Known to some fans of CMT’s “Music City Madness” and “Can You Duet” programs, the Brothers Finch are new to the national scene with their self-titled 3 song EP. All three songs are written by the duo and all three feel ready for country radio. While the songs are ready for country radio, the 
production mix is a little lacking as the mix seems to be lower than it needs to be and this could be because of the Brothers Finch recording and releasing this EP themselves. This in turns doesn’t allow the songs to shine as much as they should. Of the three tracks on the EP, “Lifetime” stands out as the best of these songs, which is saying something because despite the production, the songs are all well-written and easy to digest.
Like Brothers Finch, Daniel Smith is an independent artist but you wouldn’t know that from listening his recently released “The EP.” Collection. 
Featuring six tracks, The EP sounds as good as anything currently coming out of the label system in Nashville. With a solid banjo-backed melody, “The Memories Go On” rolls easily across the ears while Daniel is able to use his expressive voice to good use on radio single “Man Like Me,” which is –for my money – one of the best singles of the year. The EP also features the country rocker “Life, Liberty & The Pursuit of Happy Hour,” which melodically recalls hit 80s pop/rock songs. Everything on The EP is tastefully produced, well-written and performed. I can’t wait to hear a whole record from this artist.
Easton Corbin is a new singer signed to Mercury Nashville and with his debut single “A Little More Country Than That” currently at radio, 
Easton also now has a 4-song EP that previews his upcoming debut album. Produced by Carson Chamberlain, the A Little More Country Than That EP certainly places Easton somewhere between George Strait and Joe Nichols on the “neotraditionalist scale.” Each song feels slyly retro and for many fans that’ll be great. It’s a sound that certainly is ‘classic’ without sacrificing modern sounds. “I Can’t Love You Back” and “Roll With It” sound ready to follow “A Little More Country Than That” onto the radio airwaves, particularly “Roll With It,” a song co-written by David Lee, Johnny Park and Tony Lane.
Mallary Hope’s 3-song Love Lives On EP serves as an extended preview of her upcoming album 
and it features the single of the same name. Written by Mallary with songwriters Shane Stevens and Matthew West, the song is a beautiful reminder of how love can live past things even when you lose somebody. Its theme is similar to Caitlin & Will’s “Address In The Stars.” The other two tracks on the EP, “Times Like These” and “Wildflowers” both showcase Mallary’s strong voice that only suffers from being an amalgam of LeAnn Rimes and Jessica Andrews. Despite that familiarity (which actually should help her at radio), the upcoming full-length album should be an interesting listen.
Successful as a songwriter of such hits as Trace Adkins’ “I’m Tryin’,” Halfway To Hazard’s “Daisy” 
and Tim McGraw’s “Kristofferson,” Anthony Smith may also be known to people as the singer of the country rocker “If That Ain’t Country.” The song, which was a hit about 5 years ago, introduced an interesting artist to radio and fans yet for some reason he couldn’t get his career rolling. Now signed with mid-sized indie label Stroudavarious Records, Anthony Smith is now “Bringin’ Back The Sunshine” to country radio with the up-tempo song of the same name. On this three-song-EP Anthony gives fans an idea of what his forthcoming album will sound like. While “Dandelion” is an interesting rocker, It is songs like “Almost Scared” that showcase Smith’s gravelly growl over a strong lyric and softly building melody.
With the continued growth of digital releases, these types of EP releases really seem to be the wave of the future. They entice fans to buy more than just the single and give them something that showcases the singers. By showcasing more of the artist, the EPs hopefully will get fans pumped-up to buy the full-length albums when they get released.
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