“Diamond Rings and Old Barstools” may seem like an odd pairing, but the two work well when combined in a Tim McGraw song. Tim comes up with a creative way to say he’s not good enough for a woman, alluding to a problem with alcohol in a subtle enough way that it feels fresh. Not everything about Sundown Heaven Town is perfect, but the singles are pretty impressive so far.
Keith Urban and Eric Church are two country superstars who I occasionally actually like. Working as a team, they produce one of the bigger misses of both their careers with “Raise ‘Em Up.” In the course of three minutes, the pair attempt to cover summer parties, patriotism, religion and raising a family. It’s almost groan-inducing when God is mentioned and angels sing along. Don’t bring Him into this mess.
Striking Matches is one of the most impressive bands I’ve ever seen live. They sing complex songs and bang out equally complex solos with energy and aplomb. There’s nothing that wrong with “Missing You Tonight,” but it’s mid tempo comparison of a relationship to a fire doesn’t do much for me. Still doesn’t change my regarding “Nothing But The Silence” as one of the more anticipated releases of the Spring.
Parmalee’s “Already Callin’ You Mine,” the umpteenth song that requests a girl slide toward a guy to be released as a single, failed to impress me. While “Carolina” soared and other songs showcased a hopeless romantic side to the band, this song comes off as more than a little creepy. I’ll call this a blip, though. I’m not writing off Parmalee just yet.
And though it hardly qualifies as releasing the song, Kip Moore did release the cover to his new single, “I’m to Blame.” Based on his acoustic YouTube performances and the one time I heard it on the radio, I think it’ll be a good anthem for the world’s country-loving screw ups, myself included. I can’t wait for it to be available for download.
Coming up later this week: Album/EP reviews for Cody Canada, RaeLynn and Lucy Angel. Hit that follow button for updates.
Country Pocket 