So far, Randy Houser has released three singles from his 2013 album How Country Feels and all three reached #1 on the charts. His latest single, “Like A Cowboy,” is set to impact country radio on May 19th. Randy has said that the ballad, which he co-wrote with Brice Long, is his favorite from the album.

“Like A Cowboy” is about the push and pull of balancing life on the road with family; having the need to do something that is in one’s blood, even though you know it is hard on the ones you love. Randy, who has one of the best male voices in country today, delivers the lyrics both honestly and sincerely.

“I keep your picture tucked inside my old hat
It brings me luck, I need a bunch of that
This midnight winding roads run through my blood
I can't give it up, like I said I would
I know it's hard on you, but like I always do”

Cinch up the saddle, it looks like another #1.

4.5 Stars

Sheryl Crow takes an up tempo turn on her new single “Shotgun.” The third single from Feels Like Home was written by Crow, Chris DuBois, Kelley Lovelace, and John Shanks. “Shotgun” shows Sheryl’s versatility from her previous two singles. The song has spunk and attitude, not to mention an instantly catchy melody and a line that is sure to become a new phrase in people’s vocabulary (and a favorite saying of her father’s) “Drive it like it’s stolen/ Park it like it’s rented.”

“You'd beg if I was under your hood
But it ain't doing us any good
Rolling through town and going too slow
What we need is an open road
400 horses need a little room to run
                                                                   Well if you ain't gonna do it let me show you how it's done”

4 Stars

Streamsound Records' Dakota Bradley released his new single, "Won't Be Young Forever" to country radio earlier in April. The song, which is the follow up to his Top 50 single “Somethin’ Like Somethin’’ was written by Bradley, along with Lance Miller, and Brett and Brad Warren ("Felt Good On My Lips").

"Won't Be Young Forever," with its pop country feel, will immediately have you nodding your head and put you in a good mood. But what struck me most is that this is a youthful song that doesn’t mention the typical things we have come to expect from young males on the radio: tailgates, alcohol and girls shaking their moneymakers.

The single acknowledges what we all know, namely, we won't be young forever. But reminds us that if we keep an optimistic outlook and youthful spirit, we can be forever young. The lyrics encourage one to live life to the fullest, maybe make some mistakes, and take advantage of opportunities while you can because life is short. True words for anyone, no matter how old you are.

“Right now I got my whole life in front of me 
Through these cheap sunglasses I see where I wanna be
I don't need much money
And I don't need no sleep
But I know this ain't how
It's always gonna be”

4 Stars

"Won't Be Young Forever" on iTunes
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Carissa Leigh will release her brand new EP titled The Blackbird EP today, Monday April 28th. The four track debut, which includes her current single “Bad Boy,” was produced by Tone Def (Green Day, Santana). Carissa co-wrote all of the songs along with several well known songwriters, including Brian White (Rascal Flatts) and Clay Mills (Darius Rucker).

The tracks range from fun rockin' songs, like "Bad Boy," to emotional ballads. It is on these where Carissa’s vocals really shine, especially “Not The Same Girl” which is about finding the strength to not take back the person who continually hurts you. This time, instead of breaking apart after the hurt, she’s become stronger. “Baby I’m not the same girl who would let you off so easy, just let you back into my world, believing anything you tell me.”

Discovering, from a friend of a friend, that her husband is cheating is the story behind the sad “Cant Come Back From That.” In many relationships, there is that line that gets crossed where a person cannot simply apologize and expect everything to be okay. “How you went too far and you lost my heart, you can’t come back from that.”  You'll believe every word she sings in this one.

Overall, "Man Enough" has a shadowy atmosphere, where the melody sets the scene for the story the lyrics tell. It is a mid tempo song in which she gives a potential suitor a "shot of the truth" telling him that she knows the games guys play and she's too smart to fall for them. "'Cause I've been around the block a time or two and I ain't got the time for guys like you." 

4 Stars

The EP is available at digital retailers.
For more information on Carissa Leigh, visit her official website.

Mitch Rossell, originally from Chattanooga, Tennessee, made the move to Nashville in 2009 when he graduated from college. In 2011, he performed with Eric Church and is currently a regular in Music City’s most popular establishments, such as Tootsies and Third and Lindsley. On April 15th, he released his album I Got Dressed Up For This.

I Got Dressed Up For This is a collection of twelve thoughtfully crafted songs ranging from ballads to country rockers that will make you think, feel, dance and even chuckle. Overall the sound is contemporary country, but it most definitely does not forget its roots with plenty of twang, pedal steel, banjo and fiddle present throughout the record. Thematically, Mitch covers heartbreak, love, family and religion all delivered by a voice that is clear; with a gentle, soothing emotive quality that makes the lyrics he sings believable.

Not many people would start off their album with a portion of the Our Father, but Mitch makes that brave choice with "God, Girls and Football." The song reminisces about the simpler times earlier in one's life when things revolved around God and going to church (salvation), girls (temptation) and football.

"Today's The Day" could easily fit nicely on any Brad Paisley record. It is a humorous song about one’s wedding day told from the male perspective. He sings about hanging back and letting his bride soak up the spotlight because "today's her day, but tonight's my night."

The emotional, touching ballad, "A Soldiers Memoir," looks at what a soldier faces when he returns home; how he may look the same, but if his mama saw inside of him it would "scare her to death."

The romantic ballad "Any Girl" is about being that guy that would never stay around too long, never change his ways or fall too far for just any girl, but the girl he is with now is "not any girl."

"Up To Something" reminds us that our story is constantly being written so we may have to experience rough patches in life to find the silver lining and that even when you're down to nothing "God's up to something."

In "Every Part of Me," he may be undecided about whether to drive a Cadillac or a truck, but he definitely knows that every part of him loves every part of her.

The sadness is palpable on "Piece of Heaven" a ballad about the dissolution of a relationship due to the fact that he could never love himself or let himself be present. “You can’t hold a piece of Heaven if you keep dragging it through hell.”

The fun, relatable, "Seemed Like A Good Idea," has him looking back on things that seemed like good ideas at the time, from drag racing to fighting to getting caught with the boss’s daughter in the storeroom closet.

"Wishful Drinkin" and "Seeing Her" both deal with heartbreak. In the latter, he sings about not knowing "what pushes the knife in further, seeing her without me or seeing her with him."  In the former, he is wishing to reunite with an ex. "It ain't just a buzz that's coming on.....with every sip I take it's got me thinking you're coming back girl, you're coming back girl, but that's just wishful drinking."

"Pawpaw’s Song" is a tender ode to all that he learned about life from his Pawpaw while sitting at the base of his recliner.

Drums, guitar and fiddle merge seamlessly on the rockingest track, "Whoever Thought of Whiskey" a tune in which he wonders about the inventors of such things from pistols and double wides to cell phones and whiskey. "But whoever brewed that first batch of 90 proof, must have loved somebody like you."

In addition to the twelve tracks, there is an acoustic version of "A Soldier's Memoir" as well as a monologue at the end in which Mitch tells you his journey to get to where he is today. Both require listening.

I Got Dressed Up For This is an album full of songs that belong on country radio. Definitely seek it out.

4.5 Stars
For more information visit Mitch's official website

“Wanted Me Gone” is the second single from Josh Thompson’s recent release Turn It Up.

The single was written by Josh along with Brad and Brett Warren. “Wanted Me Gone” is a fun, and at times funny, song that will have you grooving from the first note. The song, which has a definite twangy country/southern rock sound, tells the story of a guy whose girl “wanted him gone,” but is now crying because she’s all alone--while he’s in “heaven every weekend.”

The sing along at the end feels like a giant “so long” to the women out there who wanted their fellas gone, but soon regret it.

“I put the good in front of bye y’all
Put a hole in the drywall
Put the pedal to the firewall and I was gone
Met the boys at the starlight
Tried to drink a hundred Bud Lights
Lost count around midnight
But you got what you wanted baby”

4.5 Stars

The single is currently available for download.

Just the Rain” is the latest single from Lonestar’s album Life As We Know It.

“Just the Rain” is a beautiful ballad with lyrics that speak of loss. The emotional weight of the song is felt by the combination of the piano, violin, and pedal steel while Richie’s vocals are tender and touching.


“'Cause I can feel you all on my skin. 
But to them, it's only the wind. 
And I can feel the warmth of your touch, but to them it's just another noon day sun. 
I know how bad you want to be here now, when I look up and see those tear drops coming down. 
I look around and think "what a shame, they think it's just the rain". 

“Just the Rain” would be a welcome addition to country radio. Hopefully, it will find a place there.

4 Stars

Well, I almost lost faith in Tim McGraw with “Lookin’ For That Girl,” but his new song has firmly restored it.

Tim’s new single, “Meanwhile Back at Mama’s” debuted at the ACM Awards last week. The single was written by Jaren Johnston of The Cadillac Three and Tom Douglas. It features lovely harmonies from Faith Hill about halfway through the track (when in the lyrics, he meets “a girl.”)

The beauty of the song lies in the story the lyrics tell, the sentiments felt in Tim’s delivery and the simplicity of the production.

The lyrics tell the story via vivid images of what a man living in the fast paced world of today misses about his small town. By the conclusion of the song, he heads back to the town he grew up to buy mama’s house, which is for sale.

“Cause meanwhile back at Mama's
The porch light's on, come on in if you wanna
Supper's on the stove and beer's in the fridge
Red sun sinkin' out low on the ridge,
Games on the tube and Daddy smokes cigarettes
Whiskey keeps his whistle wet
Funny the things you thought you'd never miss,
In a world gone crazy as this

Oh I miss yeah a little dirt on the road, I miss corn growin' in a row
I miss being somebody everybody knows there everybody knows everybody
I miss those small town roots, walkin' around in muddy boots
The sound of rain on an old tin roof
It's time we head on back”

4.5 Stars

Every once in awhile you become exposed to an artist who is new to you and immediately connect to the music. Such is the case with the music of Michaela Anne. Admittedly, a week ago I had never heard of this young country classicist, however, Michaela Anne has been building her name on the Americana circuit playing shows throughout the country, performing at the Telluride Bluegrass Festival, Merlefest, SXSW, WDVX's Blue Plate Special, and the Folk Alliance International.
Her new album, Ease My Mind, will be released on Georgia June Records on April 8th.

Ease My Mind is an album that creates an atmosphere for the listener; whether she is singing about the joys of relationships, the drawbacks of them or forging one's own path, the songs make you feel. The appeal of the clean and simply produced album is twofold. The songs are insightful, emotional stories delivered by an ethereal, clear, and honest, voice that draws you in and holds you there for the duration of the record.

The perfect introduction to the album is the opening song, “Lift Me Up,” a song about not hiding her voice and being able to “sing form the top of my lungs each day, in my own way.”

The pedal steel lends both a melancholy, yet hopeful feel to “Is This What Mama Meant;” a song that speaks to the work it takes to keep a worthwhile relationship going. “It’s hard for me and you/but that don’t make our love untrue.”

Filled with banjo and harmonica, “When You Wanted Me” finds her post-breakup knowing eventually, she’ll be fine.

“The Haunting” will leave you feeling just that. In it, she cheats, but expresses that one night should not be enough to undo all of the happiness they shared, then pleads “I wont stray ever again if you’ll just take me back.”  

The tables are turned in the sassy “I Ain’t For You” and she wants him to pay for what he has done. “Get down on those knees and pray.”

In “Ease My Mind,” she wants the one she loves to put her worries about the relationship to rest while in “Travellin’ With You” she wants to leave, take risks and forge her own way, but worries what that would do to him.

Other highlights include “Black and Gray” and “Anymore.”

There is no doubt that the collection of songs on Ease My Mind will do just that, as well as touch your soul and satisfy your need for good, honest music.   

The album will be available April 8th.
For more information visit her official website.

4 Stars

The “Mona Lisa” did not land as far as I would have liked it to on the charts (#1 would have made me happy), but no sense dwelling on the negative when we have the positive: Brad Paisley released his new single, “River Bank,” to country radio today.

“River Bank,” written by Brad along with Kelley Lovelace, has everything you would expect in a Brad Paisley song. There are cleverly written, humorous lyrics, a catchy hook and the guitar playing that only Brad can do. In “River Bank,” a guy wonders what he would do if he struck it rich, while at the same time he knows he’d be okay if he didn’t, because he’s pretty lucky as is.

“River Bank” is a twangy, funky bright spot in a sea of repetitiveness on country radio. And at 2:50, the song lasts just long enough so that you can play it on repeat until you’re able to sing along.

“You know even if our ship came in
And this is all we got
It ain’t like we really need a million dollar yacht
We got an inner tube
We got a trailer hitch
We’re near the river and far from rich
But we have got each other and gas in the tank
We’re laughing all the way to the river bank”

4.5 Stars

Brad will debut "River Bank" live on the ACMs on Sunday April 6th.