Artist
:
Trace Adkins
Release
Date: 17 August 2010
Review:
New release for this country legend, and the
first under the new Toby Keith's label. So if this
CD and the tour that followed left him good memories
and even changed his view of the business, I have to
admit I'm a bit disappointed with this opus. I like
the compositions but can’t find the testosterone
blend and sensitivity that made the heyday of Trace.
We found a little humor but it’s far from his
previous albums. So all isn’t bad but just good.
Okay I am talking about Trace Adkins so it's very
good but still, sometimes I have the feeling that
except a few titles he chose the facility. At the
exception of hold my beer and Don't Mind If I Don’t
(feat. Trailer Choir), it’s all quite similar to
what he did in the past without finding the same
energy. A far cry from his previous album, maybe we
asked too much. Anyway this isn’t an excuse for you
to not get it.
Rating::
Artist
:
Jason Aldean
Release
Date: 02 November
2010
Review:
Jason
Aldean is one of country singers that always
pleasantly surprised me. Unfortunately with this
album, it’s a far cry from its inception. Yet all
was rather promising with 15 tracks, and yes! But in
fact apart from the cover of Dirt Road Anthem, Fly
Over States, See You When I See You, we are way
behind. While other compositions are not bad, but it
doesn’t feel chills while listening to them. The
duet with Kelly Clarkson is just successful on Don't
You Wanna Stay and Texas Was You is nice but just
better than average. So it's a mixed review from a
fan. The quality is good but not worthy of its
previous albums. We are rather disappointed, we
could have hoped for better.
Rating:
Artist
:
Katie Armiger
Release
Date: 05 October
2010
Review:
I looked forward to this third opus from Katie
Armiger. After a fairly powerful start with the
tracks Best Song Ever and Kiss Me Now, we understand
that the young artist has chosen to highlight her
voice and to play a pop style. Certainly there are
some slower songs, such as I Will be where her voice
is sublime, but we are nevertheless reassured. Yes,
because it’s indeed a country album with beautiful
melodies like Ain't So Sweet, Ain't Gonna Happen,
Can You Handle It, Leaving Home or the beautiful
Can't Keep Myself From Loving You. Much more mature
texts than before, normal you might say. The artist
has practically wrote or co-wrote most of the songs,
and she asked her friends to help her, and not the
least, Sarah Buxton, Katrina Elam, Jessie James. So
yes we love this powerful country pop sound that
highlights her voice.
Rating:
Album:
: Waiting On Joe
Release Date: 16
April 2002
Review:
Surprising,
this is what emerges from the first album of the singer.
Knowing that he is against today’s mainstream country
and he tries to do something different, that’s what
happened perfectly with its last albums. This CD has a
country/pop sound. And the surprise is that his voice
beautifully fits in this simple style as the artist
likes to call it. I would say that this is one of its
best albums, of course you need to love new country. His
voice here is warm and has a captivating tone, on superb
melodies like I Don't Have to Be Me ('Til Monday), How
Long Is This Time Gonna Be. So you'll understand if the
style is in complete sync with his album, this singer is
really doing well. We listen to songs in loop like My
Heart Wants To Run, The Underdog, One Good Reason Why.
Then I advise you to buy this album urgently because
even if today it might be outdated, the quality is
there! And if you're a fan of the singer, get ready to
discover a new side of Steve Azar.
Rating:
Album:
Slide On Over Here
Release
Date: 4 August 2009
Review:
If
his previous album had impressed me, I needed a little time
to enjoyed it. I feel a sharp decline from the previous
Indianola. However, we find its originality, a little blues
side, a somewhat blasé we like in All I Need, Hard Road Back
To Memphis; very pretty ballads. The musical parts are
successes, the lyrics too, it's just that we know he can do
much better. But the gem Take Your Time (Rayan's Song) is a
song dedicated to his daughter. It’s simply splendid. He
happens to capture an emotion, a feeling and transcribe it
to a melody. This is a good album overall, even very good,
but could have been much better when you know what the
artist can do.
Rating:
Album: Believe
Release Date: 1 July
2008
Review:
I remember her
first album which had rather surprised me with her voice
and the presence of some hits. Barely a year later here
she is, releasing a new album. One thing will surprise
you if you know the singer, the change in tone, we feel
that it has matured, the themes are more mature with a
much more aggressive tone. But rest assured, if there is
one thing she hasn’t lost, it’s her powerful voice which
she handles so beautifully. However, I am disappointed
of such CD, I think she might better have waited a
little longer before releasing an new opus, but be
careful, don’t think this one is bad.. This is a good
album with songs like Gone and its successful lyrics
that we couldn’t have find a year earlier, Unseen, Movin
'On. But we feel that most songs as Something Better,
could have been better. We feel there’s something
missing, we like it but we are not in heaven. Note the
duo with her producer Jonathan Lawson on the very rock
The Road Is Callin. An album may be released too early,
but that doesn’t diminish Katie’s charm and talent, we
are just waiting her next album to get a better idea of
the artist.
Rating:
Album: Relentless
Release Date: 29 May
2007
Review:
Jason
Aldean has benefited from the participation of a lot of
people on this album. To name a few: such as Hicktown
which was written by Big & Rich and yes the
legendary duo. But that's not all, the artist received 4
more songs written by John Rich, so much that with this,
the album can only step out of the shadow. If the
beginning is quite enough rock, the whole is less
rhythmic. Which is not bad, although we feel that its
potential is in pretty rock songs, his voice is made for
it. There are a lot of love song as with I Believe in
Ghosts, She Loved Me; beautiful words in Even If I
Wanted To, You're the Love I Wanna Be. The gems are
Amarillo Sky, Asphalt Cowboy where we are in heaven. A
very good start for this singer because this is an hight
quality album and above all, an artist to discover.
Rating:
Album: Dreamin
Out Loud
Release Date: 25 June
1996
Review:
First opus and
what a CD!. This leaves us speechless, we are amazed by
his potential at the time, varying tempos, he proves
that he can adapt his baritone voice. We understand that
this singer is special, has his own style and a voice
that will be hard to forget. The album is successful, it
even has three truly sublime songs: There's a Girl in
Texas, I Left Something Turned on at Home, (This Ain't)
No Thinkin' Thing. An album of rare freshness, a mix of
tempos, genres, everything is fine, and yes I suggest
you buy this album, whether you are a fan or not,
because it’s a great country music album.
Rating:
Album: Big Time
Release Date: 21
October 1997
Review:
Following the
success of his first album Trace Adkins promises us a
great time. If I remember his previous CD was a real
surprise, he surprises me. We already knew Trace is not
a songwriter, only 2 songs co-written here, but it
doesn’t matter. We are entitled to ask whether
Nashville’s composers yet so good usually, really
listened to his first album or have tempted the great
adventure. Because I must admit there is too much
déjà-vu, everything isn’t good, yet with his baritone
voice it should be easy. It begins with a song pretty
rock Big Time that leaves us a good impression, then
this is the free fall. Certainly Nothin‘ but Taillights
is nice to hear, but there are only two tracks that show
us what he is truly capable of, leaving us speechless.
These are Lonely Will not Leave Me Alone and Wayfaring
Stranger, where Trace’s voice takes us literally to
heaven. We wait the next one.
Rating:
Album: More
Release Date: 2
November 1999
Review:
Going
back and looking to an artist career, there are sometimes
interesting albums, Trace is one of these. The album give
us a Nashville sound with a touch of rock touch. A good
mix. We love tracks like More, the very captivating
Someday whose voice is almost perfect, then the music on
Can I Want Your Love bewitched us. Don’t Lie adds a
romantic touch to the album, and the song All Hat, No
Cattle gives us a very good western swing with Ray Benson
and Asleep at the Wheel, only great people. A good
surprise. His voice always makes the difference and the
lyrics are really successful, still a good album for Trace
Adkins, who I must say rarely disappointed us. The most
successful songs for me are the ones where the rock side
is a bit stronger to hear, his voice doing the rest.
Rating:
Album: Chrome
Release Date: 9
October 2001
Review:
New producer
for this new album and therefore a change of style.
Because what strikes us the most is the style of this
brand new album, we didn’t expect such thing. Here his
style is diluted, all sound pop. But we started with the
powerful and with very good Chrome and then all of a
sudden we spotted a pop style that make us fall asleep.
The voice and the artist doesn’t stick at all like that,
we are not used to this kind of music, so this is a huge
disappointment, a different album, maybe a bit more
commercial. For me, I think this was just a one time
shot, I would like him to go back to its original
producer, who had discovered him, Scott Hendricks.
Listening to tracks like Thankful Man, I'm Goin 'Back,
one wonders why choose such an artist. Once Upon a Fool
Ago and his Irish accent could have seduced us but
failed, only the final ballad Love Me Like There's No
Tomorrow is beautiful, but can’t manage to save the
game. We therefore wait for the next one.
Rating:
Album: Comin' On
Strong
Release Date: 2
December 2003
Review:
With this album
Trace returns to its original producer Scott Hendricks
and we can feel it from the first song. The CD is less
pop than the last, he found the country road, this time
with a vulnerable side that explores several tracks,
which is sure to please the ladies. A good mix of
tempos, his baritone voice so unique does wonders. A lot
of mid-tempos, but songs like Hot Mama, Rough &
Ready ‘ll cheer you up. It fits perfectly to his
character. However, he hit the target with the sublime
ballad Then Came the Night. This song is perfect,
surprising and catchy at the same time. We can only be
happy that he returned too its roots, because it’s a
real treat. A lot of intensity in the lyrics, in his
voice, everything we love in country. The artist manages
to find the perfect balance between a sweet
vulnerability and a strong image in Rough & Ready.
Rating:
Album: Greatest
Hits Vol 1
Release Date: 8 July
2003
Review:
This album
takes us back to the first part of the singer's career,
a side a little more romantic, a magical softer spectre
from the past, it should please the ladies. It’s with
pleasure that we find tracks like This Is not No
Thinkin’ Thing, The Rest Of Mine and I Left Something
Turned On At. A side we are a little less accustomed to
see nowadays, there is no question of rhythm, but a
softer side. Lonely Will not Leave Me Alone highlight
his voice and shows its potentiel. No matter the tempos,
Trace knows how to use his voice. Just listen to such
different songs as There's A Girl In Texas and Chrome to
realize it. The album is good enough for a compilation,
if you want to discover its best songs before 2003, the
CD is for you, maybe you lose a little power on the rock
side, but the tempos and voice are always there, and it
feels good.
Rating:
Album: Honky
Tonk Badonkadonk
Release Date: 26 June
2006
Review:
This
compilation would have it all, there are the inevitable
Hot Mama, Songs About Me, Chrome and Rough & Ready.
Songs that have made his success. But the only thing I
don’t understand is the fact to have 4 different
versions of the same song: Honky Tonk Badonkadonk.
Between the version we all know, there is a 70s groove
mix, a mix version of country club and a Euro funk mix.
I find it spoils all the album, and invites us to look
to the excellent American Man: Greatest Hits Vol II
released a year later. Too bad with this new compilation
because some songs aren’t present in this opus, such as
I Left Something Turned on at Home, and very slow (This
Ain't) No Thinkin' Thing; Can I Want Your Love; More. So
my advice would be, if you want to experience its songs,
rather orient yourself to the greatest hits II,
otherwise, enjoy this album. If someone could explain to
me why put so many different versions of Honky Tonk
Badonkadonk, I am available to listen because there I
can’t find an explanation, although it’s an
international hit, yet even I am a huge fan and I really
struggled to hang on.
Rating:
Artist:
Josh Abbott
Band
Album:
She's Like
Texas
Release
Date: 16 February 2010
Review:
This album is
in some ways a revelation, so many mixed styles, a Texas
artist who have a huge potential. Between All of a
Sudden with its rock sound and violins, we like. Fall in
Love Again in a slightly slower tempo with a female
voice is quite successful. She's Like Texas is
beautiful, it’s about Texan values. But the songs Oh,
Tonight with the sublime Kacey Musgraves takes us to
heaven. And that's not all because Roger Creager and
Trent Willmon make an appearance on End of a dirt road.
A mix of modernity and oldy, besides the artist wrote
all the songs, so there is enough here! Prepare to be
surprised because this album deserves your attention.
The last song Let My Tears Be Still on a veteran's sad
but beautiful, we end with a triumphant performance,
what more can I say.
Rating:
Artist:
Gary Allan
Album: Get
Off On The Pain -
Deluxe Edition
Release
Date: 9 March 2010
Review:
Gary
Allan has made a name in country for ten years. Having
sold over 6 million albums, here's new opus. Usually,
The singer gave us a great quality and some sublime
albums. An for a new one, well rest assured nothing has
changed, it’s very successful. You feel a sadness both
beautiful and touching on most tracks like Today or When
You give Yourself Away. Kiss me When I'm Down lyrics are
beautiful, the instrumental parts are remarkable. This
album presents him as a man with injuries, making a
point. It’s so great. So if we find some pretty ballads
then some more rock songs, this singer is like an alien
in country, I can’t put him in a box, in a particular
category. But like the song Along The Way, I hope you’ll
meet him and discover him because it’s worth the effort.
To know that this album was released in two editions,
with a simple blue pocket and the one I have chronicled,
the deluxe version with a red cover. The difference, you
ask? There are 4 extra live songs including 3 that are
not present on the single edition, so why hesitate?.
Rating:
Artist:
John Anderson
Album: Bigger
Hands
Release Date: 9 June 2009
Review:
This
artist has many albums, he is doing fine like Willie
Nelson, but the comparison ends there. His deep voice
will make you think of Trace Adkins but melodies don’t
follow. The album is not bad, the music is nice to
listen, we even want to dance on it, it's just that I am
not really into it. Yet we have a good balance between
slower and some more rhythmic songs, even if I feel he
could be better with a little more rock side, but hey
that's just my opinion. We are surprised with the song
Hawaia In Hawaii, where he reminds us of Jimmy Buffet
and found even Shuttin 'Detroit Down by John Rich. And
yes both have co-witten it, but I confess that I prefer
the John Rich version. An album that brings a good
atmosphere, a good CD. Note that the last track is
amazing and allows us to end on a nice note.
Rating:
Artist
:
Lady
Antebellum
Album:
Need You Now
Release Date:
26 January 2010
Review:
We alway wait a
second album with apprehension, are we going to be
disappointed ? This time I was pleasantly surprised.
This album is better than the first one, I would say
it’s a true wonder. We find a rock sound, beautiful
melodies and voices that are sublime. The hits are
numerous: Need You Now, American Honey, Perfect Day,
Love This Pain. When You Got A Good Thing is a marvelous
sweetness, voices overlap perfectly. The music is very
neat, an quality opus. There is an alternation between
rhythmic tempos and other slower pleasantly successful
songs. The band continues with a country pop rock style
and impresses us literally. In addition when we know
that this trio composed their songs themselves, this is
going to be frustrating for some. This disc is really a
crush, if you want to discover a new band, I invite you
to jump ahead.
Rating:
Artist
:
Annabel
Album:
By My Side
Release Date:
July 2003
Review:
This second
album by Annabel is a nice surprise. Indeed, this French
artist amazed us with her pretty sweet voice, you can’t
forget or be confused. This album offers us 7 original
songs and 4 covers, a good mix. I enjoyed tracks like By
my side, You Were There for me. But the album contains
many surprises in itself, like the beautiful My Pink
Cowboy and a 13-minute bonus at the end of the album
with present us many covers songs with a vinyl style. An
original disc for a French artist, but not only, because
she can be compared to anglophones, quality is presents.
So while I admit that her version of Wicked Game (Chris
Isaak) is successful enough, she isn’t better that the
original, but she has a natural sweetness and a certain
sensuality that will appeal to many. Note also the
gospel song Leaving me children home that will give you
chills. Then as Annabel tells us in one of her songs:
"being yourself is already a lot growing up," we can
only thank her for being natural.
Rating:
Album:
Wide Open
Release Date:
07 April
2009
Review:
The artist
blending rock and country is back with this third album,
Wide Open. We always find the same atmosphere, the
farmer boy from small-town USA. But this time it’s a
little more personal I think, between Big green tractor
and Love was easy, where we feel that this fan of wild
open spaces, is a bit lost today, and especially the
beautiful Keep the girl with its heavy meaning lyrics,
Jason gives us a fairly mature composition. The album is
a mix of New Country and country rock. Singles like
Don’t give up on me and Truth’ll be listening in loop
and tracks as She’s country is already on top of the
charts, so the future looks great for Jason Aldean and
his Wide Open.
Rating:
Album: X
Release Date: 24
November 2008
Review:
This
album reminds me of why I love country, this style and
the overwhelming music, beautiful, that allow you to ask
questions, sometimes reflect on your life. I like to say
that country is primarily the expression of a people, a
message to anyone who wants to listen. This album is no
exception to this rule, it’s even the best example. A
rich and varied opus, gorgeous songs like Let'S Do That
Again, Til The Last Shot Fired'S, touch you. That's why
I like country and I'm a fan of this artist, listening
to this album is like a exchange, simple and effective.
Words fail me to describe this album, I just hope I have
given you the desire to find it out.
Rating:
Album:
Indianola
Release Date: 30
January 2007 (2nd released the 27 May 2008)
Review:
This
album is a mixture of Steve Azar’s influences, in fact
it feels some soul, blues and of course country. Well
composed and very diverse, the album is quite rich. It
amazes us from the beginning to the end, after a good
first album which was quite promising, the singer
confirmed and signed by reassuring. His talent for
writing songs is felt and the musical side is really
neat. This is an album where you never get bored,
especially with tracks like Crowded, You are My Life, a
real treat for the ears. But the big surprise of this
album comes from the presence of two hidden tracks at
the end of the album, two acoustic songs, a real
success, Mississippi minute, Highway 61. So if in
addition he begins to give us small pleasures like that,
why should we miss out such an opus?
Rating :
Album: Katie Armiger
Release Date: 14
August 2007
Review:
First
album for this young singer and first success. I am
impressed by the quality of this album. Her warm
voice captivates us from the first notes, wow this
is really beautiful. She offers splendid songs such
as Make Me Believe, Let Him Go, 17 in Abilene,
Still, Love Of A Lifetime. The singer varies the
rhythm in a great way, and this is only her first
album, it shows us a bright future, in fact someone
told me that a second album is on its way.
Rating:
Album:
Ultimate Alabama 20 # 1 Hits
Release Date: 12
October 2004
Review:
The
talent of this band is well established. It would be
stupid and pretentious of me to tell you if this
album is good, we talk about the best songs of
Alabama. This band is not just one of the best, it’s
a part of the Country Music. You have already heard
songs like Born Country, Reckless, Song Of The
South, I'm In A Hurry (And Do not Know Why), There's
No Way, Forty Hour Week (For A Livin '), If You're
Gonna Play In Texas (You Gotta Have A Fiddle In The
Band). This album is recommended for all those who
love good music, go there with confidence and think
about increasing the volume.
Artist:
Steve
Azar
Artist:
Steve Azar
Artist:
Katie
Armiger
Artist
:
Artist:
Steve Azar
Artist:
Katie
Artist: Alabama
