” wouldn’t be so boring if talking about how Southern you are hadn’t been done a thousand times before in recent memory. “Lawn Chair Don’t Care” is about how your lawn chair doesn’t care about the stress you’re under, which is just weird. I know it’s a metaphor for trying to relax and let stress leave you, but including a lawn chair in this just feels very out of place. “I Ain’t Going’ Nowhere” isn’t bad because it’s about how he’ll stick with the woman he’s with through thick and thin, but he repeats the title too much for my liking. As for the last song, “I-55”, I don’t mind it, but I don’t find myself coming back to it much, either. It’s about driving a stretch of highway, and how it helps him feel better in times of stress.

Instrumentally, the album isn’t particularly country, except for “Old Time’s Sake” as I’ve previously mentioned. There are a lot of pop influences, and even some R&B-sounding songs. “Please People Please” is interesting because it features horns, but none of the instruments really stick out as being anything special on this album.

Overall, I don’t love Beginning of Things. I think that there are some moments that were great, especially the title track. Charlie Worsham’s voice is very pleasant to listen to, as well. However, too many of these songs just did not do much for me. I found a lot of them repetitive, mediocre, and not very country in their instrumentation. I don’t think this is a horrible album, it’s just not for me.

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Random Reflections

Reflecting on: Sturgill Simpson – High Top Mountain

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Sturgill Simpson is one of my favorite artists. He’s not afraid to experiment with his sound, or to write lyrics deeply grounded in real life. I know that his last two albums are the ones most talked about now, but I thought I’d discuss High Top Mountain. It’s the most country of the three albums Sturgill Simpson has released under his name so far, and it’s the one that introduced me to his music.

Release Date: 2013
Style: Traditional Country
Who Might Like this Album: People who love steel guitar and honest lyrics
Standout Tracks: “Life Ain’t Fair and the World is Mean,” “Water in a Well,” “You Can Have the Crown,” “Hero,” “Some Days”

Reflections: Right away, when “Life Ain’t Fair and the World is Mean” starts off, you know what you’re in for. The song’s fast, unashamedly country in instrumentation, and Sturgill Simpson’s voice is deep and Southern. The album does eventually slow down, but it starts with a whirlwind. When I first heard the beginning of this album, I was instantly in love. This is the kind of music I want to hear. The fact that his band is so talented with guitar, drums, and pedal steel is the icing on the cake. The lyrics, though, are what makes this album stand out. “that’s the way it goes, life ain’t fair and the world is mean” is part of the chorus. Unless you’re leading a charmed life, you can’t help but relate to that.

Things slow down though, for songs like “Water in a Well”, and the writing gets even better. “Our love has all dried up like water in a well” is such a fabulous line. The slower melody and the steel guitar really help to carry this song, too.

My absolute favorite track on this album is “You Can Have the Crown”. It’s like cynicism dialed to ten, and it’s fantastic. The song is fast, with great steel guitar, but the lyrics steal the show, once again. I mean, who says stuff like “They call me King Turd up here on Shit Mountain, if you want it you can have the crown”? Once you’ve gotten over that particular line though, you see that The magic of it is that it surprisingly works. He’s broke, is wife wants a child, and he’s over it all. I love it.

Before you think this album is all doom and gloom, listen to “Hero”. Sturgill Simpson tells the tale of his grandfather who helped him through hard times, and it’s one of the best songs about love for family I’ve ever heard. He praises the generosity of his relative, and his grandfather’s work ethic to provide for his wife. It’s truly a fantastic song. “I know I’ll never find another hero, not another one like him” tells you everything you need to know about this song’s theme.

“Some Days” is a great track too, where he claims “people only wanna be your friend if you’ve got something they need”. Again, this is extremely relatable, as most people in their life have known friends like this. It’s another cynical song filled with frustration, but the thing that keeps the album from becoming too repetitive is that it’s real-life frustration. He frames his stories around people and situations you can picture, or you know that someone else has been in.

I know that this album(and Sturgill Simpson himself), have been talked about endlessly for years. However, I just couldn’t let an opportunity to discuss him and this album pass by. It’s hard for me to pick a favorite album by Sturgill Simpson, but I love how extremely country this one is. His lyrics, whether about love lost, his heroes, or his frustration over life, are extremely well-done. I still come back to this album, and I don’t see that changing any time soon.

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Random Reflections

Reflecting on: Turnpike Troubadours– Diamonds and Gasoline

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When Megan and I began discussing this feature and how it’d be all about albums released prior to the birth of Country Exclusive, I knew I had to do an article on Turnpike Troubadours’ breakout album, Diamonds & Gasoline. The band have continued to gain in popularity and musical genius, but I figured why not talk about the album that really got things going for them? Plus, it’s where I first discovered the Turnpike Troubadours, and it’s become one of my favorite albums.

Release Date: 2010
Style: Red Dirt, Country
Who Might Like This Album: Fans of Jason Boland & the Stragglers, fans of traditional country music with lots of fiddle
Standout Tracks: “Every Girl,” “7 & 7,” “The Funeral,” “Diamonds and Gasoline,: “Long Hot Summer Day”
Reflections: If you haven’t heard this album, by the end of the first two songs, you’ll know what you’re in for. Lots of fiddle, some awesome guitar, and the thing that makes Turnpike Troubadours just so much more, outstanding lyrics. Evan Felker is an amazing songwriter, weaving alliteration and deeper thinking into songs that are also catchy, and that display the talent these guys have. You’d think “7 & 7” was just another drinking song, but it’s actually not. It’s based around the line “I had no clue I’d be the boy who your mama warned you about”. Stuff like that just shows off the greatness of the lyrics. “Every Girl” should have been a hit song outside of the Red Dirt and Texas country movement, because it’s just so upbeat and catchy, plus that fiddle play! Who can forget that fiddle? The title track proves that the band can do acoustic songs very well, too. All in all, this was an amazing release. The band hadn’t been together very long when this album came out, and I just find it pretty astounding that the songwriting was so deep, the playing so skilled, and how well it all came together. It’s a fantastic listen all the way through. In short, if you haven’t heard this album, you’re missing out on some amazing country music. If you’ve liked the newer albums by the Turnpike Troubadours and haven’t given this one a listen, what are you waiting for?

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Reviews

EP Review – Kimberly Dunn – New Smoke Show Vol. 1

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Rating: 7/10

I’ve liked Kimberly Dunn since her last album, Forever on the Run, came out some years ago. I like how her songs aren’t always super-deep and sad. Which is why I don’t know why it’s taken me so many weeks since this EP came out to have a listen, but now that I’ve done so? I’m even more sad I waited.
Things kick off with “High Horse”. It’s a song about someone who thinks they’re better than everyone else, and Kimberly is saying how she can’t be glad for them when good things happen. They take from everyone else just to get what they want. It’s a nice way to open the album, because it’s not a slow song. Plus, there’s a nice guitar solo in it, too. I just wish her vocals had been performed better. This is because at the end of some words and phrases, her voice sounds pretty strained. It seems to break a bit, which is something I noticed on her last album too.
Next is “Traffic”. It’s one of my favorites off of this EP. The song talks about how she’s in traffic, and that time spent waiting gave her some perspective on her current relationship. He’s no good for her, and she just needs to get rid of him and stop taking him back. It’s catchy, fun, and has great subject matter.
“Stand on It” is yet another lighter song. It’s all about how she doesn’t follow convention. Not being able to be put into a box, she stands on that box instead. It’s a fast song with nice guitar work, and I’m definitely a fan. “Until We Never Meet Again” is a breakup song. She owes a lot of bills, and is sick of being hurt by her boyfriend. Therefore, she kicks him out, burns all of his stuff, and sends him back to his mom’s basement. It’s a slower song and shows off her vulnerability to great effect.
“You Belong With Her” is a really good song, because she’s sending her cheating boyfriend back to the woman he cheated on her with. I’m definitely a fan of this, because she’s not crying or sad he cheated. She just kicks him out, and says he got what he deserved, and that that woman is perfect for him. I have to add here that the fiddle in this song is awesome.
The last song on here, “Lonestar” is my favorite. When I first saw the title, I was a little nervous. I thought it was just another song about Texas. It turns out that I thought wrong. What “Lonestar” is actually about is her being a wanderer. She’s with a man who just wants to be with her, put down roots, and build a life. Instead, she’s a singer and a dreamer, and always has to be on the road. While this can admittedly be an overdone theme, I just found it very well-done in this song. Her voice really shines here, and it’s one to check out.
This EP is one I knew I had to cover when I heard it. I just loved some of these songs too much. I had to talk about them. In some places, Kimberly Dunn’s voice is weaker than it should be, but in others, that’s more than made up for. There are only six songs and they’re pretty short, but I’m a fan of that. She says what needs saying, and that’s that. I think you should check out this EP if any of these songs sound good to you. It’s not the most amazing piece of music, but you don’t feel put through the wringer upon listening to it either, and that’s quite refreshing.

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