“Sugarland’s “Love” Out Does Expectations”

So heres the hoedown; as one of this bloggers favorites I was really excited to finally get my hands on the new cd by monster country duo, Sugarland. “Love on the Inside” came out on July 22 and i was at my local Target at 8 am ready to finally hear the new project. I had already heard the fun, catchy first single “All I Wanna Do” on the radio and loved the song. I had high hopes for this project because i love there two other cds, “Twice the Speed of Life” and “Enjoy The Ride”. But much to my delight they exceeded my expectations on “Love”.

After “All I Wanna Do”, they jump into another fun song, “It Happens”. This is one of my favorites so far, i just love the lyrics and it is definitely one of those songs that sticks in your head long after you listen to it. There are so many different sounds on this cd and not just country. The duo of Jennifer Nettles and Kristian Bush bring everything from bluegrass(“We Run” and “Genvieve”), 80’s pop (“Operation Working Vacation”) and ballads(“The Very Last Country Song”, “Wishing” and my favorite of the three “Fall Into Me”) to the project.  Then there are just some songs i love that you can’t classify that i love to listen to over and over again. The rumored next single “Already Gone” and a cover song from last falls “CMT On Tour” ,”Life In a Northern”(featuring tour mates Little Big Town and Jake Owen”(the song was first done by obscure 80’s band,  The Dream Academy).

There are just so many things i like about Sugarland, there music and this cd, trust me this blog could go on for days! But to guarantee you read to the end i will end with this;  I  have enjoyed this  past  week getting a chance to discover all the wonderful things about “Love” and i can truly see all the love, joy, pain and artistry that went into making this project. So if you are a long time Sugarland fan or a music fan in general looking for a country,pop, 80s, bluegrass, rock cd filled with songs about love, joy, pain, leaving and some guy named Steve Earle look no further than Sugarland’s “Love on the Inside”.

“New Things I Can’t Wait to Talk About”

So Heres the Hoedown, there is a lot of new music out and coming out soon that i can’t wait to get my hands on. Some familiar names to this blog and some new. So here is my rundown of the best of new summer music.

“John Mellencamp:”Life, Death, Love and Freedom”

So John Mellencamp is definitely considered a legend of sorts. Someone who has been around forever. But i am a fairly new fan, what got me interested? Well another band country favorites of mine; Little Big Town, have toured with John and sang background vocals on his last cd, “Freedom’s Road”. This is a band that John has sort of taken under his wing and helped a long a little in the business(although LBT really does not need anyone to “help” them). Anyway i got his new cd because i had heard the first song, “My Sweet Love” featuring duet partner, Karen Fairchild of LBT!! So far i am really liking this cd and besides “Love” he also duets with Fairchild on a number of other songs, including my other favorite duet, “A Ride Back Home”. And while his duets with her are great and add a lot to the record Mellencamp stands fantastically on his own. I have not listened to the whole record yet but early other favorites include, “Longest Days” and “Troubled Land”. It is so cool how bands like LBT have broaden my musical horizons and now because of there involvement with him i have become a JM fan. So whether you are a new fan or someone who has been listening for awhile i highly recommend this CD!

I am also loving new songs from Jimmy Wayne(I can’t wait to buy his new cd!), Sugarland(there new cd comes out this Tuesday, you can absolutely expect a review of that one!) and i am also anticipating new cds from Emily West and The Lost Trailers. This summer brings a lot of new music and i can’t wait to hear more!

“Lady Antebellum: CD proves group has potential to be more than just an opening act”

So heres the hoedown, I first heard about Lady Antebellum last October and ever since then i have waited for them to release a CD. Well it finally came out this week(April 15) and i could not be happier. The trio of  Hillary Scott, David Haywood and Charles Kelly have been making a huge splash ever since there debut single “Love don’t Live Here” came out and there star is only continuing to rise. They have toured in the past with Carrie Underwood, Martina Mcbride and Josh Turner and this summer will get more exposure as they open shows for country heavy weights Tim McGraw and Kenny Chesney. But this band who began when Nashville native Scott discovered Kelly’s myspace page is destined for far more than just being an opening act. There CD is  fantastic and i can say that it is my favorite to be released in 2008 so far. There are so many things i love about it, i will start with the fantastic blending of gritty rock singer Kelly and soulful Scott and added to that Haywood’s guitar magic and you have the makings of a trio made for super stardom. The three also have written or co -written 9 of the 11 songs on the CD. The CD is chocked full of great songs everything from the great debut single to ballads that will knock your socks off(“All We Ever Need”, “Things People Say”(my favorite) and ” I Run to You”) fun ,sing along, pop-country songs(“Home is Where the Heart is”, and the catchy “Slow Down Sister) and every country band has to have a song about drinking and this one is no exception(” Looking For A Good Time”). I also love the jazzy ,fun “Love’s Looking Good”. With the band touring this summer non-stop, being nominated for ACM award and just releasing a great CD, Lady Antebellum is new but soon every one will know there name.

“Ashton Shepard “Sounds So Good” Sounds Good for Debut”

    So heres the hoedown, ever since i heard newcomer Ashton Shepard’s debut single, “Takin Off This Pain”  i have been intrigued by her  and her music.So I  recently went and purchased her debut cd, “Sounds So Good”. And i was really impressed by her music, first of all i love her deep Southern, twangy accent that really adds something to her music. She has  a lot of rocking, country songs on this cd that i love, the aforementioned “Pain”, the title track, “Not Right Now” and “The Pickin Shed”. She also has a song that for me is a through back to songs by greats like Patsy Cline and Loretta Lynn, when she sings “I Ain’t Dead Yet”, she reminds me of these people. She also has a great ballad on her album, the heart-felt “How Big Are Angel Wings”. Another thing i like about Ashton and her music is the honesty and attitude that she brings to her music, you can tell that this music is Ashton(she is the writer/co-writer on every song). This music is her life and her story told through music and that music i am enjoying alot and i hope that through this blog other people will discover Ashton and enjoy her too.

“Two Very Different CDs; But Both Are Worth a Listen”

So heres the hoedown; i wanted to post a review of two very differant cds that i have gotten recently, but both of them i think are worth a listen. Ones a little country and a little rock and roll and the other one is a popular Christian artist out to prove she still has plenty of hits left in her.

Gary Allan “Greatest Hits”

So i know Gary Allan has been around for along time in country music and i was familiar with some of his music before;but when a friend let me borrow his “Greatest Hits” cd, I became a fan of his at once. I love his husky, distinctive, country voice. His music has something for everyone; slower songs and ballads(my favorites are “The One” , “Best I Ever Had” and “Songs About Rain”), great, sing along, country hits everyone knows(“Nothing on But the Radio”, “Right Where I Need To Be”) and even a few rocking, country songs that i am sure gets everybody in the bars singing(“As the Crow Flies” and “Man of Me”). I would say that every song on this cd is worthy of the title “Greatest Hits”, even if not all of them are not necessarily hits. So even though i am very new Gary fan(I am going to buy his new “Living Hard” cd next!) I know i will continue to be for a long time!

Natalie Grant “Relentless”

Natalie Grant is not a name familiar to some,but in the Christian music circle she is considered one of the best. She has been awarded the GMA”Female Vocalist of the Year”the past two years in a row, a songwriter and is known for her powerhouse vocals. I have been a Natalie fan for a long time and i was excited to hear new music. After a string of 4 successful cds(“Stronger”,”Deeper Life”, “Awaken” and “Worship with Natalie Grant and Friends”) and the recent birth of her first children(her and her husband welcomed twin girls into the world last year) Natalie has had both personal and professional triumphs and this cd shows why she is still one of Christian music’s best. One thing i love about this CD besides Natalie’s great vocalists and introspective lyrics is how all there are a lot of different sounding songs on this CD. I love the horns and funky, soulful sound in songs like” Make it Matter ” and “So Long”, upbeat songs like “I Will Not be Moved” and even when Natalie takes it slower on songs like “Our Hope Endures”, “Back At My Heart” and one of my favorite songs on the record, the number one radio smash “In Better Hands”. I also want to mention another song that touched a cord with me is the introspective ballad “Make a Way”. Besides her work with the Home Foundation, Grant also spearheads the Revolve Tour which targets teen girls and this song was written after Grant had an encounter with one of this girls she met during one of the tour stops. So whether you are in the mood to turn up the radio and sing along or just need some food for thought, Natalie Grant shows both sides on this record and a whole lot more on “Relentless”. For fans new and old check out Natalie Grant and i promise you will not be dissapointed!

Check out both Artists myspace pages for more music:

www.myspace.com/garyallan

www.myspace.com/nataliegrant

Nicole Nordeman continues to inspire with Recollection

So heres the hoedown.. this blog is not about country music. But i wanted to write about Christian  singer-songwriter Nicole Nordeman for several reasons. For one thing i grew up listening to Christian music and it continues to inspire me today. I also love Nicole’s music and have for quite some time. The biggest reason i wanted to write about her is that i have been so inspired and encouraged by both her amazing music and her writing(she has written a series of devotionals for CCM(Contemporary Christian music) Magazine entitled “Loose Ends” that  has encouraged me with my writing. So thats why i wanted to write about her and this is what i think about her latest project “Recollection” .

This particular cd of Nicole’s is a look back, a look back at her 10-year career so far. A greatest hits if you will. The nine time Dove award winner(The Christian music circle’s  Grammy awards) has done a brillant job of showcasing the best of her music. This CD is everything i love about her music, fantastic voice, beautiful instrumentation(by both her(she plays piano) and her band), and amazing lyrics. Stories, questions, mysteries, doubts, weakness, courage, sorrows, revelation, grace, love, and truth; all these things describe Nicole’s lyrics. She includes fan favorites like “Holy”, “Legacy”, “Brave” , “Fool For You”, and “Every Season”. It also brings back songs like “To know You” and “River God” from the earliest Nicole Nordeman days. If that was not enough she even included two new songs, “Sunrise” and my favorite of the two “Finally Free”. While this CD showcases where Nicole has been and shows off why she is such a great artist; i am looking forward to new music in the future that i know will continue to inspire, encourage, and cause me to sing along. But for now check out Nicole and her music(www.nicolenordeman.com); you will be glad you did!

“A New Year..and with a new year comes new music “

So heres the hoedown… most of my blogs so far have been very specific, a review of some sort. But this one is more random; just a collection of what i am listening to right now.Right now i am listening to a lot of different music but here are two new acts to watch out for.

Whiskey Falls

From the first time i heard Whiskey Falls was when my radio station played “Last Train Running” over the summer and since then i have been hooked. First of all there four part harmony is brilliant, just think an all male version of Little Big Town. Another thing i love about them is the music on there debut CD, some of my favorite songs are “Falling into you”, “Last Train Running” , “Highway 59″, “The Champ”, the very bluegrassy “Days of Birmingham”, “I  Won’t Stop Loving you” and the fun party anthem “Let the Whiskey Fall”. There music and harmony sets them apart in country music today. Check out Whiskey Falls!

Cobie Caillat

So i don’t know if Cobie Caillat would be considered country, but this LA girl is amazing. Plus its my blog and i can write about what i want! I just got her debut cd, “Coco” and has been on repeat in my cd player ever since! Cobie Caillat’s amazing songwriting, unique voice and amazing music come out in songs like “Feelings Show”, “Realize, the mega smash “Bubbly”, and one of my favorite songs, “Oxygen”. Cobie got discovered through her myspace page and now she is playing her music around the country to people who sing her music back to her. Watch out for Cobie Caillat, people will be talking about her for awhile!

So i also want anyone who reads this blog to go check out my dear friend Lisa Torch’s myspace page, (http:// www.myspace.com/lisatorch). She is an amazing singer/songwriter from Atlanta,Ga. Who i think is simply amazing and i know one day i will be able to say when she is famous, that i knew her when! Check out Lisa Torch!

“Sugarland Makes Sweet Music in Battle Creek”

Heres the hoedown; the current 2007 CMT on Tour is a show not to be missed. I got to attend it when it rolled into town to Battle Creek,Michigan.  Even before the show started i got the wonderful opportunity to meet one of the shows  openers, new country sensations, Little Big Town. Karen, Kimberly, Jimi and Phillip were so nice and really go out of there way to make you feel special. My time with them to chat and take a picture was very brief, but for those few minutes i felt like i was on cloud nine.  After that i returned to my seat for the remainder of Jake Owen’s set and got ready for LBT. And i was once again (this is the fourth time i have seen LBT live) treated to a wonderful set from them. There harmonies are brilliant and it sounds like they have been singing together forever. Musically and vocally they are one of the best new groups to  come out of Nashville in a long time. It was great to hear old favorites like “Looking for a Reason”, “Boondocks”, “Little More You” and they also offered a few new songs from there current “A Place to Land” cd including this bloggers favorite, the fun, upbeat  and sure to brighten anyone’s day anthem, “Novocaine”. They also included a song from the “CMT Crossroads” they did with Fleetwood Mac’s Lindsey Buckingham,  there version of “Go Your Own Way”, which was a treat to see them rocking out to a song that i am sure brings back great memories for them.  After LBT, this blogger was jumping out of her seat in anticipation for headliners, current CMA Duo of the year winners, Sugarland. I have not seen them since May when they were touring with Kenny Chesney and i knew they were going to put on an awesome show. And they did. I don’t know where to start, because everything about Sugarland’s live show was fantastic. So i will just begin with the technical aspect, where they really pulled out the stops. Lights, video screens going at all times, confetti cannons. It was so  much that i think that i would have to go again just to take everything in. There is also Sugarland’s energy and enthusiasm for performing and an obvious joy to what they get to do for a living. Sugarland’s lead vocalist, Jennifer Nettles jumped, danced  and was everywhere on the stage, she also made use of the interludes between songs to talk to the audience and ask them questions like “How y’all doing” with her deep Southern, twangy, Georgia accent. Nettles also has one of the best voices in country music and she also showed her musical versatility in playing a few instruments(guitar, tambourine and harmonica).  Nettles onstage partner in crime, Kristian Bush is the other reason this duo is so amazing. With his mandolin and guitar, he bounces around stage and occasional takes the opportunity to do  what the duo calls “Showga” onstage.Bush besides being a talented musician also has an amazing voice that some may not know about. I enjoyed songs like “Just might make me believe”, “These are the Days” and Who Says you Can’t go home” just for the simple fact that i got to  hear him sing. Hearing these offerings, i hope there are more Nettles/Bush duets in the future. I also enjoyed hearing there Beyonce cover of “Irreplaceable”. After hearing both versions of the song, i think this bluegrass cover is better than the original. It was great to hear favorites like “Settlin”, “Babygirl” , “Everyday America” and a new song from there forthcoming third cd called “Take me As I am”.  But despite all the running around, jumping up and down and excitement the duo brought to the stage, it was a special moment when they came out for an encore and did the brilliant Nettles penned song, “Stay”. With Nettles amazing, soaring vocals and pure emotion she brings to the song and Bush’s brilliant playing; it truly brought down the house and reminded everyone(as if they did not already know that) these two talented people really do have the ability to entertain and sing! (A rare combination in todays pop manufactured music industry. ) So i left Battle Creek with a smile on my face and a song in my head. Being thrilled that i just witnessed such a great event and counting the days until i could see them perform again, thats the thing about Sugarland they can just get better from here on out. This blogger definitely “Enjoyed the Ride”.

So heres the hoedown, i just watched the CMA’s last week and i was really disappointed to see one of my favorite bands, Equity Records, Little Big Town lose the Horizon Award to newcomer Taylor Swift. But despite that disappointment Little Big Town or LBT as they are know to there fans have plenty to cheer about. In the past year and a half so many good things have happened for this group compromised of Phillip Sweet, Karen Fairchild, Jimi Westbrook and Kimberly Roads. For starters there debut cd, “The Road to Here” was a break-out success right out of the box with the smash single, “Boondocks” with fans still singing along to that one. That year also brought another single, “Bring it On Home”, tours with people like Martina McBride, “The Road to Here” selling like hot cakes, and a slew of award nominations.Little Big Town continues to get better with there second Equity cd, “A Place to Land”. “A Place” showcases there amazing harmonies and musical talent, but in my opinion does a better job than “Road” of showcasing there individual voices, while at the same time showing that they are a group of people that work very well together. LBT also has a lot to be thankful for in regards to there personal life, All four members are now happily married(two, Jimi and Karen to each other) Kimberly just had her first child, daughter Daisy Pearl, and Phillip is expecting a daughter with his wife at the beginning of next year. As we speak LBT is on tour with another one of this bloggers favorites, Sugarland, and Jake Owen for the “CMT on Tour”. So Things are going pretty well for Little Big Town, so they did not win some award,  but they continue to make good music and will continue to grow as they become one of country music’s best.

“The New Kids Coming to Town: New Artists to Watch”

So heres the Hoedown I know there are a ton of new artists in country music and it may be hard to figure out whats good and whats not. Well i love finding out about new bands and hearing new music. I hear a lot online and on the radio and of everything i have heard lately here are my choices for the best new artists.

Luke Bryant

This Georgia boy definitely got people’s attention right out of the box, and he even has had a number one song and that happened before he released his debut CD(“I’ll Stay Me”).  He co-wrote the number song “Good Directions” for country crooner Billy Currington. But Luke Bryant does not need other artists to help get him attention. This multi-talented singer/songwriter got mine right off the bat when he came out with his first single, “All My Friends Say”. The Music from “Stay Me” combines catchy lyrics, fun attitude and his obvious down home southern appeal(that makes the women go crazy, did i mention  that he is adorable!). Songs like the aforementioned “Friends” and songs like “Baby’s on the Way” , “Country Man” and the title track all capture these attributes and make paying attention to Luke Bryant easy. I have been lucky enough to see this newcomer in concert and with a great live show, Luke Bryant is well on his way to becoming one of country musics brightest newcomers.

Sarah Johns

I heard of Sarah Johns through a friend, and it turns out my friend has good taste! This Kentucky Girl just released her first CD, “Big Love in a Small Town” . Ever since i got it i can see why my friend was so crazy about Sarah. Well her music is excellent first of all, “Big Love” features fun songs(all either written or co-written by Sarah herself) that also showcases her sassy attitude. Songs like the title track, “If You Could Hold Your Women” and her first single, the fun play on words “One in the Middle” make Sarah’s music a must have in any country music fan’s collection.

Lady Antebellum

So Lady Antebellum does not even have a cd out yet and already this blogger is going crazy over this trios music. I first heard the music of Hillary Scott and Atlanta natives Charles Kelly and David Haywood, i was hooked. There first single, “Love Don’t Live Here” combines everything that i love about them. There southern rock sound, combined with Charles gritty rock voice and amazing combined harmony by all three makes for amazing music. And the music i have heard on there myspace page(www.myspace.com/ladyantebellum) makes me think that there are only better things to come when they release there debut cd on Capitol Records. Lady Antebellum has already have gotten attention about them having opened shows for artists like Carrie Underwood, Phil Vassar and Jack Ingram. People have just started to talk and they will continue to talk about Lady A !

So thats it my opinions of the best of the best in new country music, so what are you waiting for? Go check it out!