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Devils Country Music Thread


devils1854

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20.

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-Traveling Mercies sounds like a extremely personal album for Robinson. Borrowed Rooms and Old Wood Floors instantly caught my attention the first time I listened to it. Its a song about Robinson living on the road, and part of that is sleeping in houses of old friends/acquantiences White Hot Country Mess is another song about the road. Im not sure if Better With Time is autobiographical but it seems like it is with the passion she pours into it. Finally, there is The Dress. A song Robinson wrote about her own personal experience with sexual abuse. It is a very powerful song. I really like Emily's perspective. She seems like a mix between Lori McKenna and Kacey Musgraves, and that is definitely a compliment.(75/100)

19.

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-Jade Jackson's follow up to to her 2017 debut, Gilded, is not what I really expected. The first time I listened to this album, I wasnt really a fan. I loved her debut because of the power and bad assery she showed. I dont really hear it as much in her followup Wilderness. She is more subdued in not only her singing, but in the music. I really paid attention to the lyrics more, and thats where the album shines. Jackson has a story. An almost tragic one, and Jade opens up and becomes vulnerable. The sound of the album does change some towards the end and we get some of that punk, outlaw Jackson sound that was great on her debut.(75/100)

18.

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-Shiflett's second solo album away from the Foo Fighters is less Bakersfield and more rock, which I think makes it less personal. It definitely still has some twang. The One You Go Home To is a duet with Elizabeth Cook that could have been sang by Johnny and June. Its a fun little song about two cheaters being relieved they dont have to live with the person they are cheating with. Marfa on My Mind has a great Muscle Shoals bluesy sound. For the most part, on this album, you get a loud guitar on top of country lyrics. Shiflett isn't taking himself to serious here, which makes for a really fun, and fun sounding album.(75/100)

17.

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-Whiskey Myers is one of the few bands that have been able to seamlessly move between sounds and not hurt the final product. These guys are from Texas, so you get the classic Texas country sound, but these guys also love rock, and love blues, and have been able to takes these sounds and become one of the best southern rock bands in the country. On their latest album, they move their boundaries even further. There is a mainstream rock sound, but in pure Whiskey Myers fashion, a couple songs later is one of the most country songs they have put out. The album is solid and even with trying new things, it still sounds like Whiskey Myers, even if not everything they tried landed.(76/100)

16.

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-Flatland's debut album is one of my favorites of the decade. Their follow up Homeland Insecurity is not. This is a very good album. It is written extremely well. Lead singer Cleto Cordero is one of the best song writers in all of country music. My biggest problem with the album is the fact that Flatland Cavalry now sounds like Cleto Cordero and his backup band. Fiddle player Laura Jane Houle left the band during the summer of 2018, and I think there has been a big shift in the band. The album sounds off, but this could just be the new sound without Laura Jane.(77/100)

 

 

 

 

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15.

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-King George is one of my top three favorite artists of all time, but I cant really think of an album that he has put out that I'd call great. He has put out dozens of classic singles throughout his career, but his albums have always left me wanting more because of too many filler songs. On Honky Tonk Time Machine, I'd say Codigo is the only song that really shouldn't be on the album, but George has to promote his tequila of the same name. I dont much care for Sing One With Willie, but its cool having George and Willie sing a song together. The album really begins and ends with God and Country Music. I think this song is one of the best of his career, and definitely in the running for the best song of 2019.George also takes a stab at Johnny Paycheck's Old Violin, and its good. Almost as good as the original. The album is solid from front to back, and I hope we dont have to wait four more years for new music from the King.(77/100)

14.

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-Dark humor through great harmonies and traditional country and bluegrass music. Thats how I would describe the debut album from the Steel Blossoms. The album starts off with You're the Reason I Drink. A fun song about a woman being confronted about her drinking, and her telling everyone they are the reason she drinks. Killed a Man is exactly what you think it is. Its from the perspective of many different women and why they killed their significant others. I really love the harmonica in the track. Trailer Neighbor would make Kacey Musgraves smile. Its about that one nosy neighbor in the neighborhood(trailer park) that you love to hate. The standout track on the album is the gothic styled Revenge. The song is haunting, and sets the perfect mood for death. There are a few songs that I didnt really like, but I love these ladies perspective, and cant wait to hear more.(81/100)

13.

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-Artists getting fed up with Music Row, and going out and making the type of music they want, can give us some amazing albums. This is the case with Randy Houser. He used his own money to fund his new album Magnolia because the record label did not want this album from him. Yes, it is easily the best thing Randy has ever given us. You can hear a energized voice on all twelve tracks. No Stone Unturned is the opening track. Its the track that gives us the background for the new album, and its the best song on the album. Randy has a very powerful voice, and choosing to go with a slightly blues sound really takes the songs to the next level. There are a couple of songs on the album that seemed to be left over from the old Randy, and really have no place on the album. That is really the only big knock on Magnolia.(81/100)

12.

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-Vince Gill is a country music legend. He's 62 years old, and his commercial days are behind him. So its the perfect time for him to put out the most personal, maybe controversial album of his career. You hear his faith all over the album, and it makes for some of the best songs on this album, but his song Forever Changed is the one people talk about on the album. It is about sexual abuse, and Gill wrote it from an almost bad experience from when he was a child. What Choice Will You Make is his song about abortion. Gill masterfully gives us a song that is ambiguous enough to not get angry at the lyrics. He also tackles race in other songs. Its a heavy album. An album that probably only a handful of people can make and it turn out good, because there is such a fine line for all these subjects talked about on the album.(81/100)

11.

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-Tyler Childers follow up to his monster album Purgatory is here. Some people love the album because Tyler is one of the best we have right now, and some hated it because some of these songs have very different sounds live and the album versions are inferior, and also Tyler is on a major label now so its going to change his sound. I can see where everyone is coming from. This is a damn good album full of country songs set to the backdrop of Eastern Kentucky. Its also an album that does sound a little too polished at times, but not enough to really impact the songs. Im not even going to get into the Food Stamps not being his backing band on the album. Thats something a little too hardcore for me to get pissed off at. The album is fine. It probably wont go down as one of his best, but its quality country music.(82/100)

 

 

 

 

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10.

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-Old age comes for everyone. Casey has been in the music business for almost 20 years. He hit the big 4-0 a couple years ago. Most artists music matures as they age. On One Light Town, I really do hear music from a guy thats not 25 years old anymore. I think this is the "consequences" album. Its what happens when you stay out all night with your buddies drinking and partying. Bad Guy, Wishful Drinking, and Drove Me to the Whiskey are three excellent heartbreak songs that deal with the aftermath of being a bad and selfish partner. Donahew still shows some attitude and electric guitar on a few songs on the album, so he isnt forgetting who he is. It is a very well rounded album that has a perfect mix of songs and tempos to keep the listener engaged.(84/100)

9.

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-There is a lot of talent in The Highwomen. I absolutely love Amanda Shires, and she is what made me most excited for this project. Brandi Carlile is coming off six Grammy nominations, including album of the year. Natalie Hemby is one of the best songwriters in country music, and you have Maren Morris. The Nashville star. The biggest plus to this album is the songwriting. That should be no surprise with Carlile, Hemby, and Shires writing most of the album. If She Ever Leaves Me is the song getting the most attention. It is a lesbian love song sung by Carlile, written by Shires, Jason Isbell, and Chris Thompkins. It delivers. The other major standout is Cocktail and a Song. This is Amanda Shires solo song on the album. The song was written by Shires about her father and his terminal illness. The only issue on the album is Maren Morris. She has two solo songs. They are also songs that she co-wrote. I wouldnt call them bad, but when you put them next to the other songs of the album, its a definite step down.(85/100)

8.

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-Cody Jinks released two full length albums on back to back weeks in October. You first have to worry about quality when a artist puts out that many songs at once. You don't have to worry with Cody Jinks. If you think of the albums as one, it would be close to being the best album of the year. I'm trying to grade each one separately. Both albums are a change for Jinks. He is looking within, and really bearing his soul on the new releases. Jinks is clearly an introvert, and has a problem with the fame that has come with being one of the biggest independent country artists today. My two favorite songs on The Wanting are Never Alone Always Lonely and Whiskey. Jinks just shows us everything inside of him with these songs. I don't know if I have ever felt so connected with songs as much as I do with these two songs, and to me that's the biggest reason Im a Jinks fan. He has no problems showing the world who he is, and what he sings about affects everyone, not just him. It really endears him with listeners(86/100)

7.

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-Mike and The Moonpies dropped a surprise album in August, and everything about the album surprised fans of the group. For this new record, the band flew to London and recorded at Abbey Road Studios. They also hired the London Symphony to play on every song on the record. Mike and the Moonpies are regarded as one of the best live honky tonk bands in the country, so adding a symphony to their music definitely lends to a new sound. The two distinct sounds blend together perfectly. This is a coming out album for the band that's going to propel them to the top of the independent country scene.(86/100)

6.

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-Mainstream country music is finally getting away from the Bro Country movement, and Jon Pardi is one of the artists leading the charge. Instead of drum beats, and a pop sound, Pardi leans even harder into the steel guitar and fiddle. What makes Heartache Medication so good is how Pardi can surround the steel and fiddle with many different sounds, and make the songs sound fresh and new without selling out to Music Row. Tequila Little Time is a song that would be a throw away on most albums, but Pardi brings in a mariachi band that gives life to a song thats probably one of the weakest on the album. Tied One On starts off as a slow, fiddle heavy leavin' song, but as soon as the chorus hits, it completely changes to a uptempo fun song with heavy electric guitar that screams prime Garth. You also have those pure country songs in Just Like Old Times, Love Her Like She's Leaving, Ain't Always The Cowboy, and Nobody Leaves A Girl Like That. Heartache Medication is the mainstream country album that country music purists have been screaming for.(88/100)

 

 

 

 

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5.

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-It took twenty seconds of the first song for me to become a Yola fan. Man this lady can flat out sing. I started playing her so much at work, people started to notice my obsession. This album gives you straight country music, some pop sounds from her native England, soulful R&B, and much more. The star of the album is Yola's voice. She knows when to power up with her voice, but just as important, she knows when a little is more than enough. Faraway Look is the opening track, and its easily my favorite. When I first heard it, I took the song as a woman looking at her husband and wondering if the love is over between them. Yola wrote it about someone dealing with mental illness. Its powerful when you hear it the way she wrote it. I will be cheering loudly for Yola tonight on the Grammy's. She is nominated for best song, album, and performance in Americana, and she's also nominated for overall best new artist.(90/100)

 

 

4.

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-Never doubt Sturgill Simpson. When he puts his mind to something, he does it right. Simpson has been saying for years that his follow up to his Grammy winning album A Sailor's Guide to Earth would be a rock album, and it is, and its glorious. I have had multiple discussions and a lot of inner dialogue about the layers and depth of the album. I will not get into all of that here. Get me in a elevated mind set, and I could go on and on about it. The album is 100% about Music Row and the men and women that head up the record labels. Even if you dont care about Sturgill and his fight against Nashville, you can listen to the music and still rock out. The title track is called Ronin, and its almost three minutes of Stugill going crazy on the guitar. It sets the mood for the album. The first six songs are the best of the year. They blow away the competition, but towards the end of the album, Sturgill is still singing about Nashville and the continuously hits the listener over the head with the same stuff. Over and over. The album is still amazing and ends perfectly with Fastest Horse in Town. Another song that showcases Sturgill's guitar talents, and one that should be a show stopper on tour.(90/100)

 

 

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On 1/25/2020 at 10:08 AM, Slinky said:

Early favorite for worst song of the year.

 

 

I think there could be a descent song somewhere in there, but yeah, the way it sounds is bad. Thats Nashville for you. You take a woman that has a good voice and you throw backup singers, a loud drum beat, and just overproduce the sh*t out of it.

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3.

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-If you told me a year ago that I would have a Koe Wetzel album in my top twenty I would have laughed at you. I absolutely hate the no substance, stylizing drugs and sex music that he was putting out. I'm not a college kid anymore. Wetzel kind of surprisingly just released this new album with no build up or press. It took a few listens for me to get my prejudices out of the way, and once that happened, I found a Koe Wetzel that is vunerable. Yes, Koe is singing about sex and drugs, but he is singing about broken hearts, and what one goes through to make feelings go away. He's also doing this with a sweeping 90s grunge, garage sound that is perfect for his voice and image. This was my most listened to album of 2019, and four songs on the album were in my top ten most listened to songs on spotify.(91/100)

 

2.

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-I fell in love with Miranda back in 2016, when she released The Weight of These Wings. It was a 24 song double album that was stripped down, and was Miranda's breakup album. It was one of the best of the year, and the decade. Three years later, Miranda is back with Wildcard, and when she announced it would be a more fun album, like her old stuff, I was hesitant. We just got perfect Miranda. I dont want a change. The latest album from Miranda isnt just old Miranda. Yes, there are the fun songs like White Trash and It All Comes Out in the Wash that sound like vintage Lambert, but it seems like she has taken some notes from friend and fellow Pistol Annie, Ashley Monroe. There is this sleek, 70s pop type sound that Miranda blends with country instruments that works perfectly with her voice. Its a little like the Mike and The Moonpies album in that regard. I just really like how you can tell Miranda is having fun, and you can tell she is in love again. That also helps when you co-wrote every song on the album. Just an overall great album.(94/100)

 

 

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1.

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-After the Fire sounds like its Cody's love letter to his family. Cody's wife is all through the album. Whether its Cody professing his love to her, him singing about the troubles they have because of the road or because of his faults. She even helps Cody write a couple songs on the album. Cody yearns to be home with his family because the road isnt all glitz and glamour. The best song on the album, and maybe the best song on the album is William and Wanda. Its a song about Cody's grandparents. Its a gorgeous song that always leaves a tear in my eye when I listen to it. The song is simple, but Cody just has a way with songs. Its an honesty and sincerity that we dont see from many artists. This album is one of the best albums of the decade, and an instant classic in my opinion.(97/100)

 

 

 

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On 1/26/2020 at 7:52 PM, TakeTheBallDeep said:

Cody Jinks has become my all time favorite country artist! 

He's in my top 5 for sure with Isbell, Sturgill, TC3, and Church. What he did with two albums is simply incredible. I think he has put out three all time great albums in the past 10 years and it seems like he is only getting better.

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The last thing Im going to do with 2019 is list my favorite songs off full length albums. Going to try to get through this fast.

100.Flatland Cavalry-Lonely Then
99.Cassadee Pope-FYI
98.Tyler Childers-Creeker
97.Randy Houser with Hillary Lindsey-What Whiskey Does
96.Brantley Gilbert with Alison Krauss and Jamey Johnson-Fire & Brimstone
95.Kelleigh Bannen-Your Favorite Colors
94.Luke Combs-Lovin' On You
93.Tanya Tucker-Bring My Flowers Now
92.Cody Johnson-Dear Rodeo
91.Jade Jackson-Loneliness

-FYI was the one tolerable Cassadee Pope song on her latest album, and its actually quite catchy. What Whisky Does is Houser just showing off. Something he should have done a lot more often. Lovin' On You by Luke Combs sounds just like a Brooks & Dunn song. I absolutely love the sound.

 

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90.Whiskey Myers-Die Rockin'
89.Chris Shiflett-The One You Go Home To
88.Flatland Cavalry-Sleeping Alone
87.Cody Johnson-Monday Morning Merle
86.Koe Wetzel-She Can't Stop Crying
85.Mike and The Moonpies-Cheap Silver
84.Koe Wetzel-Nothing Left To Say
83.George Strait-Some Nights
82.Jon Pardi-Nobody Leaves A Girl Like That
81.Yola-Shady Grove

-We get two songs from Koe Wetzel's Harold Saul High album here, and there will definitely be more. Monday Morning Merle is the best song on the latest Cody Johnson album. There really weren't many great songs on the album. Was a little safe putting his sound out to the masses for the first time. We saw it a couple years ago with Cody Jinks, when he got a major distribution for the first time.

 

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80.Jake Owen-Homemade
79.Jon Pardi-Heartache Medication
78.Cody Jinks-After The Fire
77.Hardy with Cole Swindell and Dustin Lynch-Boys From The South
76.Emily Scott Robinson-Pie Song
75.Miranda Lambert-Mess with My Head
74.Hardy with Morgan Wallen and Zakk Wylde-Turn You Down
73.Tyler Childers-House Fire
72.Kolby Cooper-Leave Me My Heart
71.Luke Combs-Beer Never Broke My Heart

-We get two songs from Hardy's Hixtape on this set. I just really like his perspective on modern country, and Zakk Wylde plays the hell out of the guitar on Turn You Down. Pie Song from Emily Scott Robinson is a fun little song that reminds me of early Kacey Musgraves. 

 

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70.Whiskey Myers-California to Caroline
69.Blank Range-Haunt You
68.Chris Shiflett-The One You Go Home To
67.Mike and the Moonpies-Young in Love
66.Charles Wesley Godwin-Seneca Creek
65.Upchurch-Nashvegas
64.Koe Wetzel-What You Deserve
63.Casey Donahew-Drinks Well With Others
62.Ryan Bingham-Pontiac
61.Miranda Lambert-Settling Down

 

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60.Midland-Playboys
59.Emily Scott Robinson-Borrowed Rooms and Old Wood Floors
58.Ruston Kelly-Teenage Dirtbag
57.Hootie & The Blowfish-Not Tonight
56.Runaway June-I Am Too
55.Sturgill Simpson-Sing Along
54.Cody Jinks-Tell'em What Its Like
53.Tyler Childers-All Your'n
52.Emily Scott Robinson-Westward Bound
51.Shane Smith & The Saints-Parliament Smoke

 

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