Keepin' it Country Media & Radio » Review

Review: Single – “Home Sweet Home” by The Farm

Alisha Parramoure — Thu, 21 Jul 2011 03:59:47 +0000

Although it hasn’t been released to radio quite yet, the debut single of The Farm is creating quite the stir among social networking sites, like Twitter. The group, made up of Damien Horne, Krista Marie, and Nick Hoffman (who plays fiddle and guitar for Kenny Chesney), was signed to Warner Music Nashville in April of this year. The single isn’t set to release to radio until next month, but I couldn’t help but give it a listen. And I’m real glad I did.

The first thing that came to mind for me was how reminicent this song was to “Mountain Music” by Alabama. The melodies of Horne, Marie, and Hoffman are as smooth as those of Rascal Flatts and Lady Antebellum. They also remind me a bit of Little Big Town in the vocal and melody category. I think they definitely have potential to be the next big thing. I predict great things for this group, maybe even opening for Chesney next year on tour? Now there’s an idea, yeah? I wouldn’t miss that opening act, for sure.

Its not available to iTunes yet, or anywhere else, but keep your eyes open for it and buy it when it does become available. In the meantime, you can listen to it at The Farm’s Official Website.

RATING: 4 out of 5

POTENTIAL: Top 5 single

REVIEW: Brad Paisley & Carrie Underwood – Remind Me

Lydia Picknell — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 13:36:02 +0000

After the announcement that Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood will be returning to host the CMA Awards again this November, their duet on Brad’s new album, “This Is Country Music,” should be shooting up the charts. There’s no reason for it not to be a hit: putting together two of the most recognizable voices in country music today is a guaranteed hit. “Remind Me” is a haunting tune about two lovers whose relationship has fallen apart and they’re left wondering why. I don’t think there is anyone else in country music who could make this duet as good as it is. The song was meant for Brad and Carrie, and probably Brad’s best duet yet.

While Brad is great on the song, it’s Carrie’s vocals that bring it home. A beautiful single, once Carrie joins the song it brings it to a whole other level. The hype for the song may have been bigger than Brad’s entire album, but in the end, it lives up to the hype. The song demands that the vocalists give it the attention it deserves: and the two friends do it justice and then some. It might be one of the strongest duets yet this year.

Once Carrie jumps in to the song you get chills. Her vocals are perfect, (when aren’t they?), and it might be the first time she actually delivers those haunting vocals on a track. While she has had pretty songs in the past with sad themes, she never really could deliver them to make you feel them. That all changed this time around, as Carrie has grown as a singer… who knew that was possible with her? Not to ignore Brad’s talents on this song, he compliments her voice perfectly. There is no better pairing on the charts yet this year than Carrie and Brad.

Both characters in the song, presumed to be husband and wife, trade memories and one-liners back and forth throughout the verses. You can actually feel the longing and the pain in both Brad and Carrie’s vocals throughout the single. The lyrics are well written, and lets you actually picture the memories they are talking about. There’s no way this song doesn’t win at least one of the awards at at least one of the hundreds of country music award shows during the next year.

“Remind Me” is out on radio now. Carrie and Brad were filming the music video for it last week.

RATING: 5 out of 5
POTENTIAL: Number one

REVIEW: George Strait – “Here For A Good Time”

Lydia Picknell — Tue, 21 Jun 2011 16:13:58 +0000

It’s starting to look like party songs are all the rage with Nashville’s men. Over the last year we’ve had “All About Tonight” (Blake Shelton), “My Kinda Party” (Jason Aldean), “Am I The Only One” (Dierks Bentley), and “Country Girl (Shake it For Me” (Luke Bryan) are just some of the many that have become the popular theme. But when the King of country music, George Strait, releases a party song, well, it’s not your average party song.

Strait released his 89th career single last week, “Here For A Good Time.” It’s his second highest debut for a single in his career, and was the most added at radio last week. The single, co-written by Strait with his son, Bubba, and friend Dean Dillion, this song has a chance at being the fastest rising of the country music veteran’s career of over thirty years.

“Here For A Good Time” is definitely an easy-listening kind of song. It’s your party song meets honky tonk feel good song; not your fist pumping, shot taking, guitar-driven party anthem country music has been starting to churn out. This isn’t a Shelton or Adkins kind of party song; it’s more in vein of Chesney. In the end, however, the King delivers the song in a way that only Strait could. It’s a sitting back, carefree song where Strait reminds the listener that life is too short and that we should all enjoy it while it lasts. It’s a groovy little song, that will easily find it’s way to the top of the charts – and not just because of the name behind it, but because it’s good.

Often, when an artist’s career starts getting into the later years, their popularity starts to take a hit from the younger, “hipper” artists. Strait is here to prove that in his case, it’s not true, and that he can still keep up with the new fads and culture out of Nashville. This song could easily fit in five years ago as it could today; proving that country music doesn’t have to be all about the rock-star guitars and auto tune that is slowly finding its way into the genre.

http://www.georgestrait.com/

RATING: 4 out of 5
POTENTIAL: Number one