January 1-10, 2015: Josh Abbott Band, Wade Bowen, Whiskey Myers, Charlie Daniels, Matchbox Twenty, Casey Donahew Band, Prophets and Outlaws, Motion City Soundtrack, Pink

Alright, so here's the deal music fans:  I'm just posting lyrics and reviews to bands and artists that I admire and enjoy.  I hope that you come to enjoy them too.  I also hope that through this you will come to find new music, new artists, and new styles that you connect with.

I will happily take a request to any song, artist, or lyric that may be particularly special to you.  However, if I don't like it, which my opinion and right, I may not post that song or artist.  My request is that you don't get butt-hurt over it.

Okay!  On to the fun stuff!  I should have started this on the first of January, but I put the "pro" in procrastinate.  I'm going to throw a crap-ton of stuff at you today and then I'm going to make a valiant effort to keep up with this.

Bring on the music!

January 1, 2015

Artist:  Josh Abbot Band
Song:  She Won't Break
Album:  Tuesday Night EP

I can't say enough about the Josh Abbott Band.  They are Texas red dirt gold and this Oklahoma girl loves them.  I had the privilege of being front and center on their Friday night show at Billy Bob's Texas in Ft. Worth on the second of January 2015.  Wow.  I mean, they crushed it!  Great performers and all around good guys.  You can see the fun that they're having while they play their hearts out on that stage.  With a true appreciation of their fans and the poetic down-home country lyrics, I can guarantee that if you give these guys a shot you'll fall in love with their sound the same way I have.

They are a good time and they're also a band for the ladies.  With song's like "She Don't Break", "She Will Be Free" (another video you should definitely check out), and "She's Like Texas" your bound to feel special just for being a woman when you listen to these songs.  And guys, they can teach you all about how to treat a girl.  You want success?  Try listening to "Good Night For Dancing", "Touch", "Taste", or "Hot Water".  Those last three may make you feel the need to go take a shower. 

January 2, 2015

Artist:  Wade Bowen
Song:  Patch of Bad Weather
Album:  The Given

Well, I have yet to have the honor to see Wade Bowen perform live, but you gotta love that voice, right?  I think my love for Red Dirt music stems from the meaningful lyrics and the unprocessed sound.  It's a little raw and a lot real.  Bonus points:  Wade Bowen is Cody Canada's brother in law.  Awesome.

Wade's got so many great songs that I couldn't possibly name them all.  AND....he's got another album coming out.  It's self-titled and available on iTunes or Amazon Music.  Check it out.  Seriously.  Some of my favorite songs of his include the above mentioned as well as "Ghost in This Town", "Trouble", "Saturday Night", "Before These Walls Were Blue" (which any parent can relate to), and "No Songs About Trucks".

January 3, 2015

Artist:  Whiskey Myers
Song:  Broken Window Serenade
Album:  Firewater

Whiskey Myers.  Damn.  These guys are raw and edgy and spot on.  You hear that voice?  You don't hear voices like that much anymore.  That man can serenade me anytime.  These guys I did get to see live.  Met Jeff, their drummer backstage after the show. Got a pic.  Bought their vinyl of "Early Morning Shakes".  Listen to it regularly.  Still completely in love with it.  They put on one hell of a show.

When you listen to these guys it takes you back to that classic rock stage.  I mean, they were obviously influenced by bands like Led Zeppelin and Lynyrd Skynyrd.  Then they come back at you with something different with soft country undertones.  If any band is a box of chocolates, it's this one.  You never know what you're going to get!  They've got a rebel sound with deep lyrics at one turn and then the next track they've got that fun sing-along good time feel.  Some of my favorites include:  "Gone Away", "Virginia", "Summer 2005", "Early Morning Shakes", "Reckoning", and "Headstone".  

I hope you like these guys, because you'll be hearing them on your radio stations a lot pretty soon.  I'm betting that the country music world is craving a band like this.  Bringing back the real Outlaw Country that we used to know.  No more "pretty boy(s) in a cowboy hat that couldn't hit country with a baseball bat," as Shooter Jennings would say. 

 January 4, 2015

Artist:  Charlie Daniels
Song:  Simple Man
Album:  16 Biggest Hits

Charlie Daniels.  Surely that's a name you've heard before.  I mean, "The Devil Went Down To Georgia" was a major hit.  Now this man tells it like it is.  I love me some Charlie Daniels.  "Uneasy Rider" cracks me up every single time I hear it.  He started long before my time.  The fiddler/guitarist/vocalist/songwriter began doing his thing in the 50s!  He's one of those who just isn't afraid to say what he thinks or who he believes in.  With multiple gospel albums, I think that our Charlie may have been a fan of Mr. Johnny Cash.  If you're in the mood for that in your face good ole southern sound then you should listen to The Charlie Daniels Band. 

January 5, 2015

Artist:  Matchbox Twenty
Song:  Hand Me Down
Album:  More Than You Think You Are

Well, it looks like I'm changing it up on you.  We're leaving the country scene to take a listen to Mr. Rob Thomas and his fellow band members.  Matchbox Twenty is forever destined to be one of my absolute favorite music groups to grace us with their songs.  I first heard these guys over 15 years ago when my family and I had moved to upstate New York for a short time.  What an experience, but that's a rabbit I'm not going to chase right now.

"Push" was playing on vh1 fairly often and my mom would stick a blank VHS tape in the VCR and record the songs and videos that she loved most.  This was one she literally waited on for hours to air.  We'd get so excited when it came on.  These guys have got some serious skill.  Their lyrics are deep and real and they cut to the quick.  With harsh metaphors and a sound that anyone call fall in love with, what's not to like?

I am stoked to say that in two short months I will get to see Rob Thomas perform live.  I'm sad to say that the rest of the band won't be there, but I'm happy that as the main songwriter and performer, Mr. Thomas holds the rights to the songs I most enjoy, so there's a chance he'll play them at the show.

If you like this one then you should check out others like:  "3 am", "Bent", "The Difference", and pretty much any other song they've ever released.  I have all their albums and can listen to them without skipping a single song.  How many artists can you say that about?

January 6, 2015

Artist:  Casey Donahew Band
Song:  Sorry
Album:  Standoff

Well, I guess I couldn't stay away from the country too long.  I'm back to it with the Casey Donahew Band.  This man is under appreciated and underrated. I love his sound, his style, and his lyrics.  "Sorry" has got to be one of the best break up songs ever.  Although, if you wanna think of your break up and laugh then I recommend that you listen to "Go To Hell".

This man has got love songs, fun songs, heart break and family.  He's down-home, laid-back, crack a cold one good. And he puts on a freakin' fantastic show.  I got to see him not too long ago and he's coming back around.  I got a picture and autograph.  Some of my favorites include:  "Put The Bottle Down", "Regrets", "Next Time", "Nowhere Fast", and "Runnin Through My Head".

January 7, 2015

Artist:  Casey Donahew Band
Song:  Regrets
Album:  Double Wide Dream

Yes, I know I used Casey Donahew for the 8th...but seriously..how can you not love him?  Surely we can all relate to his music.

January 8, 2015

Artist:  Prophets and Outlaws
Song:  Soul Shop
Album:  Prophets and Outlaws

Prophets and Outlaws.  Well, anyone who knows me knows that they are my absolute favorite.  I can listen to them on a loop and never get tired of their songs.  Listen to that!  Matt Boggs is the lead singer and he was on CMT's "Can You Duet".  While, I'm sad he didn't win, I'm even happier that it lead him to start up PAO with his college friends James (drums/vocals) and Steve Guckenheimer (guitar/vocals).

I met these guys back in October along with bassist CJ Thompson and keyboardist Jamie Ringholm.  I want so much for these guys to make it big.  They've got that southern soul sound and I just can't get enough.  I'm sure I'll post about them multiple times. "Soul Shop" made it to number one on the Texas Music Charts in 2014 as their first single. You just wait.  These guys are going to be HUGE one day.

I could listen to all of their songs, but I'm particularly fond of, "Shine on Me" (their new single), "Texas Home" (to be released), "My Song To You", "Sweet Soft Southern Smile", "Finally Alone", "Without You", "Chance of Rain", and "The Call".  My daughter's favorite is "Wolf Howl".


January 9, 2015

Artist:  Motion City Soundtrack
Song:  Attractive Today
Album: Commit This To Memory

Yep, tossing these guys into the mix of what I've already shared is sure to make your head spin.  These guys are a conundrum.  Their lyrics can, at times, be depressing or even emo, but the instruments and upbeat sound throw that out the window.  Sometimes they're damn near bubbly.  But I love them.  I got to see them at the Van's Warped tour in 2005 and my freakin' amazing brother bought me a backstage pass to meet them next month.  I'm stoked.  It's gonna be awesome.  I mean, if you've ever seen the Justin's (the lead singer) hair then you're probably as impressed as I am that he can bounce around on stage for 2 hours and it still looks the way it did when he went on--as though the stuck his finger in a light socket.

I love these guys and if you think you might want to give them a shot then here are a few songs that I recommend listening to:  "LGFUAD", "Everything Is Alright" (my daughter's fave), "The Future Freaks Me Out", "Capital H", "Together Let's Ring In The New Year", "This Is For Real", and "Feels Like Rain".

January 10, 2015

Artist:  P!nk
Song:  Try
Album: The Truth About Love

I have a tendency not to lean toward female artists.  Nothing personal.  I'm proud of any woman that can make it in the music world and still stay true to herself.  Hell, I'm proud of the guys that do that too.  But this woman?  Alicia Moore, otherwise known as Pink, is an incredible artist.

Surely I'm not the only one who thought, "Oh...another one..."when she came onto the music scene in the 90s.  All I could think was great...another one to group in with Britney Spears, Mandy Moore, and Christina Aguilera.  Nope.  Pink is incredibly her own.  I'm not downing the other ladies either...I mean, have you heard Christina's pipes?!  Mandy's more of the sweet girl-next-door voice, and Britney is Britney.  She's the only one of the four that I don't care for.  If you like her, great.  If not, join me.  But that's just the way it is, isn't it?  We all have our likes and dislikes.  Trust me, my music library definitely ranges from "Oh my goodness you HAVE to hear this!!"  to "Oh, God...please just don't judge me."

But I will gladly tell anyone that they need to listen to some Pink.  She's edgy.  She's tough as nails.  She's feminine.  She's a bad-ass combination of sexy, tough, in-your-face, and true.  I mean, did anyone see her perform on national television basically doing a circus trapeze act and still belting it like she wouldn't ever get winded?  It exhausted me just watching her!  The woman is a hard-working, multi-talented package of concentrated awesome.  I believe I'll go listen to her some more. 

Okay, that's all ten days of this month. I got behind.  Hell, I'd never even started.  But I'm on it now.  I hope you like the blog and the music.  Feel free to leave thoughts, comments, and requests.  Don't feel free to leave hate. 

Hope everyone has a great day and a music-filled 2015.

--KK