Lee Brice / Curb Records

South Carolina singer songwriter Lee Brice is about to explode.   Brice’s new single, “A Woman Like You,” was just certified Gold and also snagged the number one spot last week on both Billboard Hot Country Songs and Mediabase charts.  It’s also Top 5 on the iTunes Country songs chart online.  Now, with big-time momentum for the first time he’s bursting to release his second Curb Records album called Hard 2 Love, due out April 24.

The album is rich with material including “A Woman Like You,” written by Johnny Bulford, Phil Barton and Jon Stone.   It’s a song with the quality of being hard for anyone NOT to like it.  Brice says, “The girl in the song asks, ‘What would you do if you never met me?’ And the guy goes, ‘You want to know the truth? I’d probably be doing just what I was doing then, looking for you.’ He’s walking a thin line there for a minute, but then he’s able to hook it to say something every woman wants to hear…I think people dig it because the guy is being pretty darn honest.”

Hard 2 Love, will likely be the second single and is also a solid delivery from Brice with his rich way too turn a phrase.   His voice reminds us of the goods he brought with “Love Like Crazy.”

Also on the album and already on iTunes is the – just cheesy fun  enough to go number one – party anthem “Parking Lot Party.    A song that could finally show Brice fans the fun side of this good time guy.

The somber “I Drive Your Truck” is sure to be an album favorite and is another heartbreaking stretch for Brice who digs deeper with the track.

Next up Brice is all over the place with a very visible launch week including Fox & Friends, Tonight Show With Jay Leno, the Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson and more.

Brice says, “Everything on the album reflects who I am right now and where I am in my life.”

‘Hard 2 Love’ Track Listing:

1. ‘Hard to Love’
2. ‘A Woman Like You’
3. ‘That’s When You Know It’s Over’
4. ‘Parking Lot Party’
5. ‘Don’t Believe Everything You Think’
6. ‘I Drive Your Truck’
7. ‘See About a Girl’
8. ‘Friends We Won’t Forget’
9. ‘Life Off My Years’
10. ‘Seven Days a Thousand Times’
11. ‘Beer’
12. ‘That Way Again’
13. ‘One More Day’
Hard 2 Love will be in stores on April 24.

Tim McGraw and his longtime record label have been squabbling for quite a while on the release of his final studio album for the label.   McGraw has said in interviews that he handed off the finished product to Curb back in 2010 but had been sitting on it.  In fact Tim conducted his entire Emotional Traffic Tour waiting for the release.  He’s already moved on to a new Tour with Kenny Chesney.

In November 2011 a court lifted an injunction on McGraw freeing him to record elsewhere… prompting Curb to finally release the album “Emotional Traffic” Produced by Byron Gallimore (and McGraw) January 24th 2012.

Interesting to see early copies of the CD stickered with the Tim quote, “My Best Album Ever.”

Is it his best ever? Probably not.  But he once again completed a solid piece of work. Country fans will be happy to finally get their hands on the number one “Felt Good On My Lips” and a new radio single “Better Than I Used to Be.” “Better Than I Used to Be” is probably the strongest real country song in a while from McGraw who has a knack for working in a pop vibe in most of this album.  In fact Ne-Yo makes an appearance on one track.

Still can’t accuse him of trying to cross over.    Similar to earlier McGraw Album “Let It Go” there’s plenty of steel and country perspective in songs like “Die By My Own Hand” and the just silly enough “Touchdown Jesus.”  In fact, after a few listens “Touchdown” is quicly becoming a favorite.

“Right Back Atcha Babe” ventures into a different and jazzy vibe and “One Part Two Part” brings background vocals from Faith for a warm beachy sound.

Tim has a writing credit only on the track “I Will Not Fall Down” along with the Warren Brothers and Martina McBride.   It’s one of the most powerful songs in the collection.

Overall, “Emotional Traffic” will be an album McGraw fans will want to have although it’s not likely to get the kind of new release publicity without Tim playing along.

Grade: B

Download: “Hey Now” another jazzy fun hit with crossover potential

Delete:  ”Right Back Atcha Babe”  for a bit too much cheese.

Emotional Traffic Track Lising:

Emotional Traffic - Curb Records

1. “Halo”   4:57
2. “Right Back Atcha Babe”  4:51
3. “One Part Two Part”   3:32
4. “I Will Not Fall Down”  4:35
5. “The One”   3:52
6. “Better Than I Used to Be” 3:22
7. “Touchdown Jesus”  4:04
8. “The One That Got Away” 4:44
9. “Felt Good on My Lips”  4:08
10. “Hey Now”   4:15
11. “Only Human (feat. Ne-Yo)”  3:52
12. “Die By My Own Hand”   5:07

Lambert Enjoying The Spotlight

Miranda Lambert seems to be the youngest “veteran” in any genre of music.   Lambert cut her teeth with one of the first reality TV talent contests – “Nashville Star.”    She came in third behind a forgettable singer named Buddy Jewell, but there were a lot of fans and others that couldn’t forget Miranda.  That was 2003.  Flash forward to now and in the last year she has become one of the most celebrated women in country music.

Billboard Magazing recently called her “the coolest girl in country music,” and her press is better than ever.

Her new Album “Four The Record” is a blend of mainstram country meets Miranda alt-pop.  In fact a few tunes in the disc could work on pop radio despite her proud twang.  Her record label will have to get things pulled together (she’s bounced from Sony-owned to now defunct Epic and then Columbia Records).  She has just landed on the legendary RCA Nashville.

There’s a lot for country radio and fans to like here too.    Lambert has found her groove and her confidence is heard in songs like the lead single “Baggage Claim.”   (Did you realize those Hammond organ rund are performed by Steve Windwood?!- I didn’t either.)   New sounds for country music – but she pulls it off swiftly.  Er…  maybe Lambert-ly.

Fans who have been following Miranda will get into her new level of sass and some very modern production values.  The ensuing media blitz and round of awards will surely bring in some new followers too.

Despite 2009′s stellar performance of “Revolution” Taylor Swift may have had the most face time of the last few years but there’s a new 20-something blonde that’s ready to take the spotlight among the other hot country acts like Zac Brown and Lady A.  Four The Record is a Hit.

Overall Grade:  A

Don’t miss: The retro-yet-modern “Easy Living” and the edgy “Fine Tune” (time to try a pop crossover?)

Rodney Atkins is building a house.  Brick by brick, big hit by by hit he’s becoming a country mainstay.  It’s tricky work in the fickle world of country music where they want something different yet shun anything too different.  Atkins (nod ADkins) has generated a powerful set list.   It started back in 2003 with the top five charting Honesty (write me a list).  A few more years and a few more BIG songs like If You’re Going Through Hell, Watching You, These Are My People, It’s America, Farmer’s Daughter and now a modern sounding feel good title track “Take A Back Road.”

1. Take a Back Road
2. He’s Mine
3. Family
4. The Corner
5. She’s a Girl Ain’t She
6. She’s Rather Fight
7. Feet
8. Cabin In The Woods
9. Just Wanna Rock N’ Roll
10. Growing Up Like That
11. Tips
12. Lifelines
13. (Bonus) Farmer’s Daughter

“Tell me have you ever wanted Someone so much it hurts? Your lips keep trying to speak But you just can’t find the words…” – We Owned The Night

So album three begins for Lady Antebellum… the name long since shortened by most to just Lady A… a trio that has accomplished an unusual feat in country music:  they crossed over and have a comfortable foot planted in modern Adult Contemporary music and another foot still proudly planted in the Country arena.  The new album is once again produced by Paul Worley (Dixie Chicks).

Charles Kelly, Dave Haywood (both from Augusta, GA) and Hillary Scott (daughter or country queen Linda Davis a Nashville native) have come up with a solid third offering that will please fans of the incomparable “Need You Now.”

The group – in one combination or another – had a hand in writing every song except two on “Own The Night”… including the sounds like a beer commercial tagline title track.

The first single, “Just A Kiss,” has already popped to number one on Country Radio and is getting solid AC radio play too.

The big question for the trio is can this album come close to satisfying a world of show business that always wants bigger hits and more sales.    The last album was a phenominon – primarily thanks to the mega hit title track  Need You Now.

That album went on to debut with first week sales of over 480,000.   Something only matched by Taylor Swift these days.

Although we wish there was a few more fun tempo tracks there is plenty for NYN fans to enjoy on Own the Night. The Charles and Hillary harmonies soar as usual and the jangly intrumentation is still distinctly country enough to remain the pride of Nashville.  Although the trio dips into some very modern sounds – like on the rich “Somewhere Love Remains” – they still sound mainstream country.  They are one of the few contemporary country acts that could sell in a Starbucks.

Own The Night / Lady Antebellum

Own The Night Track Listing:

1. ‘We Owned the Night
2. ‘Just a Kiss’
3. ‘Dancin’ Away With My Heart’
4. ‘Friday Night’
5. ‘When You Were Mine’
6. ‘Cold As Stone’
7. ‘Singing Me Home’
8. ‘Wanted You More’
9. ‘As You Turn Away’
10. ‘Love I’ve Found in You’
11. ‘Somewhere Love Remains’
12. ‘Heart of the World’

OVERALL GRADE A-

Don’t Miss: Somewhere Love Remains

Jake Owen Photo:Wikipedia

Jake Owen is out really working hard to promote his new country songs.    We just spotted him branding himself nicely on Good Morning America wearing Bluejeans… in bare feet.    His new single -Barefoot Blue Jean Night –  is the title track from Jake Owen’s third full album with legendary RCA Records.

Things seem to be going in the right direction.  Owen pulled in a new producer the follow up to 2009′s “Easy Does It” and there is a fresh breeze of new sounds to go along with Owen’s rich voice.
The first track, Anywhere With You, starts country cliche (double wides!) but rolls into a fun romp.
The song “Keepin it Country” is a bit vanilla and again a bit cliche but the rest of the tracks really begin to get a great vibe.

Barefoot Blue Jean Night jumps out of the speakers at the very first listen.
Apple Pie Moon Shine is a dead on fun medium tempo singalong.  If released as a single it could be Owen’s “Big Green Tractor” (multi-week number one for Jason Aldean).  Perfect for radio.
Journey of Your Life is due to end up as someone’s favorite just for the somber sentimentality and deliberate solid songwriting.
Setting the World on Fire has a nice Bob Seger vibe… and another party starter is sure to be Nobody Feelin’ No Pain as Jake relays a hotel romp that many fans can relate to.

In all, Barefoot Blue Jean Night is a sturdy representation of the new sounds in country music.    Steeped with a bit of Jake’s twangy baritone it FEELS country and the production values on the mix is really fresh sounding.

Oveall Grade:  B+   Core fans will have plenty to sing – and party – along with.

Download: The singalong title track plus Apple Pie Moonshine

Delete: Referencing country double wides in the opening track Anywhere with You.

Blake has it going on.   Reigning CMA Male Vocalist of the Year and country music’s most interesting man (Have you seen the funny vids at http://bit.ly/mostinterestingman), Blake Shelton, continues his wave of success with his new Warner Bros. Records release, Red River Blue as the largest selling album in the U.S.

Red River Blue #1 Debut

This amazing debut comes hot on the heels of a string of No. 1’s which include: Soundscan Top Current Albums chart, Soundscan Top Country Albums chart, iTunes Overall Albums Chart, iTunes Country Albums Chart and his multi-week insatiable hit “Honey Bee.” The single is the fastest-selling digital Platinum single for a male country solo artist. Red River Blue is the highest digital percentage for Shelton with almost 30% of his album sales and marks his highest selling album debut to date.  This success also comes at a time when Blake is enjoying a new marriage to Miranda Lambert and TV success on The Voice.

Chris Young also hit with his third release last week with 70 some thousand copies.  Good for second in Country.

It’s been about three years since there’s been new music from Zac Brow.  In that time he’s banged out five breathtaking country songs that all went to number one.   He’s won a New Artist Grammy and most importantly he’s still selling a ton of copies of the Foundation.  In a market where album sales keep shrinking Zac Brown (with Taylor Swift and Lady Antebellum) is about the only one in country selling anything.

This week  Zac Brown (he’s adamant about wanting the Band part in there) The Zac Brown Band releases it’s second studio album called “You Get What You Give” – named after one of Zac’s tattoos – not a song title.

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	“Let It Go”	Zac Brown, Wyatt Durrette	4:37
2.	“Knee Deep” (featuring Jimmy Buffett)		3:23
3.	“No Hurry”		3:46
4.	“I Play the Road”		4:19
5.	“Cold Hearted”		3:47
6.	“Whiskey’s Gone”	Brown, Durrette	2:46
7.	“Quiet Your Mind”		3:40
8.	“Colder Weather”	Brown, Durrette	4:33
9.	“Settle Me Down”		3:21
10.	“As She’s Walking Away” with Alan Jackson	Coy Bowles, Brown, Durrette, Levi Lowery	3:43
11.	“Keep Me In Mind”		3:34
12.	“Who Knows”	Brown, Joel Williams	10:02
13.	“Martin”		5:06
14.	“Make This Day”	Brown, Nic Cowan, Durrette, Cee-Lo Green	4:02

The new songs are another blend of songs that remind some of Garth Brook’s soaring lyrics and hard core regular guy-ness.  It’s worth the price of the cd just to hear him change lines on the fun “Knee Deep” with Jimmy Buffett or with felow Georgia hero Alan Jackson on the hit lead single “As She’s Walking Away” – a slam dunk at country radio where it may just revive Jackson’s fading stature.

In the past months Brown has touted the thisnks the new collection is even BETTER thann the Foundation – a tall order – but at first listen he may be right.

“You Get What You Give” is sure to satisfy fans that have been starving for something NEW from the newest of the music superstars and this album gives them lots to chew on.  Expect jaw dropping first week sales number achieved the old fasion way.

Lets just hope we don’thave to wait another three years for more.

Grade: A

Download: I Play The Road – a raucos yet bittersweet

Link to Zac on iTunes

Josh Thompson is not a hat act… but kinda sounds like he could be.   He’s the real deal and he writes too.  In Fact, he

New music now out...

had a hand in writing every track) on his new CD “Way Out Here” just released this week on Columbia/Sony Records Nashville.  The new CD - download on iTunes.-is a nice break from the pop country that’s starting to be back in vogue with the Nashville Country labels.

Thompson is from Wisconsin and his debut album, out this week, is fun to hear.  I don’t know of many country stars that grew out of Wisconsin but I do know first hand there’s a lot of farmland to grow some country ”way out there”.    Maybe that’s why his traditional – but rocking – country sound comes across as fresh and not a remake of someone else’s stuff.    In fact there’s a lot of “country boy” themes in his new collection of songs… but Thompson’s found new ways to express it.    Not “redneck” or “hillbilly” but he sings about being from “Way Out Here.”

His  ”You Ain’t seen Country Yet” is worth a good laugh with a line about making love to the sounds of a Haggard casette (if you haven’t…”you ain’t SEEN country yet”).   Add in his rapid fire toungue twisting twang on radio hit “Beer On The Table” and you got a fun mix that defines what Thompson does.   As a bonus there’s a serious side painted in “Sinner”  that will resonate with the bible belt country fans too.

Thompson is currently playing to packed clubs with Eric Church on the Jagermeister Tour.

Listen for the nod to the legends with “Blame It On Waylon” and an ”old” Kenny Chesney flavor on the well-written “Back Around” that sounds like it could be a current radio hit anywhere in the country.

Overall Grade: A  surprise collection that proves traditional leaning country can still sound young and fresh.

Download:   Beer On The Table  although it may disappear from the radio top twenty soon it’s a song that should have hit.

Delete: None – this is one to listen to cover to cover.

Miranda Lambert on the 2009 Sun City Carnival Tour

Country spitfire and covergirl Miranda Lambert will please a bunch of RanFans this week.  A RanFan is the name of her fan club members and they are going to be fired up over the release of the spunky blones latest CD “Revolution.”

The CD is bound to build Lambert’s fanbase.  There’s something for all of them.  The gun lovers, the romantics, and the singer songwriter fans.

In fact, Lambert wrote or co-wrote 4 of the 15 tracks on the project.  Impressive, and kind of surprising seeing that she hasn’t really been widely known as a songwriter.

Revolution was Produced by Frank Liddell and Mike Wrucke and has a roots but comfortable feel with some spiffy transitions between a few tracks.

A few notable tunes: “Time To Get a Gun” will surely be a wild singalong live…. and “Love Song”  is a surprisingly traditional tune ( a collaboration with not-so traditional Lady Atebellum members Charles Kellyand Dave Haywood).  But the romantics in the audience will prefer the softness of “Makin Plans.”

Lambert Enjoying The Spotlight

Lambert covers a lot of grund and rarely missed except on “Somewhere Trouble Don’t Go” that tries to rock in a country sort of way but ends up just being noise.

Lambert’s radio singles have mostly struggled in the past ( Revolution’s “Dead Flowers” is better as an album track) but she may have finally gotten over the hill.  If you’ve been a RanFan from the start (Nashville Star and “Me and Charlie” in October of ’04) you’ll love “Revolution.”  If you just discovering the pisot from Lindale, Tx after “GunPowder and Lead”  you’ll probably become a fan.

Grade:B+

Dowload:  “LoveSong” or the single “White Liar”

Delete:  “Somewhere Trouble Don’t Go”.