From the archives

An entry I posted in my live journal a few years ago. A little outdated, but a lot is still relevant.

"Country music sucks" -spoken by countless people I've heard.

Obviously I disagree with this statement, but if my only knowledge of country music came from listening to Nashville music I would probably agree. Popular country music for the most part isn't actually country music. It's pop music with a steel guitar thrown in. Artists are made to produce money and catchy hooks, actual music quality and craftsmanship be damned.

I don't want trite love songs sung by voices with no soul in them. To paraphrase David Allan Coe, it ain't a real country song unless you mention mamas...or trucks...or trains...or prison....or getting drunk. To update it a bit any references to cowboys, gospel or other artists or songs is also acceptable.

There's a reason I hate emo music. I really don't want to hear some depressing song about how your daddy didn't love you enough when were growing up. Music is supposed to be fun, not make me want to kill myself.

In that mode, in a country song I don't want to hear about how someone you loved died (unless you killed them) or how somebody you don't really even seem to know has cancer. If you are going to write a depressing song, at least make sure the singer sounds rugged or fits the song (i.e. Monday Morning Church, anything by Cash).

Country & Western music is Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, etc. When I think of those names I think of country music. Even most "country-haters" like the real country music. On the other hand, when I think of Keith Urban's music or new Rascal Flatts it makes me want to throw up in my mouth. How is this classified as country at all?

Real country music still exists, only it's found in "Texas Country" which never gets played on the radio. These songs are real, not just a way to make a quick dollar. Pick up some Cross Canadian Ragweed, Shooter Jennings, Reckless Kelly, or Drive By Truckers and you'll see what real country music is about.

Now to finally get to what inspired this post I listened to Big & Rich's new album in full today. Pure and complete crap! It's amazing how on one album a new group can show promise and make me look forward to the next album, only to totally turn country pop and make horrible music a year later. While really only known for Save A Horse Ride A Cowboy, their first album contained many true country songs about cowboys, outlaws, God and lots of other stuff that sounds like good country. The new album sounds like everything else crappy on the radio now. I don't think I've been this disappointed in a new album since...umm...last year when Kenny decided to turn totally crappy. At least there were some warning signs there as most of his early career stuff was crappy. Big & Rich just turned overnight.

When I first thought of this, it struck me as odd that perhaps one of country's biggest names and one of the first pioneers (well of modern times anyway) to successfully cross over with country music into the pop stream is one of my favorite artists. Garth definitely made country cool to listen to again and led into this new country. It seemed odd to me I still love most of Garth's stuff, but dislike a majority of the pop country stuff that floods the airwaves now.

After analyzing it though it makes sense. It takes a greater talent to cross into a new territory than to follow into that same place. The first artists to do something new have the talent to do it, and then once it becomes mainstream all the knock-offs with lesser talent come. I like The Sex Pistols and the Ramones, but don't like a whole lot of punk. I loved Nirvana and Pearl Jam, but I hate most of the grunge stuff that is on the radio now. It's not Nirvana, Pearl Jam and to a slightly lesser degree Neil Young's fault they created a new grunge sound and newer lesser talented bands copied them.

I guess everything goes in cycles. Hopefully someday good music will actually be the stuff that's popular as well. Maybe another Johnny Cash, Beatles, Zeppelin, Nirvana, etc. will come around and give music a kick in the butt, but until then I get my rants:)