2005 CD Concerts Reviews

About me: I have a wide variety of musical tastes. I like Metal, Rock, Old School Rap, Country and smatterings of other types of music.

This is about country - - all kinds. Country music has become too diverse to define these days. You have traditional; neo - traditional (traditional with a modern edge); Southern/Country Rock; Bluegrass; New Grass; Americana and Alternative. Unfortunately, like with all genres, you also have commercial garbage. One type of country to me is not any better than another type of country. I think folks should be exposed to it all.

I give it all a chance. Everyone brave enough to risk themselves in front of a crowd of strangers deserves that chance. A few times I have suprised myself and actually liked something I did not think I would. And have found a song or two I like from artists that normally make me cringe. And stuff I thought I would like has disappointed me.

This is just my opinion, hopefully given without too much bias. Who knows, maybe it will make the reader give an artist a try that you may never have considered (or even heard of) before.

Keith Anderson – Three Chord Country and American Rock and Roll
Release Date: 05.03.05

Track Listing:
1. Three Chord Country and American Rock & Roll
2. Podunk
3. Wrap Around
4. XXL
5. Pickin’ Wildflowers
6. Every Time I Hear Your Name
7. Stick It
8. Plan B
9. Lazy With Your Love
10. The Clothes Don’t Make The Man
11. I’ll Know When I Get There

Looking for Traditional Country – look somewhere else
Looking for polished, melodious pop country – not that either.
You are not going to find over sentimentalized songs about how wonderful life is.
There is not even a hint of Buffet infused island music.
No gimmicks or trends on this cd.

So what do you have here?

Well the title says it all. It’s Three Chord Country and American Rock & Roll.

Through the tracks you can hear a little Waylon, a little Willie, a little Eagles, a little Charlie Daniels, a little Mellencamp, a little Hank, a little Allman Brothers. They all got popped in a blender and out came this cd. I have always been a fan of Southern Rock – gimme some Skynyrd and I am happy. Someone told me you cant find that anymore. Southern Rock has been driven out by pop music and fads. Anderson has brought it out of hiding

Keith Anderson co-wrote all 11 tracks. And it sounds like he wrote about what he knows. From the tongue-in-cheek (semi?)autobiographical XXL to the life in a small town Podunk. You have the usual song material: being in love, breaking up, starting over, getting in trouble, dreaming, partying. It is just good time music.

So, what makes it different? No frills. No gimmicks. No excessive production. You can call it Country, call it Southern Rock, call it Country Rock. It is just – well I guess he put it best – three chord Country mixed with American Rock & Roll.

Brad Paisley – Time Well Wasted
Release Date: 08.16.05

Track Listing:
1. The World
2. Alcohol
3. Waitin’ On A Woman
4. I’ll Take You Back
5. She’s Everything
6. You Need A Man Around Here
7. Out In The Parkin’ Lot (w/ Alan Jackson)
8. Rainin’ You
9. Flowers
10. Love Is Never-Ending
11. The Uncloudy Day
12. When I Get Where I’m Going (feat Dolly Parton)
13. Easy Money
14. Time Warp
15. Time Well Wasted

Many folks hear “traditional” and think “old fashioned”. You hear “recipe” or "formula" and think “boring”. Well Brad has always been and continues to be “traditional” and modern at the same time. And he is far from boring. Kind of like a recipe for cake: it's basically the same for chocolate or lemon, but they are definately two different things.

Brad found a formula that works for him: Traditional Country Music with a modern twist. He stretches from serious to irreverent. He supplies a Gospel like number and a drinking song. And enough variety in between to make it not such a leap. That is Brad Paisley’s formula, but instead of becoming stale, he keeps it fresh.

This latest offering has a little bit of something for everyone. Sweet and sentimental for those in love; cold hearted for the broken hearted (I’ll Take You Back, Flowers). Songs that say – it aint great, but I love it the way it is (The World, Waitin’ On A Woman). He used these styles on his previous three cds. All the way to the instrumental that shows off the musical abilities of Brad and his band. Others try this and fall into a rut. But unlike those others, he didn’t rehash the same songs.

Nikel Creek – Why Should The Fire Die
Release Date: 08.09.05

Track Listing:
1. When In Rome
2. Somebody More Like You
3. Jealous of the Moon
4. Scotch & Chocolate
5. Can't Complain
6. Tomorrow Is a Long Time
7. Eveline
8. Stumptown
9. Anthony
10. Best of Luck
11. Doubting Thomas
12. First and Last Waltz
13. Helena
14. Why Should the Fire Die?

As usual, I am amazed at the superb musicianship of these three. Although I enjoyed their debut cd, I was a bit disappointed in This Side. Nikel Creek has redeemed themselves to me.

They have taken a step back here. I mean that in a good way. The trio has taken a step back towards their Bluegrass roots.

The instumentals have always been the strongest part of their cds for me. And I was not disappointed in them. I will admit to "Scotch & Chocolate being my favorite. The vocals, split between all members, seem stronger on this cd than the earlier ones.

Chris Cagle - Anywhere But Here
Release Date: 10.04.05

Track Listing:
1. Might Wanna Think About It
2. Wal-Mart Parking Lot
3. Miss Me Baby
4. Maria
5. Anywhere But Here
6. You Still Do That To Me
7. Hey Y'all
8. I Was Made For You
9. Wanted Dead or Alive
10. When I Get There
11. I'd Find You

Chris Cagle's third offering is probably his best yet. I have noticed a trend lately of artists who have been in the background recently to copy whatever the current fad is. Obviously his time on voice rest was put to good use. For the most part, the material is better than his last. But it is his stuff, not an attempt to jump on the latest bandwagon. I will admit, I was a little concerned about two things before hearing the tracks: What would a "country" cd produced by Doc McGhee sound like and how would Cagle's tackling of Bon Jovi's "Wanted Dead or Alive" come out.

Cagle is another of the rock tinged country artists out there, apparently Doc McGhee can handle country mixed with rock and roll. This cd doesn't follow another trend that I don't like: it remains a little rough. It is not polished so much that you can see right through it. There is some substance here.

I decided to avoid doing track by track reviews, but I want to mention 2 tracks:
"Wanted Dead or Alive" is one of my top ten Bon Jovi tracks. And I am still a big fan of the group. Naturally, this made me a bit nervous about hearing a cover. Is it as good as the original - no, not to me. But it is a very good cover that should make Jon and Ritchie happy. I even smiled when I heard the fiddle.
Might Wanna Think About It" is the second track. I got to the first chorus and thought of a "Okie From Muskogee" for 2005. It is not as good as that song - that is a legendary status few will ever meet. But it did make me think of that song. And when a contemporary country act makes me think of legendary country acts in some way other than "What happened to the good stuff?", that is good.

Although I do not think this cd will have folks dropping their McGraw's, Urban's, Jackson's or Keith's, Cagle put out a solid piece of work that is all his. It is something he should be proud of.