This would fit well on one of our questionnaires - I think we've already done favorite songs by least favorites artists, in fact - but it's not time for another questionnaire yet and I'm interested in doing this one today. So here we are. I don't give a hoot for fans who think their favorite artists are beyond reproach. To my mind, the ability to find fault (or at least acknowledge the possibility that fault might reasonably be found) with our favorite artists is a sign of character. That's … [Read more...]

Thanks for all of your 2009 playlist suggestions! I took one recommendation per person, and when more than one song was recommended from the same album I pretty much just went with whichever one I liked best. A few tracks don't appear because they're not on Amazon or the albums haven't yet been released. But don't let that keep you from checking out the new Guy Clark as soon as it's available. Seriously, don't miss that one; it's a peach. These are just 30 second clips, so it shouldn't … [Read more...]

I'm in recovery mode after a long weekend of travel... which was apparently a weekend of calling me out on my scathing(!?) review of the new Chris Young album here in the topsy-turvy internet world... so bear with me as I get back up to speed. Since there was no Quotable this past Sunday/Monday, we'll double up on it next week. (The material is collected, but I'd rather get rolling with this week than get bogged down in processing old news. Snarking takes a lot out of you.) The volume of new … [Read more...]

Just when you thought you were in the clear, you are once again... on the spot! If you're reading this, you've stumbled right into my trap. I'll only let you go after you've honestly answered the following question: What's the last song you heard? Surprisingly, I've heard no music at all today, so my last song was David Ball's "When the Devil Wants to Wrestle." I had the Amigo album playing in the kitchen while I was burning my dinner on the stove last night. … [Read more...]

Here's a meme that's making the rounds on Facebook. I liked it enough that I wanted to share it outside my small network and give the rest of you a chance to do the same. So I call this mainstreaming the meme, even though I suspect Facebook might be slightly more mainstream than Country California at this point (I'm working on it). Basically, when you post it here, everyone can see it. I did mine on Merle Haggard. Brody Vercher of The 9513 fame did a good one on Guy Clark that perhaps he'll … [Read more...]

I encourage you to read that title in your best Jerry Seinfeld voice. There are quite a few major albums set to come out in the second half of 2009, which also means that there are quite a few lead singles hitting radio now. I don't know if I'm getting old and cranky or if all of Nashville has signed some pact to lead with the blandest stuff possible in 2009, but wow, this is discouraging. Recent singles that have bored (and sometimes disappointed) me, many from artists I count among my … [Read more...]