Sunday, June 13, 2010

Clay Walker

Clay Walker is back with his tenth offering.

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It's good to have him back. Clay seems to always get pushed to the sidelines by country radio in favor the barrage of today's current popp-y mainstreamers. That's quite a shame, because not only is his voice always a pleasure to listen to, but his music always seems to have a nice depth to it as well.

With this album, Keith Stegall is on board to produce most of the project, and bringing a bit of honky tonk sound back to the forefront.

A few of the songs draw on our cultural icons, like "Double Shot of John Wayne" - a nice country waltz that talks of the need to be people of integrity. Another name dropper is "Jesse James", which gives the inclination of wanting to be free.

I encourage the pop-y mainstream country fans to take a listen to this album to remember what a countrified album can be without excessive twang.

Check out some of the songs:

Where do I go from you:


Jesse James:


Double shot of John Wayne:


Seven Sundays:


All American:

Catherine Britt

Catherine Britt offers a self-titled project

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The Australian Country artist returns with a new album in which she wrote or co-wrote all of the songs. Catherine has gone back to her roots with this new release (both literally & figuratively), as she returned to Australia after six years in Nashville - an experience which she shares in the lyrics of "Call you back town". -- "In this counterfeit city, they don't look if you ain't pretty. And it's such a damn pity in this counterfeit city. 'Cuz they push you up just to pull you down. They pour on lies to watch you drown in this call you back town."

The greatest part of Catherine's music is her lyrical songwriting.


Here are a few songs to take a listen to:

I want you back:


I can't change a thing:


Sleepy town:


Call you back town:


Since you slipped away:

Dierks Bentley

Dierks Bentley has released his new album, Up On The Ridge.

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The new album brings a wonderful change of sound to the all-acoustic bluegrass and roots side of the spectrum. The change is very welcome and quite refreshing.

If the change of sound wasn't enough to get you jumping for joy (like it did for me), then maybe the nice collection of guest artists here will. Dierks rounds up assistance from The Punch Brothers, Del McCoury, and Chris Thile; featured vocals of Kris Kristofferson, as well as Miranda Lambert and Jamey Johnson teaming up on "Bad Angel".

The one track on this album that quite surprised me was the cover of the U2 song, "Pride (in the name of love)". I'm normally skeptical about covers of well-known songs, but with this one, the bluegrass style brings a nice change.

Take a listen to a few of the highlights from this album:

Up On The Ridge:


Senor (tales of Yankee power) with the Punch Brothers & Chris Thile:


Bad Angel (with Miranda Lambert & Jamey Johnson):


You're dead to me:


Pride (in the name of love):