Reviews

Jason Aldean doesn't seem to be missing a beat in his music career. Each of his first four CD's have made the top 10 on the country music album charts, with two peaking at #1. His last ten single releases have reached either #1 or #2 on the U.S. country singles chart. The latest #1, 'Take A Little Ride' comes off his 5th CD, 'Night Train', so one can only expect that Aldean's success and accolades will continue to mount.

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There seems to be a sense of urgency with Willie Nelson these days. With the release of his new CD, "Heroes", this marks the 3rd Willie album in 2 years, and his 14th since 2000. But if you think Willie is sacrificing quality for quantity, think again. This CD is an exceptional work of country music, and some of the young talent in the industry might want to take a listen.

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Since the release of their album, "Diamonds & Gasoline" early in 2011, The Turnpike Troubadours have been steadily expanding the business. Lead singer/songwriter Evan Felker and the rest of the band are playing more shows in more places all the time, including several recent appearances in Abilene. With the release of their latest CD "Goodbye Normal Street", expect more growth from this unique group of guys.

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If there were ever a rock and roll story that could be told over and over, it's that of the band Lynyrd Skynyrd. Finally, tour manager Ron Eckerman has written what could be the most in-depth book about Skynyrd and the players in the band. Eckerman's new book, 'Turn It Up!: Love, Life and Death, Southern Rock Style' uncovers details about the band that lived the rock and roll dream and defined rock and roll tragedy.

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Music fans, fellow songwriters and critics alike tend to agree that Ryan Bingham is deserving of a spot on the short list of the best singer/songwriters of this generation. And the Oscar and Golden Globe Award-winning troubadour is back at it with his 4th studio offering, 'Tomorrowland', a CD that does not disappoint.

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It's been eight years since the release of 'Hell Bent & Country Bound: Off The Record', and brought together some of the best in the Texas music scene. Artists whose stars were just beginning their ascent in the the scene made their way onto the 2004 compilation, including Kevin Fowler, Jason Boland, Cory Morrow and Cross Canadian Ragweed were just hitting the accelerator on their careers. Legends like Ray Wylie Hubbard, Tommy Alverson and Gary P. Nunn gave the original 'Hell Bent' great depth.

Now, 'Hell Bent & Country Bound Volume II' is on its way, and it, too, is loaded with Texas talent.

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Dark and volatile are this year's black in country music, and Miranda Lambert reminds fans she is still the lead diva of danger with a new single called 'Mama's Broken Heart.' Her performance is every bit as enjoyably unstable as previous hits like 'Kerosene' and 'Gunpowder and Lead.' When she's mercurial, she's magic. 

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On 'Wagon Wheel,' Darius Rucker brings his signature sense of urgency to a modern classic that has been living just beneath the surface of mainstream success for nearly a decade. Old Crow Medicine Show turned the song into a gold single. Rucker's version -- although more polished than the original -- will have equal success in a fraction of the eight years it took OCMS.

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Mumford and Sons' honest and revealing lyrics give their hit song 'I Will Wait' a shot with a genre that is typically nervous around outsiders. The folk-rockers from England have offered their gold single to country radio four months after releasing it as the lead single from their Grammy-nominated 'Babel' album. 

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Mark Allan Atwood is a classic hard working, hard playing Texas artist. He's been plugging away, playing anywhere that will let him, doing what he loves for he better part of three decades. Along with his band, Brimstone, Atwood serves up a unique sound to the Texas music landscape with the release of "Burned At The Crossroads".

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Train's collaboration with Pistol Annie Ashley Monroe feels random, but the marriage of two very different vocal styles makes 'Bruises' a captivating listen. The forever sympathetic Monroe was a perfect choice for this class reunion-type song. While it might not be the official reason her solo album was pushed back to 2013, it's certainly a good reason.

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Without the expressions and the palpable tension between characters, songs from 'Nashville' lose their edge. Flaws otherwise hidden by the drama step forward to dilute your favorite moments from the ABC drama.

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