This week we take a deep look at Americana artists, those artists on the fringes, some of them which are gaining mainstream radio airplay (Like Mumford & Sons) and some others (like Tim Culpepper, Teea Goans, The Lumineers and Paul Sikes), who should.
Lindi Ortega - "Lead Me On"
A blast of honky tonk from Canada, "Lead Me On" showcases the country quiver in Ortega's voice as she sings of being heartbroken lead on buy a guy. This is country music with a little punk 'Tude added for good measure. The track is one of 10 interesting great tunes on her record Cigarettes & Truckstops.
Daniel Romano - "Middle Child"
Now here's a traditional country weeper, the kind of country music that was the top of charts for years. Romano has a laid-back delivery but never gets ahead of the melody. While he's not the best of singers on earth, he's still emotional and knows his way around a song. The lyrics and melody are strong and leaves me excited to hear Come Cry With Me, his upcoming third album.
Mumford & Sons - "I Will Wait"
Loaded with fiddles and the band's trademark banjo, "I Will Wait" has the sound of a song that isn't too far removed from what Zac Brown Band does. This has a majestic and progressive sound to it that just sounds great to my ears. Yeah, it's different from what mainstream country radio does but shoot, they should be willing to play one of the music world's biggest acts, a band without a real radio presence. Country music should want to own this band as theirs.
The Lumineers - "Stubborn Love"
Selected to be the follow-up single to multi-format breakout hit "Ho Hey," buzz worthy Americana band The Lumineers are a band country fans with tastes out the mainstream should be paying attention to. "Stubborn Love" showcases the passionate vocals and lyrics of the band and sure, they're not even as 'mainstream' as Mumford & Sons are with "I Will Wait," but theres' something organic, honest, and downright real about "Stubborn Love" and The Lumineers.
The Avett Brothers - "I Never Knew You"
This North Carolina band has been working on the rootsy Americana scene for quite a while now and gained a lot of notice with their first mainstream label release I And Love And You in 2010. Now back with The Carpenter on American Recordings, This track feels like a strong focus track with strong family harmonies and a percussive, sing-a-long ready party tune, all in under three musics. In other words, the kind of stuff country radio used to be peppered with.
Teea Goans - "The World's Biggest Fool"
Traditional Country music at it's best, "The World's Biggest Fool" could've been a hit in any generation of Country Music up until about 8 years ago, unless released by George Strait. The sad thing is that Teea is one of country's most purest of voices and showcases it on this great track from That's Just Me. Here's hoping mainstream radio balances out a little more in the near future to allow Teea and artists like her - see below - the chance at some radio exposure.
Tim Culpepper - "His Old Boots"
Tim Culpepper is a gifted Traditional Country Music singer and he showcases it on each track on Pourin' Whiskey On Pain. This tune comes from that record and features a wonderful story about the bond and relationship of a father and a son and how the boots they wear are a metaphor of handwork and a life lived.
Paul Sikes - "My Epitaph"
A gifted singer/songwriter, Sikes has been gaining attention around Music Row with his strong, well-written songs and showcases it throughout his upcoming Craft CD - due in January '13 - and perhaps no song is a stronger showcase for his songwriting and singing skills than "My Epitaph," a song that had Sikes appearing on The Today Show after Hoda Kotb saw him perform this song at The Bluebird Cafe. Sikes has a lilting tenor that recalls Keith Urban and if I were a record label in Nashville, I'd be signing this singer who sings "All they need to know about me is that I love you."
Jim Lauderdale - "The Night The Moon Fell Down"
A track from his wonderful new bluegrass album Carolina Moonshine, "The Night The Moon Fell Down" feels ready for a George Strait cover (Strait has recorded and had hits with numerous Lauderdale songs in the past). It's a sweet song and one of 13 strong songs on the Randy Kohrs-produced album which features lyrics from Jim Hunter.
The Features - "Offer Up"
This track is taken from the Nashville Americana band's stellar Wilderness record. The band showcases tight vocals, harmonies and melodies on the well-made record distributed by The Kings of Leon's Serpents and Snakes label. More on the indie rock side of the fence than any other act on this list, the band is nonetheless worth a stream or blind buy on iTunes.
0 Comments