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Review: Robynn Shayne–Coffee Days and Whiskey Nights EP

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Rating: 8/10

The EP will inevitably, for better or worse, be the redheaded stepchild of all music releases. The mainstream thrives on the hype behind big singles, and the independent world revolves around full-length albums. EP’s get lost in the shuffle so often; it’s understandable, especially for independent artists, why releasing an EP can be more feasible and make more financial sense, but to the listening public, EP’s rarely find themselves being remembered and replayed, getting lost in the endless release cycle and ever-crowded musical marketplace. WE review EP’s here on a very limited basis, yet the highest volume of pitches I receive is for these releases. But EP’s are just often too short and leave the listener wanting more. In 2018, I have not heard a single EP worth commenting on before now–and yet, by that same token, when a rare one does rise above the rest, it’s all the more important to pay attention and not let it get overlooked.

It was an Internet comment that led me to Robynn Shayne, the comment that her latest release might be the EP of the year. And indeed, this one does manage to stand out, and even though it’s only six songs and twenty minutes, there’s a lot here, and it doesn’t feel incomplete.

Crying steel guitar introduces “Whiskey and Bad decisions,” the lively opener about the reasons Shayne has found herself behind bars. Openers can make or break an album, and on an EP, they become even more vital since there’s only so much time to get to know the artist. This is the perfect song to introduce a new listener to Robynn Shayne’s style and twang, somewhere between Erin Enderlin and Tanya Tucker. “Nothin’ crazy About You, But Me” is a fun little duet with Jordan Lee in the vein of Shinyribs’ “I Don’t Give a Shit,” or maybe a more lighthearted take on Ashley McBryde’s “Andy (I Can’t Live Without You.)” The point is they don’t mind each other’s quirks and faults because they know they are made for each other. And then there’s the antithesis of this, in “Two Words one finger,” wherein these are at first the words “I do” and the finger the narrator was wrapped around, but now they represent something entirely different after she has caught him cheating on her.

“Hell Broke Loose” is the current single on Texas radio, and on one hand, we’ve had a ton of songs like this to the point they’ve become a bit of a cliché, where a woman kills an abusive husband, but on the other side of this, I tend to enjoy these songs unconditionally, and this one is in fact my favorite on the EP. This song is enhanced by some lovely fiddle and a driving beat, and although I do wish they’d let that guitar solo breathe a little more, this song would sound excellent live. The title track, “Coffee Days and Whiskey Nights,” is probably the most country–although all of this is pretty definitely country–with hints of Western swing and references to Jack and Joe, both of whom she needs to get through life. Just a fun, catchy little tune that can get stuck in your head quite easily. The album closes on a burst of energy, with its most lively track, “Movin’ On.” Robynn is telling an old lover that when he said goodbye, it turned out to be a blessing, and now she’s moved on and he can’t have her back.

Then, sadly, our twenty minutes is over. It only leaves me wanting more from Shayne, but not in the unsatisfying way of most EP’s, rather it’s because all these songs are so infectious and well-written, and Robynn Shayne has a presence as a vocalist. This little EP is more lively and fun than many of the full-length albums I’ve heard in the past year, especially among 2017 releases, and nothing here is filler. I just want to hear more from her. I can’t wait till we get a full album, but for now, go check this out, as well as Shayne’s other music. Really cool discovery, and Robynn Shayne is a name you should keep your eye on.

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Reviews

Album Review: Jason Eady–I Travel On

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Rating: 9/10

Jason Eady’s is a name I want to shout from rooftops and post on billboards, and if you ask me to name an underrated traditional artist getting criminally overlooked in 2018, I’ll say Eady every time. If Keith Whitley was his generation’s shot at Haggard and Jones, as Garth Brooks stated in his Country Music Hall of Fame induction, then Jason Eady is this generation’s shot at Keith Whitley, with a voice so pure and filled with emotion and absolutely born to sing traditional country music. There is a comfort in his voice and a talent in his pen rivaled by few, and this remains true album after album, as he continues to project great music out into the atmosphere without ever a lapse in quality. And yet the mainstream will never take notice, and even many independent fans won’t pay proper attention and give him the respect he is due, for Eady is not the country soul hybrid of Chris Stapleton or the rock/Americana blend of Jason Isbell, or even the upbeat Red dirt of Turnpike Troubadours. He’s too country for the success and recognition enjoyed by those artists, and it’s a shame because in a just world, Jason Eady would be a household name.

The pen of Jason Eady, as I mentioned, is his greatest strength. On any given day, you can pop in any of his previous three records and find something new and hidden in the lyrics. His turns of phrase are sneaky and riddled with deeper meaning, infused with subtlety and depth of emotion so that even months later, there’s something fresh to uncover. And yet, for all that, this new album isn’t really that way, the writing being more straightforward and direct. It’s not your typical Jason Eady record in that sense; the songwriting is more simple, though still great, and there’s not really a moment where you’re taken completely aback by the brilliance and poetry of a lyric like on some of his more recent material.

Yet I Travel On earns its place alongside all those other great Jason eady albums, and even above many of them–in fact, I would argue this is his best album aside from Daylight and Dark, which is my favorite record of all time–and it’s because of the sound and the instrumentation. seeing Eady live is a special experience and one that any fan of his or of live music in general should seek out. And now we get to hear this live touring band on an album, except made even better with the added harmonies of Courtney Patton that enhance every Jason Eady release. The whole thing was cut live in the studio, everything feeling loose and organic and vibrant. It’s all infectious and upbeat, the way you hear these songs out on the road. Bluegrass player Kevin Foster, who plays lead guitar and fiddle in Eady’s touring band, always adds so much to these songs live, and it’s great to hear that unleashed on a record. Not to mention the added bluegrass flair from Rob Ickes and Trey Hensley, two badass bluegrass pickers in their own right called upon to add flavor and vitality to this record.

And it was just the right time to add all these flourishes too, for as its title suggests, this album is very much a tale of the road, of restless characters passing through on their journeys. As I said, there isn’t one song or lyric that will blow you away, but the whole thing is injected with this rambling spirit that just works so well. We have songs like “That’s Alright” and the title track, where the narrators are trying to find themselves as they travel from place to place. In “She Had to Run,” our heroine is escaping abuse, leaving as fast as she possibly can because that’s the only thing left for her to do. And then there’s “The Climb,” where the man’s journey is metaphorical–he’s following a dream, and he’s reached the point on the mountain where he’s gone too far to turn back but can’t really reach the top. It’s just such a simple yet profound line when Eady sings, “he’s not lost, he just don’t know what to do.” I think we find ourselves in this position so often in our journey, at a crossroads and not knowing which way to turn.

It all comes to a head musically and lyrically in “Pretty When I Die,” where all these bluegrass hints and flourishes finally come bursting out, and all the energy and uncertainty of the road comes pouring out right along with it. In this little tune, Eady declares that he doesn’t want to take an easy route or travel on a road he’s already been on before, and that at the end of this whole journey of life, he wants to “look like a man who tried.” He wants a story for every line on his face when he dies. The introspective companion to this song, and the one that shows off the best instance of Jason’s writing on this project, is “Happy Man,” wherein he lets us know that if he dies today, he would die happy, and that he’s thankful for all of the blessings in his life.

Jason Eady has been blessed with the kind of comfort and healing in his voice that almost can’t be explained, a comfort which makes his stories ones that you have to listen to over and over. When he sings of traveling through life and the struggles and challenges that that entails, you just want to pull up a chair and listen, and draw from that wisdom. There is a thoughtfulness in his pen that is unmatched, and even if it doesn’t come out in overly deep lyrics like in some of his earlier output, it’s there in the beauty and simplicity of a song like “Always a Woman.” It’s that comfort and wisdom that draws you into any Jason Eady record, but I Travel On sets itself apart because it’s also infectious and catchy and able to be replayed for months, even after you’ve been captured that first time by the writing.

As an Eady fan, I do wish there had been a moment here that blew me away lyrically, and for longtime fans, there isn’t really a moment like that anywhere. But this album holds its own in his discography because it brings an energy and musicality that didn’t exist on any of Eady’s other records. Sometimes there’s something to be said for simplicity, for just singing three chords and the truth, and that’s what Jason Eady delivers with I Travel On. And this is the album to show people who don’t know his music, for this is the one that can bring people in and turn them on to the greatness we’ve all had the privilege of knowing. Now go and listen to this fine record.

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Reviews

Album Review – Cliff Westfall – Baby You Win

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Rating: 8/10

When I saw a review for Cliff Westfall’s Baby You Win on Saving Country Music, I knew I had to check this album out. In the review, the overall sound of this album was discussed, and I listened to one of the songs Trigger left for the readers to hear. It was fast, the sound was straight out of the 50s and 60s, and I was sold.

That song was the opening track, “It Hurt Her to Hurt Me”. With the faster tempo and overall production, I was immediately hooked. In my opinion, it’s got some of the best sounds of 50s and 60s country, but it’s not in a way that indicates copying or a gimmick. It’s simply Cliff Westfall’s style. The whole album just has this old-fashioned feel, and it’s brilliant. I love the varied tempos that are present here, too. Most, like “Hurt Her to Hurt Me”, are actually faster, and personally, I’m all for a faster album.

As varied as the tempos are, the overall theme of the album is love. Almost every song on the album discusses relationships, either the good or bad parts. The aforementioned “It Hurt Her to Hurt Me” is a song about a man whose partner has walked out on him after one too many instances of his wrongdoing. Still, he thinks it hurt her to hurt him. It’s hilarious, catchy, and a song I keep returning to. My favorite song off of this record is “The Man I Used to Be”. It’s a more upbeat song about the downfall of a relationship, all because the man isn’t meeting the higher standards he’d set for himself during the earlier days of their marriage. His wife isn’t looking for another man, she’s just wishing he was more like the man she married.

I won’t go into a track-by-track analysis about this album, simply because they really are mostly about the ups and downs of love. The only exception is “End of the Line”. It’s a fun song about someone who’s a bit too wild for his own good. I have to say,I do love how Cliff Westfall makes so many of these faster songs go more in-depth lyrically.

My least favorite has to be “Lie If You Must”. It just doesn’t really do anything for me. I could honestly do without this song. I just find it forgettable.

Still, this album is one you should check out if you’re into the 50s and 60s eras in country music. There’s sadness, happiness, and just some of the best production I’ve heard in a while. I love the instrumentation, too. This album cannot be classified as anything other than true traditional country. There’s something on this album for everyone, especially given the large focus on relationship-tnemed songs, and everyone knows that love is relatable. As this is Cliff Westfall’s debut album, I am excited to see what he does next.

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Reviews

Album Review – Cody Jinks – Lifers

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Rating: 8/10

I’ve been a fan of Cody Jinks ever since I bought his last two albums. His style of country music, as well as his vocal delivery, really appeals to me. Therefore, when I heard that he was releasing a new album, and his first on Rounder Records, I was excited to hear it. Now that I have, I can safely say that he’s still making some of the best country music today.

The songs on this album have various themes. The track I like the most, though, is the cover of “Stranger”. It’s all about how he doesn’t recognize the man in the mirror. He’s getting older, but it doesn’t fit with the way he sees himself. I just really like this kind of reflective song. My second favorite is the title track, “Lifers”. It’s all about the struggles of the working man. No matter how hard things get, he keeps on going. It reminds me of people I know who do the same, and i think this kind of song is something we should hear more often.

“Colorado” is a slower love song that I liked upon first hearing it. The melody is one that’s stuck in my head, and in the song, he’s saying that he hopes the woman he used to be with doesn’t believe that he never thinks about her or Colorado, because that’s simply not true. I also really enjoyed the fun and upbeat “Big Last Name”, which is all about a woman marrying someone with a big last name and lots of money just to keep the privileges she’s grown up with all of her life. “Must Be the Whiskey” is a song I like for its melody as well as the catchy chorus. The man in the song is tormented by a past love, and he’s trying to remember and drinking to forget. “Desert Wind” is interesting both lyrically and instrumentally. The tempo is somewhere in the middle, and the melody is darker. It’s the story of a man on a journey to Mexico, who ultimately didn’t find what he was searching for and came back home. It stood out to me because of its uniqueness.

The rest of the songs are likable, not bad, though not ones that stood out quite as much. My least favorite is probably “Head Case”, just because it hasn’t really stuck with me at all. I also find “Holy Water”, the opening track, a bit forgettable, though the song’s instrumentation is definitely fun.

The thing I really appreciate about this album is that all of the songs aren’t the same thematically. There’s songs about life’s struggles, leaving a relationship, remembering past love, and even one about making an unfortunate trip to Mexico. Along with that, I love how the tempos and instrumentation are varied. I can definitely say that you never get bored while listening to this album. The steel guitar is awesome, and there was even some piano, which I think is a very under-used instrument in country music. This is definitely one of the liveliest albums I’ve heard this year, in terms of musicianship.

Overall, Lifers is another solid addition to the discography of Cody Jinks. It’s fun, thought-provoking, and full of country instrumentation. While it doesn’t reach the great heights of Adobe Sessions or I’m Not the Devil, that’s okay. It doesn’t have to. As long as Cody Jinks keeps making consistent country music like this, I’ll keep on listening.

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Reviews

Album Review: Amanda Shires–To the Sunset

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Rating: 9/10

Wow, what a fascinating and captivating album! From the opening notes of “Parking Lot Pirouette,” with its spacey, atmospheric production and poetic lyrics about the constellations and Aquarius, I knew this was something different and special. I have worn out this album in the past week since it became an NPR First Listen, especially in the past two days since it became available to buy, and it’s one of those records where not only could I not wait to write about it, but I also had to force myself to sit down and write about it rather than continue to listen to it over and over instead. It’s one of those albums that is exactly the reason I do this, the reason that any of us do, because when music hits you like this, you just want to share it, and thank God for this outlet where I get to do that with you all. For the record, I haven’t been an Amanda shires apologist previously, and also for the record, this isn’t like any other album she’s yet given us. It’s not country or even Americana; this is a rock album, despite its apple Music label of “singer-songwriter.” But damn, is it a good rock album, and it reminds you just how much rock and country are similar in that both are beloved genres of American music marginalized and endangered in 2018.

I mentioned that opener, “Parking Lot Pirouette,” and it may be one of the best opening tracks of the year in terms of hooking me on an album and establishing the mood of the record. desire and sensuality run heavily through the songs of To the Sunset, especially in these first three. In this opening song, the narrator is seducing her lover in a parking lot, turning around and telling him, in response to his comment that she won’t get far, “you’re right, I’m not done with you yet.” “Swimmer,” recorded on a previous Shires album in a more country fashion, deals with the daydreams of a past love, but the echoes of desire are here too, as she sings of wishing he’d “come hover over me and speak something close to me.” And then there’s “Leave it Alone,” a highlight on a stellar album, where the vocal effects work to perfection as Amanda sings of finding new places on her lover’s body, and the desire that she can’t, well, leave alone. Shires’ MFA in poetry is on full display here; it is on much of this album, but it’s especially impressive and beautiful here because there are only so many ways you can write about sex, and she does so both elegantly and sensually.

And Dave Cobb deserves a world of credit for this effort in production; this almost seems outside the confines of his Dave Cobb ways, and yet in terms of making Amanda shires and her songs come alive in the best way possible, he absolutely excels here. This may be his best production I’ve ever heard as far as bringing out the best in an artist. The distortion works excellently on the hardest rocking track here, an instantly re-playable number called “Eve’s daughter.” The shakes and tremors in Amanda’s voice would come off as frail on certain songs, or if left too bare by the arrangements, but they work instead to enhance songs like “Break out the Champagne” and the aforementioned “Parking Lot Pirouette.” It is a great case of taking one’s vocal tone and using it as an advantage; I know Amanda Shires has been self-conscious of this vocal characteristic in the past, but it only serves to add character to these songs, and that’s both a credit to her finding the right style for her voice and to Cobb’s dedication to her vision.

I could go into more detail about these songs, but I’d be here until this time tomorrow night and miss my flight tomorrow morning. Also, I have something else planned, and I don’t want to defeat the purpose of that. But I can’t say enough about this record. If you are at all into rock music, particularly 80’s rock, or if you are at all into poetic, thoughtful songwriting, please check this out. What a masterpiece, and something truly unique and fresh. Yes, this album will definitely be there in the conversation when those December lists come around. Amanda shires should be extremely proud of this.

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