Chuck Wicks, Starting Now

From the moment Chuck Wicks' Starting Now begins, I want to dance. "All I Ever Wanted" is one of those songs that was going to be successful at country radio no matter what, what with a fresh yet comfortable arrangement and production, Rascal Flatts-ish melodies and vocals, and incredible energy. It's also the kind of song every girl wants sung for her, and he paints the picture of a girl I certainly want to be--singing a favorite song to sleep, walking in the meadow in the early spring, twirling in a sundress. She sounds carefree, beautiful, doesn't she? Like she's got no worries in the world. And why? Well, she's wearing Chuck's ring.

I think I'd be okay with that.

The song has got a great feel, a great structure, fantastic lyrics, and is performed impeccably. No album could open more effectively.

What follows, song by song, is a bit of a tossup. Certain songs are a little cliche, the hooks are contrived in some cases, and while the music may be wonderful, the lyrics don't always match up.

However, "Stealing Cinderella," is beautiful, and any daddy or daughter could easily fall in love with it. With "If We Loved," Chuck channels Martina McBride, and a little Jason Sellers, which when you consider that he was a cowriter, makes perfect sense. "When You're Single" has a sexy feel, even if the lyrics don't completely satisfy.

"Starting Now" is another favorite of mine. The lyrics are fine, coherent if not completely original, but the melody and vocal combined with an oh-so-effective arrangement make this track an absolute standout on the album. More than once, this song can stop me in my tracks, or at least cause me to start drumming on my steering wheel. The strings, the genius use of sparse-big-sparse-big texture with simple but HUGE drum fills with just the slightest modification of the previous melody on the chorus immediately following the bridge is enough to make a person jump up and down with the changes. And I do. Ask my family.

The problem is that the song immediately following "Starting Now," "The Easy Part, "is a fantastic song, another of the best on the album, but it's so incredibly similar in style that it's overshadowed. Also, the arrangement is not nearly as cool. Maybe they shouldn't have been on the same album, but I don't think I'd go that far. I think they just should have been RIGHT NEXT TO EACH OTHER. Still, the lyrics on this one actually trump "Starting Now." "The hardest part of leaving is picking up the keys and finding the nerve to start the car..." Wow, right?

Unfortunately, though, this particular problem continues with "What if You Stay," a song just like the first two. It's generally a good song-- the chorus doesn't quite match itself lyrically, but it's a small enough blip on the radar that I could overlook it. ...but I end up overlooking the whole song without realizing it.

"She's Gonna Hurt Somebody" is a welcome stylistic change, and reminds me of something Brooks and Dunn would have picked up on if they'd had the chance, but that's not necessarily a good thing, in my mind. I think B&D need to grow up, and while Chuck's young enough to pull this off, B&D do have the advantage finding the songs in this style that work better than this particular one does. I love the hook, but I feel like the writers could have done more with it. However, the line "he's gonna wake up wondering what train just ran over his heart," is delivered with attitude, and that makes the whole song worth listening to.

"Mine All Mine," is another one of those sexy songs, but the concept, the lyrics? They've been done before. And the hook isn't even that clever. Moving on, please.

"Man of the House" is a good closer-- one of those looks at the life of a military family, and nicely done. Admittedly, though, the best part of this song is knowing that (on repeat, as I always play my CDs), I'm coming back around to "All I Ever Wanted."

I don't listen to a lot of mainstream country anymore, especially when it comes to the new guys, so the fact that I even picked up this album says something. And you know? It was worth it. It would have never lasted me an entire summer the way Jason Mraz's We Sing. We Dance. We Steal Things. did, but it doesn't have to. In general, if you are a fan of the young mainstream country, I really do think you'll like this album. There's a little something for everyone, and Chuck's got the voice (and the songwriting chops) to pull it all off.

So there it is.
I'm a Chuck Wicks fan, Starting Now.

Starting Now

I'm seriously falling in love.

I'm listening to Starting Now by Chuck Wicks for the first time.
I'll be back soon to offer up some thoughts.

But for now?

siiiiiiiiigh.

Know When to Walk Away

Maybe I've been living under a rock or something, but I've never heard of Jay Clifford. Yeah, sorry to any hardcore fans out there. But, I've just discovered him because I am a big Zach Braff fan, and he directed JC's latest video.

The video is a cool little thing in which a bunch of clips which fans filmed and submitted themselves are scattered throughout. My favorite part? The footage of First Ave. in Minneapolis at :59 and again at 1:02. For a minute, I felt a little hometown pride for that place... and it's not even really my hometown.

Anyway, I'm glad Zach Braff keeps directing these videos, because I've decided he has some pretty decent musical taste, and by following him, I find lots of new tunes for myself.
Joshua Radin anyone?

Here's the video.
What do you think?

Know When To Walk Away - Jay Clifford

You Don't Know Me At All

You Dont Know Me (featuring Regina Spektor)



I've always kind of liked Ben Folds (plus or minus Five) but something about this particular song is really pulling me in, and this may have to be the first BF album I spend my hard earned money on.

But where's Regina?

(and is that really Josh Groban? It is, huh?)

Forever and Ever Amen

I've been listening to my "The Very Best of Randy Travis" disk in the car for the past week or two, and after it cycled around for about the fifth time today, I came to a conclusion. It may as well be titled "The Very Best of Country Music."

Sure, he's got that twang that some people can't stand, but if you love the country aesthetic, there is no reason you shouldn't love Randy Travis. He sings with effortless and likely subconscious nuance that just couldn't have been taught. His songs are of consistent quality and style, while still offering a variety of subject matter, tempo, and feel, fit to fall in love to, fall out of love to, or just bop your head along to. The best part, though, is that it's all so timeless. His best known song, "Forever and Ever Amen," became popular in 1987 (I was just a year old) and 21 years later, it is every bit as relevant and enjoyable as it used to be. It's fitting, too, don't you think? "As long as old men sit and talk about the weather, as long as old women sit and talk about old men..." I'm gonna love that song, and I'm gonna love Randy Travis, forever and ever amen.

Here's the track list to "The Very Best of..."
I can honestly say that I love every one of these songs. If you don't know them, check them out.

1. Diggin' Up Bones--I'm digging up bones, exhuming things that's better left alone, resurrecting memories of a love that's dead and gone, tonight I'm sitting alone digging up bones...



2. On the Other Hand--but on the other hand there's a golden band, to remind me of someone who would not understand, on one hand I could stay and be your loving man, but the reason I must go is on the other hand...



3. Forever and Ever Amen--I'm gonna love you forever, forever and ever amen, as long as old men sit and talk about the weather, as long as old women sit and talk about old men, if you wonder how long I'll be faithful, I'll be happy to tell you again, I'm gonna love you forever and ever, forever and ever amen...



4. Too Gone, Too Long--you've been too gone for too long, it's too late to come back now, it's been so long since you walked out my door, now you're just an old song nobody sings anymore...



5. I Told You So--...would you tell me that you love me too, and would we cry together, or would you simply laugh at me and say, I told you so, I told you so, I told you someday you'd come crawling back and asking me to take you in, I told you so but you had to go, and now I found somebody new and you will never break my heart in two again...



6. I Won't Need You Anymore--when you see me walk on water, when the sea don't reach the shore, when the fires of hell freeze over, I won't need you anymore...

7. Honky Tonk Moon--outside the dark is falling, stars are twinkling bright, that old hoot-owl is calling everything's alright, honky tonk moon keeps shining on my baby and me...

8. Deeper Than the Holler--I had to sing a song about all the things I knew, my love is deeper than the holler, longer than the river, higher than the pine trees growing tall upon the hill, my love is purer than the snowflakes, that fall in late december and honest as a robin on a spring time windowsill, and longer than the song of a whippoorwill...



9. Is It Still Over?--is it still over, are we still through? since my phone still ain't ringin', I assume it still ain't you, and I've half a mind to take the time to find somebody new, but I'm not too sure that I'm still over you...

10. Just a Matter of Time--I know, I know, one day you'll wake up and find that my love is a true love, it's just a matter of time...



11. Hard Rock Bottom of Your Heart--I keep waiting for you to forgive me, and you keep saying you can't even start, and I feel like a stone you have picked up and thrown to the hard rock bottom of your heart...



12. I Thought He Walked on Water--He said he was a cowboy when he was young, he could handle a rope and he was good with a gun, and my momma's daddy was his oldest son, and I thought he walked on water, if the story was told, only heaven knows, but his hat seemed to me like an old halo, and though his wings they never were seen, I thought he walked on water...



13. Heroes and Friends--your heroes will help you find good in yourself, your friends won't forsake you for somebody else, they'll both stand beside you through think and through thin, that's how it goes with heroes and friends...



14. Forever Together-- forever together, 'til death do we part, forsaking all others I'll give you my heart, through good times and bad times wherever we are, forever together in each others arms...

15. Better Class of Losers--I'm going back to a better class of loser, this city life has really got me down, I need friends who don't pay their bills on home computers (an aside--good luck with that anymore) and buy their coffee beans already ground, you think it's disgraceful that they drink three-dollar wine but a better class of loser suits me fine...



16. I'm Gonna Have a Little Talk--Gonna have a little talk with Jesus when I get home tonight, tell him all about my troubles and I know He'll make them right, then I'll ask him to forgive me for the things that I've done wrong, gonna have a little talk with Jesus tonight when I get home...

17. If I Didn't Have You--If I didn't have you I'd have long ago been left in the dark out in the cold, blowing around from town to town like a feather in the wind, if I didn't have you you know I'd be floundering around like a ship sea, lost in the rain of a hurricane, that's where I'd have been... you know I wouldn't have nothing if I didn't have you



18. Look Heart, No Hands-- no chains, no strings, no fences, no walls, no net, just you to catch me when I fall, look heart, no hands...



19. Whisper My Name-- I heard music bring a heart of stone to tears, I heard peace ring like an anthem through the years, I heard hatred fall from grace, when I heard you whisper my name, I heard angels rise and praise when I heard you whisper my name...



20. Three Wooden Crosses-- there are three wooden crosses on the right side of the highway, why there's not four of them, Heaven only knows, I guess it's not what you take when you leave this world behind you, it's what you leave behind you when you go...



And as more proof that Randy Travis is indeed a timeless classic, listen to Carrie Underwood's version of "I Told You So." (yeah... that's Vince Gill on back-up--another timeless legend.)



I had so much fun finding these videos-- especially the old "Nashville Now" footage. Incredible. I hope you enjoy the music.

And if you can find videos for anything I couldn't, let me know and I'll post them.

What's your favorite Randy Travis song? Country song?

Some Things Never Change

I've had my iTunes library on shuffle the past few days. That's something I don't normally do, because I have the tendency to hit the "next" button more often than not, as I have a wide variety of music and have to be in a certain mood to listen to most of it. I've loved the shuffle lately, though, as it's reminding me how much I love certain artists.

Earlier today I was reminded of my love for Gentry Morris, who, since I checked up on his myspace today, seems to have moved from Tennessee to Ireland. This bums me out, as I am hopefully headed for Tennessee soon, and would have loved to see him live. If you like well-written, soulfully sung folk/indie rock, you'll like Gentry. Plus, the boy is hot.

Just now, Bethany Dick's song "Some Things Never Change" started playing. That is the song that truly made me fall in love with her as an artist, and she's only gotten better. She's bluegrass/traditional country, with a voice like Alison Krauss, songwriting chops, and incredible musicians to back her up.

"I'm Not Alright," by Sanctus Real is currently playing-- I saw them for free about a year ago, though I'd never heard of them, and even though I generally think that the entire genre of Contemporary Christian basically just rips off current music trends without ever adding anything to them, the vocals are great and the lyrics are well thought out and very honest, not contrived like a lot of CC can be.

"Hold Whatcha Got," originally a Jimmy Martin tune, was crooned at me earlier as a tribute by JD Crowe and a whole host of other bluegrass greats. It's one of my favorites off the Jimmy Martin tribute album, and Jimmy Martin's version is even better (of course).

And then I heard a voice that was more than familiar. My friend Jim Vilandre's voice came pouring out of my speakers singing, "The Heart of God." It felt like being back with some of my best friends, just for a moment.

My own (new!) song even popped into the mix tonight. It's a rough demo, but I love listening to it, because it served the purpose I wrote it for more than successfully, and it's great to revel in success, isn't it? Check out "23" at my myspace page if you're interested.

Plus, pieces of the Rent original broadway recording keep sneaking their way in. That's just pure bliss.

Music. I love it.
Some things never change.

Tequila on Ice

I have never been a Darryl Worley fan. Can't think of a single song of his I've ever fallen in love with, and really most of them flat out irritated me.

And then there was "Tequila on Ice."

He finally uses his sultry baritone to his advantage and comes out on top with a lyrically clever, melodically and stylistically sexy song.

Darryl, you've got my attention.

Musical Realization

For the self-proclaimed music enthusiast that I am, and for the self-proclaimed musician I am, it sure did take me a long time to really find my own musical taste.

I always thought I knew, and when I was kid I proclaimed that I hated anything that wasn't country. I only listened to country (and in one weird twist of musical indecency, Ace of Base). I was stubborn. But time when on, and something in the back of my mind started nagging at me, telling me that this Top 40 Country Radio stuff wasn't all there was to life. Growing up in rural Montana, though, where driving four hours to play basketball and driving home again was a normal occurrence, there wasn't much else to listen to, unless you were a big fan of the 1960s. I was content, though. Music speaks to certain demographics, or as my pop/rock teacher last year put it, "tribes." I led a perfectly charmed childhood, and so had no need to seek out angsty indie punk, and even found it hard to feign interest in Avril Lavigne when the rest of the world either loved or hated her. Popular country fit my small town life perfectly.

Something unknown tugged at me, though, in certain new artists something inexplicable would whisper to me, and I began feeling a distinct lack of satisfaction with my musical choices, the older I got. When I first went to college, the friends I made, though not purposefully, were based directly on our similarities in musical taste, and so even then, I didn't branch out too much. Finally though, about half way through my sophomore year, I met an incredible fiddle player who introduced me to bluegrass. I didn't know bluegrass existed beyond the stuff grandfathers were rumored to listen to, and that fiddle player, who has since become a best friend, really opened my eyes to this entire world. In it I found the aesthetic that I'd been so subtly drawn to in the more contemporary traditional country music I'd since been listening to. I also found a real purity in much of it--of course it was commercialized to some extent, but not nearly to the extent of the stuff I'd been listening to my entire life. I was immediately hooked.

From there, my taste only expanded. While truly a fan of the bluegrass aesthetic, I began realizing that the non-commercial purity existed everywhere, if I only opened my eyes and ears to it. Not only that, but I began connecting with artists who had significant commercial success, but I had never given half a thought to in the past, because of declared influences and "sounds like" recommendations.

The old adage, "You can take the girl out of Montana, but you can't take Montana out of the girl," has proven somewhat true-- I'm not a big fan of radio, but when I do listen, I still tune into the local country station. Most of what I hear is a contrived commercial product (sorry Nashville, but it's true), but now and then something real rings through, and I fall in love all over again.

I find the rest of my music largely online-- and I'll admit to being completely susceptible to TV and ad placement as well (Landon Pigg- I think that possibly maybe I'm falling for you. Oh, swoon.) And what all of that has taught me is that my musical taste is ever evolving.

Sadly, I missed out on much of my generation's life soundtrack because of my slow musical realization.

What should I know?
Do you have any suggestions for me?