Sara Evans has released her first full Studio album since 2005 with her new album "Stronger". Stronger is a fairly small release, with only 10 tracks (11 if you get the Itunes Bonus Edition). I expected there to be a few more tracks, seeing that Evans's fans waited 6 years for this album. The overall theme of this album is the "aftermath" of the ending of a relationship.
Sara returns with her first single "A little bit Stronger", sounding more comfortable and confidant than she usually does. Stronger is a slow ballad, well-written and well-performed by Evans. Her voice fits this style more than it does any other, and that is no doubt why she was able to bring this great song to #1.
Even though this album has a small number of tracks, Evans helped make up for it by avoiding any "bad" tracks. The worst she picked were a few uninteresting tracks, with an equal number of great tracks.
The second single from this album, "My Heart Can't Tell You No", should do well on the charts. This song is about a girl who's love is in love with someone else but keeps returning to her, followed by the moving chorus "When the one you Love's in love with someone else, don't you know it's torture, I mean it's a living hell. No matter how I try to convince myself this time I won't lose control. I look up in your blue eyes, and suddenly my heart can't tell you know." Evans could make this song quite a bit better if she were to use more dynamic contrast, but it is very good.
"Alone" is a ballad with a combo of great words and great tunes and chords. Evans set high hopes for this song, saying "There's a song called 'Alone' that is going to be the third single. It's a very country ballad, but I'm telling you, that song ... I have such high hopes that this song can really change my career". I don't think this song will do much as far as changing her career, but it should do well if released as a single.
Sara Evans should have put a little more into "Stronger", seeing that it marks her return to the music business - but what was put into Stronger was very good and is a great addition to any country fans music collection.
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Monday, May 30, 2011
Ronnie Dunn - Bleed Red
Ronnie Dunn has released his first single since Brooks and Dunn split, and it's working it's way up the charts.
"Bleed Red" is a unity-themed track, with the following words as the chorus "We all bleed red / we all taste rain / all fall down / lose our way / we all say words we regret / we all cry tears / we all bleed red". The Lyrics are well written and uplifting - and doesn't leave the listener questioning word choice.
The Tune is simple, well-connected, but uneventful. It leaves the listener wishing that it reached a higher climax then it actually did.
Ronnie Dunn's voice truly shines in this track. The verses and first choruses don't challenge his voice at all, but after the bridge, he really is able to show off his range. The wide spectrum of dynamic makes this piece an excellent debut track for Dunn's solo career.
This track is definitely a good start for Dunn's career after Brooks and Dunn, but probably won't be the track that he's remembered for. It does however, show what he is capable of as a singer - and is sure to do well on the charts this summer.
"Bleed Red" is a unity-themed track, with the following words as the chorus "We all bleed red / we all taste rain / all fall down / lose our way / we all say words we regret / we all cry tears / we all bleed red". The Lyrics are well written and uplifting - and doesn't leave the listener questioning word choice.
The Tune is simple, well-connected, but uneventful. It leaves the listener wishing that it reached a higher climax then it actually did.
Ronnie Dunn's voice truly shines in this track. The verses and first choruses don't challenge his voice at all, but after the bridge, he really is able to show off his range. The wide spectrum of dynamic makes this piece an excellent debut track for Dunn's solo career.
This track is definitely a good start for Dunn's career after Brooks and Dunn, but probably won't be the track that he's remembered for. It does however, show what he is capable of as a singer - and is sure to do well on the charts this summer.
Dolly Parton - Together You and I
Last week Dolly Parton released her latest single "Together You and I", which is the lead single from her upcoming album "Better Day". Together You and I is a modern day remake of a duet Dolly did with Porter Wagoner in their 1970s album "Porter 'n' Dolly". In the new version, Dolly has rewritten the tune and performed it solo.
The new tune is actually very catchy, and fits in with most Country-Pop music of today. It's one of the more well-written tunes that I've heard recently, and is even an improvement over some of the pieces from Parton's last album "Backwoods Barbie". The words are still the same as they were in the 1970s version, and overall the lyrics are very good.
Parton's performance of the song was very good. Dolly's voice has aged very well, but in this track her age shows in several points. Other than that, her technique and dynamic is excellent.
Together You and I is a very good track, and may help bring Dolly back into the top 40.
The new tune is actually very catchy, and fits in with most Country-Pop music of today. It's one of the more well-written tunes that I've heard recently, and is even an improvement over some of the pieces from Parton's last album "Backwoods Barbie". The words are still the same as they were in the 1970s version, and overall the lyrics are very good.
Parton's performance of the song was very good. Dolly's voice has aged very well, but in this track her age shows in several points. Other than that, her technique and dynamic is excellent.
Together You and I is a very good track, and may help bring Dolly back into the top 40.
Reba McEntire - All the Women I Am
Reba continues to show that she still has what it takes after 30 years in the business with her latest releast, "All the Women I am". Reba's 26th studio album and 2nd Solo album since returning to the music business after her hit TV show "Reba".
The album starts off with Reba's 25th #1 Hit "Turn on the Radio". Turn on the Radio is an uptempo song telling the singer's cheating ex that if he ever wants to hear from her again he should turn on his radio. The song was well written, and the performance by Reba was very well done.
The album continues with Reba's cover of the Beyonce hit "If I were a Boy". Reba's voice shined on the song, but it wasn't well recieved on the radio reaching only #22 on the charts.
"When Love Gets a hold of You", the 3rd single from the album, tells of what happens when "love gets a hold" of the man she loves. The song is an upbeat song, with a catchy tune and a great beat.
"The Bridge you Burn" is one of the obvious highlights of the album. The tune is fun, the words interesting, and the accompaniment arranged perfectly. This song would fare well as a Single if it were ever released as one.
The album also included some misses. The worst on the album is "The Day she Got Divorced" - the tune is a mess, and the lyrics are disconected, and accompaniment doesn't fit. "When you have a Child" is relatively uninteresting, and "A Little Want To" falls flat with the Chord Progression and Style.
A relatively small release, All the Women I am didn't shine as bright as McEntire's previous album "Keep on Loving You", but still included several great songs. In her next album, McEntire will hopefully release more tracks and avoid the mistakes of the tracks in this album. Despite the mistakes, however, "All The Women I Am" was a great release and will be a great addition to the legend's long list of great albums.
The album starts off with Reba's 25th #1 Hit "Turn on the Radio". Turn on the Radio is an uptempo song telling the singer's cheating ex that if he ever wants to hear from her again he should turn on his radio. The song was well written, and the performance by Reba was very well done.
The album continues with Reba's cover of the Beyonce hit "If I were a Boy". Reba's voice shined on the song, but it wasn't well recieved on the radio reaching only #22 on the charts.
"When Love Gets a hold of You", the 3rd single from the album, tells of what happens when "love gets a hold" of the man she loves. The song is an upbeat song, with a catchy tune and a great beat.
"The Bridge you Burn" is one of the obvious highlights of the album. The tune is fun, the words interesting, and the accompaniment arranged perfectly. This song would fare well as a Single if it were ever released as one.
The album also included some misses. The worst on the album is "The Day she Got Divorced" - the tune is a mess, and the lyrics are disconected, and accompaniment doesn't fit. "When you have a Child" is relatively uninteresting, and "A Little Want To" falls flat with the Chord Progression and Style.
A relatively small release, All the Women I am didn't shine as bright as McEntire's previous album "Keep on Loving You", but still included several great songs. In her next album, McEntire will hopefully release more tracks and avoid the mistakes of the tracks in this album. Despite the mistakes, however, "All The Women I Am" was a great release and will be a great addition to the legend's long list of great albums.
Taylor Swift - Speak Now
Taylor Swift's "Speak Now" is the latest addition to the young country singer's discography. Released October 25, 2010, Speak Now is, according to Swift, a "concept album" with the overall theme being "things" that she should have said or wanted to say to different people in her life. In her sophomore album "Fearless", Swift already was said to be pulling away from her original country style, and "Speak Now" seems to have pulled even further away.
The album begins with the lead single "Mine", a story about a skeptical girl finding "true love" and keeping the love alive through hard times. The upbeat song has a catchy tune, and shows more maturity in Swift's lyrics.
Following "Mine" on the track list is "Sparks Fly". Sparks Fly had been performed by Swift live before it was even announced as one of the tracks, and certainly sticks out as one of the best tracks on this album. The lyrics tell of a girl who "sees sparks fly" every time her boyfriend smiles. Incredibly well-written and would do well if released as a single.
"Back to December" takes a different tone than the previous songs. A slow tempo, with the lyrics apologizing to a ex who the singer hurt the previous December. The tune connected with the lyrics make this one of the highlights of this album. "Speak Now", the title track (originally released as a promotional for the album), tells of a girl who's love is marrying another girl, to which the singer wants to object when the preacher says "speak now". A catchy tune, with irresistible accompaniment, but the words need a bit of polishing...
"Mean" is Taylor Swift's letter to all those who criticise her abilities. This piece is by far the closest to country as Swift comes on this album. The following track "The Story of Us" goes the other direction, removing almost every trace of Country influence. Telling of a love that's failed, and the two parties avoiding each other.
"Innocent" is Swift's reply to Kanye West after his actions during Taylor Swift's acceptance speech at the 2009 MTV VMA awards. First performed at the 2010 MTV VMA awards, this song is extremely well written in every way; and shows that Taylor Swift is willing to forgive even some of the worst grievances.
Speak Now was a success musically, and an enormous success comercially (over 1 million copies sold first week, and over 4 million copies sold over the following months). It shows a more mature Taylor Swift, and gives little to criticize.
The album begins with the lead single "Mine", a story about a skeptical girl finding "true love" and keeping the love alive through hard times. The upbeat song has a catchy tune, and shows more maturity in Swift's lyrics.
Following "Mine" on the track list is "Sparks Fly". Sparks Fly had been performed by Swift live before it was even announced as one of the tracks, and certainly sticks out as one of the best tracks on this album. The lyrics tell of a girl who "sees sparks fly" every time her boyfriend smiles. Incredibly well-written and would do well if released as a single.
"Back to December" takes a different tone than the previous songs. A slow tempo, with the lyrics apologizing to a ex who the singer hurt the previous December. The tune connected with the lyrics make this one of the highlights of this album. "Speak Now", the title track (originally released as a promotional for the album), tells of a girl who's love is marrying another girl, to which the singer wants to object when the preacher says "speak now". A catchy tune, with irresistible accompaniment, but the words need a bit of polishing...
"Mean" is Taylor Swift's letter to all those who criticise her abilities. This piece is by far the closest to country as Swift comes on this album. The following track "The Story of Us" goes the other direction, removing almost every trace of Country influence. Telling of a love that's failed, and the two parties avoiding each other.
"Innocent" is Swift's reply to Kanye West after his actions during Taylor Swift's acceptance speech at the 2009 MTV VMA awards. First performed at the 2010 MTV VMA awards, this song is extremely well written in every way; and shows that Taylor Swift is willing to forgive even some of the worst grievances.
Speak Now was a success musically, and an enormous success comercially (over 1 million copies sold first week, and over 4 million copies sold over the following months). It shows a more mature Taylor Swift, and gives little to criticize.
Lady Antebellum - Just a Kiss
Lady Antebellum has returned to the charts with their single, "Just A Kiss" - the lead single from their upcoming 3rd Studio Album. The song debuted at number 28 on the Hot Country Songs chart, and is continually rising.
A slow tempo ballad, the song tells of a newly formed couple who do not wish to rush their relationship, afraid that they may "mess this thing up". They instead are happy with just a kiss goodnight. The lyrics are well crafted and worded, and the theme is more original than many of the trio's previous singles.
The tune dims when compared to Lady Antebellum's smash hit "Need You Now", but is overall good. The harmonies are very well done, and they make the chorus very enjoyable. Hillary Scott's vocals were excellent, and were well complemented by Charles Kelley's harmonies.
The piano part was poorly arranged, too much during the verse and not nearly enough during the chorus; and it overall doesn't seem to match the rest of the song - and the percussion began too early in the song, which hurt the contrast between the verse and the chorus.
Overall, "Just a Kiss" is a good addition to Lady Antebellums collection of hits, and certainly makes us look forward to the release of the full album.
A slow tempo ballad, the song tells of a newly formed couple who do not wish to rush their relationship, afraid that they may "mess this thing up". They instead are happy with just a kiss goodnight. The lyrics are well crafted and worded, and the theme is more original than many of the trio's previous singles.
The tune dims when compared to Lady Antebellum's smash hit "Need You Now", but is overall good. The harmonies are very well done, and they make the chorus very enjoyable. Hillary Scott's vocals were excellent, and were well complemented by Charles Kelley's harmonies.
The piano part was poorly arranged, too much during the verse and not nearly enough during the chorus; and it overall doesn't seem to match the rest of the song - and the percussion began too early in the song, which hurt the contrast between the verse and the chorus.
Overall, "Just a Kiss" is a good addition to Lady Antebellums collection of hits, and certainly makes us look forward to the release of the full album.
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Steel Magnolia - Steel Magnolia
On January 11, 2011, Steel Magnolia released their debut album. The album had it's share of hits and misses, but through all of the misses it still shows promise for the duo. Both singers have excellent voices for their style, and they have pretty good vocal control. They have a creative songwriting style, but the ballads on this album are lacking.
The collection opens with the catchy and creative song "Ooh La La". This shows off a good sample of what this duo can do. Joshua Scott Jones and Meghan Linsey both have powerful voices, and they have an interesting but great blend when put together.
The next song on this collection is the successful debut single "Keep On Lovin' You", which is a little deeper than Ooh La La, but the theme is the same that you'll hear in nearly every country love song.
Next is the single "Just by being you", which, when released as a single, wasn't received well by the critics and only peaked at 25. This song does not in any way hide their vocal talents, it compliments their voices nicely! But the song itself is boring and its sure to put a few listeners to sleep. "Edge of Goodbye", the next song, is a mess. In the verse, the lyrics and the tune don't sync up at all; of course the songwriter was going for this, but they didn't do a good job. The song overall is lifeless and doesn't help the album at all.
"Bulletproof" is almost a hit. The words are great, the tune is almost perfect. It keeps you interested, it's relate able. But the chorus leaves something to be desired; it barely builds at all, so all through the song you're wishing it would get bigger. "Not Tonight" is best song on this album. It has just the perfect amount of emotion, the lyrics are amazing and original, and it shows off both of the singers' ability. This is the song most likely to rank up on your playlist.
"Last Night Again" is an interesting song, with interesting melodic themes. But the lyrics sound questionable, but are vague enough that you can't know for sure. "Without You" is a complete bore, and hasn't got the smallest measure of originality. The Chorus and the Verse don't seem to connect at all, and the tune is very uncreative.
"Rainbow" is the last notable piece of good material on this album. You'll fall in love with the chord progressions immediately, the lyrics are just what you need to cheer you up when you're having a bad day. (not dissimilar to Shania Twain's song "UP!") The tune is very cool, and very well connected. This song makes the rest of the album worth you're time. "Homespun Love" is in no way bad, but it's not all that great either. And the album ends off with "Glass Houses", another song that isn't interesting at all and would have been best left off of the album.
Again, this album has it's share of hits and misses; and it shows that if these 2 singers play their cards right, they'll go places. I would recommend that in the future they take longer to pick their songs, and avoid recording anymore uninteresting pieces. Do that, and they're sure to have a large future in music!
The collection opens with the catchy and creative song "Ooh La La". This shows off a good sample of what this duo can do. Joshua Scott Jones and Meghan Linsey both have powerful voices, and they have an interesting but great blend when put together.
The next song on this collection is the successful debut single "Keep On Lovin' You", which is a little deeper than Ooh La La, but the theme is the same that you'll hear in nearly every country love song.
Next is the single "Just by being you", which, when released as a single, wasn't received well by the critics and only peaked at 25. This song does not in any way hide their vocal talents, it compliments their voices nicely! But the song itself is boring and its sure to put a few listeners to sleep. "Edge of Goodbye", the next song, is a mess. In the verse, the lyrics and the tune don't sync up at all; of course the songwriter was going for this, but they didn't do a good job. The song overall is lifeless and doesn't help the album at all.
"Bulletproof" is almost a hit. The words are great, the tune is almost perfect. It keeps you interested, it's relate able. But the chorus leaves something to be desired; it barely builds at all, so all through the song you're wishing it would get bigger. "Not Tonight" is best song on this album. It has just the perfect amount of emotion, the lyrics are amazing and original, and it shows off both of the singers' ability. This is the song most likely to rank up on your playlist.
"Last Night Again" is an interesting song, with interesting melodic themes. But the lyrics sound questionable, but are vague enough that you can't know for sure. "Without You" is a complete bore, and hasn't got the smallest measure of originality. The Chorus and the Verse don't seem to connect at all, and the tune is very uncreative.
"Rainbow" is the last notable piece of good material on this album. You'll fall in love with the chord progressions immediately, the lyrics are just what you need to cheer you up when you're having a bad day. (not dissimilar to Shania Twain's song "UP!") The tune is very cool, and very well connected. This song makes the rest of the album worth you're time. "Homespun Love" is in no way bad, but it's not all that great either. And the album ends off with "Glass Houses", another song that isn't interesting at all and would have been best left off of the album.
Again, this album has it's share of hits and misses; and it shows that if these 2 singers play their cards right, they'll go places. I would recommend that in the future they take longer to pick their songs, and avoid recording anymore uninteresting pieces. Do that, and they're sure to have a large future in music!
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