People.com are offering 14 free downloads by new country music stars in honour of the Country Music Awards 2007. For each artist there is the facility to stream the song on the website before deciding if you would like to download the track. I have dutifully listened to each of them and will give you a quick low-down on my personal hits and misses.
The list of available downloads is as follows:
1. Luke Bryan - We Rode In Trucks
2. Rissi Palmer - Country Girl
3. Jack Ingram - Great Divide
4. Jennifer Hanson - 73
5. Eric Church - Sinners Like Me
6. Katie Armiger - Make Me Believe
7. Trent Willmon - There Is A God
8. Sunny Sweeney - Ten Years Past
9. Danielle Peck - Kiss You On The Mouth
10. Lady Antebellum - Love Don't Live Here
11. Ashton Shepherd - I Ain't Dead Yet
12. Laura Bryna - Make A Wish
13. David Nail - Missouri
14. Miko Marks - The Son My Daddy Never Had
My favourite of the lot were Ashton Shepherd and Miko Marks, and I also downloaded Jennifer Hanson and Rissi Palmer (although I think I might wind up finding this one a bit annoying - too 'pop').
Most of them are really pretty good, just not all to my taste (country-pop doesn't generally do a lot for me). For the record (ha!), I would say the ones to unequivocally avoid are Trent Willmon and Laura Bryna (truly dreadful...three and a half minutes of my life that I can never get back!)...not keen on David Nail either (and I spent the whole song thinking he was singing 'misery' until I checked the title!).
So I would say that there are at least a good five out of fourteen worth a download...which isn't bad for zilch!
I have neglected, thus far, to mention my ABSOLUTE favourite...but that is only because I am already a big fan, and the others were new to me. The hands down winner, in my book, is Sunny Sweeney!! This woman is fantastic! Buy her album...you won't regret it! The only reason I didn't download this one is because I already have a SIGNED album. In fact it was she who tipped me off to these free downloads...nice one Sunny, ta duck! :o)
If you like country music, some other great recent acts that are seriously worth checking out are Sam Baker, Adam Hood, Old Crow Medicine Show and blacktopGYPSY (samples of these artists' music available at lonestarmusic.com). That should keep you going for now...
3 comments:
Oh la la. I love introducing folks to some golden favourites. You should check out Broken Deer, Ghost Bees, Tanya Davis, Jenn Grant, Catherine MacLellan too.
Just for starters:)
I will do. All names I have never heard! My Canadian music knowledge doesn't go far beyond Joni Mitchell, Leonard Cohen and Neil Young...and more recently Sarah Harmer, Kathleen Edwards and Feist, so it will be a treat.
I keep a running list of things I need to check out (I am such a geek!)...so much music, so little time!
I would make suggestions for you, but am not so confident that I could suggest things you are not already familiar with! How about Holly Golightly or The Waifs? Or my pals' band Lake Me...don't think you'll have heard of them! They're on MySpace etc.
I'm the same about introducing peole to music...my favourite evenings are spent with wine, friends and an iPod/cd collection/record collection going "ooh, ohh...you just have to listen to this! Oh, and this! And you'd LOVE this. What do you mean you've never heard..." etc.
Oh, and I forgot Tegan and Sara...they have just come on my iTunes shuffle and they're Canadian too, right?
Ok, so I have had a quick listen (I have listened through all of the tracks once) to each of the artists/bands' you mentioned MySpace pages.
From that very brief introduction, I have the following to say:
Broken Deer - I like 'Faces On The Riverside'...this sounds a little like CocRosie. Not so keen on the instrumental stuff though.
Ghost Bees - I like the sound, but I don't think I could sit through a whole album of their stuff...a bit 'samey'.
Tanya Davis - I like her the most out of the five and in fact might buy something by her for a bigger listen. 'The Drums' reminded me of Erin McKeown.
Jenn Grant - I also liked Jenn Grant, but would want to listen to her a bit more before committing myself...not quite sure it's 'new' or different enough to buy.
Catherine McLellan - Another one I plan to check out further...I haven't yet visited her personal website, so this will be my next step. Very Laura Veirs/Kathleen Edwards-esque.
All of them were definitely good and worth checking out, so I thank you for your recommendations...keep 'em coming! ;o)
(I will try to think of some return recommendations, but I'll have to think on it for a while. For now, how about Blood Red Shoes?). x
Post a Comment